Sainkho Namtchylak | Bijan Chemirani | Oliver [Tuku] Mtukudzi | Bob Dylan | Il canto di malavita | Astor Piazzolla, producer Cobie Ivens
I. Sainkho Namtchylak. (40:07 min)
She was born in a small gold mining town in Tuva. Her grandparents were nomads and her parents were schoolteachers. She studied music at the local college and went on her own to Moscow to continue her studies. Besides the required subjects, she also immersed herself in various Siberian traditions and in Tuvan and Mongolian throat and overtone singing. In 1988, Sainkho began working with various musicians from the Soviet Union, aiming to blend traditional ethnic elements with avant-garde styles.
CD. Naked spirit – Sainkho Namtchylak.
LABEL: Amiata (1998), code: ARNR 2298. VIDEO
II. Bijan Chemirani. (01:05:22 min)
Bijam is a French percussionist of Iranian descent. He received his first zarb from his father at the age of seven. He then tried various other instruments before finally returning to the zarb. He was taught by his father and his older brother, with whom he has formed the Trio Chemirani since 1999. In 2001, he released his debut album, Gulistan, which featured his father and brother as well as several other musicians. Eos is Bijan’s second album, on which he plays saz as well as zarb. His third album, Kismet, followed in 2003, and he performed at the Strictly Mundial Festival in Marseille.
CD. Eos – Bijan Chemirani.
LABEL: L’Empreinte Digitale (2002), code: ED 13147. VIDEO
III. Oliver [Tuku] Mtukudzi. (01:02:49 min)
Tuku is one of Zimbabwe’s best-known musicians. Born in 1952, he sang in church choirs before teaching himself to play guitar. He later formed the band The Black Spirits, with which he achieved considerable success. On this album, however, Tuku plays entirely solo, accompanied only by an acoustic guitar. He was the first in his country to raise awareness of AIDS, including by writing a song about it for a feature film that was later banned by the government. The album contains beautiful songs about topics that resonate with him, such as family, relationships, love, and faith. Oliver [Tuku] Mtukudzi died in 2019, and although the Zimbabwean government declared him a national hero, the family chose to bury him at his home.
CD. Ndega zvangu – Oliver [Tuku] Mtukudzi.
LABEL: Shava (1998), code: SHAVACD 0082. VIDEO
IV. Bob Dylan. (01:02:35 min)
The Essential Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan. The definitive, career-spanning, and complete Essential series features the greatest hits and most beloved songs of American protest singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, including:
Blowin’ In The Wind – Don’t think twice it’s all right – The Times They Are A-Changin – It ain’t me babe – Maggie’s Farm – Mr. Tambourine Man – Like A Rolling Stone – Just Like a women.
CD. The Essential Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan.
LABEL: Sony (2014), code: 88843-059232. VIDEO
V. Il canto di malavita. (01:08:37 min)
The album Il Canto Di Malavita offers a glimpse into the history of mafia music. In Italy, the sale of such CDs is prohibited by law, but the mafia encourages illegal sales. The lyrics are undeniable: they openly glorify the values of the mafia, avenge betrayal, and celebrate the society’s rules and heroic deeds. The songs are often centuries old, passed down through generations, and deal with life in crime and prison. Aside from the often shocking lyrics, the music is a feast for the ears. The music, in which the vocals are sparingly accompanied by traditional instruments, is firmly rooted in the tradition of Mediterranean folk music.
CD. Il canto di malavita : la musica della mafia.
LABEL: Play It Again Sam (2001), code: PIAS 4703 CDI. VIDEO
VI. Astor Piazzolla. (59:40 min)
He is known as the composer who brought the tango back to a new level. He modernized the genre and breathed new life into a frozen form. For example, by composing a tango opera, “Maria De Buenos Aires.” The original recording is on the 1968 recording of the album we’re featuring today. The voice is by Horacio Ferrer; Amelita Baltar and Héctor de Rosas sing, and… Astor Piazzolla plays the bandoneon. “Maria De Buenos Aires” tells the sad story of Maria, who travels to the big city, gets lost, and ends up a shadow of herself. Destroyed by the tango.
CD. María de Buenos Aires – Astor Piazzolla.
LABEL: Discmedi Blau (2004), code: DM 156 02. VIDEO
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