Nasser el- Mizdawi [ناصر المزداوي] - 1997 - Raja'a [راجع] (Libya)

Nasser el- Mizdawi [ناصر المزداوي] - 1997 - Raja'a [راجع]   (Libya)

Nasser Al-Mezdawi (Arabic: ناصر المزداوي), (born 5 September 1950) is a Libyan singer, guitarist, songwriter and composer.

Mezdawi's first band Annusur, translates to The Eagles, released their first album "Ughniyat an Elghurba" in 1975 gaining instant popularity that rewarded them their first gold record. Mezdawi went on to participate in several international music festivals, giving concerts in Mexico, Cuba, USA, Portugal Malta and Greece. Nasser El Mezdawi is arguably the most popular artist that came out of Libya in the mid seventies. His work has been appreciated by the younger generation in urban North Africa and other Arab countries.

Much of his early work has been copied by other performers from the region, in fact, some very popular performers started out their careers, almost exclusively, covering his songs. This distinguished guitarist who survived trends, hype and persecution is one of few consistent composers, singers/songwriters that have put their mark, permanently, in the history of music in the region.

Darja, the Arabic dialect of North Africa, is the lyrical language of this sound. While the music is not necessarily Arabic, the rhythms are often mixtures of Berber, Arab, African and popular European. Artists usually reflect their diverse ethnic backgrounds through their own distinguishable work. The progressive sound remained local for the most part but Mezdawi's music broke into the international market through other Arab and European performers.

Nasser El Mezdawi is a pioneer in this form of music whom, many believe, is responsible for transforming the way young, urban Arab performers view and express their music today. 

"Raja'a" recorded in Egypt in 1997 is surely one of his best album, it is a new release of his first album "Ughniyat an El-Ghurba" (1975) with new instrumentation and a better production: a perfect mix of Arab and western pop with a delicate touch of smooth jazz atmosphere.

Nasser El Mezdawi is a pioneer in this form of music whom, many belie

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasser_el-Mizdawi)

TRACKLIST:

A1 خلي يقولوا

Arranged By –  Ashraf Mahorus

A2 مشينا

Arranged By – Ashraf Mahorus

Guest – Talaat Zein

A3 شنطة سفر

Arranged By – Ashraf Mahorus

A4 متغرب

Arranged By – Amr Abou Zekri

A5 رحلة عمري

Arranged By – Amr Abou Zekri

B1 يا مصر

Arranged By – Amr Abou Zekri

B2 لامن نشد عني

Arranged By – Ashraf Mahorus

B3 نجوم الليل

Arranged By – Amr Abou Zekri

B4 بدر البدور

Arranged By – Tareq Adel Madkour

Credits:

Bass Guitar – Ahmed Ragab

Brass – Magdī Baghdādi, Abdallah Ibrahim, 

Chorus – Yasser Shaaban, Sherif Tag, Iman Sarhan, Ahmad Haydar

Composed By, Lyrics By – Naser al-Mizdawi

Engineer – Nash'at Nasr El Din, Muḥammad Ṣaqr, Alaa El Kashef

Flute [Kavala] – Ibrahim Fathi

Guitar – Naser al-Mizdawi, Eamrw Murad,  Amr Tantawy, Ṭāriq Ḥamūda, Ashraf Mahrous

Guitar [Spanish Guitar] –  Sharif Mostafa

Kanun – Maged Serour

Oud – Ḥusayn Ṣabir Labīb

Percussion – Ḍiyā' Badr

Strings – Mounir Nasr al-Din

Shlomo Artzi - 1979 - Ways

 Shlomo Artzi  - 1979 - Ways (דרכים - שלמה ארצי)

Shlomo Artzi (Hebrew: שלמה ארצי) is an Israeli folk rock musician, composer, music producer, radio broadcaster columnist and singer-songwriter. He was born on November 26, 1949, in Moshav Alonei Abba. In the course of his career, he has sold over 1.5 million albums, making him one of Israel's most successful male singers.

