Hi, cats!
How are you all? You know I'm in love with Quebecois music (besides Brazilian, French, Spanish,...). :) But what's not to love? It's refreshing, surprising, rich, jazzy... you don't even need to speak French to enjoy it to the most. And I want you all to have the chance to listen to these great artists from Quebec and have your own opinion. Thus, I'll start with Bernard Simard.
Those more informed about Quebecois music will recognize him from many of his works on bands like La Bottine Souriante and Le Vent du Nord. His delightful voice can be heard in more than 40 albums and you can hear some of the songs from his solo work if you visit this link. There you can find (in French) a resume of his career so far. And you can listen to this sweet song, that I finally learned to sing (in the wrong tempo... I still can't pronounce everything all that fast - but I will!). Mademoiselle is one of my favorites of the new album and here are the lyrics:
Mademoiselle vous voulez vous marier, vous avez les yeux noirs
C'est ceux que je préfère, prendriez-vous de c'p'tit avocat-là
Qui écrit des grand' lettres du soir jusqu'aù matin, pensez-y, pensez-y bien
C'te p'tit avocat-là vous servira la belle
Pensez-y pensez-y bien, c'te p'tit avocat-là vous servira fort bien (bis)
Mademoiselle vous voulez vous marier, vous avez les yeux rouges
C'est ceux que je préfère, prendriez-vous de c'p'tit habitant-là
Qui mène la charette du soir jusqu'aù matin, pensez-y, pensez-y bien
Ce p'tit habitant-là vous servira la belle
Pensez-y pensez-y bien, ce p'tit habitant-là vous servira fort bien (bis)
Now repeat the song but changing the similar sentences by these four verses:
Vous avez les yeux gris. De c'p'tit cavalier-là qui mène le cheval
Vous avez les yeux bleus. De c'p'tit boulanger-là qui tape la galette
Vous avez les yeux verts. De ce p'tit docteur-là qui prépare des pilules
Vous avez les yeux bruns. De c'p'tit voyageur-là qui voyage en limousine
Enjoy it!
Bengal,
singing out loud! :)
Hello, everyone!
Many interesting events are happening around town and this is one that is about to start... Have fun!
Bengal.
FORGET-ME-NOT MUSIC SERIES ANNOUNCED, PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION
Nashville, TN- January 23, 2007-- The first annual Forget-Me-Not Music Series was announced today to benefit the Nashville chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. The benefit is being organized by Patrice Majors in honor of her father, Charles E. Majors, who passed away from Alzheimer's in 2006.
Some of the best independent artists in Nashville performing acoustically in an intimate setting. All of these performances will be special and you don't want to miss!
The music series will take place between February 3 and March 11 at Christopher Pizza Company and Dan McGuinness Irish Pub. Dates, times and featured artists are listed below:
Feb 3, 8-10pm, Christopher Pizza Company
Feb 10, 8-10pm, Christopher Pizza Company
Feb 17, 8-10pm, Christopher Pizza Company
Feb 24, 8-10pm, Christopher Pizza Company
Mar 3, 8-10pm, Christopher Pizza Company
Mar 10, 8-10pm, Christopher Pizza Company
Mar 11, 5-7pm, Dan McGuinness Irish Pub
Little River Band
Tickets for each of the performances are $5 and donations are encouraged. For the special finale performance on March 11th, featuring Little River Band, tickets are $20. All of the proceeds of the music series will benefit the Nashville Alzheimer's Association.
For more information, or to make a donation, contact Patrice Majors.
Also, a very special series finale performance by Little River Band on Sunday, March 11th from 5p-7p at Dan McGuinness Irish Pub. Tickets $20 at the door, first come, first served. This will be a special full-band performance that you won't want to miss!
Hello, everyone!
If you enjoyed the interview with James Carrington and you are located in UK or passing by London next Thursday, here is the tip for James next gig:
It's been a while since I played in London and I have some lovely new songs that I've never played live! says James about this show.
James will be playing around 9pm. The tickets are £8. You can buy it at the door or, if you want to be really organized, you can pre-pay through the Bush Hall Music website.
Address:
310 Uxbridge Road
London W12 7LJ.
