-SERIES 01-
ARA DEG 2020
Performances from
Gruff Rhys + Brìghde Chaimbeul + N’famady Kouyaté + Cerys Hafana + Rhodri Davies
ARA DEG 2020
Ara Deg 2020 almost happened – but when the pandemic came we invited some of the musicians to Bethesda in any case to document their songs in the surrounding landscape and industrial scenery of Eryri.
This is a miniature digital version of the festival that never was.
Welcoming an audience was an impossibly – but remarkably Neuadd Ogwen – now a community performance venue and Bethesda’s historical Cinema space, was turned into a film studio instead.
To support the hall through these difficult lock-down periods follow this link
N’famady Kouyaté
N’famady a balafon master and traditional drummer from Guinea, West Africa. The first balafon instrument was discovered by the King of Susu, Soumaoro Kanté (11th century of the Ancient African Empire), and it was given to the griot Bala Fassèké Kouyaté.
The Kouyatés have been a significant family of storytellers for generations. N’famady is a direct descendant, and one of the stars of the succession of the Mandingue. Here’s Nafamady in various locations in Bethesda backed by his Balafon, Guitar and MacBook Pro.
Cerys Hafana
Cerys Hafana hails from Machynlleth and can be seen here singing outside her Nain’s old house in Bethesda.
Using the triple harp nods to the traditional music of Wales but her production is starkly universal and speaks directly and honestly to our worrisome age by channeling the past and creating new forms.
Her debut album Cwmwl is available on all known streams.
GRUFF Rhys
Brìghde Chaimbeul
Brìghde Chaimbeul is a radical piper from Scotland. Embracing the drone and enriching her tradition by cultivating informal aspects and experimenting with, for example, Eastern European influences.
She released her first album, The Reeling in 2019 on Rough Trade Records.
Rhodri Davies
On his latest solo recording Telyn Rawn, Rhodri Davies – one of the century’s most radical Harpists, revives the medieval Welsh harp of the title and reintroduces our ears to the sound of plucked horse hair through contemporary improvisation.
On this his first visit to Bethesda Rhodri used the wind of Moel Faban to further explore the instrument. With a foot in the Fluxus art movement that rejects product all together and another in the deep topography of his pop band Hen Ogledd – Rhodri’s cultural influence is international and multi faceted.
Keep an ear out for his label Amgen and his involvement in the NAWR events in Swansea.
ARA DEG 2020 - Rhodri Davies
Telyn Wynt
Location: Moel Faban
The mountain is thought to be named after an old chief named Mabon or Maban. On the mountain are cairns, roundhouses and fields dating to the Bronze and Iron Ages.
At the foot of the mountain, above Cilfodan, is Pen-y-gaer, an Iron Age hill fort.
Made possible with support from…
Credits
Aritsts
Concept
Ein Dalgylch was created by Neuadd Ogwen and Steve Bliss
Ara Deg was created by Gruff Rhys and Neuadd Ogwen
Production
Production Company: OBR Studios
Director: Steve Bliss
AP: Neuadd Ogwen
Sound: Aled Ifan
Photography: Steve Bliss
Website Design: OBR Studios