Artzi's parents were Holocaust survivors and their memories deeply influenced him and his sister Nava Semel, a playwright. His father, Yitzhak Artzi, a Zionist activist in Bukovina, Romania in his youth, was later a member of the Knesset. His maternal grandmother was the sister of Rabbi Meir Shapiro. When Artzi was eight years old, his family moved to northern Tel Aviv. Artzi's schoolmates thought he would become an actor, not a musician, as he was known for his acting skills at elementary school. However, at the age of twelve, he started playing the guitar and singing in a boy scouts group and at friends' parties.

At age 16, he began writing and composing songs. As the Sinai Duo, he started performing before soldiers, along with his classmate Rivka Menashe (now known as Riki Gal). During his military service, Artzi was recruited to the Artillery Corps, and after serving for a year and a half, he joined Lehakat Kheil Hayam (Naval Corps Entertainment Group). While in this band, he took part in the programs "And on the Third Day" and "Rhapsody in Blue", alongside other soon-to-be Israeli celebrities, such as Rivka Zohar, Dov Glickman, Avi Uriah, Riki Gal, and more. He was yet to stand out during the first program. By the second program, he became the lead singer and one of the main stars. He sang lead vocals on several songs on the Group's LPs.

In 1970, Artzi had the opportunity to take part in the Israel Song Festival, a prestigious song contest held every year. Still in military service and wearing a military uniform, he sang Pitom Achshav, Pitom Hayom (Suddenly Now, Suddenly Today),[1] also known as Ahavtiha (I loved her). The song, written by Tirza Atar and composed by Ya'akov Hollander, won first prize. It was included in his first album, Shlomo Artzi, which came out in 1970, and came in first in the annual chart-toppers countdown of Kol Israel. Artzi was voted Singer of the Year.

In 1975 he was selected to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest. The selected song was At Ve'Ani (You and Me), written by the legendary Israeli songwriter Ehud Manor, and composed by Artzi himself. To seize the moment, Artzi's record label pressured him to record a completely new record in less than 2 weeks. However, At Va'Ani didn't win the contest, and the album was a big disappointment. This marked the beginning of the worst era of Artzi's career. During the next several years, Artzi released several records that failed to sell well, and produced very few hit singles. Later, most of these albums would become rare collectibles, as they were never released again. These include, among others, Miskhakey 26, Shlomo Artzi Shar U'Mesaper Al Ian HaGamad, Yesh Li Isha Yalda Ve'Lambreta Ve'Ani Gar Be'Tel-Aviv, Romansa U'Piyut, and a selection of his best songs from the period 1970–1973, which was released in 1976. 

(Shlomo at the Eurovision context)

In 1977, after a string of failures, he made "A Man Gets Lost" (גבר הולך לאיבוד, Gever Holekh Le'ibud). The album was sort of a last goodbye to the business. The success of this album persuaded Artzi to continue with his singing career, which rose throughout the 1980s and reached a peak with the release of the albums "Dance" (Tirkod) and "Restless Night" (לילה לא שקט, Layla Lo Shaket) which sold tens of thousands, and with the live shows that accompanied these albums, which would sell out the largest parks and theatres in Israel. His later album sales, in excess of a hundred thousand per album, and the live shows that followed each album, made him the most popular artist in Israel; Based on album sales and gross income from live shows, he is the most successful singer in Israel. Artzi has sold a total of over a million and a half albums, an unprecedented achievement in the Israeli music industry. He is well known for his marathon live shows, some of which last over two or even three hours. In 1979 he recorded his best album Ways (Drachim ), with a fresher style. Nine great songs, superbly arranged by Moshe Levi and Yair Shragai, mixing acoustic guitars, liquid electric guitars, jazzy basslines, and electric piano, with occasional violin and saxophone solos. Influenced by British art pop, Brazilian atmospheres (both from samba and bossa nova), Weast Coast vocal harmonies, and the local jazz and folk scenes, this album is nothing less than perfect. It sold 70.000 copies back in the days.

His 1981 LP Chatzot (Midnight) was the second part of Drachim. In 1980 Artzi started his own radio show on Israel's Military Radio station, Galey Tzahal. In this show, he talked about the week's headlines and tells interesting stories he has heard or seen during the week. Od Lo Shabat (It isn't Saturday yet) still broadcasts every Friday at 13:10 local time. His records Tirkod (Dance, 1984), "Layla Lo Shaket" (Restless Night, 1986), and Hom Yuli August (July August Heat, 1988), are milestones of Israeli 1980s songwriting. The albums sold in excess of a hundred thousand copies, an unprecedented achievement in the Israeli music industry, and the live shows that accompanied the albums would sell out even the largest parks and theatres in Israel.

