I must have watched The Return three or four times now, several years apart, and each time I am left with a very strong impression. Set against the backdrop of the desolate wilderness of Northern Russia, The Return is an arresting film by first-time director Andrey Zvyagintsev. On its release, the film took most critics by ... [Continue Reading]
Amadou & Mariam: Wily Kataso
Amadou & Mariam have been playing music together since the early 1980s and Folila, released in April 2012, is the pair's latest recording. Often referred to as "the blind couple from Mali", Amadou & Mariam have a great knack for composing catchy songs in their inimitable Afro-pop style. While a lot of their music is ... [Continue Reading]
The Bad Plus: Everywhere you turn
The Bad Plus is often presented as an American jazz trio from Minneapolis. A more appropriate description would be that of three adventurous musicians playing instruments traditionally associated with jazz (drums, double bass and piano) but composing tunes following Rock structures, or de-constructing famous Pop anthems. Over ... [Continue Reading]
Air: Sonic Armada
Both Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007) and Martin Scorsese's Hugo (2011) have done a lot to reintroduce "cinemagician" Georges Meliès to an entirely new audience, especially to his ground breaking masterpiece Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon). The science-fiction short was originally released in 1902 ... [Continue Reading]
Rasha Rezk: Mreyte ya mreyte
"Mreyte ya mreyte" (Mirror oh my mirror) is another track from the Caramel soundtrack (see previous post). Performed by Syrian singer Rasha Rezk, beautifully orchestrated and arranged by Lebanese composer Khaled Mouzanar, it is the final song of the film as the credits roll: Mirror oh my mirrorI will tell you my storyTell me ... [Continue Reading]
Khaled Mouzanar: Zaghloul el Hamam
Caramel (2007) is a Lebanese film by first-time director Nadine Labaki which has enjoyed a very successful international career. Set in a beauty salon in Beirut, the film humorously chronicles the daily lives of five women of different generations and religious backgrounds. Even though conflict and political unrest are never ... [Continue Reading]
Susanna Wallumrød: Who by fire
Released in 2011 on the ECM record label, If Grief Could Wait is a remarkable cross-genre recording featuring indie pop and jazz Norwegian singer Susanna Wallumrød, Swiss Baroque harp player Giovanna Pessi, Italian nyckelharpa (the Swedish keyed fiddle) player Marco Ambrosini and Swiss-based viola de gamba player Jane ... [Continue Reading]