(0208) 222-6933
BUS ROUTES
From central London to Shepherd’s Bush Green:
94, 148, 49, N207
From west London to Shepherd’s Bush Green:
283, 72, 260, 207, 266
TUBE:
Shepherds Bush Central (10 min walk)
Hammersmith and City line (5 min walk)
And this is all the info I have.
Have fun, cats!
Bengal.
Hello, everyone!
Last week I had the chance to interview new singer/songwriter James Carrington. Many of you already know his name if you watched the TV series Smallville last October. Great part of the song Ache played at the end of the episode. After that night, thousands of viewers completely stunned by the tune started a search for the voice behind it. James Carrington’s website got over 130,000 hits and the new fans were looking for his Only for you CD single.
James Carrington was born in Epson, England in 1973. Music was always a part of his life since he grew up in a musical family. He is a LAMDA trained actor and originally formed the band Little Giants in 1999, before writing some great new material for his own solo career. James did many gigs in the London-New York circuit. He also had some TV experience while playing a role in the TV show Regency House Party back in 2004.
About the photo: This is James partying his way into the New Year!
Interview
Bengal: Hi, James, before we start is there anything that you wish the press would or wouldn't ask you? :) [Indeed, I'm not the press]
James Carrington: About my personal life I guess... I'm quite open though so don't mind too much...
Bengal: When did you first realize you wanted to be an artist?
Carrington: Always wanted to perform and started as an actor. But was only when I was 26 that I realized I could write songs and that's when the bug got me and has never let go!
Bengal: Does anyone in your family have a musical background?
Carrington: All of them. My sister [Rebecca Carrington] is a cellist and comedian, my mother a pianist and teacher and my dad [Simon Carrington] was in an internationally renowned a cappella group called the King's Singers for 25 years and performed over 3000 concerts and made 70 recordings with EMI.
Bengal: Are there any specific artists that you admire?
Carrington: Two at the moment I have huge admiration for. Damien Rice and John Mayer. Always loved Paul McCartney for his melodies..
Bengal: Who are your influences?
Carrington: I guess the ones on my MySpace site... Damien Rice is someone who keeps me on my toes as he has found a new level I think for singer songwriters..
Bengal: You had a band before. How was that experience?
Carrington: Good and bad... I loved the gigs and learnt a lot but I am much happier on my own. Less political and easier all round!
Bengal: Do you have a particular method to your songwriting? What inspires you?
Carrington: No method. Inspiration can strike at any time and it's important to have something to hand in case it does. For instance I was looking at a venue last night in London and suddenly felt a song coming on so I asked the venue manager to give me a few minutes alone on the piano in the hall!
[That's really cool]
Bengal: In US the song Ache caused a lot of sensation, especially after it was played in the TV series Smallville. How did Ache impact your life so far?
Carrington: Hugely... Up until that point I was plodding along trying to get noticed and suddenly within 4 days my website had taken over 130,000 hits! I am incredibly grateful.
Bengal: You have experience as an actor and did TV before. Do you plan to do more acting in the future?
Carrington: I would definitely consider doing something if it seemed appropriate. I was approached about a film called August Rush and would have taken the part if they had given it to me.
Bengal: How important it is for a British artist to be successful in US?
Carrington: So important. It's the Holy Grail. [It's] the biggest market and the hardest to break.
Bengal: You will be recording an album in 2007. Are you signed to a label here in US? Can you tell us a little bit about this album?
Carrington: At the moment I'm signed to a small independent in the UK who have been supporting me. I would like to get a major label in the US to distribute it... I am hoping to start recording it very soon in Los Angeles. It will be full of melodies and poignant moments!
Bengal: Have you ever been to South America? How do you like Brazilian music? I'm originally from Brazil so I have to ask, in case you know a little bit of Brazilian music.
Carrington: I adore South America and went traveling there in 1992 for 5 months... desperate to spend more time in Brazil as only had 10 days there... the music is awesome, the women............oh my gaaad!
[ One of my favorite parts of the interview! :) ]
Bengal: Anything else you would like to tell your fans? :)
Carrington: Thank you so much for supporting me at this early stage and I hope to be getting some great material to you soon...