In 1992 Artzi released Yareakh (Hebrew: ירח, Moon), one of his most successful albums. Out of twelve songs on it, eight became radio hits and finally solidified Artzi's status in Israeli popular music. In 1995 popular Israeli musicians recorded a CD together in memory of Yitzhak Rabin, named Shalom Chaver. Shlomo Artzi played two songs during the memorial service, which later became anthems of those days – Haish Ha'hu (That Man) and Uf Gozal (Fly Little One), which was originally written and recorded by Arik Einstein and Miki Gavrielov.

In 1996 Artzi released a double album called Shnayim ("Two"), which has sold an almost unprecedented 160,000 copies, making it a certified 4× platinum record. The most notable songs in this CD were the title track, sung with Israeli singer Rita, "Hi Lo Yoda'at Ma Over Alay" ("She Doesn't Know What I'm Going Through"), '"Menagev Lach Et Hadmaot" ("Wiping the Tears For You") "Ze Ma Shenish'ar" ("That's What's Left"), "Ha'ahava Hayeshana" ("The Old Love"), "Le'an, Le'an, Le'an" ("Where, Where, Where"), "Shisha" ("Six"), "Absurd" and "Dokh Retzhakh" ("Murder Report") which reflected on the tragedy of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination and revolved it around another similar tragedy, that of JFK's assassination. Shnayim signaled the beginning of a string of ultra-popular albums of original material from Artzi, which are some of the best-selling Israeli records of all time.

In 2000 Artzi released "Ahavtihem" ("I Have Loved Them"), a collection of reworked love songs, many of which were originally written by him for other artists. The album featured many smash hits, including the tender revision of his past hit "Ahavtia" ("I Have Loved Her"), "Nof Yaldoot" ("Childhood's View"), "Anakhnu Lo Tzrikhim" ("We Don't Need"), "At Va'ani" ("You and Me"), "Ma'avir Duff" ("Turning the Page") – a duet with Nurit Galron (which performed the song originally), "Shir Preda" ("A Goodbye Song") – a duet with his singer-songwriter son, Ben Artzi and "Melekh ha'olam" ("King of the World", a Hebrew translated cover of White Plains' "When You Are a King"). The album went on to sell over 200,000 copies – an unprecedented achievement in the little Israeli music market.

Artzi's next original album, "Tzima'on" ("Thirst"), which was released in 2002, featured the title track as its lead single, as well as the more memorable "Al-Pi Tnuat Harakavot" ("According to the Trains' Movement) LeHatzil Otakh ("To Save You") and "Ptzatzat Atom Bashamaim" ("Atom Bomb in the Sky"). The albums were an instant smash hit, selling over 60,000 copies (3× gold record) on the first two weeks of their release and continued the enormous success of their predecessors, yet they were met with harsh reviews, some of which noted the inadequate abundance of quality material. Artzi would later admit of the albums' weakness in select few interviews.

In 2007 Artzi released his highly anticipated follow-up album, "Shfuim" ("Sane"). The album came out in July, with a lead single "Ha'amiti" ("The Real") which was received with by-now standard heavy radio rotation. The album generated several more radio singles to help push it, yet they repeatedly failed to make a lasting impression on fans. The colorless clutter of "Iceland" and the disappointingly stale and un-melodic collaboration with Mooke (of the breakthrough Rap-Rock band Shabak Samekh), "Hakhaim" ("Life"), hinted of waning creativity of the nation's favorite singer-songwriter. Fourth single finally managed to get a hook across and join Artzi's rich back catalog with pride: "Nitzmadnu" ("We Clinged"), enjoying a catchy sing-along melodic line and an interesting lyric, sharing private memories and reflecting on, among other topics, television's role inside a modern family and on Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's Assassination (a recurring subject in Artzi's songs). Finally came out one of Artzi's biggest, most enduring and most memorable songs of recent years, "TeTa'aru Lakhem" ("Imagine Yourselves"), which features one of the best-known, most beloved lines in Artzi song catalog, equipped with a tender, infectious, eternally romantic message: "Imagine yourselves a beautiful world, a little less sad than it actually is, and there we are, walking, with sunshine in our pockets". The song is still a major live-show staple and highlight.

