Theo Bleckmann - Love Song (2015)

Theo Bleckmann performs in 2004 in Stefan Winter’s cabaret opera »The Chestnut Ball« at the Opernfestspiele München; this is the beginning of a musical journey through pop, jazz and classical music to contemporary composition of New Music. For the collaboration between Theo Bleckmann and Winter&Winter the Japanese composer and pianist Fumio Yasuda plays a key role as arranger and duo partner. Bleckmann and Yasuda meet for the first time during the rehearsals and performances of »The Chestnut Ball« in 2004. Shortly after this first production, available as well as a CD double album on Winter&Winter, the artistic team Theo Bleckmann and Fumio Yasuda puts out another four albums, among them children songs for adults titled »Mother Goose’s Melodies«.

Fumio Yasuda creates fascinating orchestral versions for »Las Vegas Rhapsody« of so-called jazz standards, pieces from Broadway and of musicals like »Sound Of Music«. »My Favorite Things«, the musical declaration of love to Austria by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, is as much part of this album’s repertoire as Cole Porter’s »True Love«, recorded with the classical Basel chamber orchestra, which fills the role of a large show orchestra with flying colours. Bleckmann and Yasuda realise together the album »Berlin – Songs of Love and War, Peace and Exile«. »Lili Marleen« in a solo performance of Theo Bleckmann with electronics and »Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt« for piano and string quartet are made in new musical arrangements. For Charles Schumann’s Bar in Munich the two musicians record »Favored Bar Songs«. The love songs »Someone To Watch Over Me« and the swinging »I’ve Got The World On A String« are performed as duets.

The travel into the world of the soloist Theo Bleckmann becomes a very exceptional musical excursion. Only with his voice and few accompanying instruments Bleckmann fascinates with his album »I Dwell In Possibility«. For »Love Song« music producer Stefan Winter selects »I Hear A Rhapsody«. Together with Theo Bleckmann Stefan Winter produces between 2004 and 2014 altogether ten albums. With the Uri Caine Ensemble Bleckmann sings the Gershwin songs »But Not For Me« and »I’ve Got A Crush On You«. The recording of Charles Ives songs with the band Kneebody is one of the most impressing discoveries of the artist Theo Bleckmann. Ives’s »Feldeinsamkeit/In Summer Fields« belongs to his most remarkable interpretations. »Love Song« opens and ends with a song by Kate Bush from »Hello Earth! – The Music of Kate Bush«. This album is not a simple compilation of works, instead unites a special collection of love songs being among the highlights of the ten year working relationship with Winter&Winter. According to the theme »Love Song« Bleckmann unfolds his artistic diversity. The songs about love run like a thread through his musical abundance.

Tracklist:

1. Feldeinsamkeit/In Summer Fields [Charles Ives, Hermann Allmers]
2. Maskulinum-Femininum [Mischa Spoliansky, Marcellus Schiffer]
3. My Favorite Things [Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II]
4. I’ve Got A Crush On You [George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin]
5. The Man With The Child In His Eyes [Kate Bush]
6. Lili Marleen [Norbert Schultze, Hans Leip]
7. I've Got The World On A String [Ted Koehler, Harold Arlen]
8. True Love [Cole Porter]
9. Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt [Friedrich Hollaender]
10. This Woman’s Work [Kate Bush]
11. But Not For Me [George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin]
12. Someone To Watch Over Me [George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin]
13. I Hear A Rhapsody [George Fragos, Jack Baker, Dick Gasparre]
14. Love and Anger [Kate Bush]

Personnel:

Theo Bleckmann [vocals, electronics, melodica, glass harp]
Caleb Burhans, Joyce Hammann [violin]
Mark Helias, Kaveh Rastegar, Skúli Sverrisson [bass]
Adam Benjamin, Uri Caine, Henry Hey [keyboards, piano]
Jim Black, John Hollenbeck, Nate Wood [drums, percussion]
Ralph Alessi [trumpet]
Ben Wendel [bassoon]
Fumio Yasuda [piano, arranger]
Bernd Ruf [conductor]
Kammerorchester Basel