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Angela
Rodel
Grisha Manikatov
Emanuil A. Vidinski
Ivan Valev
Ivan
Hristov
Petar
Tchouhov
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 Gologan is a Bulgarian group that performs a unique mix
of ethno-rock poetry. The group was founded in 2004, when poets Ivan Hristov (kaval, vocals) and
Petar Tchouhov (electric guitar) began playing
experimental art rock; they eventually began to add ethno elements as well.
They were later joined by Angela Rodel (vocals and tambura), a
doctoral student in ethnomusicology at the University of California, Los
Angeles, who was in Bulgaria conducting dissertation field research on
Bulgarian vocal music. Fellow writer Emanuil A. Vidinski (percussion)
also joined the group; in 2006, Ivan Vulev (bass) and Grisha
Manikatov (drums) came on board, thus completing Gologan’s current
line-up.
In addition to using modern instruments such as electric guitar, electric
bass, and drum set, Gologan also uses traditional Bulgarian folk instruments
such as kaval (wooden end-blown flute), tambura (long-necked plucked lute),
dvoyanka (wooden fipple flute with two chambers), and tarambuka (hand
drum). Their aim in mixing these ancient and modern sounds is not simply to
provoke listeners by the juxtaposition of these traditional instruments in
an atypical sonic environment, but to create a true synthesis between
methods of sounds production from different historical eras. The musicians
attempt to give a specific local sound to cosmopolitan rock culture, while
at the same time attempting to renew the local musical tradition. As
synthetic artists, they do not limit their self expression to the confines
of a single artistic form, but rather strive to present a holistic artistic
description of the world through a combination of music and poetry.
Although the members of Gologan are first and foremost poets, the goal of
the Gologan experiment is to go beyond the borders of poetry and to enter
the territory of music. To this end, the group uses both original as well
as folkloric texts, some of which are even based in urban folklore. Some of
Gologan’s song texts are even in English; in this way, the group attempts
demonstrates that it is not confined to a single folkloric or poetic
tradition. Unfortunately, the contemporary media has increasingly
marginalized poetry and has pushed the reader aside, a situation that has
forced poets to look for new ways to present their poetry to the public and
to find new paths to reach the public. One of Gologan’s goals is to
revitalize syncretic narrative forms that existed in previous historical
eras.
The group’s performances have primarily been connected with different types
of literary performances, which have proven to be the most effective means
of presenting new literary works. Gologan has already had a series of
performances at the
Red House, the
Sofia City gallery, the
Ivan Vazov House Museum, and the
National Theater, among others. In September of 2005, the group took
part in the prestigious
Apollonia Art Festival in Sozopol, Bulgaria, performing as part of a
reading by authors Todora Radeva and Emanuil A. Vidinski, as well as playing
for an event introducing the September issue of the literary magazine “altera.”
In March of 2006, Gologan had their first performances outside of the
borders of Bulgaria, playing for the Bulgarian communities in Budapest
(Hungary) and Bratislava (Slovakia) as part of festivities surrounding the
Bulgarian national holiday on March 3. Also in spring of 2006, Gologan
opened the 25th Annual Spring Festival of Books at the
National Palace of Culture in Sofia.
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