In 2012 Artzi finally released a yet-again highly anticipated album of original songs: "Osher Express" ("Happiness Express"). This time around, though, the album enjoyed critical acclaim and commercial success. It featured a very strong collection of new songs, a slew of beloved singles and an intriguing, immediately classic lead-off single: "Khozrim Habaita" ("Coming Home") which featured the ultra-popular, rarely seen on public, iconic Israeli singer Arik Einstein. The album kept shooting off powerful material and rapidly so. Quite quickly came the similarly addictive "Kol Yom" ("Every Day"), the life-affirming duet with Dudu Tasa "Latet Velakakhat" ("Negotiating"), and the spiritual duet with Abraham Tal "Elohim" ("God"). Additional singles came in the form of "Nedaber Mehalev" ("We'll Talk Whole-Heartedly") and "Shelo Yealmu Hadvarim Hayafim" ("Wish That The Beautiful Things Won't Disappear"). Album gems also included the heartfelt and captivating title track, the part-playful, part heart-on-sleeve honesty of "Ometz" ("Courage"), the epic escapism obsession tackle of "Florida", and Artzi's unique narration on the wave of social protests that hit Tel Aviv in 2012, "Kaitz Be'eretz Lu" ("Summer in If-Land").In 2016, Artzi released a new album: "Katzefet" (cream).

TRACKLIST:

A1 אף פעם לא תדעי

A2 צוותא

A3 אחרי הכל את שיר

A4 אתמול חלפו הצפורים 

Written By – Moshe Ben Shaul

B1 שינויי מזג האויר

Music by: Jean Luc Ponty, Arranged By – Dedi Shlezinger, Yair Shragai

B2 פתאום כשלא באת

Performer – Gary Eckstein

B3 אני שומע שוב

Written By – Nimrod Gaon

B4 עפיפונים

B5 דרכים

Arranged By – Moshe Levi, Shlomo Artzi

Credits: 

Arranged By – Moshe Levi (tracce: 1, 3, 6, 8), Yair Shragai (tracce: 2, 4, 7)

Drums [Uncredited] – Alon Hilel, Jean Paul Zimbris

Engineer – Yaakov Moreno

Guitar [Uncredited] – Gary Eckstein, Haim Kario

Keyboards [Uncredited] – Alona Turel, Dedi Shlezinger

Producer – Shlomo Artzi, Yair Shragai

Saxophone [Uncredited] – Meir Shpaizer

Violin [Uncredited] – Tony Brower

Vocals – Shlomo Artzi

Written-By – Shlomo Artzi

 El Último De La Fila - 1986 - Enemigos de lo ajeno

El Último de la Fila was a successful Spanish rock group based in Barcelona, Spain. Formed in 1985 by Manolo García and Quimi Portet, the group released a total of 7 full-length albums before disbanding in early 1998. Manolo García was the singer in a group called Los Rápidos (The Rapids) and Quimi Portet had created a group named Kul de Mandril (Mandrill Buttocks). They started playing together in Los Burros (The Donkeys) in 1984. Then around 1985 they decided to form El Último de la Fila, becoming one of the most successful Spanish groups of the 1980s and 1990s, touring throughout Spain and Latin America.

They were ranked number 1 on Rolling Stone's "50 Greatest Spanish rock bands".

In 1985, the two frontmen for the short-lived band, Los Burros ‒ Manolo García and Quimi Portet ‒ formed the group, El Último de la Fila. After signing with independent music label, PDI, they released their first full-length album in February 1985 entitled Cuando la pobreza entra por la puerta, el amor salta por la ventana. In 1986, the band released their follow-up album, Enemigos de lo ajeno, with the track, "Insurrección", being chosen as "Best Song of the Year" by Rock de Lux magazine. Enemigos de lo ajeno achieved the first Gold record, due to sales in excess of fifty thousand, for the band. 

