Presskit

Presskit

As the pumping, insistent guitar chords of this albums first track fire up, steadily rising in intensity alongside shouting voices, you do not know whether you are heading for a riotous gig or a pub brawl...
... Partially influenced by recent tours taking in Pakistan, Ukraine and La Réunion, this is a confident, tight album with plenty of surprises. "Caloubadia" rides along on a slick Afro-beat groove with squealing clarinet and a singalong lead vocal by the Réunionnais quest singer Byin Maye, while "Kustino Oro" is the Balkan standard but with an intriguing edge - it is part Bollywood big band and part Lalo Schifrin, with a driving punk energy.
...Lé la is an adventurous, expansive album that deserves to do very well indeed.
Lemez Lovas, Songlines 10/2009

As a surprise Čankišou became kings of the first day at Open Air Music festival in Trutnov no matter that the biggest festival star was on the programme the same day – Primal Scream. Trutnov is very specific and usual festival rules don´t work there so the most famous band can play on the first day there although only part of the audience has already arrived. It can also easily happen there that Czech band playing world music can be more succesful than a star from abroad which has already passed its top seazon… …Čankišou make a great use of the fact that they opened the festival as the first band. They used all the energy from audience which couldn´t wait to be at the same festival after a year again and created an amazing rhythmical whirldwind which can compete any band…
Ondřej Bezr, www.idnes.cz 21.8.2009

...Their latest courageous deed is called Lé La and is undoubtedly their most daring and diverse CD so far. They have been inspired by their trips through countries like Mongolia, Ukraine, Pakistan and India?.Besides the singer, also the rest of the group have a part in the singing, which is an energetic and important part of their music is. They create their music with balaphone, accordion, drums, djembe, darbuka, flute, Didgeridoo, saxophone, bass, mandolin and all kinds of percussion instruments. The result includes a mix of music from the Balkans, Africa, Mongolia, Australia, Pakistan and India also with Czech folk, Roma music, throat singing and a children's choir. However, because of the heavy rock which is a constant factor in the music, they have managed to create a consistent album. In the song "Zuha" you hear the famous Pakistani singer Sain Zahoor. To get an impression of their sound you could think of a sum of Uz Jsme Doma, Ahmed Má Hlad, Traband, Fanfare Čiocarlia and Lights In A Fat City. But this is music that you simply must have heard. Fantastic worldrecord!
Jan Willem Broek, http://subjectivisten.typepad.com/caleidoscoop/2008/10/ankiou---l-la.html 10/2008

...Lé la CD which was published in spring is one of the best Czech alternative records. Electric quitar got more space than before on this CD so the songs have bigger drive but still keep their hypnotic mood... < br /> Stanislav Dvořák, www.novinky.cz 28.11.2008

The fourth CD Lé la by etno-rock Cankisou band lead by a big singer with a great view from above Karel Herman sounds also vigorously and strongly... BBC World music award owner Sain Zahoor appears as a guest in one of the best songs on the CD called Zuha. Hypnotic rhythms and demoniacal vocals in this song make you shudder. But complete CD Lé la fully express quality and ambitions of the Czech Transglobal Underground.
Ondrej Sefl, Tydenik rozhlas 36/2008

...Lé La is not a cultural crossover just for crossover itself as this happens very often now. Lé La is a fully fledged and ambitious product of musicians who are not limited with any style and who have unusual horizon. They drew a lot and now they´re releasing it in their own way. In certain and possitive sense I could say that revolution consumed its own children: Čanki nation is not a fictitious. It´s Čankišou. And they have full rights to play their music...
Ondrej Bezr, www.idnes.cz, 9.7.2008

...Lé la will draw you into its original atmosphere from the very first moment and it does not let you go until the final tones of the last song. It is impossible to describe Cankisou - you need to hear it! Lé la is a Cd which only appears once a year. At most...
Spy 19/2008

... Čankišou is a real world band and not only because of its repertoire drawn from all the world. With all its dignity the band can perform on any stage anywhere in the world where people like world music. The band just confirms this with its last CD Lé La.
Tomáš Mazac, www.musiczone.cz, 19.5.2008

... as already mentioned several times before, Cankisou is the strongest at unrestrained concerts. And as we could hear at Fleda club, we have a national treasure here in Brno, world´s band with no one like them. Thanks for that amazing experience!
PePe, www.brnoinfo.cz, 29.4.2008

...Cankisou takes inspiration from all the part of the world. It can be influence of the biggest brassband in an Indian ocean, Pakistan music, songs from Mongolian steppe, Balkan or Romanian folk songs but there´s always one commong thing: riveting rhythms...
Petr Michal, www.freemusic.cz, 2007

