Sunday, 13 May 2012

Ida Sand "Meet Me Around Midnight" 2007 (Türkçe)


İsminden de anlaşılacağı gibi gece yarısı için ideal bir albüm Meet Me Around Midnight. Bu yaklaşık bir saatlik kaydın nasıl bittiğini anlamayacaksınız. İnanın bana, son şarkının hemen ardından yeniden play düğmesine basacaksınız. Albümün asıl türü soul ve jazz olmakla birlikte zaman zaman yoğun blues tadı da almaktasınız. Ida Sand’in kesinlikle derin, geniş, rahat, siyah ve güçlü bir sesi var. Dahası sesini nasıl kullanacağını ve dinleyicilerin onu nasıl duyduğunu da biliyor. Size şarkılardaki duyguyu ard arda yaptığı vibratolarla ve telaffuz sırasında yaptığı sürprizlerle çok iyi veriyor. Ida’nın vokal performansı albümdeki ana konsantrasyonun verileceği nokta olsa da sizlerden ricam şarkı 1 ve 5 dışında Ida’nın sesi ile uyum içerisinde çaldığı piyanoya kulak verin. Bana göre, vokalist eşlik enstrümanlarından birini çalıyorsa organik ve zamanlaması çok doğru bir ses yakalanmakta. Ida’nın piyanosundaki dinamikler sesindekilerle harika bir uyum içerisinde. Ida’nın bu albümü çıkarmadan önce çok çalıştığı ve tecrübelenmek için çok beklediği anlaşılıyor çünkü albümde sıradan bir performans, kayıt veya besteye rastlamak mümkün değil. Albümün yapımcısı, aynı zamanda konuk sanatçı olarak trombonları da çalan Nils Landgren (the man with the red horn). Albümde favorim olan birçok ACT müzisyeni de bulunmakta. Gitarist  Ulf Wakenius, basçı Lars Danielsson, basçı Ove Andersson(#12), piyanist Jan Lundgren (#1, #5), gitarist Henrik Janson, gitarist Ola Gustafsson(#7 #10 #12), davulcu Michael Edlund(#7 #10 #12) ve davulcu Rasmus Kihlberg. Albüm kaydı, miksajı ve masteringi Lars Nilsson tarafından Göteborg’da bulunana Nilento Stüdyolarında yapılmış. İsterseniz, şarkı listesini ve kısaca her parça için düşüncelerimi aktarayım:
  1. Mr. Pianoman (Kuller / Beckstine)
  2. Bang Bang (Sonny Bono)
  3. Brutal Truth (Ida Sand)
  4. Every Little Bit Hurts (Ed Cobb)
  5. Her Comes The Rain Again (Lennox / Stewart)
  6. One For My Baby (Arlen / Mercer)
  7. Feeding off The Love of The Land (Steveland Morris)
  8. Higher Ground (Steveland Morris)
  9. At Last (Gordon / Warren)
  10. Baby Don’t You Tear My Clothes (Sam Hopkins)
  11. Maybe You’ll Be There (Bloom / Gallop)
  12. Use Me (Bill Withers)
  13. Home (Ida Sand)
