“Kalimankou Denkou” (The Evening Gathering) by Bulgarian State Television Female Choir with soloist Yanka Rupkina
“This is the kind of music that never reaches a lot of people because nobody will ever play it, but at the same time I think we’d be a much better world if everybody was forced to listen to it. So, we’ll just play a little bit of this thing, and it may also make listeners understand me a little bit more.”
- George Harrison, introducing “Kalimankou Denkou” on Rockline (1988)
“The Harrisons met [Ry] Cooder through the American producer Russ Titelman, who also introduced them to another of Olivia’s playlist choices, ‘Kalimankou Denkou’ from the Mystère des Voix Bulgares Vol 1 album, first released on an obscure label in 1975 and a surprise world music hit when re-released on 4AD a decade later. ‘Russ brought the album with him when he was working with George [on George Harrison in 1978] and we loved it,’ Olivia says. When several of the singers on the album, including Yanka Rupkina, were working in London as Trio Bulgarka, the Harrisons invited them to their Friar Park home to give a private concert. ‘Russ and George stood in the hall and harmonised with them. It was a very reverential experience.’” - Nigel Williamson, Songlines (2018)
“In Beatlefan issue #147, there’s an interview with Sam Brown – Joe Brown’s daughter who sang on ‘My Sweet Lord 2000′ and performed ‘Horse to Water’ at the Concert for George (one of the highlights of the show!). She recalls something very sweet George and Olivia did for her mother when she was ill from cancer: George and Olivia were hosting a Trio Bulgarka concert at Friar Park (Trio Bulgarka is a group of traditional Bulgarian singers who have performed on albums by Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel, to name a couple). Sam’s mother (who had been a member of Liverpool group the Vernon Girls) loved Trio Bulgarka, but was very ill at the time. George and Olivia invited Sam and her mother to come early in the afternoon to watch the soundcheck. This meant so much to Sam’s mother – it was very emotional for her to hear this beautiful music and share it with George and Olivia.” - [x]
“The voice of Yanka Rupkina is an emblem in the folk music tapestry of Bulgaria. For 55 years now her concerts across the world and at home have delivered great experience to audiences. It is not for nothing that celebrity George Harrison gave as a present one of his records to Yanka with the following dedication: ‘To the greatest singer on the planet’.” - Radio Bulgaria
