Volapük (band)

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Volapük concerting in Divadlo 29 in Pardubice, the Czech Republic.

Volapük is the latest avant-garde band of the French drummer Guigou Chenevier. The core of the band is:

Guigou Chenevier - Drums, Marimba, Voices, Clavier, Sanza
Takumi Fukushima - Violin
Guillaume Saurel - Flute, Engineer, Violoncello, Mixing
Michel Mandel - Clarinet, Clarinet (Bass), Taragat

The band takes inspiration from a large number of Eurasian ethnic traditions, from Spain to the Balkans to Mongolia, blending them all together in an amazing mix of rhythm, musicality and humor. Unlike other avant-garde bands that make heavy use of various noises, Volapük's music is highly harmonious, always retaining a folkish warmth and accessibility. Volapük is also the name of one of the first popular artificial languages, a nice metaphor for the kind of music Volapük creates.

In the 1970s the drummer Guigou Chenevier played in the Etron Fou Leloublan band, and was part of the Rock in Opposition movement - a broad movement of like-minded musicians who were actively ignored by mainstream record labels and promoters. In a certain sense, one could say Volapük continues the Rock in Opposition movement. They have moved toward modern classical music of the minimalist school scrapping electric instruments altogether.

They have released five albums so far: