by The Fireplace

Maretimo Records present Relax at the Fireplace Vol. 1. 25 excellent Chillout tracks and a continuous mix with mixing duties handled by DJ Maretimo.

DJ Maretimo, Vladi Strecker, Jazzy James Jr., Cinematic, Island Sun and more.
Includes continuous mix by DJ Maretimo.

Rock, Progressive, Fusion, Jazz, Folk & more. Fireplace transports us to a fireplace, where we shelter from the cold while we savor, absorbed by the crackle of the flames, a glass of wine. Some songs that, like wine, taste like wood and fruit and are some sweeter and lighter and others drier and bitter. Melodies that give off ancient aromas that rejuvenate us and fill our senses with every drink.
Lluís Barceló (guitars), Uri Mas (vocal and guitars), Noel Alzola (fretless bass), Miguel González (piano and keyboards), Rafa Lagunas (drums and percussion), Arnau Bonet (saxophone and keyboards), acompanied by Les Fourchettes at backing vocals (Eulàlia Rosa, Paula Sánchez-Valverde, Elia Piera and Iris Di Cassi).

While klezmer music has enjoyed a revival in the late 20th century, Yiddish popular song seemed destined to vanish altogether. But efforts by Mandy Patinkin and Chava Alberstein attempt to breathe new life into the old tradition. This disc of well-selected songs attempts to paint a portrait of village life for Eastern European Jews in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But besides the charming tunes, Alberstein's rich delivery really brings the tunes to life. There is a nice combination of emotion, sensuality and humor to her delivery that makes the songs consistently intriguing. Even without understanding the words, her interpretation invests the tunes with character.

Tenor Daniel Behle and two of his favourite composers: Strauss & Wagner. Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss are the two great musical fixed stars in the musical world of tenor Daniel Behle. At the 2021 Bayreuth Festival he was heard as David in the "Meistersinger", in Dortmund and soon in Amsterdam he will be heard in the title role of "Lohengrin".

Smokey-voiced chanteuse Madeleine Peyroux's third CD is a lovely collection of after-hours ruminations and should confirm her rise to fame. Credit producer Larry Klein for doing a bang-up job with the album's sound: the elegant, pared-down arrangements are all brushed drums, acoustic guitars, and cool organ licks. But of course it's Peyroux's voice that brings it all home–preferably one where the shades are drawn, embers are smoldering in the fireplace, and the white wine is kept dry. Two-thirds of the songs are well-chosen covers, including a duet with k.d. lang on Joni Mitchell's "River"; a relaxed version of Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'," from Midnight Cowboy; a delicately lilting samba take on Leonard Cohen and Anjani Thomas's title track; Serge Gainsbourg's "La Javanaise," performed in the original French; and Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," from Modern Times. The four originals, all coauthored by Peyroux, easily keep up with such august company, especially "I'm All Right"–written with Klein and Walter Becker, it captures the easy sophistication of Becker's regular band, Steely Dan. Fans of Norah Jones (whose collaborator Jesse Harris cowrote three of the songs) should gobble up this album, but Peyroux is no mere imitator: She's her own, very real thing.