Liner Notes: Hengilás

In lieu of CD Liner Notes for our new album,Genghis Baby: Songs for Noa, we'd like to offer some in-depth info and commentary from the Barbies which we'll post periodically here on the blog! Here's our third installment:

Track 10

Hengilás 

Written by Jón "Jónsi" Birgisson

Arranged by Joe Henry

(click here to buy your copy today!)

The arranger, Joe Henry (husband of Cosmic Barbie!), had this to say about his experience:

"When I heard that Genghis Barbie was looking to do an album inspired by lullabies for baby Noa, I immediately thought of one of my favorite artists, Jón "Jónsi" Birgisson, who is the guitarist and lead singer for the Icelandic band Sigur Rós.  Jónsi had recently put out a solo album, and I was especially enamored with a track off of it entitled "Hengilás".   

The title of the song loosely translates to "padlock", and the original lyrics are admittedly not very "lullaby" like - they involve the true emotions we keep locked inside and the challenges we face opening up to one another.  Despite the conflicted nature of the lyrics, those familiar with the song (or any of Jónsi's compositions) know that he has an incredible lyricism and a masterful grasp of simple, powerful harmonies that lend themselves perfectly to a "lullaby".  

The original track is recorded with lots of low strings and features a constant, undulating pattern that rises and falls throughout the track like a calmly rolling sea.  The vocal melody floats above this string ostinato, almost like an afterthought.  The whole effect is hypnotic and calming - the quintessential lullaby.

The challenge with arranging the track was coming up with a version for four horns that could capture the long sustain of the strings from the original while making sure the poor Barbies get enough oxygen so they don't pass out after the first minute.  It also features some deceptively difficult tuning, with low chords in first inversion throughout.  Working closely with the barbies, using some stagger breathing magic, phrasing, and their impressive lung capacities, we were able to create a beautiful version.  The track showcases GB's nuanced musicality and their impressive range as performers.  Thanks to GB for making my vision a reality!"

Joe Henry is an arranger, tuba player, and bass player based in NYC.  You can visit his blog at http://joehenry.net/blog/

Liner Notes: Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)

In lieu of CD Liner Notes for our new album, Genghis Baby: Songs for Noa, we'd like to offer some in-depth info and commentary from the Barbies which we'll post periodically here on the blog! Here's our second installment: 

Track 12

Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) 

Written by Billy Joel

Arranged by Avi Mehta

(click here to buy your copy today!)

This final track on Genghis Baby is a much loved song originally written and recorded by New York's own Billy Joel on his 1993 album River of Dreams. He wrote the song in honor of his own daughter, and as Genghis Baby: Songs for Noa is our own gift to our very own Genghis Baby, we thought it a fitting ending to this lovely collection of songs.

Our good friend Avi Mehta saw the potential in this song for brass instruments. Here's what he had to say about it:

"The arrangement of Billy Joel's Lullabye began its life scored for brass quintet at the University of Wisconsin, where Leelanee and I both started college in 2004. Too busy with our classical repertoire, our quintet never performed the arrangement and it was soon put on a shelf for nearly eight years.

I was somewhat shocked that Leelanee remembered the arrangement a few months ago, when she asked me to rearrange Lullabye for Genghis Barbie. She had mentioned the recording project of their new CD, filled exclusively with lullabies to commemorate the birth of the quartet's newest family member, Noa. Always thrilled to collaborate with long-time friends (which always seem to be the most rewarding anyway), I sent the reworked transcription a few days later. 

Upon receiving the newly released CD just a few months later, I realized that no matter what the entry point may be, each listener will surely be able to find a path into these songs and be able to bridge them with something relevant in their own lives.

I used to tell Leelanee that Genghis Barbie is one of few groups of classically trained musicians that can keep the 21st century listener engaged enough to keep them from checking their text messages for an entire hour. I am truly excited about being a small part of their work, and look forward to bringing them up to Boston in the near future."

Wow, thanks, Avi! :)

For more information about the arranger, please visit www.avimehta.com 

Sneak Peak: God Only Knows

In lieu of CD Liner Notes for our new album, we'd like to offer some in-depth info and commentary from the Barbies which we'll post periodically here on the blog! Here's our first installment:

Our Valentine's Day gift to you: a sneak peak preview of our opening track from Genghis Baby:Songs for Noa!

Please click the link to enjoy God Only Knows, by the Beach Boys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G0Lr465bKQ&feature=youtu.be

Track 1:

God Only Knows

Written by Brian Wilson

Arranged by Evan Kuhlmann

This arrangement that opens Genghis Baby: Songs for Noa is one of GB's very favorites!  It was released in 1966 on the famous Beach Boys album Pet Sounds and remains a classic.  We love the original, because it opens with a Horn solo! We'd like to think that some of the song's popularity is because of that lovely sound. 

Alan Robinson was the horn player on the recording, and he said this about his experience: "I remember the session. The reason I was on the date is that I was one of the few French horn players who could play without music. I have always preferred unstructured sessions. Brian came up to me and sang me the line. [Alan demonstrates by humming it.] He seemed to come up with it on the spot; whatever came into his brain was great. Absolutely a wonderful line, and I played it. Then, he suggested that I play it glissando. Otherwise, I could have made a clean slur. You can do a sweep on the French Horn, and get all the harmonic notes in between, maybe eight or nine tones between the five notes. I wish there was more of me on it."

Here's a bit about Alan that we found on the internet. It looks like he's still out there recording and composing, so if anyone knows him- pass this along! :)

Alan Robinson, who played the memorable French horn part on "God Only Knows," received what he called a wonderful musical education "from a German refugee [Morris Luger] who was a fantastic teacher. I also learned a lot from my brother who was first horn in the Pittsburgh Symphony for many years."

His first professional job was at Slapsy Maxie's nightclub in L.A., where he played with the likes of Ethel Waters and Mel Torme. By the time he was 21, he had played 3 years with the Utah Symphony, on many of Republic's "Tarzan" films and the score for "High Noon." At 21, he became the youngest contract member of the 20th Century Fox orchestra under the direction of Alfred Newman, where he played on such classic films as "The King & I," "Carousel" and "The Sound Of Music." 

On loan to other studios, he was on the score of "Spartacus," "North by Northwest" and played the horn calls in "The Ten Commandments" using an ancient instrument, the cor de chase [the French hunting horn]. In the mid-1960s, after a number of years with the Pittsburgh and L.A. symphonies, Alan explains that "being a busy session player was more lucrative than symphonic work" which is how he came to be on Pet Sounds. Among his other pop credits are sessions and/or live shows with Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis, Elton John, Paul McCartney & Wings, the Carpenters and conductors such as Bernard Hermann, Elmer Bernstein, Henry Mancini and John Williams.)

CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR COPY OF GENGHIS BABY: SONGS FOR NOA TODAY!