This report on last weekend’s 2016 EWOB festival in Europe is a contribution from Jos van der Lelie, host of the All Around Bluegrass and Master’s Garden programs on The Bluegrass Mix.
At the annual European World Of Bluegrass festival in Voorthuizen, The Netherlands, Curly Strings of Estonia was crowned European Bluegrass Band 2016 on Saturday, May 7.
The day before, on Friday the 6th, the band had already picked up the Liz Meyer European Innovation of Bluegrass Music Award.
The band consists of Eeva Talsi (fiddle), Villu Talsi (mandolin), Jalmar Vabarna (guitar) and Taavet Niller (double bass).
At the Estonian Music Awards in 2015 the band had already collected prizes for best debut album, best album, best newcomer and best song for Kauges kolas (In a distant village).
Their debut on the EWOB stage was overwhelming. Although their lyrics are entirely in the Estonian language, which is hardly spoken in other European countries, the audience closed them in their hearts. Their repertoire consists entirely of their own original material and the lyrics, written in cooperation with prolific Estonian poets, are often socially relevant.
Stunned by the unexpected succes of their trip to The Netherlands, the band has now earned the right to return next year to play the final evening of EWOB without having to qualify. Also they will travel to the USA in September of 2017.
