After his highly acclaimed predecessor work "Get real" Johannes Thoma has now invited five powerful voices from Georgia, France, Italy and Austria to sing on his new CD "Colors of Voices” that - as the name suggests - meet his sensitive and melancholic interpretations and fills them with a passionate, colorfully dyed timbre.
The results are balladesque images of the musical storyteller Thoma that puts the listener in a state of perfect, mindful relaxation. Be it, that he adds a jazz touch to upbeat Chansons or wraps his own compositions or Brazilian music in a garment of jazz. Here, soft, smooth tone images arise that are punctuated now and again by fiery explosions. An album that is distinguished through its musical diversity.
A pleasure!
Line up
Caroline Auque, Vocals
Simonetta Humpeler, Vocals
Christina Kapusta, Vocals
Valentina Marino, Vocals
Teona Mosia, Vocals
Johannes Thoma, Piano
Ilya Alabuzhev, Double Bass
Gerfried Krainer, Drums
The Georgian jazz singer Teona Mosiah begins with an interpretation of a folk song from her homeland and sings to the eponymous sun so energetically that you want to open all the windows in order to enjoy her. Interpreting the intro in the style of McCoy Tynerby, Thoma stokes the anticipation of the tracks still to come on the CD. To the contrary, “Mapshalia”, Mosia's second contribution to the CD, pours peace and serenity almost prayer like over the audience followed by J. Fred Coots` so smooth “You go to my head”.
Caroline Auque's interpretation of the famous jazz standards “Autumn Leaves” passes from a slow intro into a sprightly prance and shows Johann Thoma's playing skills in all its virtuosity. When the only duo on the CD, Karl Hodina's, song about unrequited love "I Liassert Kirschen Fuer Di Wochsn" comes as a Bossa Nova / 3/4 / Jazz crossover the variety of interpretations will no longer surprise the gentle listener. Auque ends her contribution to Colors of Voices with the Portugiesisch “Inútil Paisagem”.
Valentina Marino, captures her audience as early as the first chorus of “My Shining Hour” but at the latest when her voice, so to say, instrumentally gallops through the song. With Thoma’s exceptional playing style and Llya Alabzher’s drum solo they delivers a friendly repartee. In Lush life, the tune Billy Strayhdorn wrote at the young age of 18, the Italian born jazz vocalist sings about solitude with authentic pathos after a dissolute Intro that Thoma plays in the style of Keith Jarrett. This is followed by the one of the best- known Italian jazz standards, “Estate”, that in consequence is equally deepened.The sophisticated package of the voice and bass intro alternating with rubato and Bossa Nova brings - albeit with sad words - the melodic drive back and once again demonstrates the musical diversity of this great CD.
With Christina Kapusta Johannes Thoma has a singer who has made a name by interpreting her own compositions. The ballad “Point Into The Future” shows how her clever compositional talent emphasises the timbre of her voice. Then, when Ilya Alabuzhev's bass, elated and in anticipation, cuts loose on the up tempo swing “What a little moonlight can do” one believes to hear a smile in Kapusta's voice that gives you an idea of ??what a comprehensive range her repertoire includes. In the final song “Skylark” Kapusta then follows a sophisticated, beautiful intro from Johannes Thoma.
Simonetta Humpeler enters with Antonio Carlos Jobim´s “Chovendo na rosiera das Parkett”, before she interprets the well known song from Nora Jones “Don’t know Why” clad as a poppy jazz tune. Johannes Thoma's solo interlude deliberately slowed the vivacity and thus drops Humpeler's pace more or less into a cloud of rhythm. With the Portugiesisch “Velha Infância” iin a Latin-Reggae Crossover Humpeler and Thoma then place a distinctive and exhilarating finale to this remarkable recording where once again Humpeler's voice can be heard in its entire volume.
The five singers are accompanied by Johannes Thoma on grand piano. Ilya Alabuzhev on double bass, forms the supporting foundation over the entire CD while Gerfried Krainer carries the rhythm on drums with a good portion of feeling, never intrusive but always with musical finesse.
The performances will be in 7 languages ??(Georgian, Megrelian, English, French, German, Portuguese, Italian).
