CHARLES LLOYD | MARIA FARANTOURI - Athens Concert (2011) 2xCD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

No one, save for perhaps Charles Lloyd, could have predicted that when he resumed his recording career in 1989 with ECM, he would scale such artistic heights as a player, a mentor, and a bandleader. Lloyd has taken part in many fascinating musical experiments: with the late Billy Higgins in Sangam with drummer Eric Harland and Indian master percussionist Zakir Hussain, as well as on his many quartet recordings. The latest version, with bassist Reuben Rodgers, Harland, and pianist Jason Moran, has been together just over four years. It should come as no surprise then, that The Athens Concert, a double disc with the truly legendary Greek contralto Maria Farantouri, is as full of the exploratory wonder and delight as his other dates for the label. Farantouri is regarded in her own country as Edith Piaf was in France. Lloyd's band and Farantouri are assisted by Socratis Sinopoulos on lyra. "Kratissa Toi Zoi Mou (I Kept a Hold of My Life)," is a tune by Mikis Theodorakis set to a poem by George Seferis. Versions of Lloyd's "Dream Weaver" and "Prayer" are the only real instrumental tracks, and his song "Blow Wind" contains lyrics sung in English by Farantouri. The tune "Requiem" is a jazz number with lyrics by the famed writer/lyricist Agathi Dimitrouka. The three-part, 15-song Greek Suite takes up the lion's share of the performance. It is comprised of tunes that range from a Byzantine-era hymn to traditional songs from various regions of Greece, two more Theodorakis tunes, and one by composer Eleni Karaindrou (also an ECM artist) entitled "Voyage to Cythera." The suite was arranged by Takis Farazis, who also plays an additional piano on set-closer "Yanni Mou," and with Sinopoulos, bridges the two traditions. There isn't anything to really describe this music other than to say it is equally out of historical time and simultaneously concurrent within its stream. The two musical traditions -- post-millennial jazz and those of Greece's various eras and regions -- are made seamless, creating an entirely new and singular work that is dramatic, subtle, completely soulful, and full of startling musicianship. Indeed, the quartet plays this music as if it were part of their standard repertoire for a very special occasion. Improvisation, harmonic invention, and Lloyd's singular sense of leadership don't demand fine performances from his players; they are given freely. In turn, he offers his finest to Farantouri, who brings the collective bounty to the listening audience. The Athens Concert is truly inspirational and quite a watermark in a career full of them for Lloyd.
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Tracklist 1 :
1    Kratissa Ti Zoi Mou (I Kept Hold Of My Life) 5'59
Lyrics By [Poem By] – George Seferis
Music By – Mikis Theodorakis
2    Dream Weaver (Hyfantis Oneiron) 8'10
Music By – Charles Lloyd
3    Blow Wind (Fyssa Ayeri) 5'34
Lyrics By, Music By – Charles Lloyd
4    Requiem 5'57
Lyrics By – Agathi Dimitrouka
Music By – Charles Lloyd
Greek Suite, Part I    
5    Hymnos Stin Ayia Triada (Hymn To The Holy Trinity) 4'03
[Early Byzantine Hymn] – Traditional
6    Epano Sto Xero Homa (In The Dry Soil) 2'52
Lyrics By, Music By – Mikis Theodorakis
7    Messa Stous Paradissious Kipous (In The Paradise Gardens) 4'49
Lyrics By, Music By – Mikis Theodorakis
8    Taxidi Sta Kythera (Voyage To Cythera) 4'35
Lyrics By, Music By – Eleni Karaindrou
Tracklist 2 :
1    Prayer (Prosethi) 7'58
Music By – Charles Lloyd
Greek Suite, Part II    
2    Vlefaro Mou (Oh Eyelid) 3'32
Lyrics By – Lina Nikolakopoulou
Music By – Nikos Kypourgos
3    Margaritarenia 1'29
Traditional From Smyrna
4    Thalassaki Mou (My Little Sea) 2'57
Composed By – Traditional From Dodecanese Islands
Greek Suite, Part III    
5    Epirotiko Meroloi (Lament From Epirus Region) 6'28
[Lament From Epirus Region] – Traditional
6    Kægomæ Kæ Sigoliano (I Burn And Slowly Melt) 5'00
Traditional From Epirus Region
7    Mori Kontoula Lemonia (Little Lemon Tree) 2'40
Traditional From Epirus Region
8    Alismono Kæ Hæromæ (I Forget And I Am Glad) 3'08
Composed By – Traditional From Epirus Region
9    Tou Hel' To Kastron (The Castle Of The Sun) 4'28
Traditional From The Black Sea
10    Yanni Mou (My Yanni) 7'27
Composed By – Traditional From Epirus Region
Piano [Additional Piano] – Takis Farazis
Credits :
Double Bass – Reuben Rogers
Drums – Eric Harland
Lyre [Lyra] – Socratis Sinopoulos
Piano – Jason Moran
Piano [Additional Piano], Arranged By [Arrangements Of The Greek Suite] – Takis Farazis (pistas: 1-5 to 1-7, 2-2 to 2-9)
Producer – Dorothy Darr, Manfred Eicher
Saxophone, Flute, Tárogató [Tarogato] – Charles Lloyd
Voice – Maria Farantouri

