For English version click here O floare să vă încânte privirile Hey! Vă aduceți aminte că am avut „O mică vacanță de vis” acasă la unchiul meu? Vă aduceți aminte cât de încântați ați fost de floril…
Source: Sensational! A beautiful yellow flower that blooms in real time
Hard to imagine a life without a song. Music is all around in every beat of mother nature; Singing birds, whispering rivers as they flow to the sea.
Human kind was singing from the beginning of time. Now I think of a life without a song and it seems to me empty, devoid of emotion, deprived of memories and feelings evoked by a singing voice.
Sometimes I listen to a song for a little while and then, without even noticing it, it gets stuck inside my mind. I might forget about it and not care anymore, but then, at a certain point, might be days later, it comes to me from the back of my mind and soon I realize it is there to stay. I can’t get rid of it. It is on my brain, sounding over and over again. It feels good, though. It is like setting a particular nice mood making me feel delighted, calm and satisfied. And I find myself enjoying the music and the lyrics as they resound in my head. At times it happens that I feel an urgent need to listen to the original track again and I have to find it and make it sound in my music player. That’s a great listening experience. It becomes such a pleasant feeling! Don’t know why it happens and I guess it is something happening to all of us, most likely, at one time or another.
Judy Garland in “Wizard of Oz” singing “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
We have many people doing songs for us; singers, songwriters, musicians… and they all produce sounds that may fill up our hearts and souls. So I want to express my gratitude to all of them and ask you all to also be grateful for the songs you love. Because we shouldn’t take them for granted… and a life without a song would be a lost life.
The Hypnotist Collector
Paintings:
Difícil imaginar una vida sin canciones. La música está ahí, a la vuelta, en cada latido de la madre naturaleza. Pájaros cantores, ríos susurrando mientras fluyen hacia el mar.
La especie humana ha cantado desde el principio de los tiempos. Pienso ahora en una vida sin canciones y me parece vacía, carente de emoción, privada de los recuerdos y sentimientos evocados por el canto.
A veces escucho una canción durante un rato y entonces, sin siquiera notarlo, se queda grabada en mi mente. Podría olvidarme de ella y no volver a preocuparme, pero luego, en un cierto momento, incluso días más tarde, viene a mí desde el último rincón de la memoria y enseguida comprendo que no se irá fácilmente. No puedo quitármela de la cabeza. Da vueltas en mi cerebro, sonando una y otra vez. Me hace sentir bien, sin embargo. Es como si crease un particular estado de ánimo muy apacible, provocando un sentimiento placentero, haciéndome sentir tranquilo y satisfecho. Y me encuentro a mi mismo disfrutando de la música y las palabras repicando en mi cabeza. A veces sucede que siento una necesidad urgente de escuchar la pista original otra vez y tengo que encontrarla y hacer que suene en mi reproductor de audio. Entonces se convierte en una experiencia extraordinaria ¡Es una sensación tan agradable! No sé por qué ocurre y supongo que es algo que nos sucede a todos, probablemente, en un momento u otro.
Judy Garland en “El Mago De Oz” cantando “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
Hay mucha gente que hace canciones para nosotros; cantantes, compositores, músicos… y todos ellos producen sonidos capaces de llenar nuestros corazones y nuestras almas. Por eso quiero expresar aquí mi agradecimiento a todos ellos y pido a todos vosotros, los que me leéis, que mostréis también vuestro agradecimiento por las canciones que os gustan. Porque nunca hay que dar nada por sentado… y es más, una vida sin canciones sería una vida perdida.
El Coleccionista Hipnótico
Pinturas:
Last Saturday I attended a more than entertaining show next to the Palace of Guzman featuring street artist Joaco Showman. The performance was held at the town square near the church, in the picturesque medieval hamlet in Burgos province, which gives its name to the palace.
It was a show of magic and humor promoted by the owners of Posada de Guzman (Guzman Inn). The aforementioned palace, acquired by its current owners, was restored in 2001 and converted into an inn for tourists interested in rural hiking.
