The music that Oran Etkin creates with his Group Kelenia is an aural reflection of the new global landscape, painted by a young clarinetist and saxophonist born in a small town in Israel, now living in New York and leading a band comprised of Malian and American musicians.  Etkin’s distinctive sound is honest and unforced, infused with the constant presence of ancient influences – reverberations from the Malian Empire and the ages-old cry of the Jewish prayer.  At the same time it resonates with an urban vibe and the energy of the modern New York jazz scene.   “I love the contrast of old and new: of a tradition that has evolved over centuries and the creative individual expression of one man playing his own approach, in his own way, against that tradition and toward it,” states Etkin.

Kelenia is Etkin’s debut recording for Motema Music as well as the name of his working band, comprised of Balla Kouyate on balafon, Makane Kouyate on calabash and vocals and bassist Joe Sanders. The CD also features guest appearances by vocalist Abdoulaye Diabate, percussionist Mohamed ‘Joh’ Sidi Camara, a string section on one track, and Grammy™ Award winning artists Lionel Loueke and John Benitez.  The resulting collection of eleven tracks pays true testament to the essence of “kelenia,” which is the Bambara word for love between people who are different from each other.

Download MP3: “Nama”

More info about Kelenia
Pre-Order Kelenia