Kajto

{{Short description|Musical group}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Kajto

| image = Kajto.jpg

| alt = Kajto performing

| caption = From left to right: Ankie van der Meer, Marian Nesse, Marita Kruijswijk (not shown: Nanne Kalma)

| image_size =

| landscape = yes

| background = group_or_band

| alias = Kat yn 't Seil

| origin = Friesland, Netherlands

| genre = Esperanto folk music, maritime music, balfolk

| years_active = {{start date|1988}}–present

| label = Vinilkosmo

| associated_acts = Irolt, De Perelaar, Nanne & Ankie, Marianta, Kapriol'!

| website =

| current_members = {{ill|Nanne Kalma|fy}}
Ankie van der Meer

| past_members = Marita Kruijswijk
Marian Nesse

}}

Kajto (pronounced {{IPA|/ˈkai̯to/}}) is a musical group from the Dutch province of Friesland performing acoustic folk music and balfolk in Esperanto drawing from the Frisian musical traditions of sea shanties, rounds and dances. Many of their songs are musical settings of Esperanto poetry, including works by Poul Thorsen, William Auld and Julio Baghy.{{cite web | first1 = Nanne | last1 = Kalma | first2 = Ankie | last2 = van der Meer | title = Kajto Esperanto | language = Dutch, Esperanto | url = http://www.nanne-ankie.nl/Nanne-Ankie/Kajto_Esperanto.html | accessdate = 14 Dec 2011}}

Kajto (meaning "kite" in Esperanto)The Esperanto word kajto is taken from the English word "kite" and pronounced approximately "kite-o". was the name adopted by the Frisian folk group Kat yn 't Seil in 1988 for their performances of Esperanto material. For most of their history Kat yn 't Seil and Kajto were identical ensembles performing different repertoires under different names.

The group has performed extensively at Esperanto conventions and events, mostly in Europe, but also in North America and Australia, and released five albums on the label Vinilkosmo as a quartet and one as a duo.{{cite web

| last1 = Kruijswijk

| first1 = Marita

| last2 = Nesse

| first2 = Marian

| title = Discography and Festivals

| url = http://marianta.home.xs4all.nl/cd-festivalsen2.htm

| language = Dutch, English

| accessdate = 17 Dec 2011}}{{cite web

| first1 = Nanne

| last1 = Kalma

| first2 = Ankie

| last2 = van der Meer

| title = De Catacomben

| url = http://www.nanne-ankie.nl/Nanne-Ankie/De_Catacomben.html

| language = Dutch

| accessdate = 17 Dec 2011}}

They have been described as one of the best known pop-folk groups in the Esperanto-speaking community, or Esperantujo, and have been praised for their tight arrangements.{{citation

| last = Corsetti

| first = Renato

| authorlink = Renato Corsetti

| title = Komuniko al la esperantistoj de EUROKKA kaj UEA

| work = Nova Sento in Rete

| publisher = Itala Esperantista Junularo

| volume = 78

| date = 27 July 1999

| url = http://iej.esperanto.it/nsir/arkivo.php?numero=78&lingvo=it

| format =

| language = Esperanto

| doi =

| accessdate = 17 Dec 2011}}Kunar, DJ, quoted in {{cite web

| last =

| first =

| authorlink =

| title = Kaj Tiel Plu – Recenzoj

| publisher = Associació Catalana d’Esperanto

| date =

| url = http://esperanto.cat/kajtielplu/resse_eo.html#%22ESPERANTO%20AKTUELL%202/01%22%20%28la%20bulteno%20de%20la%20Germana%20Esperanto-Asocio%29

| format =

| language = Esperanto

| doi =

| accessdate =}} originally published in Esperanto aktuell (Germana Esperanto-Asocio) (2/01), March 2001:

Kvalite ilia muziko estas komparebla al tiu de la plej famaj Esperanto-muzikgrupoj Persone kaj Kajto.

In its level of quality, [Kaj Tiel Plu's] music is comparable to that of the most famous Esperanto music groups, Persone and Kajto.

{{citation

| last = Gibbons

| first = Danjelo

| authorlink =

| title = Kajto flugas denove

| work = Monato

| publisher = Flandra Esperanto-Ligo

| volume = 23

| date = Dec 1999

| url = http://www.esperanto.be/fel/mon/rec/mask.html

| language = Esperanto

| doi =

| accessdate = 17 Dec 2011}}:

La etoso estas popola, sed la muziko ne ĉiam estas simpla. La kantoj estas zorge kaj strikte aranĝitaj, kaj ĉie evidentas la profesieco de la grupo. ... ĉu alia bando en Esperantujo kuraĝus tiel harmoniumi en rapidaj seppulsaj mezuroj?

The vibe is folky, but the music is not always simple. The songs are carefully and tightly arranged, and everywhere the group's musicianship is evident. ... Would any other band in Esperanto-land have the guts to harmonize like that in fast seven-beat measures?

In 2004 the group was honored with the Franz Alois Meiners Culture Award (FAME Kulturpremio), which carries considerable prestige within the Esperanto community.{{cite web

| last = Kniivilä

| first = Kalle

| title = Kajto ricevis prestiĝan premion

| publisher = Libera Folio

| date = 2004-04-27

| language = Esperanto

| url = http://www.liberafolio.org/2005/Kurte/famekajto/?searchterm=kajto

| accessdate = 14 Dec 2011}}{{cite web

| title = Culture award of the city Aalen

| publisher = FAME Foundation

| url = http://www.fame-stiftung.de/en/culturalaward.html

| accessdate = 14 Dec 2011}}

Until about 2007, Kajto consisted of the following members:

• {{ill|Nanne Kalma|fy}} (voice, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, violin)
• Marita Kruijswijk (voice, shawm, recorder)
• Ankie van der Meer (voice, guitar, banjo)
• Marian Nesse (voice, accordion)

The group no longer performs as a quartet; however, Nanne Kalma and Ankie van der Meer continue to perform under the name Kajto as a duo.

Former Kajto members Marita Kruijswijk and Marian Nesse have formed a new Esperanto folk group, Kapriol'! with Rutger Dijkstra and Ad Bos. Kapriol'! continues to perform some material from the repertoire of the original Kajto quartet.{{cite web

| last1 = Kruijswijk

| first1 = Marita

| last2 = Nesse

| first2 = Marian

| title = Kapriol'!

| url = http://marianta.home.xs4all.nl/kapriol.htm

| language = Dutch, Esperanto

| accessdate = 17 Dec 2011}}