Mixology

Since I started composing music I have been finding it very difficult to answer the question : « what kind of music are you making »? If I was obliged to give an answer it would never be a sigle word, it would come with asteriscs and « not exactly... but I would more say ..» etc. Because of being greek in Paris, my music has been classified as Word Music, which many times led to embarassing occasions, like being invited to Festivals and having people actually waiting to hear some bouzouki and Zorba kind of music, though I was there to play my songs, composed on poetry of Odysseus Elytis or Dionyssios Solomos. When I started composing on poetry of foreign languages, like William Blake and Edna St. Vincent Millay in English, or Louise Labé in French, and being inspired by diverse periods and styles of music – medieval, contemporary, blues, jazz, punk – I then realised that it was completely useless to try to answer this question any longer.

I therefore understand this question and the reasons behind it. That's why I have decided to invite people that listen to my music, to consider it as an experience relevant to that of tasting a cocktail. A margarita is a margarita, nobody has to know if it is made of tequila or brandy, if it contains lemon or lime. A mojito is a mojito, noone would order « rum with shaved ice, brown sugar, mint and sparkling water ».

Same thing counts for the songs of this album. Some of them are the mix of different ingredients that all come from a profound desire of expressing myself; and that only by using these ingredients I could do so. Some others contain only one ingredient, like a whiskey-dry. Some others make a whole story with begining, and end, containing many ingredients separately and stylistic ruptures, like a B52, in three layers clearly visible, in a narrative line containing different parts.

The whole disc, with it's many aspects aims in communication through the sensations only, regardless the language, style, orchestration, period of music,and hopes to awaken memories and let grow the imagination. Like when someone offers us a new cockteil to taste and we ignore it's ingredients.

In order to assure that this album would have a unity, I decided to record it practicaly all by myself (I played all the instruments) with a few exeptions; the participation of Evi Filippou and Gaspar Claus in some parts. Of course, the pandemic came to seal this option of solitude.

I am inviting you to listen to this album with open ears and... minds!

Cheers!

Katerina Fotinaki

Reviews on... -> RTS - Music Paper - Mediapart - Jean-Jacques Birgé - Le Monde - Télérama - L'Alsace - Froggy's delight - France Musique - La Terrasse

Katerina Fotinaki Interview with Jazz magazine:

1. Kiss Off (punk meeting Rebetiko)
2. Polyphonies d'Eros
3. If Barbara met Peggy
4. Death by water
5. Les enfants dans les champs
6. Prends garde à toi
7. Europe
8. Cachés dans cet asile (Berceuse)
9. Tambourin invisible
10. Septembre
11. Gardens of love
12. Cocaïne (Bonus track)

 Katerina Fotinaki
Voice, compositions, arrangements, orchestrations, guitars (electric, classical, baritone, acoustic, prepared guitar, tzouras),
bass (acoustic and ukelele), percussions (cajon, daf, drums, xylophone, woodblocks), melodicas, harmonicas

Evi Filippou
Marimba - Vibraphone, percussions, drums in 1,3,5
Voice in 3

Gaspar Claus
Cello in 7

Ninon Valder
Bass Flute in 8

Orestis Plakidis
Production – electronic sounds – mix – mastering

Théodora Psychoyou
Musicological consultation