| Lo Còr de la Plana (pronounce "Loh cor deh la plahn") is a gritty romp, matching six male a-cappella voices with the stomping, clapping beat of a variety of hand drums, that accompany this French ensemble. Sung in the little known ancient language "Occitan" the group transcends translation with wit, tenacity, and above all, intricate harmonies that soar between the dissonant and the sacred. Ripe with passion and Mediterranean roots, flavors of Arabic, African and parts of Gregorian chant, the group take you on a European journey that stirs the soul.
The group is devoted to resurrecting and modernizing the traditional repertoire that up until now has been confined to churches and religious ceremonies. From popular centers of Damase Arbaud and Notre Dame des Doms, the ensemble has added instruments like the North African "bendir" and the "tamburello" in an effort to broaden its musical range. The result is a joyful ricocheting counterpoint that needs no translation. Welcome, Lo Còr de la Plana!
"Their intricate, overlapping harmonies form roaming, obscure Occitan labyrinths with a humorous trail laid down for the adventurous listener to follow. The approach of Lo Còr de la Plana is complete : from their involvement with the community to their satyrical CD artwork. They are not just a band, they are a philosophy." _Froots
"Immensely pleasurable, fulsome vocal polyphonies sung in the medieval Occitan language of Southern France. Accompanying themselves with simple, light frame percussive bendirs, tamburellos, and a pandeiro, the musicians also clapped and stomped away to distinctive Mediterranean melodies, some once heard strictly in regional pagan churches and now, impiously, in clubs and bars! They could rival the Whiffenpoofs any day..."_Giant Step
"One of [GlobalFest's] best surprises came from Lo Còr de La Plana...The members' energy and charisma was truly captivating, and they also sounded amazingly tight. Using nothing but their own resources, they got the jam-packed room moving to their beat..." _Global Rhythm
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