Vocal CD of the Month - "Talinka"

Vocal CD of the Month
Talinka: "Talinka" (MoonJune Records MJR086) 2017
Rating: **** (musical performance & sonic quality) 

Produced by Gilad Atzmon
Recorded by Ben Lamdin at The Fish Factory Studio (London, UK) in November 2016
Mixed by Ben Lamdin at The Fish Factory Studio (London, UK) in January 2017
Mastered by Andrew Tulloch
Cover image: Tali Atzmon
Band photos: Chiara Ceolin
Cover design: Mai Atzmon

Featuring: Tali Atzmon (vocals), Jenny Bliss Bennett (viola da gamba, violin, flute, vocal), Gilad Atzmon (bass clarinet, soprano sax, accordion), Yaron Stavi (acoustic bass)
Guests: Frank Harrison (piano), Enzo Zirilli (percussion)

"Talinka - such an evocative name - wittily appropriate for this intimate set so sensitively arranged around Tali's straight from the heart, true and soulful voice. Since hearing Ms. Atzmon's discrete contributions to records by Gilad Atzmon and friends I've long wished she would make a record revealing her own deeply personal approach to music, and here, at last, is that record." - Robert Wyatt 

Led by vocalist Tali Atzmon, the group Talinka creates a new distinctive sound that explores the diverse musical journeys of four British musicians, each already distinguished in their fields. Tali Atzmon was a renowned actress and singer in Israel; Jenny Bliss is a baroque virtuoso artist who plays viola da gamba, baroque violin, flute and sings on the album; Yaron Stavi is one of the leading double bass players in Europe and Gilad Atzmon is an internationally acclaimed jazz saxophonist, performing here on bass clarinet, soprano saxophone and accordion.

Talinka transcends boundaries creating a natural continuum between folk, jazz, tango and early music. The unusual choice of instruments and combination of personalities create an amalgam of past and present, East and West. The album features seven original compositions, including Tali Atzmon’s soulful songs ‘Losing Vision’, ‘When You’re Gone’ and ‘Every Now and Then’. “I wrote the song ‘Losing Vision’ in response to the Syrian refugee crisis, she says, “The bass clarinet together with the viola da gamba create a primordial auditory realm that evokes a deep sense of Sisyphean existential struggle yet a cry for a change.” The album also features unique interpretations of Billie Holiday's "Don’t Explain" and of the standard "You Don’t Know What Love Is" (Don Raye/Gene DePaul.)

“For us, the love of music extends beyond style and genre. We believe in songs and beauty being vital forces of nature. We adhere to simplicity, harmony and warmth. The outcome is a natural breathing, deep and spacious sonic adventure,” says Tali Atzmon. Amen.