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INVITATION TO PLAY
Unlike in English or French, in Catalan we use different words for playing an instrument (tocar, “to touch”, or sonar “to sound” in traditional music) and playing a game (jugar) as if we were actually not talking about the same thing, as if a career in music was not very often, unfortunately, like playing dice, as if the music would not be able to express all moods that happen in a game or, simply, as if playing an instrument would not mean to start a game (and, of course, bid). Diana Palau, singer, and guitarist Joel Moreno Codinachs have no doubts. They have it so clear that if it was up to them, the word to describe the action to manipulate an object with musical purposes and the word for gaming would be one and the same in all languages. "(With) what should we play?" would ask one performer to another.
A few years ago, when they first met to make music together, Diana and Joel asked themselves: "What should we play? The outcome was a duo album, Songs & Canções (2012), which was the beginning of a fertile partnership that has led them to perform many times together. If that was not enough, this year they strike again with the release of Play, a work in which, with a playful whim, they mix different forms and styles: from the beauty of the new sexy tropicalism of Lenine, in "Nem o sol, nem a lua, nem eu", to the elegance of the two standards they play – Gershwin’s “Embraceable You" and "I did not know what time it was” by the totemic society Rodgers & Hart, through the jazzy pop of "Something" (George Harrison), and "Bring on the Night" (Sting), and the restrained grace, also tropical, of "Chovendo na Roseira" by Antonio Carlos Jobim and "Down from Antigua" by Jim Hall, a la manière of Maria João in the voice solo. But there is also a place for outstanding original compositions, "Tu respiración", a melancholic love song; the ballad "Are You Really Gone"; and the enveloping "Blanc". A whole new chapter deserves "No moon (la lluna en un cove, i un rave!)", a delicious boutade with a text written by playwright Jordi Oriol.
Standards? Pop? Bossa nova? Songs? … Play is the result of a common experience arising from the mutual understanding, of a shared dream, awake or sleep, a path in the search of different landscapes. Fellow travelers join them along the way: Jordi Santanach, Alejandro Di Costanzo, Paco Weht, Bernat Hernández, Oroitz Maiz, Guillem Arnedo and even playwright Oriol at spoken word. All contribute to the excellent climatic diversity of this work. They do so because Joel and Diana invited them to play. And you, and me too.
PLAY
Diana Palau & Joel Moreno Project
No Moon (La lluna en un cove, i un rave!) 6:19
music: Joel Moreno, text: Jordi Oriol
Tu respiración 4:27
musica and lyrics: Diana Palau
Are you really gone? 6:09
music: Joel Moreno, lyrics: Diana Palau and Joel Moreno
Chovendo na roseira 6.42
music and lyrics: Antonio Carlos Jobim
I didn’t know what time it was 5:31
music: Richard Rodgers, lyrics: Lorenz Hart
Blanc 7:43
music: Joel Moreno, lyrics: Diana Palau and Joel Moreno
Nem o sol, nem a lua, nem eu 4:55
music and lyrics: Lenine
Something 5:20
music and lyrics: George Harrison
Down from Antigua 6:04
music: Jim Hall
Bring on the night 4:12
music and lyrics: Sting
Voice: Diana Palau
Guitar: Joel Moreno Codinachs
Tenor sax (track 8) and bass clarinet (track 5): Jordi Santanach
Piano (tracks 2 and 4): Alejandro Di Costanzo
Accordion (track 3): Oroitz Maiz
Doublebass (tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10): Paco Weht
Electric bass (track 8): Bernat Hernandez
Drums (tracks 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7): Guillem Arnedo
Percussion (trackss 8 and 9): Acari Bertran
Spoken word (tema 2): Jordi Oriol
All tunes arranged by Diana Palau and Joel Moreno.
Recorded at Estudi Laietana by Jordi Vidal on September 30 and October 1, 2014.
Mixed and mastered by Jordi Vidal.
Pictures: Gustavo Caprín
