Everyone loves Pink Martini: the group of 12 top classical players perform modern versions old pop songs, or movie soundtracks or TV themes. Lead singer China Forbes pulls it off whether she’s singing in French, Italian, Russian, Spanish or even English.
Angèle Dubeau and La Pietà are an all-female classical group who believe that Music belongs to everyone. They’ve recorded music from digital games and even rock tunes. On their Infernal Violins CD they take on the Rolling Stones 'Paint if Black' and 'Sympathy for the Devil'.
Rock band The Doors made it big with tunes like ‘Light my Fire’ and ‘Riders on the Storm’. In 1999 producer Jaz Coleman and violinist Nigel Kennedy created an orchestral version of Doors music called Riders on the Storm: The Doors Concerto. See if you think it stands the test of time.
Welsh folkie Sam Airey comes from Anglesey, an island off the coast of Wales but lives in Yorkshire. His intense songs are tied up with the concept of “hiraeth”, a Welsh-language word that conveys a sense of longing. This is his song 'Stars' from his debut album Darkened Rooms.
Noam Pikelny is the banjoist in The Punch brothers and a top solo artist. We feature his album Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe where he plays Bill Monroe’s mandolin tunes, based on Kenny Baker's banjo adaptations.
The 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic are another top ensemble happy to tackle anything. Since 1972 the group has been doing its best to upset the purists, tackling the classics, jazz, tango or event avant-garde music. We feature tracks from the album Fleur de Paris including Debussy’s tune 'Clair de lune', and the theme to the movie Sous le ciel de Paris.
Music details:
ZARZAR: Mar Desconocido - China Forbes, Pink Martini (Inertia 270069)
YOUMANS: Tea for two (from No, No Nanette) - China Forbes, Jimmy Scott, Pink Martini (Inertia 270069)
DOMPIERRE: Les Beautés du diable - Angèle Dubeau/ La Pietà (Analekta N 2 8723)
JAGGER, RICHARDS: Paint It Black - Angèle Dubeau/ La Pietà (Analekta N 2 8723)
THE DOORS/ COLEMAN: Riders on the Storm (from The Doors Concerto) - Nigel Kennedy (vln), Tran Quang Hai (dan trahn), Chris Goody (percussion), Prague SO/Peter Scholes (Decca 467 350)
AIREY: Stars - Sam Airey (SONGLINES promoyorkshire)
TRAD: Ffoles Llanttrisant - VRï (Recordiau Erwydd 2018)
TRAD: Here's the tender coming - The Unthanks (Rabble 172191)
MONROE: Jerusalem Ridge - Noam Pikelny (Compass Records)
MONROE: Lonesome Midnight Waltz - Noam Pikelny (Compass Records)
GIRAUD: Sous le ciel de Paris - 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic (EMI 5099960850)
DEBUSSY: Clair de lune, from Suite Bergamasque - 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic (EMI 5099960850)