Both the artist Joaco Showman and myself, as a representative, had been invited to spend the weekend at the palace inn, following the performance. I have to thank the owners for their hospitality and excellent service shown to us. Our stay could not have been nicer. They shown extreme hospitality at all times. For lunch we were treated with a delicious oxtail, our choice of drinks, and good coffee. We also enjoyed a great dinner, a very nice comfortable room and a hearty breakfast with coffee or chocolate milk, juice, fruit, cake and all kinds of pastries. The visit would have been worth it if only to enjoy the facilities of the beautiful medieval palace, decorated in the purest Castilian style with exquisite taste.
On Sunday, as we approached Aranda de Duero to take the bus back to Madrid we found the Music Festival of Aranda, Sonoroma 2016. They said around there that attendance at the Festival this year had doubled the population of this relevant town in Burgos province. This is an event that has more followers each year. No wonder it does, since the organization and quality of the participants improves year after year.
In the preavious year’s event they were already about one hundred bands and artists who performed on Sonorama stages, either located within the enclosure of the Festival, or else within the various squares of Aranda de Duero.
Bands of remarkable quality level such as Calexico, Tulsa, Bambinika, Biznaga, Vetusta Morla, The Parrots, Los Toreros Muertos, Neuman, Marlango, Los Nastys, Dorian, Arizona Baby, Bigott, Dinero, Mercromina, Mucho, Correo, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Belize, Smile, Supersubmarina, Zahara, Lichis, Lucia Scansetti, Anna Calvi, la Maravillosa Orquesta Del Alcohol (the MODA), La Habitacion Roja, Reykjavik, Noreste, Australian Blonde, Angel Stanich, Rufus T-Firefly, Pecker, Sexy Zebras, Reina Republicana, Acrobata and Los Vengadores among others …
Sonorama 2016 Poster
In this year’s event there were also a high number of participants. Among the early confirmations artists included were of the stature of:
091, Second, The Hives, Senores, Love of Lesbian, La Frontera, El Nino de Elche, Mucho, Miss Caffeina, Luis Brea y El Miedo, Izal, Ellos, Delorentos and Carlos Sadness.
Belako, Elyella DJ’s, Exsonvaldes (with Elena Miquel), Leon Benavente, Julieta 21, Kula Shaker, Nudozurdo, Quique González, Onda Vaga, Sidecars, Supercroma, Triangulo de Amor Bizarro, Molotov, Mando Diao, Angel Stanich, Corizonas, Egon Soda, Manel and El Duo Dinamico.
Confirmed later, among the most notable participants were the following:
Fuel Fandango, L.A., Alex Cooper, Delorean, Digital XXI & Stefan Oldsal, Maga, Micky and Los Colosos del Ritmo, Carmen Boza, Bozza, Morgan, Embusteros, Super Ratones, Fizzy Soup (winners of de contest “Talento Ribera”) and Perro.
It’s all over now and there’s only one thing left to do, just wait until next year.
Hypnotist Collector
Bibliography:
Todoindie (July 19, 2016) Sonorama 2016/Cartel/Entradas/Horarios. Retrieved August 14, 2016 from http://todoindie.com/sonorama-2016/
El pasado sábado asistí a un más que entretenido espectáculo de calle protagonizado por Joaco Showman junto al Palacio de Guzmán. La función tuvo lugar en la plaza del pueblo, cerca de la iglesia, en la pintoresca pedanía Burgalesa de origen medieval que da nombre al palacio.
Fue un espectáculo de magia y humor organizado por los propietarios de la Posada de Guzmán. El mencionado palacio, adquirido por sus actuales propietarios, fue restaurado en 2001 y convertido en posada con fines turísticos para el excursionismo rural.