Bengal: Thanks a lot for your time, James, and lots of success!
If you enjoyed this interview, let me know. You are welcome to leave comments and critics. James will have a show coming up this week in London, and my dear friends from Canada, stay tuned because James Carrington might be going to Toronto for a show mid-February!
Bengal.
Links
And for you all out there, there are much more information about James Carrington in the following links:
1. James Carrington's official website - here you can read more about his career so far and listen to some of his new songs.
2. James Carrington's MySpace - here you can listen to his tunes and get some of the latest news.
3. Interview on Smallville fan site (new)- here you can hear to the interview done sometime last week I guess.
4. Another interview with James Carrington.
Bengal,
listening to Reach...
PS.: Do you have any critics? Comments? What do you think about the posts? Do you enjoy this space? Please, let me know. This will be always an incentive to continue and to improve this blog. Thanks!
Picture this...
You are in the port walking the wood deck till the water...watching the Sun over the ocean …It’s early morning, a crispy sunny winter morning...everything around is very quiet. You have your sweater, your hot coffee and the cold breeze in your hair... You are not cold. Actually you feel comfortable, very comfortable. And the only thing you can hear is the warmth of this song, En disant ('just saying')… this is the perfect moment... Not that everything in your life is the way you want, but everything is the way it should be… and you have that perfect moment, in complete peace and true happiness…with the perfect song.
That’s why this composition is one of my favorites of all times. It always takes me back to perfection.
En disant is part of the album Un peu d'ci, un peu d'ça by Nicolas Boulerice and Olivier Demers.
Bengal,
en disant...
PS.: If I could let you hear just a little bit of it... I would make it the Bengal's Corner theme song! :)
Hello, everyone!
This is a quick stop for an addendum to the last post... the Jorge from the album Ana and Jorge is Seu Jorge, the same master of samba-revivalist, the same Seu Jorge from the acclaimed movie City of God (Cidade de Deus)... the same Seu Jorge that recorded a set of David Bowe's covers (in Portuguese) for the movie The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. He plays the role of Pelé Dos Santos in this same movie. This character is a reference to Pelé that has been one of Brazil's greatest soccer players. Seu Jorge is the one that suggested Ana Carolina to play the bass in the song Tanta Saudade. (Saudade is a word that represents the healthy feeling of missing someone or longing for something in the past, but there is no work in English - or in many other languages in the world - that can really translate it straightforward - and the name of this song means "so much of - this feeling")
Bengal.
Hello, everyone!
Today I want to talk about this amazing Brazilian (BR) singer Ana Carolina. One of the great BR singers, Ana Carolina has a very distinctive voice and lots of charisma. She started her career as a teen singing in bars around her hometown, Juiz de Fora, having great part of her family as her musical background. She was discovered in Rio and since then already recorded 5 successful albums.
In 1999, arrived to the public in Brazil the album "Ana Carolina". This is a true work of art that brings back old classics of the Brazilian Jazz but also reveals Ana Carolina as a composer. One of my favorite songs by Ana Carolina is in this album and it's called Armazem ('little store'). Some of her new creative tunes are a mix of irresistible percussion with the power of pop rock that brought her to the national recognition she deserves.
Ana Carolina has been participating on a BR TV show during the past months but will get out of it by February when she starts her new tour. The new album is called Dois Quartos ('two bedrooms') and was launched past December. In 2005, Ana Carolina publicly assumed her bisexuality that is also represented in this album in two very spicy tracks, including Eu Comi a Madona ('I did Madona' - yes, with just one 'n').
Another of my favorite Ana Carolina’ songs, called Garganta ('throat') can be found here. This song is one of the tracks of the album Ana and Jorge - Live. Enjoy it!
Bengal.
Hello, everyone!
I hope you all had a great Holiday Season and are ready for 2007 new adventures! I'm happy to see so many people stopping by Bengal's Corner reaching 337 visitors after only 15 days on the air. I'm trying to update the space with some additions and right now I changed the counter so we are back to 1 visitor... :(
Please, feel free to post comments with suggestions and/or critics. Stay tuned for lots of information and interviews coming up soon! Thanks for your support!
Bengal.
