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When you hear the name of a known artist, you associate a special style or music with this musician. Classical Soul (1994), Urban Gypsy (1995), Madrid (1998), Universal Language (2000), Cruisin’ (2001), The Very Best of Marc Antoine (2002), Mediterraneo (2003), Modern Times (2005), Hi-Lo Split (2007), and Foreignexchange (2009) are indices for Marc's Gypsy and Latin influenced contemporary jazz.

Some of these albums were produced by Rick Braun, Philippe Saisse, David Ferrero and others. With his growing skills he is now producing his albums himself and also starts in new directions. With his new album My Classical Way Marc leaves the contemporary jazz style and creates his music on classical themes.

Marc performs on his new album all instruments, except keyboards by Philippe Saisse on Dreamer and Rodrigo's Concierto, vocals by Jasmine Roy on Carmen B and Rebeca Vega on Dreamer. The fantastic cover of the album was painted by Muramasa Kudo and designed by Javier Garcia, who also taught Marc the secrets of Protools.
 
First pick of Marc's selection is Carmen B. George Bizet composed the opera Carmen in 1875. Carmen was one of Carlos Saura's movie trilogy popularizing the Flamenco. Marc interprets the widely popular theme with a Brazilian Samba rhythm.

Caprice No. 24 in A minor, Op. 1, is among the best known of violinist and composer Niccolo Paganini's compositions. Backed with a syncopated Flamenco rhythm Antoine presents his version of this motif decorating it with his own musical ideas.

In his early 20's Claude Debussy wrote Reverie. Marc transforms this theme into Dreamer. I especially like the paradisiacal organ introduction. Philippe Saisse adds his piano echoes to Antoine's intimate flow. German Baroque composer, organist and teacher Johann Pachelbel composed Canon, a piece of chamber music, which has a certain popularity as wedding music. Now bridal pairs have a new choice.

Wolfgang 40 is inspired by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G minor, KV. 550, from 1788. Often played is especially the 1st movement in Molto allegro, which finds its valuable place in Antoine's piece.

The Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo wrote the Concierto de Aranjuez in 1938. This oeuvre was written for the unusual combination of orchestra and guitar. Miles Davis performed on his album Sketches of Spain (1960) a rendition in several variations spellbound by the magnificence of the composition. Marc takes with Rodrigo's Concierto another approach to this masterpiece. In opposition to Miles' opinion he accelerates the tempo and creates with Philippe Saisse's strong support something new.

The Air on the G String is a musical piece for string and piano, arranged by August Wilhelmj from the Air of Johann Sebastian Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068. Air On Madrid is a further transformation of Bach's opus paying tribute to the hustle and bustle of this modern city but still on the search of the Elysium.

Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 was composed by Fredric Chopin. Marc defuses the fingering difficulty of the piece, merging the essential melody with Brazilian Samba to his Opus. The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's best-known work, and is among the most popular pieces of Baroque music. Marcs adaption entitled Rebirth is his musical esteem of this piece of timeless beauty.

French Romantic composer Charles Gounod formed in 1859 his Ave Maria based on Bach's Prelude No. 1 in C major from Book I of the Well-Tempered Clavier (BWV 846). Marc Antoine spins the romanticism of this theme further in Maria's Song. Combining his acoustic guitar with heroic synth vocals, bells and wind sounds he prepares for the next special day.

Marc Antoine once declared: "So now I am a smooth jazz artist, but I don't consider myself being a smooth jazz artist because I am a musician and I think I'm mixing a lot of things in my music." With his new album My Classical Way he re-defines his position as guitarist and his relationship to music. This album is a return to the period, when he studied Classical music guitar in Paris.

 

 


 

Biography

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Album Information

Title: My ClassicalWay
Artist: Marc Antoine
Year: 2010
Length: 0:39:09
Genre: Smooth Jazz
Label: Frazzy Frog Music


Tracks:

01 Carmen B [3:46]
02 Caprice [3:21]
03 Dreamer [4:22]
04 Canon [4:02]
05 Wolfgang 40 [3:42]
06 Rodrigo's Concierto [3:36]
07 Air On Madrid [4:27]
08 Opus [3:09]
09 Rebirth [3:55]
10 Maria's Song [4:50]


Further reviews:

Hi-Lo Split

Mediterrano

ForeignXchange