Tanto el artista Joaco Showman como yo mismo, en calidad de representante, habíamos sido invitados a pasar el fin de semana en la posada del palacio, a raíz de la actuación. Tengo que agradecer a los propietarios su hospitalidad y el excelente trato que nos dispensaron. La estancia no ha podido ser más agradable. Agasajados en todo momento, fuimos obsequiados con un delicioso rabo de toro, bebida a discreción y buen café. Igualmente, disfrutamos de una estupenda cena, una bonita habitación muy confortable y un desayuno abundante con café o ColaCao, zumos, fruta, bizcocho y toda clase de bollería. La visita incluso habría merecido la pena aunque solo fuera por disfrutar de las instalaciones del hermoso palacio medieval, decorado con un gusto exquisito al más puro estilo castellano.
Al acercarnos el domingo a Aranda de Duero para coger el autobús de regreso a Madrid nos encontramos con el Festival de Música de Aranda, Sonoroma 2106. Se comentaba allí que la asistencia al Festival había duplicado este año la población de la localidad Burgalesa. Se trata de un evento que cada año tiene más adeptos. Y no es de extrañar, ya que la organización y la calidad de los participantes se supera año tras año.
Ya en la pasada edición fueron cerca de un centenar de grupos y artistas los que desfilaron por los escenarios del Sonorama, tanto los ubicados dentro del recinto, como los repartidos por las diversas plazas de Aranda de Duero.
Grupos de la categoría de Calexico, Tulsa, Bambinika, Biznaga, Vetusta Morla, The Parrots, Los Toreros Muertos, Neuman, Marlango, Los Nastys, Dorian, Arizona Baby, Bigott, Dinero, Mercromina, Mucho, Correos, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Belize, Smile, Supersubmarina, Zahara, Lichis, Lucia Scansetti, Anna Calvi, La Maravillosa Orquesta del Alcohol (La MODA), La Habitación Roja, Reikiavik, Noreste, Australian Blonde, Ángel Stanich, Rufus T-Firefly, Pecker, Sexy Zebras, Reina Republicana, Acrobata y Los Vengadores entre otros muchos…
Cartel Sonorama 2016
En la presente edición se ha registrado un alto número de participantes. Entre las confirmaciones definitivas, en primera instancia, figuraban artistas de la talla de:
091, Second, The Hives, Señores, Love of Lesbian, La Frontera, Niño de Elche, Mucho, Miss Caffeina, Luis Brea y el Miedo, Izal, Ellos, Delorentos y Carlos Sadness.
Belako, Elyella DJ’s, Exsonvaldes (con Elena Miquel), León Benavente, Julieta 21, Kula Shaker, Nudozurdo, Quique González, Onda Vaga, Sidecars, Supercroma, Triángulo de Amor Bizarro, Molotov, Mando Diao, Ángel Stanich, Corizonas, Egon Soda, Manel y El Dúo Dinámico.
Y de los confirmados a última hora, entre los más destacables, participaron los siguientes:
Fuel Fandango, L.A., Alex Cooper, Delorean, Digital XXI & Stefan Oldsal, Maga, Micky y Los Colosos del Ritmo, Carmen Boza, Bozza, Morgan, Embusteros, Super Ratones, Fizzy Soup (ganadores del concurso Talento Ribera) y Perro.
Ahora ya solo resta esperar al año próximo.
El Coleccionista Hipnótico
Bibliografía:
Todoindie (19 de Julio de 2016) Sonorama 2016/Cartel/Entradas/Horarios. Consultado el 14 de Agosto de 2016 en http://todoindie.com/sonorama-2016/
El viernes pasado fue el 50 aniversario de la publicación de “Revolver”, el séptimo álbum de los Beatles, en el Reino Unido. No salió a la venta en los EE.UU. hasta el 8 de agosto, sin embargo, por lo que hoy se cumplen 50 años de su lanzamiento en Norte América (debido al retraso en publicar la versión en castellano, en realidad debería decir anteayer; lo de “hoy” se refería al momento en el que publiqué el artículo en inglés). Por una de esas extrañas coincidencias de la vida, hace no más de tres semanas recibí un mensaje de mi buen amigo Valentín Calderón, un conocido fan de Bob Dylan en los círculos de aficionados españoles. En su nota, mi amigo me pedía consejo con el fin de averiguar como valorar y certificar una copia original en vinilo del LP “Revolver” firmado por los “Fab Four”.
