Artist description Kajto is an Esperanto ensemble who plays and sings songs with original Esperanto lyrics from various countries. They employ a wide range of instruments, among others guitar, cittern, violin, accordion, shawm and flutes. All Kajto's music is composed by the group itself. The elements from which the international language Esperanto has been made, mainly come from Roman languages and for the remaining part from Germanic and Slavonic languages. Therefore you can recognize many music styles in the music of Kajto which reflect the influences from various countries. Kajto often goes on tours organized by Esperanto speakers all over Europe and therefore they are one of the best known Esperanto bands today. When performing outside The Netherlands, Kajto can make introductions in English, French, German or Esperanto. The group not only presents its normal repetory, but when an opportunity presents itself, they also can: - teach the public easy, or more difficult, folk-dances. - lead the audience in singing of choruses or canons. - lead the audience in four-part harmony wlth the parts being taught in separate groups. Arterwards the group comes together and one is surprised to hear a beautiful four-part melody. When requested they also play and sing songs of The Netherlands and Friesland.Kajto has a full evening's programme, which can easily be shortened.All members of the group have a lot of experience in the fields of singing, music and dance.

Music Style contemporary folk music

Musical Influences diverse traditional folk music styles, former groups of Kajto members (Irolt, De Perelaar), diverse English (Fairpoint Convention), Irish (Dubliners) and US-American groups and musicians (Tom Paxton)

Similar Artists Fairpoint Convention, Dubliners, Tom Paxton, Kat yn 't Seil, Dames Dubbel, other Esperanto artists, Irolt, De Perelaar

Artist History Nanne Kalma, Marita Kruijswijk, Ankie van der Meer and Marian Nesse have sung together in different folk bands since 1985. Marita and Marian studied musicology in Amsterdam. In 1976, they created the band "De Perelaar" together with other musicians which presents the folklore of the Netherlands with dances. De Perelaar has recorded several records. They also play duo in a cabaret show called "Dames Dubbel". Nanne is a guitar teacher in a music school in Drachten. Since 1975 he has played an important role in the well known Frisian folk band "Irolt" with which he has recorded seven LPs as well as composing the music. Nanne likes very much old sailing boats and seamen's songs which he interpretes with the band "Liereliet". Ankie has sung and played in different folk bands, among them Irolt and De Perelaar where she met the others. She also plays with the band Liereliet. She teaches French and English and is greatly interested in languages. In 1987, after a tour with their group "Kat yn 't Seil" in Hungary, dispite their language knowledges (French, English and German), they had communication problems. Ankie then had the idea to start up her Esperanto studies again which she had learned with her secondary school French teacher Jaap Duijs. In this way, Kat yn 't Seil acquired an Esperanto repetory and took the name "Kajto" (Esperanto for: kite) for their first concert with an Esperanto public during the Spring Esperanto Meeting in the Netherlands in 1988. Since then, they have frequently toured the continent. They launched the first ever compact disc in Esperanto, comprising their own songs. The first copy to be released in the world was presented to the British young Esperantists and the president of the World Esperanto Association (UEA) during the Esperanto world congress in Brighton (UK) in 1989. Until now, Kajto has recorded four albums and has also published two books with their texts written or adapted in Esperanto. Kat yn 't Seil has also recorded three albums in Frisian and Dutch.

Group Members Nanne Kalma - guitar, cittern, banjo and violin; Marita Kruijswijk - flute and shawm; Ankie van der Meer - guitar and shawm; Marian Nesse - accordion; all sing.

Instruments guitar, cittern, banjo, violin, flute, shawm, accordion

Albums Kajto (1989), Procesio Multkolora (1991), Tohuvabohuo (1993), Vinilkosmo-Kompil' 1 (sampler) (1995), Masko (1999)

Additional Info There are two song books available: Kajto Kantlibro (1995) and Kajto Kanonoj (1995)

Location Opeinde, Frislando - Netherlands

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