The band plays mostly folk motives from the north and north-east of Poland performed at family celebrations all sorts of polkas, marches or waltzes. In their arrangements, however, they try to show all the things that throughout years have influenced and changed Polish folk music. That is why elements of city folk, tango, Middle East influences, as well as Greek music can be heard on the record.

As Poland is a rather cold country, elements of reggae and Caribbean music are introduced to let in some sun rays for those who long for the summer. Such a combination may seem strange, yet the underlying idea is to offer modern listeners music which is accessible and at the same time reminds them of the forgotten folk roots.

The band's name may seem as if it were taken from English. It is not so. BERKLEJDY is how 100-200 years ago people in Mazury region used to call musicians performing at weddings and other celebrations. Seeing such musicians they used to say: - Look, BERKLEJDY are coming...

Unfortunately band broke up after unexpected death of cymbały player - Andrzej Zajko...



Musicians:

KAROL JANCEWICZ - bass, jews harp

TOMASZ JEWUŁA - guitar, voice

PIOTR PUCYŁO - percussion: darabuka, bendir, tar, riq, khanjari, udu, qarqaba, steeldrum and tanpura, saz

WINCENTY TUROWSKI - bayan (button accordion)

KUBA WANGIN - drums, percussion

ANDRZEJ ZAJKO - cymbały

CYMBAŁY [tsimbuwee] , a hammered dulcimer , which is the basic element of the band's music, is one of the almost forgotten Polish folk instruments. Perhaps it is due to the complexity of its tuning and playing techniques that not many young musicians take up this instrument despite its beautiful sound.



Reviews:

"Berklejdy are Polish, and you know what we've said before about the accumulating evid.......
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Grupa swoje ciekawe brzmienie zawdzięcza wpółczesnej reggae'owo dub'owej aranżacji tradycyjnych melodii ludowych z okolic Mazur. Instrumentem prowadzącym są tutaj strunowe cymbały, na których gra 20-letni Andrzej Zajko, będący wnukiem Józefa Krupskiego, z którym w dzieciństwie kilkakrotnie występował na festiwalu muzyki ludowej w Kazimierzu.