ELENI KARAINDROU : Elegy of the Uprooting (2006) 2CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Eleni Karaindrou has been active for more than three decades as a film composer, creating scores for Weeping Meadow, Eternity and a Day, Voyage to Cythera, and other projects. Elegy of the Uprooting (1982-2004) is a large-scale work for voice, choir, and orchestra, in which themes from Karaindrou's soundtracks and incidental music for the theater are brought together in a more unified format. This live 2005 concert presentation from Athens is as much a retrospective celebration of Karaindrou's artistry as it is an extended cantata-symphony on the theme of dislocation and the plight of refugees, so listeners at first may feel some confusion in how to appreciate the album. Furthermore, fans of ECM's New Series may find that this music is rather conventional, compared to the avant-garde fare the label regularly features. In a sense, this recording may be better suited to fans of traditional eastern European folk music who will find Karaindrou's sorrowful melodies and exotic instrumentation to their liking. Many will recognize the poignant theme By the Sea from its use in a TV ad for Lincoln Financial Group, though nothing else on this double disc is comparably familiar in the United States. On the whole, Elegy of the Uprooting consists of subdued instrumentals in minor keys, often led by the composer from the piano, and sorrowful songs delivered with deep emotion by Maria Farantouri, with support from the ERT Choir and the Camerata Orchestra, conducted by Alexandros Myrat. Because of its consistently somber moods, slow tempos, and long running time, this is a good album to play in the background on overcast days, though its unrelieved melancholy may even be too much for that purpose. ECM's sound is clear and mostly clean, except for a few audience noises.  by Blair Sanderson  
Track Listing - Disc 1
Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow
1 Prayer 3:59
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Suspended Step of the Stork
2 Refugee's Theme 1:42
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
  Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow
3 Weeping Meadow 3:28
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
  Ulysses' Gaze
4 Dance 3:30
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Trojan Women
5 Ode of Tears 4:07
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
6 For the Phrygian Land Vast Mourning 2:09
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
  Eternity and a Day
7 By the Sea 1:26
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
8 Depart and Eternity Theme 6:22
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
  Rosa
9 Rosa's Aria 3:53
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow
10 Memories 2:44
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Trojan Women
11 Hecuba's Lament/Hecuba's Theme II 1:39
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
12 Telamon, You Came to Conquer Our Town 1:41
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
13 City That Gave Birth to You Was Consumed by Fire 2:02
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
14 Ode of Tears 0:36
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow
15 Theme of the Uprooting I 0:42
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
16 Weeping Meadow II 2:08
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
  Voyage to Cythera
17 Voyage 1:58
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
18 Voyage to Cythera 2:17
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow
19 On the Road 3:10
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Track Listing - Disc 2
Happy Homecoming, Comrade
1 Parade 2:56
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
2 Return 2:26
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Trojan Women
3 Andromache's Theme 0:54
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
4 Land I Call Home 1:47
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
5 Home of My Forefathers 1:47
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
6 I Wish I'm Given There 1:21
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Suspended Step of the Stork
7 Refugee's Theme 2:02
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
The Seagull
8 The Seagull 1:27
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
9 The Song of the Lake 2:26
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Landscape in the Mist
10 Adagio/Father's Theme 2:57
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Trojan Women
11 In Vain the Sacrifices 2:13
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
12 My Beloved, Your Soul is Wandering 2:58
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
The Price of Love
13 The Decision 2:41
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
  The Beekeeper
14 The Farewell Theme 4:26
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow
15 Theme of the Lake 2:32
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Trojan Women
16 Hecuba's Theme II 1:03
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
17 Lament for Astyanax 2:11
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
18 Exodos 2:49
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow
19 Weeping Meadow 2:53
Eleni Karaindrou / Helene Karaindrou
Credits
    Bassoon – Spyros Kazianis
    Bayan [Accordion Bayan] – Konstantinos Raptis
    Bendir, Percussion [Daouli] – Andreas Papas
    Choir – Hellenic Radio/Television Choir
    Chorus Master [Choirmaster] – Antonis Kontogeorgiou
    Clarinet – Nikos Guinos
    Conductor [Camerata Orchestra] – Alexandros Myrat
    Directed By [Artistic Director] – Manfred Eicher
    Flute – Stella Gadedi
    French Horn – Vangelis Skouras
    Harp – Maria Bildea
    Kanun [Kanonaki] – Panos Dimitrakopoulos
    Lyre [Constantinople Lyre], Lute [Laouto] – Socratis Sinopoulos
    Mandolin – Aristotelis Dimitriadis
    Ney – Christos Tsiamoulis
    Oboe – Vangelis Christopoulos
    Orchestra – Camerata Orchestra, Camerata Orchestra
    Piano, Composed By, Liner Notes – Eleni Karaindrou
    Producer – Manfred Eicher
    Producer [Concert Produced By] – The Athens Concert Hall
    Santoor [Santouri] – Andreas Katsiyiannis
    Trumpet – Socratis Anthis
    Violin – Sergiu Nastasa
    Violoncello – Renato Ripo
    Voice – Maria Farantouri