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Elina Duni, Partir

Elina Duni, Partir


This Albanian singer has traditionally performed Balkan folk music and married it to jazz and other contemporary forms, and on her new album she expands her range. Singing in 9 different languages, Elina Dinu’s voice unites a wide variety of musical compsositions and backgrounds and weaves an international tapestry of soaring beauty. In addition to singing, she plays all the instruments — guitar, piano and drums — though her voice is clearly the main event. Duni the songwriter mostly steps aside here to favor traditional songs and covers. Most of the pieces are still of Balkan or Mediterranean origin, but they venture as far as France to the west and Egypt to the south. All of them sound like they were written for her. Highlights: “Oyfn Veg,” “Vishnja,” “Lamma Bada Yattathana”

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