Patrick Süskind Ossessioni

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, nato il 17 luglio 1738 nel luogo più puzzolente di Francia, il Cimetière des Innocents di Parigi, rifiutato dalla madre fin dal momento della nascita, rifiutato dalle balie perché non ha l’odore che dovrebbero avere i neonati, anzi perché «non ha nessun odore», rifiutato dagli istituti religiosi, riesce a sopravvivere a dispetto di tutto e di tutti. E, crescendo, scopre di possedere un dono inestimabile: una prodigiosa capacità di percepire e distinguere gli odori. Forte di questa facoltà, di quest’unica qualità, Grenouille decide di diventare il più grande profumiere del mondo, e noi lo seguiamo nel suo peregrinare tra botteghe odorose, apprendista stregone che supera in breve ogni maestro passando dalla popolosa e fetida Parigi a Grasse, città dei profumieri nell’ariosa Provenza: sempre accompagnati da quella prosa sontuosa che consente a Süskind – geniale alchimista della scrittura lui stesso – di evocare all’ammaliato lettore colori, sfumature, sapori ed essenze, aromi, odori..

Born to Be Alive Review by Bret Adams [-]
Patrick Hernandez didn't have one of the biggest, most iconic one-hit-wonder disco smashes, but he did have one of the best. 1979's hypnotic, gold-selling "Born to Be Alive" reached number 16 on the Top 40 pop chart, yet it's not often cited as one of the genre's definitive songs. It doesn't show up on many disco compilations either, with 1993's Double Knit Dance Hits being an exception. The song is, of course, the centerpiece of its parent album, Born to Be Alive. With the full seven-and-a-half minute album version, you get more of what makes the swirling song a winner over the edited single. The vocals of Hernandez (a Frenchman of Spanish, Austrian, and Italian heritage) are infectious, but the deftly arranged musical hooks tie the song together – nimble guitar lines and dramatic dive-bomb power chords, three-chord piano fills, pulsating synthesizer, multi-tracked handclaps, hyperactive percussion, crisp strings, and siren-like horns. Most disco artists' albums tended to have the hit surrounded by filler, professionally performed by studio musicians and expertly crafted by the producer and arranger, but filler nonetheless. Born to Be Alive basically follows that well-worn path. "You Turn Me On," a duet with Herve Tholance, is brightly tinged with calypso and Latin touches, but it only temporarily delays the descent of Born to Be Alive into repetitive formula. But give the title track its due. On a historical note, Madonna performed with Hernandez as a dancer early in her career before achieving superstardom.

Patrick is an Emmy nominated composer known for blurring the boundaries between orchestral and electronic sounds.
Coming from a film composition background, Patrick has always been fascinated by the transportive power of music. Inspired by his childhood home in Sweden, his debut album is a cinematic journey that explores the parallels and interplay between human nature and the natural world.

"Making this record has been a beautiful and exhausting endeavor. All my existence goes into these songs and in return they awaken a new energy and spirit in me. I can't wait to share this music with you and start a new era," says Michael Patrick Kelly about his new album.