“Enemigos de lo Ajeno” (PDI, 1986) has gone down in history as one of the best albums in the history of rock sung in Spanish. They achieve a balanced and very personal ensemble of miscegenation and musical bastardy that looks east and west, north and south and is charged with a Mediterranean breeze. The pop-rock songs use electronic elements when they are necessary, and the atmospheres are recreated from Arabic and Flemish references. achieved with a smaller team of musicians than the one they had on their debut. The lyrics are especially applauded, with excellent images such as “M i patria en mis zapatos, mis manos son mi ejército ” that they recite in “ My country in my shoes” or others as poetic as in “ Angels have no propellers ”: “ Like silver hooks your fingers are stuck in my body / and your laughter is spent between my fiery kisses; / smell of something that does not exist / of love, that perhaps never existed ”

1987 saw the release of the group's third album, Nuevas mezclas ‒ recorded on a larger budget with improved sound quality ‒ followed by 1988's Como la cabeza al sombrero which sold more than 400,000 copies. The band began performing at larger and larger concert venues throughout Europe and South America, including the September 1988 Amnesty International Human Rights Now! concert in Barcelona, along with Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, and Youssou N'Dour.  From 1988 to 1990, the group continued touring throughout Europe and the Americas including stops in Mexico, the United States, Colombia, Argentina, and Venezuela. 

In 1990, the band released their fifth album, Nuevo pequeño catálogo de seres y estares, which reached #1 on the AFYVE sales chart. The group also founded their own music company, Perro Records. After another extensive tour throughout Spain, Europe, and South America, the group issued its sixth album, Astronomía razonable, in 1993 which became the first album by a Spanish group to stay at #1 on the AFYVE sales chart for 10 or more weeks. The disc also went gold in Venezuela and Mexico. The group promoted the album with a new international tour which included scenography designed by the Els Comediants theater group. In 1995, the band released their seventh and final album, La rebelión de los hombres rana, and again toured internationally in collaboration with Els Comediants. The concerts included tracks from the group's entire history including songs from the Los Rápidos and Los Burros eras. On 13 January 1998, El Último de la Fila announced their breakup so that the group's two founding members, Manolo García and Quimi Portet, would each separately pursue solo careers.

TRACKLIST:

1. Lejos de las leyes de los hombres (M. García, Q. Portet) 3:22

2. Insurrección (M. García, Q. Portet) 2:12

3. Mi patria en mis zapatos (M. García, Q. Portet) 4:22

4. Aviones plateados (M. García, Q. Portet) 3:52

5. Zorro veloz (M. García, Q. Portet) 4:14

6. Las palabras son cansancio (S. Alpers, M. García, Q. Portet) 3:50

7. Soy un accidente (M. García, Q. Portet) 3:22

8. Los ángeles no tienen hélices (M. García, Q. Portet) 3:40

9. No me acostumbro (Q. Portet) 4:20

10. ¿Para qué sirve una hormiga?» M. García, Q. Portet) 2:29

Credits

Angel Celada: Drums

Jose Luis Perez: Electric Guitar

Quimi Portet: Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards, Harmonica

Manolo García: Vocals, Keyboards, Tambourine

Marc Grau: Guitar [Spanish]

José Llobell: Engineer

Marc Neuhaus: Engineer

Rafael Moll: Producer 

 

Lemchaheb - 1978 - Lemchaheb

Togheter with Nass el Ghiwane and Jil Jilala, Lemchaheb have been the pioneer of amazigh rock music.  Their predecessors Nass el Ghiwane were already excelling at reviving the millennia old legacy of Morocco's musical heritage in popular music, Lemchaheb chose to stick to just making popular music, and surprisingly, excelling at that too! Lemchaheb's music was simpler and catchier: mandolins and guitars, percussions, and vocal harmonies. They chose not to associate themselves with any brotherhood.

Their achievements helped establish the modern chaabi music in Morocco in a way that they were among the first to play Moroccan pop music using western instruments, hence setting the rules for the genre.