  1. Mr Pianoman:Billy Eckstine ve Sid Kuller tarafından Count Basie Orkestrası’na ait Basie/Eckstine Incorporated in 1959 albümü için yazılan ve bestelenen çok eski bir parça. Dinamik aralığın sınırlarına dayanan (beni ağlatan) harika bir vokal girişe Jan Lundgren’in mükemmel piyanosu ve iyi tanımlı davul ve bas ile eşlik edilmekte, sonrasında kadifeden bir uyum şarkının gidişatını belirlemekte.  Şarkının ilk yarısında Ida Sand’in vokali ile kontrol edilen tansiyonun düşüşü ve yükselişi bir kez daha gerçekleştiriliyor. Devamında, piyano ana temayı Rasmus Khilberg’in vuruşları ile çalıyor ve şarkıyı sona doğru taşıyor.
  2. Bang Bang: İlk şarkıdaki enerjik girişin devamında sakinleşen tansiyon bu minör parçaya başarılı bir şekilde bağlı. Çok iyi bilinen Sonny Bono bestesi en duygulu haliyle karşımızda. Bana göre en iyi cover olma ihtimali var. Wakenius’un akustik gitarı, davulcunun pürüzsüz dokunuşları, Ida Sand’in yumuşak piyano dokunuşları ve duygulu vokali çok uyumlu. Ida ve arkadaşları standart beste üzerine birçok renk ekleyerek onu dinamik bir hale getiriyorlar.
  3. Brutal Truth: Ve işte geldik, bu iyi beste Ida Sand’a ait. Dinleyicinin enerjisi şarkı boyunca devam eden sabit yürüyüşlü elektrik bas ile yeniden yakalanıyor. Davulcunun atakları bir harika ve Ida Sand’in vokali ile birlikte şarkının tansiyonunu belirlemekte.
  4. Every Little Bit Hurts: Çok yavaş ve zaman zaman swing eden bir ritimle başlayan parçada kimi zaman sürpriz çıkışlara da rastlamak mümkün. Davul tarafından tetiklenen ilk yükselişte sadece Ida Sand’i duyuyoruz. İkinci yükselişte Nils Landgren’in trombonunu Ida’dan hemen önce dinliyoruz. İlkine göre biraz daha coşkulu olan bu yükseliş sonrası baştaki yavaş ritme geri dönülerek şarkı sonlanıyor.
  5. Here Comes The Rain Again: Aman Allahım, hayatımdaki en önemli şarkılardan biri. Bir erkek bu şarkıda söylenenleri dinlemeden bir kadın ile ilişkiye başlamamalı bence. Şarkı sözleri “Bir kadın ne ister?” sorusuna cevap veriri gibi. Bu şarkıyı Ida’dan dinlemek şarkıyı daha da güzelleştiriyor. Ana tema, yumuşak bir piyano ve davul eşliğinde elektrogitar ve bas ile çalınıyor. Ida’nın sesinden kendinizi almanız çok kolay değil ama lütfen davulcu tarafından çıkarılan işe de dikkat edin.
  6. One for My Baby: Beni mazur görün ama bu parça onuncu parça ile birlikte albümün sexy-blues diyebileceğimiz kısmını oluşturuyor ve aynı zamanda sizi birkaç kadeh daha içmeye yöneltiyor. Ne diyebilirim ki, Ida 50’lerde yaşayan bir Amerikalı şarkıcı gibi söylüyor.
  7. Feeding off The Love of The Land: Elektrogitar partisyonlarını çok beğendiğim romantik bir parça. Uyumlu ve yumuşak vokal de harika. Davul ve bas sürprizsiz sabit bir ritim tutmaktalar.
