Regina Spektor - Don't Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas)

Regina Spektor was born in Moscow, in 1980 on a musical Russian jewish family. Due to the discrimination the Jews were facing on that time, her family emigrated first to Austria, then to Italy and finally entered the US as refugees.
Orginally, Spektor was interest in classic music but then her interest spread to hip hop, rock and punk. Nowadays her music goes around indiem folk, pop and jazz.

It doesn't feel natural for me to write some diary type song. I want to write a classic like Yesterday but weird songs about meatballs in refrigerators come into my head - I can't help it.

Until now, Spektor’s discography counts with 6 albums, been the last one released in last year and called What We Saw from the Cheap Seats. Don't Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas) was released as the second single of the album. The song, as the title suggests,is sung in English and French. It is a new version of Ne me quitte pas, that was orinally in Spektor's 2002 album, Songs.

Regina will be touring in Europe in Aughust.

O Martim, Cais do Sodré

O Martim is a project founded by the young Martim Torres with the help of his live members : António Quintino, João Pinheiro, David Pires and Iris Sarai.

After the release of the very successful Em Banho Maria and the really "catchy-jazzy-pop-ironic" first single Banho Maria, check it here, O Martim is releasing the second single.

This single pays a beautiful tribute, taking us to a "tour-trip" to one of the most symbolic and recognised neighbourhoods in the Lisbon, Cais do Sodré, which is highly known for being a very bohemian place, full of bares and nightclubs, with a big admiration and honest ode to this place.

His upcoming shows happen in Festival Santos da Casa, in Salão Brazil, Coimbra tomorrow, April 13th, around 10.30pm.
The next one on April 25th, 10pm at Tokyo Cais do Sodré in Lisbon.

Note: You can also watch our interview with O Martim here.

Interview // With O Martim

O Martim is Portuguese pop with some touches of rock and jazz project, created by the young Martim Torres that counts with eight other musicians on their live performances.

Em Banho Maria was released yesterday and on the next February 8th, they are performing on Ritz Clube to celebrate the release of their debut album.

On the interview, available below, O Martim talked not only about their future expectations but also about their first single Banho Maria - read our post about it here - and first record.

[Special thanks to O Martim for their time, patience and kindness, to Raquel Lains for everything and to Jorge Antunes]

O Martim, Banho Maria

O Martim is Portuguese pop with some touches of rock and jazz project, created by the young Martim Torres who previously has played with bands like B Fachada and some jazz bands.

This party-time band is also composed by António Quintino on the electric bass guitar, David Pires on the drums and Iris Sarai on the keyboards.

On the beginning of 2012, the debut record Em Banho Maria was recorded in Lisbon between Belém and Cais do Sodré by Martim himself with the help of David Pires and Tony Bruheim, who played the soft sax lines of the amazing-jazzy-single Banho Maria. The album is set to be release next February 4.

One thing is for sure, O Martim is going to shake it up the Portuguese music with its ironic lyrics and upbeat, easy-going songs are going to bring a new light to music.

Banho Maria is a really catchy-jazzy-pop-ironic song that fits perfectly on the motto for debut single.

"Estou cansado de viver em constante anestesia

Prefiro ser cozinhado em banho maria

Se é certo que a paixão só aparece por magia

Eu queria era que tu me desses banho, Maria"

Keep up with this amazing project led by the extraordinary talented Martim on their Website and Facebook.

News // Aurea releases a new album in November

The Portuguese singer Aurea is going to release her second record next November 26.

Her new work is going to be named Soul Notes and it was inspired by soul music.
The presentation single is Scratch My Back which was released on a Portuguese radio station - Rádio Comercial - the same day that Aurea celebrated her 25th anniversary.
This beautiful and talented singer names has her inspirations artists like Aretha Franklin and Amy Winehouse to John Mayer and James Morrison.

Check the conversation on Rádio Comercial, here or the video below.

Aurea released her self-titled album in 2010, releasing as single huge hits like Busy (For Me), Okay Alright and The Only Thing That I Wanted.

Check our previous posts about Aurea here and here.

themed week // Stevie Wonder, Master Blaster

Born Stevland Hardaway Morris, Stevie Wonder is a 62-year-old musician and singer-songwriter.

He was a child prodigy and became one of the most important music figures of the late 20th century.

Known for songs like I Just Called To Say I Love You, Superstition and I Wish, Stevie Wonder has released 23 studio albums, four live albums, ten compilations and four live albums.

Master Blaster (Jammin') was released on September 12, 1980. The song was released on Hotter than July, released in the same year.
This song has a very reggae feeling and it's an ode to the reggae legend Bob Marley. Wonder performed this song live with Marley a few times on his US tour, during that year.
Master Blaster (Jammin') stayed at number #1 on the Billboard R&B charts for seven weeks.
Some critics say the Marley's song Jammin' inspired this songs title.

