Beschreibung
“They met at the roadside. It was undoubtedly a lucky day. Heaven seemed within reach. A gift of fate. A modern-day romance. A beautiful story!” These are the lyrics of the 1972 French chanson hit ‘Une belle histoire’. This translates perfectly to the first collaborative album by the two bands Quadro Nuevo and
Marion & Sobo.
We travel far
To somewhere new
Familiar stars
Yet different views
And find a home in human hearts
We‘re more the same, than world‘s apart.
Single Sing out of the darkness!
The ensemble Quadro Nuevo has been touring the world for 30 years, performing over 4,500 concerts. With tango, French musette waltzes, oriental grooves, and Brazilian flair, they have won two ECHO Awards, several German Jazz Awards, the German Record Critics' Award, and a Gold Record.
These playful musicians captivate audiences worldwide with their complete dedication to their instrumental artistry, which fascinates without words. Sharing the stage with singers was never part of their original plan. But life isn't linear or predictable. Since Quadro Nuevo heard the music of their much younger colleagues Marion & Sobo, everything changed.
The French singer Marion and the Polish guitarist Sobo represent their own modern style, a blend of vocal Manouche swing, global music, and chanson. On her latest album, “Gomera,” Marion's voice not only sings in Spanish, French, German, and Romani, but also shines in the high art of scat jazz, charmingly enveloped by Sobo's virtuosic guitar.
And now, it's also enveloped by the enchanting sounds of her new friends.
A beautiful story. Belle Histoire!
“We travel. We discover. We play” is their shared motto. Together, the artists celebrate an illustrious summit of world music, drawing on the magic of extensive travels – from Paris across the Balkan mountains to the vibrant colors of Bangalore and the nights of Buenos Aires.
This isn't simply a collection of cultural artifacts, but a living reality: The musicians see themselves as citizens of this world and exude a multifaceted European spirit. With charm and infectious enthusiasm, they perform for an audience that transcends cultures and generations.
The aforementioned chanson, “Une belle histoire,” became a central piece for all involved on their collaborative album. And just as the protagonists of this song part ways at dawn, each returning to their own lives, the collaboration between the two ensembles, Quadro Nuevo and Marion & Sobo Band, is initially limited to a few select concerts and the new album. However, more joint adventures are in the works.
The musicians of Quadro Nuevo say:
We find it exciting to now perform songs like ‘Que reste-t-il de nos amours?’ or ‘Bei dir war es immer so schön’, which have been part of our instrumental repertoire for many years, with vocals. And finally, we can also give two very text-based Piazzolla compositions a worthy performance: ‘Chiquillin de Bachin’ and ‘Yo soy María’ from Piazzolla’s tango opera “María de Buenos Aires”. The joint projects with Marion & Sobo are truly special moments for us.
Sobo:
For me, it's both educational and refreshing to share the stage with Quadro Nuevo. To work with such a cohesive group. A powerful energy, joy, inspiration, and above all, something new emerges.
Marion:
Openness to the world and the people around us – that's what connects me to the wonderful musicians of Quadro Nuevo. I love the curiosity of my new friends. We share the joy of transforming impressions from travels and encounters into music. Our diverse backgrounds, experiences, and personalities make the collaboration exciting – our shared passion for live music and the direct exchange with the audience sustains us.
Regarding the songs reimagined for this album, the musicians say:
'Sing out of the Darkness' is a wake-up call to end the current wars.It reminds us how inhumane these conflicts are and conveys the hopeful message that we have more in common than what divides us. The song combines the two elements of acoustic rock and tango, which express fear and hope – two feelings that are very closely related.
'Valse Folle' is played in the French waltz style and could be classified as a Nouvelle Chanson. The song transports us back to the carefree days of childhood: playing in the dirt, watching insects, learning poems, making mistakes, dancing, twirling through the colorful world.In flowing musical circles, each refrain returns to the beginning. Only with a slight deviation in key – a semitone higher: the cycle of life.
Marion Lenfant-Preus vocal, rhythm guitar
Alexander ‘Sobo’ Sobocinski guitar
Mulo Francel saxophone, clarinets, mandolin
Andreas Hinterseher accordion, bandoneon, trumpet
Didi Lowka bass, percussion