Andrea Gerak

 12/09/2008 20:54:14  ♥ written by jaklumen ( / jaklumen.vox.com)

What caught my attention right away about Andrea Gerak is that she had covered "Rorogwela", which had been recorded earlier as "Sweet Lullaby" by Deep Forest on their eponymously titled CD, and was a huge hit in the early '90s.  But Gerak deserves plenty of recognition in her own right, as she presents a variety of folk music, primarily from her native Hungary, either a capella or with accessible world fusion instrumental backings.  Although she also sings them in a traditional manner, it is these angles that have garnered her attention and praise from listeners and news media alike.  I found it very interesting that a full traditional Hungarian folk band (violin, viola, double bass + eventually flutes, hurdy-gurdy, bagpipe, cimbalom) is available upon request at her performances.  It would seem that you get the full package with this artist, from the traditional to the modern.

Although she focuses more on singing these days, she is also a dancer, having performed with various Hungarian folklore groups from her early childhood.  Her dancing is featured in the 1989 film Music Box by Constantinos Costa-Gavras.

Gerak is also a prolific blogger, with a handful of blogs covering traditional Hungarian folk music, her musical career, travel pictures, and short "stories" on a slightly more personable note.  You can find her blog on Hungarian folk music at Blogger here.