From Austria, longtime folksinger Manfred Sumper teamed up with the Slovenian folk duo Lidija and Vlado Jelovac in 1997 at a
Beppe Gambetta workshop. Their diverse backgrounds in European folk (especially Slovenian, Scottish, and Irish), bluegrass, and country combine to form a unique collective. All accomplished singers (and instrumentalists), their gentle harmonies, and the instrumental mood recall that of the singing groups of the '50s and '60s folk revival like
the Weavers and the Kingston Trio but with a slightly more international flair. Not surprisingly, Vlado and Lidija Jelovac contribute the more obscure and arguably more colorful pieces, like the melancholy but beautiful Macedonian folk song "Eleno" and "Soltan ibn Kreek," the erstwhile American flatpicking tune given a Slovenian arrangement. The trio is joined by former Sean Talamh and current Shantalla Irish fiddler
Kieran Fahy. Fahy adds a degree of authenticity to the numerous Celtic folk songs contained on
Triplets. ~ Dave Sleger