Lemchaheb, or the "The Torches", also hailed from Hay el Mohammadi in Casablanca. The band was started by Moulay Cherif Lamrani who approached Mohamed Bakhti, a friend of Nass el Ghiwane, about starting a similar band in 1973. Moulay Cherif had a father who was conducting bands in Oran on the lute. He learned a lot from his father as well as from the Oujda Conservatory of Music. His first band was something similar to the Oujda band, Ikouane Migri (Migri Brothers) who were playing western pop music, and had drums, guitar, bass and keyboards. The first Lemchaheb line-up consisted of Moulay Cherif, the Bahiri brothers (ex-Tyour el Ghorba) and a young girl Saida Birouk. They released an EP of four songs and gained notice. The Bahiri brothers changed course and it was time to hire new recruits. First was Mohamed Batma (brother of Laarbi Batma) and his longtime friend Mohamed Sousdi, then Hassani-poet Mbarek Chadili. Hence, the first official lineup was formed by Mbarek Chadili, Moulay Cherif Lamrani, Mohamed Sousdi, Mohamed Batma and his wife Birouk Saida around 1975.

Their infectious melodies soon took hold of a large portion of listeners. By the end of the seventies it was hard not to sing along songs such as Khiala, Dawini, Denia Allah, Khayi, El Oued (El Ghadi B'id), Amana and Attaleb. Saida left the music scene shortly after and Mohamed Hammadi joined. Other classics came in, such as Meddahou, Ya Chra' and Yahli.

In the early 80's, Chadili left and they hired Noujoum Ouazza on the electric guitar. His sound is very distinctive; a clear toned electric with a chorus+flanger effect. He added a dreamy sound that complemented Lamrani's acoustic mandolin. His impact on the band is still present in the band's sound; the flanger effect that he used became a trademark. Even Lamrani adopted later an acoustic mandolin but with an electric pickup and a light flanger effect. This short-lived line-up would rework some old songs and also write new songs of its own. Who could forget Moualna, Tbaye' Annass, and Khlili? After receiving an offer from the German World Fusion band Dissidenten to join them on their album, Lamrani left the band temporarily and brought Chadili with him to Germany. They wrote and played the already classic material featured on Sahara Elektrik. Meanwhile, Noujoum took complete control of string duties, and Chadili and Lamrani released some solo albums when not playing with Lemchaheb. This period of Lemchaheb was very mediocre compared to their previous years. They started including electronic drums like Jil Jilala and released awful albums like Tab'i Rebbani, Majnoun Had el 'Alam and Ibda'ate Khalida. These albums nonetheless contained some real standout tracks like Goubail Dehmiss, Lgara and Tfada Ya Louglib.

Noujoum left Lemchaheb to become a full-time member of the Dissidenten live line-up. And with Lamrani back on the mandolin, they release T'ala a Bouya Tchouf and Ya Latif. These two albums contained such great tunes like Youm Kounti M'aya, Dounia Allah (II), Ya Latif, and the epic Al Jounoud. After taking a hiatus in the mid-90's, they came back with a stream load of albums. They did however update their sound: they started incorporating elements of modern music such as drums, bass and keyboards. But fans of Lemchaheb need not worry, the basic elements were still there; the symbolic voices of Sousdi and Batma, the high wails of Hammadi and Chadili and of course the mandolin of Lamrani were still in good shape. Great songs like A'tini Mnin Na'ti Yal 'Ati, Zenzen ya Nhel, Koura ya Ard were made as well as Dounia which is a tribute to Laarbi Batma. They also updated a lot of their timeless classic with their new sound.

(Source : http://lemchaheb.blogspot.it)

TRACKLIST:

01 El 'arabe العرب

02 Tbayaa Nass طبايع الناس

03 Takassime تقاسيم

04 Khlili خليلي

05 Mouwalna موالنا

06 Takassime تقاسيم

 Leevi And The Leavings - 1988 - Häntä Koipien Välissä

Leevi and the Leavings was a Finnish rock band that operated from 1978 to 2003.

The band consisted of Gösta Sundqvist, Risto Paananen, Juha Karastie and Niklas Nylund. Sundqvist was the leader of the band, he composed and wrote all the band's songs as well as being the vocalist. Sundqvist was a very private person who rarely gave interviews or appeared on television, but for several years he wrote and hosted radio comedy programs for YLE in which he appeared as himself together with fictitious characters.

