Country of Origin
With millions of music tracks at our daily beck 'n' call, off the cloud like sweet rain on demand, here are a few which I recently cued up for a typically checkered playlist. We start with something very lengthy and dramatic, Catherine Lara & Juan Carmona on Léo Ferré's "La memoire et la mer".
This segues quite naturally into Falete's "Mi Amante Amigo" to dance on the knife edge of pathos and kitsch.
From here we visit with the Kiko Ruiz Quartet and a teaser compilation for their new Âma la Vida project.
Spicing up the flamenco mix gets us at Rafael Cortés and the blistering title track for his gorgeous Cagiñi album.
Adding heavy sauce with the vocals of Joana Jiménez and Miguel Poveda arrives at "Mientete".
From there it's a short step to Vicente Pradal's "La Monja Gitana" with what in places are faintly Mexican echoes.
Next we learn how the Russians do a bossa with the formation Arbat from their Drom album.
This deposits us next at a mid-century Parisian establishment during Gurdjieff's days to hear more Russian expat tunes with Norig's "Gadji".
Talisman's "The way to Buchara" then conjures up a wilder Doctor Shivago setting with virtuoso musicianship.
O'Djila now present their version of the famous Serbian tune "Zajdi Zajdi".
KAL take us deep into gypsy cabaret with "Midnight Walk".
Cafe Aman Istanbul demonstrate the Arabian connection of Greek music with "Gülbahar".
On George Dalaras' "Deserted VIllages", the intro reminds us of Romania's accordeons.
Quadro Nuevo take us to sophisticated European café music with "Mocca Swing".
This asks for Khalil Chahine's "Les fleurs de chair" to follow up.
To close out today's session, let's reach for Robert Wolf's "Cancion por un angel" from his Velvet Night album…
… before giving Marius Apostol the last word with "Autumn in Bucharest" to go out on a properly swingé note.
And now time's really up.