...Cankisou played some buoyant, fun fusion music and leaning over, glancing towards the left-hand side of the amphitheatre, I noticed Sufi musician, Arieb Azhar, with his signature bandana, clapping his hands and having a right royal time. With instruments such as the saxophone, electric guitars, drums, a banjo and a didgeridoo: Cankisou´s tunes were earnest and upbeat.…
Sonya Rehman, sonyarehman.wordpress.com/2007/12/, 2007

…In their self-invented language and with a remarkable combination of instruments - drums, bass guitar, didgeridoo, saxophone, flute, djembé and mandolin the members of the Czech band Cankisou rock audiences from Pakistan to the US...
www.amsterdamroots.nl, 2007

„Descendants of one legged Čankišou nation. Music which doesn´t respect any borders, rhythmical tornado, loads of unusual instruments and singer Karel Heřman who is not possible to overlook. Charming tours into countries which are not explored yet are becoming more and more often. Ethnobigbeat brassband which was recently played at World Performing Arts Festival in Lahore in Pakistan in front of pakistan president. The band even performed with legendary Sain Zahoor singer there who was awarded BBC Worldmusic 2005 award for Asia/Pacific area.“
Jiri Moravcik 2006

…Come here. You will listen to songs about unusually tallented people with one leg. Songs in a foreing language which you understand anyway. Melodies rousing such strong feelings that you have to close your eyes and stop perceiving the world around you. So that´s the Cankisou magic…
…I met this band for the first time right when they had released their debut CD Hudba lidu Canki. I could listen only a bit and I realised I was forgetting to perceive my own thoughts. Head full of rhytms and melodies so there is no space for anything else. Čankišou can be like a drug. Addictve and euphoric. But its effect doesn´t go down with increaslng doses…
Zuzka Balounova, www.muzikus.cz, 24.10.2006

Success in Pakistan can make smile someone a bit. It’s not America, but a country with 160 million of people it is a good market. And nearly 10 TV and radio interviews, which Cankisou made with local media, can be a viable ticket to this market. Not to speak about the offer to make a music video in this exotic city in cooperation with local folk musicians on the next cd. This seems to be a promising music fusion.
Honza Dedek, tydenik Reflex 51/2005

… Andrew Thomas, a self-taught American flutist, and the multi-ethnic band Cankisou were particularly popular with the audience. Caniksou’s music is based on positive energy and substantial wind instruments.
Shoaib Ahmed, Daily Times (Pakistan), 24.11.2005

Čankišou in a world of world music
Čankišou band is extending to exotic world on its third cd called Gamagaj (by FT Records). Influence of Arabic music is followed by Indian motives or hints of ska; with singer Karel Herman speaking so called sun language. All this is predetermined for a joyful dancing. This collection of songs is characterized by playfulness that is used by Cankišou while composing. It’s very positive that their means of expression haven’t suffered from studio conservatism.
Jaroslav Spulak, denik Pravo, 13.10.2004

Anyone who is able to accept the way of playing of this original band and while listening becomes a member of Čanki nation will hear something what common music scene can’t offer. You don’t even have to taste traditional Buri drink to be made to dance by wild rhythms and fascinated by Tajo festival or mystic Anay Yo ceremony…< br/> Roman Jires, Rock a pop 10/2004

Čankišou with its music of the Čanki people attracted a big crowd of people. Their performance was unfortunately affected by some technical troubles so sometime we couldn’t hear wind instruments or didgeridoo so well but even with these problems it was an amazing concert.
Saman, www.freemusic.cz, 7.7.2004

Čankišou last launching ceremony of its second cd Dense Ju with many guests meant absolutely sold out Fleda club, It is something exceptional. This time, the band didn’t invite any guests except of their belly dancers, but the club was crowded again. I´m quite surprised that none of the big major publishing companies has won over this band from small FT Records yet. I think this band has good future ahead of it. If Cankisou doesn’t run out of ideas, they can be regulary among 40 most selling bands.
Svatopluk Bartik, www.freemusic.cz, 21.10.2003

Čankišou, another band, where rhythm is one of the most important things. Zdenek Kluka, a well-known rock musician, with a group of much younger musicians and a monumental singer Karel Herman. He sings with his own non-impromptu language and churns out songs of imaginary Čanki nation.
Vojda, www.freemusic.cz, 8.7.2003

Čankišou performance was personally my biggest surprise this year. I only knew their music from cd and TV. I can truly say that it’s only a very mild version of their live performance. Their rhythmic world music (there is no guitar or keyboards but wind instruments, percussions and also not a very common mandolin) is very wild, energetic, avoiding monotony, churning out ideas and not missing a great instrumental performance.
Antonin Kocabek, www.musicserver.cz, 9.7.2003

Zuluville and Čankišou are far from what has been here before them but also from themselves. In Zuluville our Wendy Zulu sings in tribal Zulu language, Čankišou excites audience and themselves with inventive Čanki language. And without any doubts Čankišou has a great view from above.
Jiri Cerny, Zlaty fond ceske popularni hudby