Me decía que obra en su poder esta edición original del sello Parlophone publicada en el Reino Unido. La cubierta está rasgada por la mitad, como se ve en la imagen de arriba, pero los 4 autógrafos de los Beatles siguen ahí, bien conservados y todavía visibles, aunque un poco lavados por el tiempo. Mi amigo Valentin no tiene ninguna duda de que las firmas son auténticas, ya que él lo recibió como regalo de un amigo de la infancia quien lo adquirió a su vez de su propia madre. Ella trabajaba en Londres en aquél tiempo y tuvo la oportunidad de conseguir que los Beatles le firmaran su ejemplar de este disco cuando les conoció en el lugar donde trabajaba.
Solicité la ayuda de un amigo en el grupo de facebook “Everything Beatles.” Por supuesto, este amigo me atendió muy amablemente y me dió un par de direcciones URL de sitios web dedicados a estas cuestiones donde podrían proporcionarme información acerca de las copias firmadas de álbumes de los Beatles. Les escribí pidiendo consejo respecto a ese tema, pero aún no he obtenido respuesta alguna. Incluso pensé en la más que improbable posibilidad de ponerme en contacto con alguno de los Beatles vivos :).
Antes de hacer un breve comentario sobre algunas particularidades de “Revolver”, quería mencionar la solicitud de mi amigo y darla a conocer entre todos mis lectores, por si acaso alguien por ahí podría echarnos una mano o decirnos cómo proceder.
Otra curiosidad del mencionado ejemplar es que aún hay otro autógrafo más, perfectamente visible sobre la firma de John Lennon. No podría afirmarlo con seguridad, pero he indagado en la red para hacer las comparaciones pertinentes y parece que podría estar firmado por Lester Pigott, el famoso jockey británico, ganador en varias ocasiones del Derby de Epsom.
Como homenaje a este LP, que muchas personas consideran la mayor obra maestra entre los álbumes conceptuales de los Beatles, voy a comentar un par de datos curiosos respecto a las sesiones de grabación en estudio. Geoff Emerick, el ingeniero de sonido, una vez declaró: “Con ‘Revolver’, se trataba más de cómo hacer que las cosas sonasen diferente, en lugar de reales“. A modo de ejemplo, en “Tomorrow Never Knows” podemos escuchar el graznido de una gaviota que en realidad era la risa de McCartney reproducida al revés a doble velocidad. Otra cosa interesante a destacar es la banda de metales incluida en “Yellow Submarine” y la divertida y un tanto alocada sesión, donde Brian Jones, Marianne Faithfull, Pattie Harrison, Neil Aspinall e incluso Geoff Emerick y George Martin, hacian los coros. Sin duda, el LP revolvió las cosas como ningún otro empeño en el terreno del pop-rock lo había hecho antes.
El Coleccionista Hipnótico
Bibliografía:
Scapelliti, Christopher (5 de agosto de 2016) The Beatles ‘Revolver’: Guía de las canciones, instrumentos y equipos de grabación. Consultado el 8 de agosto de 2016 en http://www.guitarworld.com/guide-recording-equipment-songs-and-instruments-featured-beatles-revolver-album
Cabrera, Enrique (Copyright © 1996-2000) Only Some Northern Songs In Revolver. Consultado el 8 de agosto de 2016 en http://www.upv.es/~ecabrera/revolver.html
Last Friday was the 50th anniversary of the release of the Beatles album “Revolver” in the UK. It didn’t come out until August 8th in the USA though, so it is 50 years ago today since the USA release. By one of those weird coincidences of life, no more than three weeks ago I received a message from my good friend Valentin Calderon, a well known Bob Dylan fan in the Spanish trading circles. In his note, my friend asked for advice in order to value and certify an original copy of “Revolver” vinyl LP signed by the Fab Four.
