In 2003 The Boîte undertook a new innovation – adapting Arnold Zable’s award winning book The Fig Tree, into a concert. Arnold Zable and a further 17 artists performed at the National Folk Festival in Canberra, to an audience of 2500 people. The Fig Tree CD won Screensound Australia’s Folk album of the year award and Arnold Zable was interviewed on BBC World Service reaching an international audience of 160 million listeners as a result.
In developing the concert, Arnold Zable provided musician David Krycer (of Klezmania) with a copy of his father’s poem, A Friendly Hand, to put to music. In Arnold’s words: ‘The poem personifies an immigrant’s sense of alienation in new lands, and celebrates the healing power of friendship.’ Arnold felt that David Krycer’s adaptation ‘captured the poem’s essence’ and that Freydi Mrocki (also of Klezmania) sang it ‘with a smile in her voice.’
Listen to A Friendly Hand (A Freyntlekher Hant), from the Fig Tree album, Freydi Mrocki (vocals) and David Krycer (guitar and double bass)The contribution of Costas Tsicaderis
Sadly, renowned musician Costas Tsicaderis, who had performed at Boîte events since the 1980s and was a key contributor to the production, passed away the following year.
Following his death, the Boîte worked with Costas Tsicaderis’ family and friends to produce a tribute album to Costas – The Mighty and the Humble. As was described in the CD booklet:
‘The 1986 cassette recording, Costas Tsicaderis – Live at the Boîte, a humble production, is the only album ever released devoted to Costas Tsicaderis’s music. Costas deserved better. Production of the Mighty and the Humble inspired a community of people who knew Costas to devote great skill, enormous energy and much love to the creation of the CD. Being part of this has been a privilege. Costas, we hope we have done you justice.’
Hear Costas Tsicaderis and fellow musicians Spiros Papoutsis and Jacob Papadopoulos perform The Mighty and the Humble, from the tribute CD of the same name.