Category Music

Enrique Morente's "Lorca"

Sandro Groganz Leave a comment

There is one flamenco CD in my collection which I like most. It’s actually modern flamenco, with various influences from other music styles (mostly Jazz), created and sung by a real grandmaster of flamenco: Enrique Morente. The CD I am talking about is Lorca, a musical version of some poems of Spains famous poet Federico García Lorca.

Each song is unique, dense, intelligent, emotional. Though I don’t understand the lyrics (my Spanish is just too poor), I can feel the poems solely through Morente’s music. I’d love to see him live one day.

James Blunt in Concert

Sandro Groganz Leave a comment

I have seen and heard several Pop concerts where the CD sounds so much better than the live performance. Quite the opposite with James Blunt live: The concert was even better than his fabulous CD, his voice is simply great Рon CD and live. Although he only played roughly 1h+, he deeply impressed the audience in B̦blingen/Germany at January 21st 2005.

I am really happy that Pop can still be more than Britney Spears!

If there’s a James Blunt concert close to you, go and hear him!

Funky ABBA by Nils Landgren

Sandro Groganz 2 Comments

Got this CD for one year now and it is still one of my favourites: Funky ABBA by Nils Landgren and the Funk Unit. This is intelligent feel good music of high quality!

Landgren and his band rearranged some of the ABBA chartbreakers in a very creative manner, thus providing unique standalone interpretations which sound fresh as fresh can be. These are the kind of song covers which I like, with the musicians putting all their heart and soul into the rearrangements and interpretation.

Some of the songs have the initial lyrics and melody almost entirely preserved, while others can almost not be recognized by the ABBA song which formed the basis for the new song version.

You can listen to some sample songs here: http://www.actmusic.com/act9430.htm

John Scofield plays Ray Charles

Sandro Groganz Leave a comment

Groovy autumn Jazz: Guitarist John Scofield plays Ray Charles. I listen to this CD up and down since I bought it a week ago. Some songs are purely instrumental, others with excellent vocals.

Although I already got some of his other CDs and also like them, I was sceptical first whether I should by it. My friend and guitar genius Jürgen does not like Scofield, he thinks that Scofield does not play with feeling. Nevertheless, I have to admit that Scofield has managed to transport a unique spirit in each of the songs on the CD.

Just listen to the quiet and beautiful “Cryin Time” or the vivid “Sticks and Stones”. MP3s are available here:
http://www.johnscofield.com/music.html

In fact, Scofields typical style which makes his melodies sound edgy and chiselled, very much matches with Ray Charles’ crying voice which the songs played by Scofield remind us of.