He told me that he has this original UK release from the Parlophone records label in his possession. The cover is torn out in the middle, as seen in this picture above, but the 4 Beatles autographs are still there, well preserved and still visible, though a bit washed out by the time. Valentin has no doubt that the signatures are authentic, since he received it as a gift from a close childhood friend who got it himself from his own mother. She was working in London at the time and had the chance to get her album signed when she met the Beatles at her workplace.
I asked for help from a friend of mine at the facebook group “Everything Beatles.” Of course he was really kind and gave me a couple of URLs of dedicated websites where they could help with information about signed copies of the Beatles albums. I wrote them asking for advice regarding this subject, but I didn’t get a reply.
Before making a few comments on some “Revolver” particularities, I wanted to mention my friend’s request and let you all know about it, in case anybody out there could help or tell us how to proceed.
Another curiosity of the mentioned item is that there’s one more autograph seen above John Lennon’s signature. I couldn’t tell for sure but I checked the net for comparison and it seems like it could be signed by Lester Pigott, the famous British jockey, several times winner of the Epsom Derby.
As a tribute to this LP which many people consider the greatest masterpiece among The Beatles concept masterworks, I will comment on a couple of curious facts regarding the studio recording sessions. Geoff Emerick, the sound engineer, once declared: “With ‘Revolver’, it was more about making things sound different, rather than real.” As an example, we can hear a seagull screaming sound on “Tomorrow Never Knows” which was actually McCartney’s laughter played double-speed and reversed. Another interesting thing to point out was the Brass Band included in “Yellow Submarine” and the funny crazy session where Brian Jones, Marianne Faithfull, Pattie Harrison, Neil Aspinall and even Geoff Emerick and George Martin were singing along in the chorus. No doubt the LP revolved things as no other pop-rock effort had ever done before.
The Hypnotist Collector
Bibliography:
Scapelliti, Christopher (August 5, 2016) The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’: Guide to the Songs, Instruments and Recording Equipment. Retrieved August 8, 2016 from http://www.guitarworld.com/guide-recording-equipment-songs-and-instruments-featured-beatles-revolver-album
Cabrera, Enrique (©Copyright 1996-2000) Only Some Northern Songs In Revolver. Retrieved August 8, 2016 from http://www.upv.es/~ecabrera/revolver.html
I have already written about Iñigo Coppel previously. He probably has more potential for success than any of the newest singer/songwriters in the current Spanish musical scene. His new album, already recorded, “Los Nobles Salvajes (The Noble Savages)”, which I was referring to in a previous article, is now in the final post-production phase and will be released after the summer. In the meantime, today I want to call my readers attention to his previous work, an excellent album produced by Jose Nortes and recorded live at the Old Artuset Tavern on December 27, 2013.
The CD begins with the unusual cut “Iñigo Coppel Viaja a La Edad Media Y el Rock and Roll Salva Su Vida (Iñigo Coppel Goes to the Middle Age and Rock and Roll Saves His Life.)” It is an epic poem that gets you immediately trapped in a surrealistic frantic race where a hapless street singer narrates in first person what happened when, by an inexplicable phenomenon, he travels back in time to a medieval past. I don’t want to make a chronicle of the album or analyze here the songs or value them in any way. I’m just inviting you to listen to a disc which, in my opinion, it’s worth the effort and it is quite possibly that you may end falling in love with it, if you pay close attention to it. Just let yourself go with Iñigo’s overwhelming ability to convey emotions and tell stories with a sarcastic sense of humor. You might also feel the immense sensitivity with which he pours his truth on our souls to get to the core of things with unflinching honesty.
The song called “Tango Del Amante Traicionado (Tango of the Betrayed Lover)” leaves a bitter smile on the listener after the loud laughter caused by this final verse:
“People used to talk about faith!
This is just enough to make one lose his faith!