  8. Higher Ground: Dakikadaki vuruş sayısı yeniden yükseliyor Stevie Wonder’ın bu şarkısıyla beraber. Nils Landgren’in trombonunu ve Henrik Janson’ın organik gitar tonunu çok beğeneceksiniz. Ida’nın vokali ile gitar arasındaki diyaloga dikkat. Davul ve vokal şarkının tansiyonunu çok güzel ayarlıyorlar.
  9. At Last: Bence bu şarkı için oldukça sübjektif duygularla yazdıklarımı ilerde değiştirebilirim. Neden mi? Çünkü sevgili eşimden bir süredir uzağım ve bu şarkıyı dinlediğinizde beni anlayacaksınız. Şimdilik, bu şarkıya takıntı yarattım ve her gün dinliyorum. Lars Danielsson’un 1 km uzaktan tanıyacağım mükemmel bas tonu pürüzsüz bir giriş yapmış parçaya. Sonrasında ipek bir uyum sizi şarkının sonuna kadar götürüyor. Bu sefer piyano ve gitar tarafından gerçekleştirilen partisyonlara dikkat.
  10. Baby Don’t You Tear My Clothes: Harika bir minör blues parçası. Ida Sand aynı zamanda harika bir blues şarkıcısı da olduğunu gösteriyor bizlere. Sesindeki dinamiklere bakın. Henrik Janson bence albümdeki en iyi performansını sunuyor ve zaman zaman vokalin yerini alıyor.
  11. Maybe You’ll Be There: Bu bir aşk şarkısı ama bence çaresiz bir kadının aşkına ait. Fırça bagetlerin uygun kullanımı şarkıya oldukça duygulu bir hava veriyor. Eğer sevdiğiniz insan farkınızda değilse bu parçayı dinlemek biraz tehlikeli olabilir.
  12. Use Me: Muhteşem bir bas partisyonu ile başlayan enerjik bir kayıt. Aynı anda çalan iki farklı gitar kaydı ile şarkı devam etmekte.  İlk olarak Ida’nın harika vokalini dinliyoruz, sonrasında ise sadece mükemmel bir tromboncu değil aynı zamanda kalifiye bir erkek vokal olan Nils Landgren’i duyuyoruz.
  13. Home: Evim evim güzel evim. Evimi çok severim ve sanırım Ida da evini çok seviyor. Şarkı size hem evi hatırlatıyor hem de evin içinde yaşayan sevdikleriniz ile manalı olduğunu anlatıyor. Yani, aslında özlediğiniz siz ve çevrenizi saran sevdikleriniz ile beraber oluşan uyum ve kendinizi ait hissettiğiniz ruh. Bütün şarkı boyunca Ida harika piyano ve ses tonu ile çalıp söylüyor ve size artık yatma vaktinin geldiğini anlatıyor. Ama daha önceden de söylemiştim, onun bu sözünü dinlemeyecek ve play tuşuna yeniden basacaksınız.
ACT’den gelen bir kayıt ile ilgili kötü bir şey söylemek gerçekten çok zor, hepsi çok başarılı. Vokallerin harika kaydedildiğini söyleyebilirim. (Bence en iyi vokal kayıtlar ACT tarafından yapılıyor.) Vokal iyi odaklanmış, bütün katmanlar ayrı ayrı duyulabilmekte. Sahnedeki enstrüman dağılımı güzel. Bas kayıtları organik ve akustik. ACT kayıtları Hi-Fi bir set için oldukça uygun. Doğal ses söz konusu olduğunda ACT’yi ECM’den daha başarılı buluyorum.

