Various Artists - Pays Mikea - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Mea is the title of the piece opening the album with Krzysztof Olczak's compositions presented here, a Gdansk composer and accordionist, a long-time lecturer at the Stanislaw Moniuszko Academy of Music in both these fields, and a member of the Polish Composers' Union and the Polish Society for Electroacoustic Music. Mea was intended to be an acronym formed from the first letters of the names of the members of the Trio Sopot, for whom the composition was written. In the context of the whole set presented here, however, this acronym gains a new meaning. Because mea means InchmyInch - my publication, my work, my attitude as an artist. And this work is very diverse in many ways - cast, style, techniques, forms and genres and finally sources of inspiration. The selection of pieces included on this album is a very representative sample of this diversity. These works were created in various periods of the composer's work - mainly in the eighties and in the last decade, with one exception being Illur lækur from the early 21st century. They are written for a varied cast, but they have one thing in common the accordion.

The debut of the Taracea ensemble creates a bridge between past and present. The Madrid-based trio's artistic project is to combine early music, jazz and improvisation. It's founder Rainer Seiferth, a German musician who lives in Spain, plays the vihuela, the Spanish counterpart of the Renaissance lute. Belén Nieto is a flute and recorder specialist and a regular member of Jordi Savall's ensembles. The double bass player Miguel Rodrigañez is at home in jazz, flamenco and classical music. If there is a movement for 'new' early music, Michel Godard was one of it's founders the French virtuoso of the serpent blends in perfectly with the group. Percussionist David Mayoral combines East and West on zarb, riq and darbuka. The young Spanish singer and percussionist Isabel Martín performs a song by the Spanish Renaissance composer Juan del Encina. This album is called 'Akoé' - 'Listening' in ancient Greek each of the musicians brings his or her own sound and ideas and becomes an integral part of an inextricably interwoven texture.

Various Artists - Pays Antanosy [COMPACT DISCS] date 10/25/2007