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The sea -- with its mysterious depths, its vast breadth and it breathtaking power -- has always fascinated generations of people and provided the inspiration for countless tales and legends. Valivann features the striking similarity between Celtic and Scandanavian ballads. Valivann has combined favorite lyrics with original and traditional melodies to create an exciting nordic ethno-cocktail: a crystal-clear voice floating over a lush carpet of hard-edged rhythms, samples and acoustic instruments. Kerstin's fascination for music started at an early age and hasn't waned since! Her parents showed a great interest in the arts and she grew up hearing predominantly classical music at home, which led to her first playing recorder until she got really enthusiastic about - and played a lot of - piano. Parallel to this she was a member of various choirs. As a teenager she began to play guitar and so moved more into the realms of popular music ( would you believe Abba and the Carpenters? Well, why not ........those vocal harmonies....). While still at school she started playing in a bluegrass band, and later a chance meeting led to her first Celtic project, the Scottish band "Sióbhra”. This formation lasted for a few years, during which time she also began to play mandoline, banjo and bouzouki in addition to guitar and vocals. Here she developed a special interest in Celtic music. She studied musicology and Scandinavian studies in Berlin and Bergen (Norway) - thereby also discovering a passion for Scandinavian music (this woman has a voracious musical appetite!) Today she writes her own songs and arrangements and has received much praise from prominent colleagues for her musically- and phonetically convincing interpretations of Gaelic and Scandinavian songs. FEATURED ARTISTS: Kerstin Blodig - vocals; Thomas Loefke - Celtic harp; Andreas Mainka - keyboards; Ian Vance Melrose - Low Whistles; Johannes Schiefner - Uilleann pipes; Chris Steve-Dawe - Trumpets TRACKS: Vallevan; Fause Fause Hae Ye Been; Horpa; Lullaby; Mystical Man; The Seal Man; Sven Svane; The Cruel Sister; Kjetta; Mine Viser Kerstin Blodig is also a member of the group Norland Wind whose album, "Atlantic Driftwood" was released July 2002 on Alula Records. Kerstin also appears with Ian Melrose as the duo, Kelpie whose self-titled album, "Kelpie" will be released in February of 2003 on Alula Records.
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