Simon Thacker Songs of the Roma CD Album 16th December 2024 Review
o“Songs of the Roma” by classical guitarist and composer Simon Thacker is available to buy now on Slap The Moon Records. As its name suggests, this album draws upon the old and rich musical legacy of the Balkan and Romanian Romany and together with Justyna Jablonska (cello), this album is a journey into a soundscape that is neither traditional nor contemporary, but a unique reimagining of both.
Although Simon Thacker has taken as his source material the music of a culture that by its very definition is a travelling one, with its musical legacy infused by centuries of travel through many different cultures, this album is not a simple re-working of traditional music to fit a contemporary vision. Instead Simon has taken a route which some of the best known composers in classical music have taken over the centuries, particularly those with an interest in the sounds, rhythms and dances of traditional cultures. This has seen composers of the past, as Simon Thacker does here, take the basic structures of these songs and re-assemble them in new and innovative ways. This album also takes as its inspirational source the essence of very special singers and songwriters who have become iconic figures of Roma music in more modern times. On this album, this new musical imagining often sees Simon’s own love of music from other cultures weaving in and out of different musical genres both classical and contemporary.
The music of any travelling culture is also often their spoken word history; it records not only their travels of the past, but where they are now. It celebrates the joyous moments of their lives, but also gives comfort to people in the most desparate of times. One song, “Ederlezi”, is said by some (although this is disputed by others) to have been composed and sung by prisoners on a train on their way to the Jasenovak concentration camp in World War II.
These rhythmic threads of this music may be old, but they are still weaving their way into our more contemporary culture and you can hear here songs and music that contain strands of gypsy jazz and flamenco music as well as many eastern influences.
Providing vocals on songs is singer-violinist Masha Natanson, and although there is an obvious language barrier here there are two ways to listen to this album. The first is just to let these vocals and the music draw you into their sounds and stories, and the second is to listen to this album with the well written information booklet that accompanies this album and also gives translations of lyrics.
Also featured on this album and making vital contributions to its sound are Gyula “Julius” Csík (cimbalom) and Gyula Lázár (double bass).
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
Although Simon Thacker has taken as his source material the music of a culture that by its very definition is a travelling one, with its musical legacy infused by centuries of travel through many different cultures, this album is not a simple re-working of traditional music to fit a contemporary vision. Instead Simon has taken a route which some of the best known composers in classical music have taken over the centuries, particularly those with an interest in the sounds, rhythms and dances of traditional cultures. This has seen composers of the past, as Simon Thacker does here, take the basic structures of these songs and re-assemble them in new and innovative ways. This album also takes as its inspirational source the essence of very special singers and songwriters who have become iconic figures of Roma music in more modern times. On this album, this new musical imagining often sees Simon’s own love of music from other cultures weaving in and out of different musical genres both classical and contemporary.
The music of any travelling culture is also often their spoken word history; it records not only their travels of the past, but where they are now. It celebrates the joyous moments of their lives, but also gives comfort to people in the most desparate of times. One song, “Ederlezi”, is said by some (although this is disputed by others) to have been composed and sung by prisoners on a train on their way to the Jasenovak concentration camp in World War II.
These rhythmic threads of this music may be old, but they are still weaving their way into our more contemporary culture and you can hear here songs and music that contain strands of gypsy jazz and flamenco music as well as many eastern influences.
Providing vocals on songs is singer-violinist Masha Natanson, and although there is an obvious language barrier here there are two ways to listen to this album. The first is just to let these vocals and the music draw you into their sounds and stories, and the second is to listen to this album with the well written information booklet that accompanies this album and also gives translations of lyrics.
Also featured on this album and making vital contributions to its sound are Gyula “Julius” Csík (cimbalom) and Gyula Lázár (double bass).
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com