"I bet you if someone approached you yesterday

To tell you that you would be jammin'

You would not believe it

They would be jammin' thought that you'd be jammin'".

Note: They played on the fourth day of Rock In Rio - Lisboa 2012, on June 2. Check here, to see this song's performance on Rock In Rio - Lisboa.

themed week // Charles Aznavour, She

Charles Aznavour is a French singer/actor who's artistic career started in 1936 in acting.

His first record Charles Aznavour chante Charles Aznavour, n° 1 was released in 1953. Since than he released 57 studio albums in many languages - French, English and Spanish -, 19 live albums and several other EP's.

Known for songs like La Bohéme, Emmenez Moi or Mourir D'Aimer - Aznavour is one of the biggest singers of his generation.

She was written as a theme tune for a British TV series named Seven Faces of Woman - and recorded by Charles Aznavour in different languages including English, French, Italian, Spanish and German.
The French version is Tous Les Visages De L'Amour while all the other versions keep the translation for 'She'.
The song was released in 1974.

The song is an obvious and passionate tribute to Women and to all of their mystery.

Artists like Elvis Costello, Paulo Gonzo and Il Divo have covered the song.

"She may be the reason I survive, 

The why and wherefore I'm alive, 

The one I'll care for through the 

Rough and ready years"

themed week // Christina Aguilera, Oh Mother

Christina Aguilera is a North-American singer who's career started in 1993, when she hosted the Disney Channel's series The Mickey Mouse Club.

This female singer is not only known for her powerful and strong voice but also for hits like Beautiful, Hurt, Ain't No Other Man and Burlesque.

With 7 studio albums - Christina Aguilera (1999), Mi Reflejo (2000), My Kind Of Christmas (2000), Stripped (2002), Back To Basics (2006) and Bionic (2010), two compilations, one EP and a soundtrack - with that Christina proved to be one of the strongest singers of her generation.

Oh Mother belongs to Back To Basics released in August 10, 2006 and has the fourth single of the album on November 23, 2007.
The song was written about Aguilera's mother abusive relationship with her husband. Oh Mother has elements of Bruno Coulais' song Vois Sur Ton Chemin.

The singer describes the album Back To Basics has "a throwback to the 20s, 30s, and 40s-style jazz, blues, and feel-good soul music, but with a modern twist.".
The album sold over 5 million copies worldwide, being nominated for several awards including The Grammy Awards., that she won in 2007 for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for Ain't No Other Man.

"It was the day that he turned on his kids 

That she knew she just had to leave him 

So many voices up inside of her head 

saying over and over and over; 

"You deserve much more than this"

 Click here to listen to a longer version.

Submotion Orchestra - Perfection

Today I'm going to show you one of my newest discovers: Submotion Orchestra.

This interesting and original project was born in 2009 in Leeds, UK. Part of this band are Tommy Evans, Danny Templeman, Chris Hargreaves, Ruby Wood (vocals), Ruckspin, Taz Modi and Simon Beddoe.

In their songs they mix a lot of different styles such as dubset, jazz and soul which creates amazing and delicate songs.

Submotion Orchestra's first album was realesed last year under the name Finest Hour.

In their website they allow you to hear most of, if not all, their songs: http://submotion.co.uk/music/

Right below is one of my favorite songs from them - Perfection:

And here is the poem sung in this song:

Perfection, to me

Flawlessly wrong

Un-spoilt blemishes

Perfect to me

A thousand pieces in a jigsaw of beautiful mistakes

It’s the perfection of your imperfection

Perfection, to me

An un-broken breakage

The re-arrangement of

Perfect, I’ve seen

The debris of beauty flickers

In the sadness of a smile

It’s the perfection of your imperfection

Ray Charles, Hit The Road Jack

Born as Ray Charles Robinson he decided to shortened his name to avoid comparisons with the boxer Sugar Ray Robinson.

Ray Charles got known not only for being an incredible pianist but also for being a soul singer helping defining the 50's music and an innovative R&B singer. He is also known for being a blind musician, although he wasn't born that way but around his 7 years old he got blind. Rumors say it was due to a health problem, probably Glaucoma but other rumors say it was an eye infection that wasn't cured.

He released several albums with different labels.
Hit The Road Jack was released on 1961 although the song didn't appear on the first release of The Genius Hit The Road the next two released on 1997 and 2009 included the song.

Ray Charles has a movie about his life entitled Ray with Jamie Foxx having Charles role.
Rolling Stone considered him the first biggest artist of all times.

