A few years ago, in 2014 to be precise, I discovered another world of music, the music of my own people, Klezmer music, East European Jewish wedding music from before the holocaust. Jewish life in Eastern Europe was hard: a lot of poverty and severe persecution. All they had was their holy books, traditions and music. They were not allowed to own land, go into professions or join guilds so trades were quite restricted. For … Read on…
Achinoam Nini aka Noa It would be a crime to box up Achinoam Nini aka Noa as a world artist whatever that means. There is seldom a musician with more variety in their music, calling her roots at times, or just having a hint of them in the back of a song, but always first singing a song not a genre. She sings fluently in English, Italian, French and Hebrew, goes from Folk to Pop … Read on…
The various contributors at WSS give you a taste of 2013 music by Singer-Songwriters worldwide. The list is edited by Mateo James and is also available as a Youtube Playlist. Every single night, Fiona Apple Fiona Apple takes the time to mould her songs from her inner complex riches and it echoes in the precise instrumentation, the sleek lyricism and the integrity of the delivery. Honest and witty introspection triumphs. Tiki I Ride at Dawn, Ben … Read on…
Traditionally, Singer-Songwriters are artists-entertainers who perform the musical material they compose (melodies) and write (lyrics, where relevant) often accompanying themselves on an instrument. In their musical creations, the singer-songwriter tend to explore a wide array of issues, from topical ones to those common across time or space. These might be political, pertaining to fantasy or realistic/pragmatic, introspective (sometimes sensitive or even confessional) or relational including romantic or the opposite. In looking for common grounds among … Read on…
Fiona Apple writes, composes and performs her personal songs with alternative rock and decadent jazz accents as well as world-inspired tones. She has a way with words that betrays her heartfelt and honest lyrics to their core. She sings of how she feels and this is literal music integrity: there is nothing in a Fiona Apple song that is not Fiona Apple, the self-penned extraordinary machine, be it in her depressions and self-loathing, or more … Read on…
In the title track of his debut album, Georges Moustaki describes his face as that of a metic, a wandering Jew, a Greek shepherd, a thief and a vagabond. Maybe so. But his melodic strumming of the guitar and his understated voice have overflown these appearances, his overgrown beard and that stereotype. If anything, that image only promotes the depth, mystery and serenity surrounding his voice and the rhymes it creates, it has no reason … Read on…
Introducing Gainsbourg… Serge Gainsbourg is a singer-songwriter of Russian Jewish descent adopted by France then the world twice, first when fleeing the 1917 Russian Revolution that dressed his family in the yellow star garments that the Nazi regime reserved for Jews and second for his profound talent, versatility and “je m’en fous-t”ism i.e. the “I really don’t care” mentality, no doubt born from the disillusions of the first 30 years of his life. In 2010, … Read on…
Intro French singer-songwriter and poet Georges Brassens was born 22nd October 1921, in Sète, a small harbour town on the French Mediterranean coast from a notoriously anti-cleric dad and a strictly catholic mum. It is one of his teacher that introduces him to poetry, and the rest is history. Georges Brassens is as well-known in France today as The Beatles are in England. People whistle his melodies on the streets, pass them on through generations. … Read on…
Sitting as the cherry on top of the cream of pop singer-songwriters (even though she eventually retired to song writing only) is Cathy Dennis. Growing up listening to various musical genres and particularly jazz has made her music open and versatile and helped it contribute to giving pop a decent amount of credibility. More specifically, Cathy Dennis wrote some of the best known and most popular songs in pop including “Can’t Get You Out Of My … Read on…
What an amazing and internationally great year for music 2008 has been. From North to South, East to West, music artists release some musical gems for the pleasure of music fans and to make such a chart as impossible as ridiculous. All the same, we made it. Rivers run/Sorry Karine Polwart (Scotland) We fought for Karine on this one. Sorry is growing to be one of my all time favourite, fantastically showcasing brilliant ‘opinionated’ songwriting, lovely celtic tones and beautiful … Read on…
