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Fishtank Ensemble - Super Raoul [2005] [Album]
Album info
Label: Not On Label (Fishtank Ensemble Self-released)
Catalog#: none
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
01 Bordeas
02 Itty Bitty Snitty Little Frenchman
Written-By - A. Seeman*
03 Papirosn
Written-By - H. Yablokoff*
04 Troll Wedding
05 Pegasus Vaulters
Written-By - A. Seeman*
06 Ringo Bushi
Written-By - U. Narita/chikuzan
07 Arabu Andalouz
08 Hora Di Bucharest / Hora De Fabrice
09 Le Kidnappeur
Written-By - El Douje , K. Kmetz*
10 Hopa Di Bida
11 The Last Shamisen Master
Written-By - K. Kmetz*
12 Suite Romaine
13 Doina Sonnambule
Credits
Accordion - Aaron Seeman , Adam Stacey (tracks: 9)
Double Bass [Upright Bass] - Tim Smolens
Guitar - El Douje
Percussion - Adam Stacey
Saw - Ursula Knudson
Shamisen - Kevin Kmetz
Violin - Fabrice Martinez , Ursula Knudson
Violin [Violumba] - Fabrice Martinez
Vocals - Ursula Knudson
Artwork By [Cover] - Garth Kauffman
Artwork By [Layout] - Sam@Chimpfest.com
Engineer - El Douje
Photography - Samantha Fisher & Zach Cowan
Producer - El Douje
Producer [Assistance] - Aaron Seeman , Tim Smolens
Technician [Assistance] - Chris Parsons
Notes
Second edition, independently released through CDBaby.
Recorded 06.05.04 at Cayuga Vault in Santa Cruz and 06.12.04 at The Fishtank in Oakland.
All songs other than original compositions are traditional, arranged by Fabrice Martinez and Fishtank Ensemble.
"Some pretty marvelous singularities have arisen from gaggles of musicians getting together to have a good time...this ensemble, for instance. Super Raoul ('raoul' is gypsy slang for 'cool') is a live recording capturing a septet of overachieving, young, international musicians who'd played together for only three weeks (!!!) before climbing up on stage to wow 'em in Santa Cruz and Oakland, California. What becomes immediately obvious is the fact that such a thing could only be done through individuals long accomplished on their instruments, but still all in three weeks and they got THIS tight? Rather astounding.
The Ensemble blends, as the blurb ("Gypsy Flamenco Frenzy!") on the cover portends, not only klezmer, gypsy, flamenco, balkan folk, and God only knows what else into their work, but also slices of ghazal, prairie, and an eclectic selection of whatever struck their fancy in the composing process. This sort of thing hasn't often been pulled off well. Two bands who immediately come to mind are Les Variations and String Driven Thing, a couple of 70s unknowns who combined occidental and oriental exotica for an unusual rock product leaning to progrock, experiments that ultimately failed in their cases. Fishtank Ensemble is a lot more progressive than those cats were. Fabrice Martinex wields a daunting violin, as does singer Ursula Knudson, while accordion, shamisen, guitar, bass, percussion, and even a saw wail away behind them.
Fare like this is what was originally meant by "world music": joyous (at least in this case), knowledgeable, definitely athletic indulgences in the melding of the best of several cultures, bent to the benefit of all. World Music, ladies and gentlemen was originally part and parcel of the fusion sub-genre of progressive rock and jazz. The Klezmorim, for one, excelled at it, as has a small sub-culture of past and newly unique bands. We all could do with a whole lot more. Compositions this complex and frenetic are also what popped up in bluegrass, much of which took its inspiration from gigues, both of which can always use a few reminders of what the styles were formed for.
Half the songs on the CD are traditional and arranged by the band. Expect lots of virtuosic performances, even from the rhythm unit, and this Martinez is a guy to watch closely. Talent like his will not content itself to remain in the small realm of indie musics."
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