"Woah, Woman, oh woman, don't treat me so mean

You're the meanest old woman that I've ever seen

I guess if you said so

I'd have to pack my things and go (That's right)"

Ella Fitzgerald, Dream a Little Dream of Me

Ella Fitzgerald is a talented Jazz artists also known as First Lady of Song or Lady Ella.

Her vocal range reached three octaves and was also noted for being so pure, perfect diction, phrasing and intonation.
From 59 years of a active career she received 13 Grammy Awards and was also awarded with the National Medal of Arts of the USA.

With a very troubled and talked personal life, her career life was full of success - including several albums from very different labels and collaborations.

Dream a Little Dream of Me was written by Gus Kahn and composed by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt.
This Fitzgerald's cover appears on her album Ella and Basie! released in 1963.
On the album she was accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra with the arrangements of Quincy Jones.

Allmusic classifies the album with 4.5/5 stars.

Dream a Little Dream of Me was also covered by such different artists like Diana Krall, Michael Bublé, Eddie Vedder and the portuguese artist Áurea.

"Say nighty-night and kiss me;
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me.
While I'm alone, blue as can be,
Dream a little dream of me."

themed week // Frank Sinatra, Silent Night

Frank Sinatra is one of the most applauded and talented singers ever.
Also known as The Voice, besides the singing career he was also an actor.

Releasing many, many records with three different labels and several golden albums, Sinatra is always named when we talk about Christmas songs.

Silent Night is an popular Christmas carol, with the original Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht from Germany, written by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber. In 1859, John Freeman Young wrote an English version becoming the most frequently known nowadays.

Several different artists like Michael Bublé, Taylor Swift and Elvis Presley sang this version.

In 1948, Sinatra released a Christmas related album Christmas Songs, including not only Silent Night but other songs already mentioned on this themed week like White Christmas, Jingle Bells or Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

"Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round young virgin, mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavanly peace
Sleep in heavanly peace"

It was a very funny Themed Week full of Christmas spirits and the best holiday related carols.

Merry Christmas everyone!

themed week // Michael Bublé, Feliz Navidad

My first choice to this special themed week related with Christmas is Michael Bublé.

Michael Bublé the Canadian with 5 albums - Michael Bublé (2003), It's Time (2005), Call Me Irresponsible (2007), Crazy Love (2009) and a new album Christmas released this year. Read more about him here.
Feliz Navidad is a Christmas song written in 1970 by the Puerto Rican José Feliciano, with a simple Spanish chorus "Feliz Navidad, Próspero Año y Felicidad" meaning "Merry Christmas, Prosperous Year and Happiness" became a traditional Christmas song to Spanish-speaking people.

The song was also covered by Celine Dion, Moby and The Wiggles.
This Michael Bublé's version is a duet with the Mexican singer Thalia.

"Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Año y Felicidad.

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas"

News // Luisa Sobral with a new video "Xico"

Xico is the new single taken from Sobral's debut album The Cherry On My Cake.

The album was re-released in November, including a new song I Woke Up One Day and four live songs from Luisa Sobral's performance at Cool Jazz Fest, where she made the first part of Jamie Cullum.

The video was released today and it's about the troubled love story between Dolores and Xico, the music characters, with a huge sense of the 50's and sharing scenarios with Ribaldeira and Lisbon.
A teaser was released two days ago, with Dolores, who's Spanish, presenting a recipe with a not very good Portuguese accent.

João Pombeiro is the director and Rui Afonso, the photography director and for the main characters we can see Luisa Sobral and João Hasselberg (who plays with her).

See the video right below

Read our interview with Luisa, published a few weeks ago right here.

Nouvelle Vague - Love will tear us apart

Nouvelle Vague ("new wave" in French) is a French project led by Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux.
Their songs are all covers of different genres of songs, including, rock, new wave, pop, etc.

Members and contributors include many well known French artists like for example Camille Dalmais, Phoebe Killdeer, Mélanie Pain, Marina Céleste, Gerald Toto, etc.

In their first album, Nouvelle Vague released in 2004, the band covered classics from the New Wave music era and reinterpreted them in a bossa nova style.
This song was the first one I heard a few years ago and it is from their 1st album and it was originally released by the band Joy Division, in 1979, link here.

Interesting fact: the various female singers on this album only performed songs they've never heard before, to garanty that each cover would have an unique quality.

When the routine bites hard

And ambitions are lo

And the resentment rides high

But emotions won't grow

And we're changing our ways,

Taking different roads

Then love, love will tear us apart again

A.