The band's music had a distinctive sound of smooth multilayered synth-pop arrangements often featuring acoustic guitar, with an occasional lead guitar. It was based around Sundqvist's tragicomic lyrics and catchy choruses. Sundqvist's lyrics often deal with the humiliated aspirations and crushed hopes of "little people", as in the song "Teuvo, maanteiden kuningas" ("Teuvo, king of the highways"), which tells the story of a reckless boy with dreams of becoming a rally champion, or "Itkisitkö onnesta" ("Would You Cry Tears of Joy?"). Another recurring theme is bittersweet memories of lost romance, as in the songs "Rin Tin Tin" and "Mitä kuuluu Marja-Leena" (How Are You Doing, Marja-Leena?"). Sexual themes, considered from somewhat unconventional points of view, figure in many Leevi hits such as "Sopivasti lihava" ("Suitably Fat"), "Kyllikki" and "Unelmia ja toimistohommia" ("Dreams and office work"). Sundqvist sympathized with sexual minorities in the song "Poika nimeltä Päivi" (Boy called Päivi) which is written from the point of view of a character of ambiguous gender and sexuality trying to escape an oppressive small town atmosphere. Other hits include "Pohjois-Karjala" ("North Karelia"), and "Vasara ja nauloja" ("Hammer and Nails"). The instrumental "Tuhannen markan seteli" ("Thousand Mark Note") from album "Suuteleminen kielletty" was for many years the theme song of "Urheiluruutu", a major sporting news program, on Finnish television.

Many people rate Sundqvist's work among the best rock lyrics written in Finnish. A television play based on the characters in his songs was produced and broadcast by Finnish TV.

The band was extremely popular, and many of their songs are sung by Finns in karaoke bars. The band was also famous for never performing live. On August 15, 2003, Sundqvist died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 46, and the band decided to break up. Surviving band members later formed band named Leavings-Orkesteri releasing their first album "Arpapeliä" in 2011.

Their most acclaimed and successful album was "Häntä koipien välissä" ("Tail between the legs") from 1988.

TRACKLIST

1. Teuvo, maanteiden kuningas – 4.11
2. Sopivasti lihava – 3.40
3. Mäyrä – 2.58
4. Pimeä tie, mukavaa matkaa – 3.36
5. Äitisi vietteli minut – 3.59
6. Amalia – 3.14
7. Rin Tin Tin – 4.14
8. Mitä mä niillä teen? – 3.41
9. Ei mikään Robin Hood – 3.33
10. Elina, mitä mä teen? – 3.26

CREDITS:

Gösta Sundqvist – vocals, guitar, flute

Risto Paananen – bass, guitar, keyboards

Niklas Nylund – drums

Juha Karastie – guitar, mandolin, keyboards

The songs were composed, written and arranged by Gösta Sundqvist.

Cover: Mikko Kurenniemi

Producer: Atte Blom

Producer: Kari Kalén

Producer:  Pekka Aarnio

Quilapayún - 1970 - Santa María de Iquique

Quilapayún - 1970 - Santa María de Iquique

Santa María de Iquique, cantata popular is a cantata composed in 1969 by the Chilean composer Luis Advis Vitaglich, combining elements of both classical and folkloric/indigenous musical traditions to produce what became known as a popular cantata and one of Quilapayún’s most acclaimed and popular music interpretation. The theme of the cantata is a historical industrial dispute that ended with the massacre of miners in the northern Chilean city of Iquique in 1907. The reading is impeccably executed by the Chilean actor Hector Duvauchelle, who captures the increasingly tense struggle between the miners and their exploiters in the narrative. Instrumental interludes and songs empower the progression of the story leading to a final song which voices the miners demand for an end to exploitation with visions of an egalitarian and free world.

The following are the statements made by Luis Advis, that appeared on the original booklet that accompanied the record release in 1970.

“This work, dedicated to Quilapayún, was composed following the general guidelines of a classical cantata. There is, albeit, a variant which refers to: literary-thematic aspects: the traditional religious motive has been replaced with one based on real events from the social order.”

