Table Songs of Kakheti

In their loosely structured documentary, co-directors Hugo Zemp and Nona Lomidze explore the Eastern Georgian art of polyphonic singing by way of 91-year-old winemaker Andro Simashvili, who lives in a leafy village at the foot of the Caucasus in the Kakheti province. Most of his songs revolve around wine-making, although others concern history and religion. Since the songs are not written down, Simashvili teaches them to younger singers to keep the tradition going. Here, he's joined by nine-member folk group Shemodzakhili, whose musical appeal Simashvili explains succinctly, "It brings joy to our hearts, which makes us live longer." In table singing, two ornamental solo voices join with a choir that provides the drone or bass tone. The singing tends to take place at feasts (supra) presided over by a toastmaster (tamada). Simashvili's daughter, Leila, practices polyphonic singing with other women, including her daughter Ana Maisuradze, a particularly skilled singer. In addition to table songs, Leila sings solo work songs (or orovelas) while picking and pressing grapes (tables songs are sung mostly, but not exclusively, by men). Zemp and Lomidze include 14 full-length performances (plus a bonus song), sung a capella in and around chapels, dining rooms, and picnic tables. The lyrics touch on universal truths, such as "If a man is not good, his status and heritage don't matter" and "You are wise if a wise man drinks you; if a silly man drinks you, he topples over." An interesting film about a singular musical style that is interwoven into Kakheti's wine-making culture, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)