Formed in 2013 in Halle (Saale), a former industrial town in Eastern Germany, it was only a couple years before the German folk trio Bube Dame König released Traumländlein (Dream Country). In 2016, Winterländlein (Little Winter) received excellent international press and airplay, as did their 2019 release of Nachtländlein (Night Country).

The 2020 winners of the German Folk Music Award, Bube Dame König includes Juliane Weinelt (vocals, flute, jaw harp), Till Uhlmann (hurdy-gurdy, violin, backing vocals) and Jan Oelmann  (vocals, acoustic guitar, violin, stompbox). As they near a celebratory first decade together, they continue on their exploration of old songs, folklore, tradition and new compositions that never sound obsolete or dated. The band has developed into leading purveyors of contemporary acoustic world music, perhaps I’ll call it Germanicana, that incorporates elements of Irish, Scottish, Scandinavian and even other stylistic idioms. Thomas Kolitsch contributes lyrics for five of the songs, and guest musicians color some tracks with drums, percussion, bass, trombone and cello.           

The trio’s fourth album, Von der Quelle bis zur See (From Source to Sea) demonstrates their creativity, with a variety of moods, that flow like a river from the mountains and forest to the ocean. Their original “Kieselsteine” reflects on the insolence of a brook that keeps running while a life inevitably comes to an end. After opening the CD with a raucous rendition of an almost forgotten German folk song “Ach Elslein” (Oh, My Dear Elslein), their latest journey evolves into beautifully lavish multi-layered arrangements of alluring folk-pop selections like “Es Steht ein Lind in Jenem Tal" (A Linden Tree Stands in Yonder Valley) and “Das Wandern ist des Müller Lust” (Rambling is the Miller's Delight). The CD’s liner notes wisely and helpfully include some history or inspiration for each of the songs, although the German lyrics are left to be translated. Perhaps their website or another on-line location will reward us with the translations.

While Weinelt’s radiant, sensuous voice sings lead on most of the tracks, Oelmann vocalizes with expressive exuberance on “Tuvalu,” a song inspired by a Spanish Rumba Flamenca rhythm and that speaks to feelings of homesickness and wanderlust. He’s also the storyteller in “Bald Gras ich am Neckar” (Making Hay on the Banks of Neckar), based on a classic fairy tale. Juliane Weinelt interprets a classic fairy tale about a Frog Prince in “Froschkönig Prequel,” embellished with sounds of cello and trombone, and she does a splendid job with the 18^th-century traditional love song, “Des Abends Kann ich Nicht Schlafen Gehn” (At Night I Can’t Go to Sleep). 

Using a melody borrowed from an Irish children’s song, “Ein Rätsel” is a favorite track, as well as “Wasser” with its Celtic sensibilities. Another standout track is “Heimkehr,” set to the tune of a Turkish fisherman's song about a woman calling her sea-faring husband.  This German folk trio has broad borders for its musical horizon, and their pleasant sound yields bountiful rewards and will win them a legion of worldwide fans. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)