Misfortune of the Grieving Mother: DeVotchka and "La Llorona"

DeVotchKa, a Denver-based a four piece ensemble, performs our random tune for today. Their name is derived from the Russian word for "girl," and their instrumentation, besides guitar, drums and bass can include theremin, bouzouki, accordion and sousaphone. DeVotchKa started as a backing band for burlesque shows, and in particular traveled with and backed noted burlesque performer Dita von Teese. During this time they were also self-releasing records and touring in support of them which earned them an underground following. The band was eventually picked by the directors of Little Miss Sunshine to score the film which earned them a Grammy nomination for best soundtrack. The band, while essentially a rock ensemble, incorporates a gypsy punk feel into many of its songs. This song, La Llorona, is on their 2003 CD Una Volta. The song title refers to the ghost of the grieving mother in Mexican legend.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeVotchKa; http://devotchka.net/

Weep Not: The Kočani Orkestar and "La Llorona"

A new country we haven't represented before serves up our random tune for today. The Kočani Orkestar is a Macedonian Romani gypsy brass band who play a funked up version of Balkan brass band music directly descended from the music of Turkish army bands. This song, La Llorona (the video spells it wrong), refers to the weeping female who drowned herself in despair after a jilted love, and was turned away from the gates of heaven and not allowed to return until she finds her children. This legend is found in Latin myth throughout Hispanic America , and I can only assume that The Kočani Orkestar reference the legend from Romani/gypsy populations in Spain. La Llorona can be found on The Kočani Orkestar's 2008 CD The Ravished Bride.