Liz Weir - Hammond: Tales from the Glens - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Duarte Homages, Works for Guitar Solo

Brussels Vocal Project with composer and drummer John Hollenbeck has created modernized versions of classic tales. The composer used lyrics written by the collective to explore the possibilities of an unusual setting fives voices and drums. Humor flirts with strangeness in these contemporary pieces while never losing focus on the narrative. Hollenbeck is a composer of music uncategorizable beyond the fact of being always identifiably his. A conceptualist able to translate the traditions of jazz and new music into a fresh, eclectic, forward-looking language of his own invention, intellectually rewarding yet ever accessibly vibrant. A drummer and percussionist possessed of a playful versatility and a virtuosic wit. Most of all, a musical thinker - whether putting pen to paper or conjuring spontaneous sound - allergic to repetition, forever seeking to surprise himself and his audiences.

Big Crown Records is proud to present Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek's latest album Yarin Yoksa. The show stopping intensity of Derya backed by the psychedelic soul of Grup Simsek with production by Leon Michels has yielded a stand out record that challenges genre with a broad appeal and a powerful message. They refer to themselves as InchouternationalInch over international as they say it suggests a sound that's more inclusive or Inchbeyond borders.Inch Derya, who sings and plays the baglama, is German born to Turkish parents. Drummer Helen Wells is Berlin-based by way of South Africa while keyboard player Graham Mushnik and guitar/bass player Antonin Voyant are both French. The collective influences they bring to Anatolian music make for a completely unique and fresh sound that both pushes the genre forward and champions it's rich heritage. Yarin Yoksa which translates to If There Is No Tomorrow delves into deeply personal pain and collective resistance with a central thread of loss, longing, and hope for change running throughout. The lyrics are poetic and rely heavily on symbolic language, metaphors, and storytelling while the music shifts track to track making each tune stand out on it's own but work together perfectly as an album. InchCool HandInch, the first single released on Big Crown in September of 2024, is a beautiful juxtaposition of intensity and lightheartedness over a thoroughly infectious groove. The message is poetic and complicated, repeatedly declaring InchI love you, I'm crazy about youInch but ultimately finding a sense of peace through accepting a broken heart. InchDirene DireneInch is a protest song that embodies the struggle and tireless pursuit of justice encouraging people to resist oppression. Derya's lyrics soar over the psych-soul musical backdrop as her story of personal struggle transforms to a universal call for resilience and strength.