Orlek

Orlek is a Slovenian rock band formed in 1989 in Zagorje ob Savi, the mining town in the Zasavje valley. The band took its name from a hill on the very edge of Zagorje, and it has been playing, touring and recording without a break ever since, which makes it one of the longest-standing rock bands in Slovenia.

Their sound is a home-made mix that they call "knap'n'roll", after knap, the local word for a miner: a kind of folk-punk-polka rock. Besides the usual rock line-up of guitars, bass and drums, the band has a horn section and an accordion. The lyrics are socially minded and humorous, full of miners' words, and tell of the hard life in the pits. Some songs are folk songs given a rock treatment, such as "Vinska trta". Wherever they play, at home or abroad, Orlek always sing in Slovenian.

The albums began with Funšterc in jetrnice (1992), followed by Ajmoht (1994), Adijo knapi (1995), Bunkovc Party-ja (1996), Salamurca (1998), 1. ruker (1999), TETovirani3 (2001) and Orlek Express (2004). Salamurca and the song "Na Kum" brought them Zlati petelin awards. Later came Anduht, released with videos and the documentary Orlek goes to Pakistan, Repete (2012) with acoustic versions of older songs touched by swing, jazz and Dixieland, the live album Unterzug Live (2014), Frpruh (2017) and Živel rokenrol (2019). For the band's 20th anniversary the book 20 let Knap'n'rolla was published in 2010.

Orlek have taken their music far beyond Zasavje: to the Tanz & Folkfest in Rudolstadt and Folkherbst in Plauen in Germany, Musikfest in Bethlehem in the USA, the Chaoyang Spring Carnival in China, Folk Fiesta in Poland, Fringe festivals in Australia and New Zealand, and to Pakistan and South America. In 2002 they played the famous New York club CBGB. At home they are regulars at Druga godba, Lent and Rock Otočec.

In 2012 the band lost one of its founders, the long-serving trumpeter Janez Tori; Jan Adamek took his place. The singer and guitarist is Vlado Poredoš, with Jure Tori on keyboards and accordion and Mitja Tori on bass. Recent videos pair Orlek with guests, among them "Mali bogovi" with Vlado Kreslin and "Punca s šohta" with Hamo.