P.S: Bossa Nova is a style of Brazilian Music. Bossa was used to refer any new "trend" or "fashionable wave" within the artistic beach-culture. This expression became known and widely used to refer a new music style, a fusion of Samba and Jazz.

themed week // Michael Bublé, Everything

Michael Bublé better known as singer with hits like Hollywood, Everything, Home, Haven't Met You Yet and Save The Last Dance For Me.
But Bublé started his career by acting on three movies Duets (2000), Totally Blonde (2001) and The Snow Walker (2003) and appearences on tv series like The X Files and Death Game.

Although his acting career, Michael Bublé got known after the release of his self-titled album released in 2003, with the single Sway.
After this, he have already released 3 albums - It's Time (2005), Call Me Irresponsible (2007), Crazy Love (2009) and a new album Christmas which is released in October 24th.

Everything was the first single taken from Call Me Irresponsible, and Michael Bublé wrote for his ex-girlfriend Emily Blunt and according to him: "I wrote that song about the great happiness of real love, but at the same time I was making a statement about the world. We’re living in really crazy times, and I wanted to say that no matter what’s happening, this person in my life is what really makes it worthwhile."

To see the original video click here.

"And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

It's you, it's you, you make me sing

You're every line, you're every word, you're everything"

News // "Bad As Me", newest Wait's album

As published on Pitchfork's website and on to be confirmed today on Tom Waits website, his new album is "Bad As Me" as a new single with the same name.

This album is the first in seventeen years and will be release on October 25th, 2011 under the label ANTI-.
"Bad As Me" counts with 13 new songs plus a 3 song bonus.

This is the tracklist talked around:
01. Chicago
02. Raised Right Men
03. Talking At the Same Time
04. Get Lost
05. Face to the Highway
06. Pay Me
07. Back In the Crowd
08. Bad As Me
09. Kiss Me
10. Satisfied
11. Last Leaf
12. Hell Broke Luce
13. New Year’s Eve
14. She Stole the Blush (Bonus)
15. Tell Me (Bonus)
16. After You Die (Bonus)



“They told me you were no good.  I know you’ll take care of all my needs.  You’re the same kind of bad as me.” - excerpt of "Bad As Me".

But today on Tom Waits website, everything must be confirmed since the rumors are too strong, not
mentioning the amount of sites and blogs that talked about this surely expected album.

Jamie Cullum, Everlasting Love

From his 2003 album "Twentysomething", Everlasting Love is a hit love song with breaths of Jazz mixed with Pop!
It's a "new" artist very worth it to discover for Jazz lovers, he is a fresh discover and an amazing musician.
Always good to see live when the opportunity comes out.

"Open up your eyes, then you'll realize.

Here i stand with my everlasting love

Need you by my side.

Girl to be my pride.

Never be denied everlasting love."

Love,
P x

Aurea, Busy (For Me)

Aurea is this new and young portuguese talent.
The girl that went to University to study performing Arts soon discovered that music was her thing (and thankfully!). Her biggest influences are Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, John Mayer and James Morrison.
She grew up listening to Elvis Presley and in 2010 she was invited to record a version of his hit song "Love Me Tender" which they had Elvis' voice for a virtual duet. She got really excited even if she wasn't one of those crazy Elvis fans. She was really proud when someone told her she was approved but the own Presley's family and the version was included on "Viva Elvis the Album".
I went to see her show last night and it was freaking amazing!
She has this powerful and touching voice. She is one of the most kind and respectful artists I've seen lately, not speaking that she is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous and pretty simple.
And on yesterday's show she sang Prince and Eddie Floyd, OMG! I got so but so excited, she sang so damn well!!!

She is a talent to be discovered worldwide

"I Tried To Call You

But You Dindn´t Answer The Phone

I Tried To Pick You Up

But You Dindn´t Come Along

I Tried To Talk To You

But You Dindn´t Even Answer Me

I Tried To Reach You

But You´re So High Up Above"

With love,

P x

Sade - Smooth Operator

This is a song from Sade. They are a soul/jazz English band formed in 1983.
Smooth Operator was their fourth and final single from their first album Diamond Life, released in 1984.
This is one of those songs that I sometimes hear on the radio and wonder from what year it is and who sings it, I tend to find that out on facebook, when my friends post old music.

Smooth Operator is the band's first big hit on the U.S. charts, and their most successful single internationally. Although Your Love Is King - an awesome song too - remains Sade's biggest hit in the UK to date.

This song is about a fashionable man - the smooth operator - who is popular with women and breaks many hearts. It is also clear that he does not return the affections of these women, as Adu sings near the end, His heart is cold.


Face to face, each classic case.
We shadow box and double cross,
Yet need the chase.


A license to love, insurance to hold.
Melts all your memories and change into gold.
His eyes are like angels but his heart is cold.


No need to ask.
He's a smooth operator

S.