Tim Kliphuis - Acoustic Voyage (2010)

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Tim Kliphuis - Acoustic Voyage (2010)

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An inspired mix of Gypsy Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Classical, Celtic Folk and 60s Pop, by one of the world's top improvising violinists.

Imagine what would happen if Stephane Grappelli met the Chieftains, if Tom Jobim played a Parisian musette, if Scottish poet Robert Burns was in love with Miriam Makeba … and James Brown jammed with Jasha Heifetz.

"This album unites all the music styles I love, not in an i-Pod 'pastiche' way but in the way that whiskies are blended together - subtly yet with distinction. Pianist David Newton, guitarist Nigel Clark and bassist Roy Percy are all top musicians from Scotland whom I am lucky to work with, and Maltese percussion wiz Sandro Ciancio gives the cd a 'world' flavour.
We had a great time in the studio in the Scottish hills and I am sure this comes through on the cd.

If I had to choose one tune it would be “Couscous and Butter”, a cross of a Scottish Slip Jig with a West-African Soukous feel. We stuffed bits of paper between our strings to give it that Kalimba (thumb piano) sound and added an Udu (jug drum).
Assanhado is a choro tune: Brazilian folk music made popular by mandolinist Jacob do Bandolim.
Lucy’s Waltz I wrote as a Musette waltz with a South-American twist. Clair de Lune is just a wonderful Debussy piano piece.
Águas de Março is special because of the recurring bass line. Havana Highway is my version of Bud Powell meets Cuba, with some influence of my hero Jean-Luc Ponty. Don’t Sleep in the Subway is a Petula Clarke hit based on Pachelbel’s Canon in D. Bebe – well, Hermeto Pascoal is just a wizard, a fusion genius. The Irish traditional Cuckoo’s nest I first heard on a 1970s recording by Fairport Convention, where my friend Ric Sanders currently plays the violin. Back to my roots with Grappelli’s beautiful Chanson de Rue (recorded with George Shearing in 1960s), and Django tune Flèche d’Or, which I think works very well in a funk version. My tune Samba for Paula is just a Brazilian samba. It’s the last number on the album but really was the start off this whole ‘non-swing’ project".