We live harassed by infamy,
These are times of chaste love and monogamy,
We cannot fall down any lower than that!”
Because, filled with nostalgia, you may think how true that sentence is: “only lovers believe in love.” And, after all, you may also think how pitiful betrayal is, even if you change the approach looking at it from the other side. Here the songwriter, with an incredible sense of humor, makes the poor guy, who was once the accomplice of a first disloyalty, become the true victim.
Then we find that unimaginable ballad, “Serenade for C”. The accurate description of that someone you silently love without understanding how it is possible that such a human being can live with the anguish she does. How can she feel sadness, pain, fear, anxiety and the infinite loneliness that surrounds her… despite herself and her perfect beauty? “Who can believe it?” But you understand, because through the author’s eyes you get to love her. It is just before the third stanza, while the magic violin of Manu Clavijo makes its appearance, when this serenade takes on the meaning and gets to string together all the elements, completing the image captured in the composition.
Coppel’s guitar starts as an angry protest like one of those that Bob Dylan gave to the world in ’63. He certainly gets the same narrative strength, the same musical impact and the same conviction. Only difference is that the issue here is, if the murder of this man, who was executed by the narrator himself, made any sense. “Are you sure he was a fascist? Are you sure there will not be anybody else like him anymore?” The song not only protests against this macabre practice and makes us aware of the fact that they most likely chose the wrong victim, but also reveals that the choice, by the same token, could lead them to murder a half of the humanity.
The next track contains my favorite song on the album. Do not ask me why. Nevertheless, I will try to offer an explanation. “Acaba Conmigo (Just Kill Me)” is a sincere act of contrition and, as such, it is moving. Its incisive succession of chords captivates me. The lacerating tone of the melody, accompanying the recognition of guilt in the afflicted voice of Iñigo penetrates me as the sharpening steel of a razor. Assuming capital punishment as the only way of redemption wreaks havoc on my emotional integrity. And when, willing to pay with his life for the damage done, he exclaims: “Shoot me, what are you waiting for?… Just kill me at once,” I can’t help but tear my soul apart.
As a statement of principles, as an act of faith in the function of the minstrel, Iñigo Coppel then recited this poem which goes straight to the heart. “En El Olympia (At L’Olympia)” tells of a lost faith recovered during the encounter with Gardel and all the great singers he met, when, as the song says, “The paths of life -listen to me, ‘mes amis’- they dragged my wounded soul to L’Olympia in Paris”.
“Laura y las Desventuras Del Joven Coppel (Laura and Young Coppel’s Sorrows)” narrates with a large dose of sarcasm of a first failed love affair which turns out to be a victory, a fulfilled purpose and a reaffirmation as a human being. And it does it with a rock beat of enviable skillfulness.
Again another chilling ballad this “Recuerda El Viento (Remember the Wind)” that the musician from Bilbao sings to a piano, reminding it once was a beautiful oak, that it was once free and noble. That was just until they tore it down to make it that lonesome piano which is now placed on a corner of the stage in a singer-songwriters cafe.
“Oiga, Que Hubieran Estudiado (Hey, They Should Have Studied)” precedes the last track on the disc. This is a unique blues that the author dedicates to all those women who choose the company of guys like him instead of those glamorous achievers and sophisticated musicians. Great tune that, filled with irony, deals with the question of success, the true value of artistic creation and the thorny issue of a shallow motivation to engage in this music thing to make a conquest of the opposite sex.
The final tune, entitled “If I ever die -God forbid-” is, as its name suggests, an artistic testament. That’s only in appearance; it is actually much more than that. It is like an examination of conscience; it becomes actually an account with the past to extract everything learned and to reassert his beliefs. Ultimately it is the confirmation of being on the good road, having come a long way, finally at peace with himself. As he says: “No one can steal from me what I sang, I learned to be on my side, I died quite sane and had a happy life“.
https://coppel.bandcamp.com/album/en-el-olympia
The Hypnotist Collector
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El Coleccionista Hipnótico 