Elina Duni - Lost Ships (ECM Records)

 

Elina Duni and Rob Luft’s programme of songs of love and exile has been gathering momentum since 2017, when the Albanian-Swiss singer and the British guitarist began their collaboration. Along the way the duo has been augmented by distinguished guests, with Swiss flugelhornist Matthieu Michel and UK pianist/percussionist Fred Thomas here making significant contributions to the overarching concept. The migration crisis, a theme explored on Elina’s Partir album, is again a central issue, so too ecological concerns. Material is drawn from many sources: “There are songs that touch upon past influences, with the sound of Albania and Mediterranean folklore ever-present. We wanted to explore other musical roots, too: timeless jazz ballads, French chanson, American folk song…” The broad range of music addressed runs from traditional pieces to original compositions, via songs made famous by Frank Sinatra and Charles Aznavour. Lost Ships was recorded at Studios la Buissonne in the South of France in February 2020.

1. BELLA CI DORMI (Traditional) 06:52

2. BRIGHTON (Elina Duni, Rob Luft) 05:44

3. I’M A FOOL TO WANT YOU (Frank Sinatra, Jack Wolf , Joel Herron) 04:27

4. NUMB (Elina Duni, Rob Luft) 06:32

5. LOST SHIPS (Elina Duni, Rob Luft) 05:22

6. THE WAYFARING STRANGER (Traditional) 05:12

7. FLYING KITES (Elina Duni, Rob Luft) 04:52

8. LUX (Elina Duni, Rob Luft) 05:21

9. KUR MË DEL NË DERË (Traditional) 04:09

10. N’AT ZAMAN (Traditional) 04:26

11. EMPTY STREET (Elina Duni, Rob Luft) 01:52

12. HIER ENCORE (Charles Aznavour) 03:44

Elina Duni: Voice

Rob Luft: Guitar

Fred Thomas: Piano, Drums

Matthieu Michel: Flugelhorn

CONCERTS

March 12

Elina Duni/Rob Luft Zum Hut Uster Switzerland

March 13

Elina Duni / Rob Luft Le Singe Bienne Switzerland

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Elina Duni - Partir (ECM 2018)

Songs of love, loss and leaving. After two highly acclaimed albums with her jazz quartet, Elina Duni issues her most intimate recording to date.  The entirely solo Partir features the Tirana-born vocalist,  accompanied by her own piano, guitar and frame drum, interpreting songs from very diverse sources.  From folk songs and chansons to songs of singer-songwriters. Here we find traditional music from Albania, Kosovo, Armenia, Macedonia, Switzerland and Arab-Andalusia as well as  Jacques Brel’s “Je ne sais pas”, Alain Oulman’s  “Meu Amor”,  Domenico Modugno’s “Amara Terra Mia”, Elina’s own “Let Us Dive In” and more. Duni’s uniquely-expressive voice and pared-down arrangements locate a common thread of longing that runs through the material. Partir was recorded at Studios La Buissone in the South of France in July 2017, and produced by Manfred Eicher.

1 AMARA TERRA MIA (Domenico Modugno) 04:17

2 LET US DIVE IN (Elina Duni) 04:44

3 MEU AMOR (Alain Oulman) 04:28

4 LAMMA BADA YATATHANNA (Muhammad Abd al Rahim al Maslub) 04:16

5 VISHNJA (Traditional Kosovo) 04:07

6 LUSNAK GISHER (Traditional Armenia) 02:46

7 OYFN VEG (Philip Laskowsky) 06:19

8 KANGA E KURBETIT (Traditional Kosovo) 03:27

9 ANI KAJ LULIJE (Traditional Albanians from Macedonia) 02:19

10 VAJ SI KENKA (Traditional Albania) 03:40

11 JE NE SAIS PAS (Jacques Brel) 04:20

12 SCHÖNSTER ABESTÄRN (Traditional Switzerland) 02:56