“The musical stylistics: rather than avoid the European traditions, it has been amalgamated with melodic trends, harmonic modulations and rhythmic nuclei of American or Hispanic-American root. “

“Instrumental aspects: of the traditional orchestra we have only preserved the violoncello and the double bass in supporting mode, joined by two guitars, two quenas, one charango and one Bombo legüero. “

“Narrative aspects: the classical recitative chant has been replaced by spoken narration. This contains rhythmic and metrical elements with the aim of not breaking the sonorous totality.”

The Cantata Santa Maria de Iquique represented Quilapayun at the Segundo Festival de la Nueva Canción Chilena (NCCh) (Second Festival of the New Chilean Song).

Despite the success of the work, it had its share of critics within the music world at the time of its release; some critics saw this work as too pretentious, complex and classical for it to be part of a popular neo-folkloric movement. This debate over what was authentic, what served “the cause” would grow in the years following the cantata’s release – creating serious dialectical confrontations on what materials were to be included or excluded from the NCCh.

Despite this the work was the highlight of the NCCh and a masterpiece of the Nueva Canción in Latin America and many musicologists and musicians consider it one of the most important recorded musical composition in Latin American music history.

This great appreciation for the work didn’t appear to be shared by some members of Quilapayun who saw in the existing work considerable room for improvement. In 1978, they assigned the Belgian/Argentine writer Julio Cortázar to restructure part of the original text and they introduced minor modifications to the original recorded arrangements for a new version and recording. This was done without consulting the composer of the work, Luis Advis, who upon hearing of the recording expressed great dismay and publicly attacked the artistic integrity of both Quilapayun and Julio Cortázar.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Mar%C3%ADa_de_Iquique_(cantata))

TRACKLIST

1. ”Pregón” / Announcement (Solo vocal: Eduardo Carrasco) – 2:11

2. ”Preludio instrumental” / Instrumental Prelude – 5:45

3. ”Relato I” / Narrative I (Narration: Héctor Duvauchelle) – 2:11

4. ”Canción I” / Choral Song I (“El sol en desierto grande…” / The sun in the great desert) – 2:21

5. ”Interludio instrumental I” / Instrumental Interlude I – 1:33

6. ”Relato II” / Narrative II (Narration: Héctor Duvauchelle) – 1:21

7. ”Canción II” / Solo Song II [“Vamos mujer…” / We must leave woman…] (Solo vocal: Rodolfo Parada) – 2:08

8. ”Interludio instrumental II” / Instrumental Interlude II – 1:44

9. ”Relato III” / Narrative III (Narration: Héctor Duvauchelle) – 1:35

10. ”Interludio cantado” /Sung interlude [“Se han unido con nosotros…” / They’ve joined with us] (solo vocals: Carlos Quezada) – 2:05

11. ”Relato IV” / Narrative IV (Narration: Héctor Duvauchelle) – 1:00

12. ”Canción III” / Song III [“Soy obrero pampino…” / I am a pampean worker…] (solo vocals: Willy Oddó) – 1:44

13. ”Interludio instrumental III” / Instrumental Interlude III – 1:55

14. ”Relato V” / Narrative V (Narration: Héctor Duvauchelle) – 2:14

15. ”Canción letanía” / Supplicatory song (“Murieron tres mil seisientos…” / Three thousand six hundred died…) - 1:33

16. ”Canción IV” / Song IV [“A los hombres de la Pampa…” / To the men of the Pampa...] (Solo vocals: Eduardo Carrasco) – 2:55

17. ”Pregón II” / Announcement II (Solo Vocals: Hernán Gómez) – 0:32

18. ”Canción final” / Final Song (“Ustedes que ya escucharon…” / You, who have now heard…) (Solo vocals: Patricio Castillo) – 2:50

Personnel

Eduardo Carrasco

Rodolfo Parada

Willy Oddó

Carlos Quezada

Patricio Castillo (musician)

Hernán Gomez

Additional Personnel

Héctor Duvauchelle (Narrator)

Eduardo Seinkiewicz (Violoncello)

Luis Bignon (Double bass)

                                

CREDITS

Artwork, Photography By – Antonio Larrea, Vicente Larrea

Cello – Eduardo Sienkiewicz

Double Bass – Luis Bignon

Engineer – Angel Arados*

Lyrics By, Music By – L. Advis*