Mgzavrebi Explained

Mgzavrebi მგზავრები
Origin:	Tbilisi, Georgia
Genre:	Georgian folk, Georgian rock
Years Active:	2006-present
Current Members:	Gigi Dedalamazishvili Lasha Dokhnadze Misha Megrelishvili Dato Gogelia Bezho Amiranashvili Guga Kublashvili Dato Ugrekhelidze
Landscape:	yes

MGZAVREBI is a Georgian group formed in 2006.

History

MGZAVREBI was founded in 2006 by Gigi Dedalamazishvili, an actor from Tbilisi, Georgia. The grandfather of Gigi Dedalamazishvili was a conductor and he taught Gigi how to play piano and together with his mother supported Gigi getting a music education, but Gigi did not enjoy going to music school when he was young.^[1] Already after the start of his career as an actor, Gigi formed a music band in 2006 with initially only three musicians in it.^[2] The number of group participants varied within following years reaching 17–18 people but eventually MGZAVREBI included 7 professional musicians.

The band released its first album "Me Movigone" in 2008. MGZAVREBI became popular after the song played in Davit Imedashvili's movie "Dream Town" (2010, Georgian: ოცნების ქალაქი).^[3] In 2013 they recorded an album "Wait live wait" (Russian: "Ждать жить ждать") together with a Russian writer Yevgeni Grishkovetz reaching 6th place in the most downloaded albums in Russian iTunes.^[4] In 2016 MGZAVREBI won a "Chart Dozen" Award from a Russian Nashe Radio station in the "Breakthrough" nomination; the group was also nominated in the category "Song of the year" with the composition "Let's break through" (Russian: Прорвемся) but eventually lost to the Russian rock band Animal Jazz.^[5] In 2017, MGZAVREBI won the "Golden Gargoyle" award in the nomination "Best group".^[6] In 2018, a music video of the song "Promise" Russian: Пообещай) directed by Ivan Sosnin was nominated by the Berlin Music Video Awards in the section Best Low Budget.^[7] In 2023 a famous Georgian director Lado Kvataniya, who previously collaborated with Kanye West, Manizha, and Oxxxymiron, released a short music film called Waltz featuring Mgzavrebi.^[8]

The name of the band means "Travellers".^[9] The musical style of the group is a combination of traditional Georgian singing and the modern sound of national instruments, such as panduri. MGZAVREBI lyrics are mostly in Georgian but also include several songs in Russian and Ukrainian.^[10] After February 2022, the group decided to cancel all their concerts and not to give any new concerts in Russia.^[11]

Discography

Studio albums

• Me Movigone... (Georgian: მე მოვიგონე...  — I made it up...) (2008)
• Meore albomi (Georgian: მეორე ალბომი — Second Album) (2011)
• Mgzavruli (Georgian: მგზავრული — Journey) (2013)
• In vino veritas (2017)
• Iasamani (Georgian: იასამანი — Lilac) (2018)
• Krebuli (Georgian: კრებული — Collection) (2018)
• Geo (Georgian: გეო ) (2018)
• Kamara (Georgian: კამარა — Arch) (2023)

Members

Current line-up

• Gigi Dedalamazishvili — songwriter, guitar, vocal
• Lasha Dokhnadze — percussion, vocal
• Misha Megrelishvili — recitative, shaker
• Dato Gogelia — bass guitar, harmonica, vocal
• Bezho Amiranashvili — vocal, electric guitar, panduri
• Guga Kublashvili — vocal, panduri, flute
• Dato Ugrekhelidze — vocal, keyboards

Producer

• Otar Edisherashvili

Former members

former members

• Gigi Gegelashvili – flute, piano
• Gvantsa Mathashvili - cello
• Nini Mamalamazishvili - vocals
• Rezo Buadze - vocals
• Giorgi Akhvlediani - vocals
• Irakli Sarava - vocals

External links

• MGZAVREBI Official YouTube Channel
• MGZAVREBI On Apple Music
• MGZAVREBI On Spotify

Notes and References

1. Web site: Гриценко. Катерина. Open People: Гиги Дедаламазишвили (Mgzavrebi). Open People: Gigi Dedalamazishvili (Mgzavrebi). ru . 2013.
2. Web site: Wiser. Danny. GEORGIA: In Vino Veritas - Mgzavrebi. en . 2022.
3. Web site: Dream Town – Business in Art. en . The FINANCIAL . 2016.
4. Web site: Harnish. Lucy . Yevgeni Grishkovetz: One Man’s Voice. en . 2019.
5. Web site: «Чартова дюжина»: В номинации «взлом» победили Mgzavrebi. "Chart Dozen": Mgzavrebi won in the "hack" nomination. ru . 2016.
6. Web site: Великанов. Александр. «Золотая горгулья» — 2017: прямой эфир. "Golden Gargoyle" - 2017: live broadcast. ru . 2017.
7. Web site: Группа "Мгзавреби" и Lady Gaga номинированы на премию Berlin Music Video Awards. Mgzavrebi and Lady Gaga nominated for Berlin Music Video Awards. ru . 2018.
8. Web site: MGZAVREBI – WALTZ // A FILM BY LADO KVATNIYA. en. Georgia Today . 2023.
9. Web site: Щекина. Полина. Солист группы Mgzavrebi Гиги Дедаламазишвили: «Российского слушателя проще удивить, чем грузинского». Mgzavrebi soloist Gigi Dedalamazishvili: “It is easier to surprise a Russian listener than a Georgian one. ru . 2018.
10. Web site: Мцариашвили. Анна. Музыка о жизни и для жизни: Интервью с лидером группы «Mgzavrebi». Music about life and for life: Interview with the leader of the group "Mgzavrebi". ru . 2016.
11. Web site: Коротаев. Олег. Человек должен быть очень милым существом, понимающим и добрым. A person must be a very sweet creature, understanding and kind. ru . 2022.