İlk parçanın şu örneğini dinleyebilirsiniz ancak size albümü kesinlikle almanızı ve iyi bir sette dinlemenizi öneririm. Çünkü Ida'nın harika vokali tam olarak duyulmayı ve hissedilmeyi hakediyor. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz-yrb8jFvo


Ida Sand hakkında diğer yazılarımı da okuyabilirsiniz:
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Saturday, 12 May 2012

Ida Sand, İsveç'ten Harika Bir Vokal


Şunu söylemeliyim ki en beğendiğim İsveçli vokalist Ida Sand hakkında yazmaya karar verdiğimde onun harika sesi, mükemmel vokal tekniği, piyano çalışı ve albümleri hakkında onlarca sayfa yazabileceğimi biliyordum. Ancak okuyucuyu sıkmamak adına kendimi biraz engelledim.

Ida Sand ile akustik tasarımını en çok beğendiğim mekanlardan biri olan İKSV Salon’da verdiği ilk İstanbul konserinden sonra tanıştım. Söylemeye gerek var mı bilmem, konser beklediğim gibi harikaydı. Eleştirmeye ve incelemeye çok gerek yok, her şey olması gerektiği gibi belki daha fazlasıydı. Şarkı listesi dikkatlice seçilmişti, müzisyenlerin uyumu yerindeydi ve Ida’nın bildiğimiz güçlü ve derin sesi salondaki herkesi etkisi altına aldı. Bunun dışında İsveç’te yaşayan Türk baterist Mehmet İkiz’i de dinleme şansı buldum ve çok beğendim. Mehmet İkiz İsveç’teki caz sahnesinde önemli bir müzisyen. 4 yıldır takip ettiğim Ida Sand’in İstanbul’daki ilk konseri sonrası kendisiyle 10 dakikalık karşılaşmamızda itiraf etmeliyim ki oldukça heyecanlıydım. Steve Coleman, John Scofield, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller ve hatta Herbie Hancock ile karşılaşmamızda bile belki daha sakindim. Sebebi sanırım bu vokale ve özenle seçilmiş, bestelenmiş veya cover edilmiş  şarkılarla dolu albümlerine olan müzikal bağlantım. Ana akım caz dinleyicisi olmama rağmen rock, soul ve pop albümlerini yoğunlukla dinlediğim bir gençlik dönemim oldu. Bu tür albümler hala arada sırada da olsa evimdeki müzik köşemi ziyaret eder. Ida Sand’in albümleri vokal caz, soul, gospel, blues, ve hatta funk olarak nitelendirilebilir ama bunun da ötesinde bu albümlerin her birinde Ida, güçlü, derin, gerçek ve eşi zor bulunacak sesi ve uyumlu piyanosu ile beni farklı açılardan yakaladı diyebilirim. 






Ida Sand’in ACT tarafından basılan çıkış albümü “Meet Me Around Midnight” (ACT  9518-2)’ı dinlemem 2008 yazına denk gelir.  (Bu arada ACT’den çıkan bütün İsveçli müzisyenlerin albümlerini dinlemenizi tavsiye ederim. Müzik hakkında herşeyi bilen, estetik bakışa sahip insanlar.) O anı hala hatırlarım. Şimdiye kadar dinlediğim en iyi vokal albüm girişiydi: “I don’t want no opera, no cha cha, no mambo…  Mr. Pianoman play me down on some Blues”. Yükseltecimin sesi yanlışlıkla yüksek bir seviyedeyken şarkıyı söylemeye başlayan Ida, iki hoparlörümün arasında gerçeklenen kütleli sese şaşkınlıkla ve mutlulukla bakıp kalmama neden oldu. Daha sonrasında albüm bitinceye kadar sesi kısmadım ve duyduğum en sofistike ve güçlü seslerden birine sahip Ida Sand’ın fanı oldum.

Sonrasında Ida Sand’in ilk performanslarından birini Nils Landgren’in “Christmas with my Friends” albümünde (ACT  9454-2), 2007 verdiğini öğrendiğim. İsveçli funk kahramanım Nils Landgren’in bu albümünü bulmam ve sadece Ida Sand’i dinlemek için (itiraf) almam çok kısa sürdü. Bu kaydın ayrıca DVD’sini bulabilirsiniz. (ACTDVD 9901-9). Buna ek olarak The Jubilee Album: 20 Magic Years (ACT 9570-2) ve Magic Nordic Voices (ACT 9718-2) toplama albümlerini ve Upgraded in Gothenburg (ACT 9488-2), Christmas with my Friends II (ACT 9476-2) ve Licence To Funk (ACT 9455-2) albümlerinde Ida Sand’in konuk sanatçı performanslarını da takip edebilirsiniz.

Ida Sand’ın 2009’da ikinci albümü “True Love” (ACT  9418-2) ve 2011’de üçüncü albümü “The Gospel Truth” (ACT 9716-2) CD rafımda yerini aldı. Albümlerde sıkı cover lar ve etkileyici düzenlemeler olduğu kadar Ida Sand’a ait besteler de var. Gospel Truth albümünde Ida Sand'in Gospel altyapısı olduğunu ve Mahalia Jackson'dan çok etkilendiğini öğrendik. Albümlerde Ida Sand’a çok başarılı müzisyenler eşlik ediyor. Nils Landgren, Jan Lundgren, Ulf Wakenius, Lars Danilesson, Magnus Lindgren ve Joe Sample bunlardan bazıları. Albümler için tek kelimelik inceleme:  Harika. Ancak bu albümler ayrıntılı incelenmeyi hak ediyorlar ve ben bu incelemeyi bu yazımdan sonra 3 ayrı yazı olarak vereceğim. Öncesinde bu yazımın sonunda biraz biyografik bilgi vermek istiyorum:

