European dates for Mari Boine

One of Sami music’s foremost ambassadors, Mari Boine, is scheduled to play a set of shows in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austira, Belgium and the Czech Republic in March.

Sami singer Mari Boine, who has collaborated with Jan Garbarek and Peter Gabriel among others, returns to London for a one-off gig at Cargo in Shoreditch which marks the start of a hectic March tour that includes gigs in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austira, Belgium and the Czech Republic .

Mari Boine has brought the contemporary music traditions of Norway's Sami people, to the international stage. Forsaking traditional music for the modern sounds of "joik" Boine has incorporated influences of jazz, rock, and other ethnic music. Boine’s success has been a source of pride for the Sami people. As the Norwegian newspaper VG pointed out, "ethnic music has a rather large audience outside Norway. You should be aware of the fact that perhaps the most interesting artist in this wide field of music is from the Sami people and living in Norway."

Despite early resistance based on her Sami heritage and womanhood, Boine continues to build a loyal following in her homeland. Her first two albums – ‘Gula Gula’ in 1989 and ‘Jaskatvouda Mann’ in 1992 - hinted at her skills, while, her third album, released in 1993, received a Norwegian Grammy and marked her as one of Norway's greatest stars. Her fourth album, ‘Goaskinviellja’,‘Leahkastin’, was commissioned for the Våssajazz Festival and premiered in March 1994. ‘Balwoslatjna’, her fifth album, followed in 1998. Boine was also a featured vocalist on Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek's album, ‘Twelve Moons’.

The concert series will showcase music from her latest release ‘In the Hands of the Night’(‘Idjagiedas’), where once again she blends traditional Sami music with jazz-friendly instrumentation and ambient electronica; “backed by deft use of guitar, trumpet, flute and synthesizer, Boine brings her culture to life with spine-tingling intensity”, The Times.

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