Thursday, September 25, 2008
Waldeck: Ballroom Stories
**disclaimer: I KNOW I'm like two years late in showing my appreciation for this album, and that a lot of the tracks have been remixed by several people, and that there is a lot more sampling in the album than I've given credit for!**
I've discovered two new tracks I'm entirely obsessed with: "Midsummer Night Blues" and "Get Up ... Carmen", both by Waldeck. Perhaps it's the trained up academic head of mine that likes there to be lots of referencing going on. Or perhaps it's just my belief that good music should be a dialogue between musicians.
Anyhow, so I finally *gulp* purchased the expensive, but also very-worth-it collection, Buddha Bar X, and heard Waldeck's "Get Up ... Carmen" for the first time. I suppose many are familiar with Bizet's dramatic operatic "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" in Carmen. Well, this version is an absolutely stunning chill-jazz-club remix of the heart stealing classic. "Get Up ... Carmen" uses tender high piano to reinterpret Bizet's main theme, and pairs it up with some bass-tone flute (not sure of the name) to produce a few minutes of bliss!
So, having fallen in love with one Waldeck track, I then ventured into purchasing the album: Ballroom Stories. I have to admit, that although I like the overall sound of it, upon closer inspection, I found most of the first half of the album to be slightly disappointing... a cool background music album, more or less. Consistently good quality, but only a few striking tracks.
Listening through, however, I found myself puzzled: When did I put my iTunes in shuffle mode?? The slow drawling violin notes of "Summer Time" (as performed by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong) was being played! But just as I opened up the iTunes window, entirely different lyrics and tune were introduced to the song. Great reinterpretation! It's a slightly dark vocal set. The Youtube video of "Midsummer Night Blues" does absolutely no justice to the song. So you'll have to find another way to listen to the music!
That said - this is not a remix album! Although the tracks sample and refer extensively to old classics, I would not go as far as to call any of the tracks, "Waldeck's version of...", other than 'Bei mir bist du schön (Dub)'.
Other favourites on album: 'Bei mir bist du schön (Dub)', 'Jerry Weintraub', 'So Black and Blue', 'Why Did We Fire The Gun?'
Just for reference ;), here's the original of 'Bei mir bist du schön' by the Andrews Sisters (perhaps your grandfather has the vinyl original somewhere!).
... As for Jerry Weintraub - I'm not sure why there is a track devoted to the producer of Ocean's Eleven, other than, perhaps, his highly successful and influential show-business career, starting with music and moving into the movie industry (He's the current CEO of United Artists) I guess that's a good reason as any to devote a song to him...?
So Black and Blue is a reinterpretation of a song by Louis Armstrong and his All Stars song by the same title, which, apart from being a song of a forlorn lover, is also a covert reference to the budding civil rights movement, like much of jazz music in the 50s. The reinterpretation loses the political element, keeps an upbeat jazz vibe, and becomes simply a love song, but still conveys a tension in its atmosphere, which I interpret as a little reminder of history.
The origins of 'Why Did We Fire The Gun' are a mystery to me, even though there is something hauntingly familiar about this track. A beautiful track!
I give the album an 8/10 (pretty good!)
**side note & question of the day**
They classical is good listening for babies, even in the womb... so does it count if it's remixed into modern chill?? I mean, the classical is good because of its relaxing effect. So shouldn't lounge do the same??
fon @ 7:28 AM link to post * *