Ida Sand 1977 yılında opera sanatçısı bir babanın ve kilise müzisyeni bir annenin kızı olarak dünyaya geldi. 8 yaşında çello çalmaya başladı ve piyanoya merak saldı. Eğitimine “Music Gymnasium in Stockholm” ve “Academy of Music in Gothenburg” okullarında devam etti.  Solo albümlerini çıkarmadan önce vokalist ve piyanist olarak Christian Waltz, Stephen Simmonds, Carola, Lisa Nilsson, Eric Gadd, Bo Kaspers, Jerry Williams, Uno Svenningsson, Jennifer Brown ve Nils Landgren ile çalıştı. Ida Sand, İsveç rock sahnesinde önemli bir gitarist olan Ola Gustaffson ile evli. (Ola’nın dikkat edilmesi gereken harika bir lap steel gitar tekniği var, ikinci albümün eşi Ida ile beraber yapımcısı ve gitarlarını çalıyor.). Ida ve Ola’nın çok güzel iki kızı var.

Ida Sand hakkında diğer yazılarımı da okuyabilirsiniz:
http://fatih-erkan.blogspot.com/2012/05/ida-sand-meet-me-around-midnight-2007_13.html
http://fatih-erkan.blogspot.com/2012/05/ida-sandn-ikinci-albumu-2009-ylnda.html
http://fatih-erkan.blogspot.com/2012/05/ida-sand-gospel-truth-2011-turkce.html


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Friday, 11 May 2012

Ida Sand, A Great Vocalist from Sweden

I should start by saying that when I have decided to write about my favourite Sweden vocalist Ida Sand, I know that I can write tens of pages about her great voice, perfect vocal technique, piano playing and wonderful albums full of great compositions and covers. However for the readers to stay focused I had to prevent myself from writing too much.

I have met Ida Sand just after her first concert in İKSV Salon in İstanbul, whose acoustic design is among the ones I love most. No need to say, the concert was wonderful as I have expected. Trust me, there is nothing to say or review, everything was literally perfect. Ida was energetic and gave all of it to us. The playlist was carefully decided, the musicians were in a perfect harmony and Ida's well-known strong and deep vocal caught everybody in the hall. We also had the chance to listen to Turkish drummer Mehmet İkiz living in Sweden in the concert and I liked it very much. He became an important musician in Sweden Jazz scene. Being a follower of Ida Sand for nearly 4 years, I must admit that I was very nervous during the 10 minutes meeting. I have been calmer when I met Steve Coleman, John Scofield, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller… even Herbie Hancock. The reason why I feel such at that night, I think, is my musical connection to that voice and those specially selected, composed or arranged songs in her albums. Although I am a main stream jazz listener, I have a certain teenage period of listening several rock, soul and pop albums, which stil visits my music corner at home from time to time. Ida Sand’s albums actually can be classified in vocal jazz , soul, gospel, blues, even funk, but more than that in each of them Ida caught me in a different way with her strong, deep, solid and unique vocal which is in a real harmony with her piano playing.


It was summer of 2008 that I have first listened to her in “Meet Me Around Midnight” (ACT  9518-2), Ida Sand’s debut album released in 2007 from a great record company ACT. (I strongly recommend that if you see an ACT record of a Swedish musician, buy it! They know everything about good music.) I still remember the moment that I’ve heard the most wonderful entrance to a vocal album ever that says “I don’t want no opera, no cha cha, no mambo…  Mr. Pianoman play me down on some Blues”.  My amplifier volume has been set to a considerably high value mistakenly, however within the first second I catched myself looking to the center of my two speakers with amusement and did not touch the volume knob anymore to the end of the album. Everything started there, I became a fan of Ida Sand, the owner of one of the most sophisticated and strong voices I’ve ever heard.

