Alhambra just came out and I have not had the chance to listen to it yet.
Sattva Music states "It seems that the time has come, particularly during this period of grief, at the beginning of a new millennium, to defend our common cultural heritage, peace around the world, and the bond between all races against the effort to separate it by a mere few. It is now one and a half years ago that OLIVER SHANTI began to work on a project with friends from Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Algeria, Israel, Pakistan, Palestine and many more countries in Europe and the USA, with just that aim of transforming these thoughts into Music. The title he has chosen for this unprecedented musical, creative assembly is the royal castle ALHAMBRA which was appointed a world cultural heritage by UNESCO in 1984, as a symbol of an inseparable Occidental and Oriental past.
Whilst listening to the music of ALHAMBRA one has the distinct feeling that melodies, instruments, words, tongues and voices melt into an emotional epos, which, riding on the waves of OLIVER SHANTI's music, undertake a journey in time through the beautiful gardens and courts of ALHAMBRA, surrounded by fountains, reflecting ponds and mosaic walls. One almost has the feeling to have gone back in time to an epoch, in which the moors guarded a small Oriental enclave in the Occident.
Andalusia's flamenco with it's unforgettable percussion guitar strumming, clicking of the castanet’s and clapping rhythms, seems to be just as present in almost all titles, as the Arabic wailing of Boabdis' great grand-child, the last ruler in ALHAMBRA, who had been sent into exile by the Spanish King and Queen Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castillo into the hills of southern Andalusia over 600 years ago.
The bow is drawn to our modern world by pulsating beat and percussion sequences, which do not contrast in the least, just as the changes between Italian, Spanish, Arabic or French lyrics do not. Although one might assume they cannot harmonies, they actually enhance one another within ALHAMBRA's music, just as the Occidental and Oriental cultures in Andalusia once did. The tension during a time in which the political and even sometimes intriguing cunning of the Moslem rulers left its mark throughout all continents, is reborn in a mixture of traditional and modern instruments as well as solo and choir partitions, which in itself is unpretentious and yet exciting to the last.
ALHAMBRA is also a musical collage of thoughts, and tales of the present, which we have all certainly experienced in one way or another and could, tell. For example what else but "Love" and Amour again and again..., she cannot be mentioned and lived enough. Time after time she is the root in OLIVER SHANTI's works from which melodies, music and song grow just as the passionate lover stretches out his arms to his beloved. And yes even faith, which has lost much of its meaning in our time, but must never be allowed to lose its positive influence on the whole of mankind, ranks highly in ALHAMBRA's music.
It is almost impossible to pick out single tracks of this CD, or to describe them individually disclosed from their entireness. OLIVER SHANTI caresses our soul for over one hour, shows us the way, his way of making our world just a little bit better. ALHAMBRA's music puts us under a spell, amazes, and makes us think - what better way to spend 60 minutes of our life?
It is without any doubt that OLIVER SHANTI's ALHAMBRA may be considered a milestone in creative and close collaboration in bringing all races together. But more than that ALHAMBRA is a musical masterpiece with far reaching spiritual influence, which inspires the wings of hope, love and faith needed to live together in a harmonious, and peaceful world.
Alhambra
Tracking List click on song to hear real player sample
9 Gloria para el Pacifico Dios
10 L'amour sufi l'amour sufi Amor
11 Shah Dshahan e Princesa Momtaz