Later on, I have learned that  one of her first performances is in Nils Landgren’s “Christmas with my Friends” album (ACT  9454-2), 2007. It took little time for me to find “Christmas with my Friends” album of Nils Landgren, who is my funk hero from Sweden, (confession) just to listen to Ida Sand. You can also find the DVD of this record (ACTDVD 9901-9). Additionally you can buy The Jubilee Album: 20 Magic Years (ACT 9570-2) and Magic Nordic Voices (ACT 9718-2) compilations and Upgraded in Gothenburg (ACT 9488-2), Christmas with my Friends II (ACT 9476-2) and Licence To Funk (ACT 9455-2) albums in which Ida Sand is a guest appearance.

Fortunately, Ida Sand released her second album in 2009 with the name “True Love” (ACT  9418-2) and third album in 2011 with the name “The Gospel Truth” (ACT 9716-2). There are compositions of Ida Sand in the albums as well as very nice covers and arrangements. We learned in the album Gospel Truth that Ida Sand has a gospel background and deeply affected by Mahalia Jackson. There are wonderful musicians in the album accompanying Ida Sand. Nils Landgren, Jan Lundgren, Ulf Wakenius, Lars Danilesson, Magnus Lindgren and Joe Sample are among them. The short review: The albums are awesome.  However, these albums deserved to be reviewed in detail and I will do that in other three posts followed by this one, before that I want to give some biographical info:

Ida Sand is born in 1977 as a child of an opera singer father and a church musician mother. She started cello at the age of 8, then interested in piano. She continued her education in “Music Gymnasium in Stockholm” and “Academy of Music in Gothenburg”. Before releasing solo albums she sang and played with Christian Waltz, Stephen Simmonds, Carola, Lisa Nilsson, Eric Gadd, Bo Kaspers, Jerry Williams, Uno Svenningsson, Jennifer Brown and Nils Landgren. She is married Ola Gustaffson, who is an important guitarist from Sweden Rock scene (he has a wonderful lap steel guitar technique to be seen. He is the producer of the second album “True Love” with his wife and played the guitars of some songs in “True Love”). Ida and Ola have two beatiful daughters.

Read my other blogs about her albums:
http://fatih-erkan.blogspot.com/2012/05/ida-sand-meet-me-around-midnight-2007.html
http://fatih-erkan.blogspot.com/2012/05/ida-sand-true-love-2009-ida-sands.html
http://fatih-erkan.blogspot.com/2012/05/ida-sand-gospel-truth-2011-ida-sands.html
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Ida Sand "Meet Me Around Midnight" 2007



Ida Sand’s first album is released in 2007 in Vocal Jazz Series of ACT. As seen in the name it is a midnight friendly album. You won’t understand how this one hour record will come to the end. Trust me, you will push playback, instantly after the last song. The dominant genre is certainly jazz and soul, you will take a little taste of blues at the same time. She has a really deep, wide, relaxed, black and strong voice. Morover, she knows how to use it and how the audience hear it. She gives you the emotional meaning of the songs by using lots of vibratos and many more surprises while pronouncing the words of lyrics. Ida’s vocal performance is the main theme on the whole album however please give attention to her great piano playing in most of the songs (except #1 and #5). I think when the singer also plays an accompanying instrument, a very organic sound and a perfect timing is accomplished. Ida Sand’s piano is in a perfect harmony with the movements in her voice. It is evident that Ida Sand waited, studied very much to be experienced for her debut album because there isn’t any ordinary performance, record, composition or arrangement in it. The producer and also a special guest of the album is the man with the red horn, Nils Landgren. There are lots of my favoutire ACT artists in the album. The musicians are guitarist Ulf Wakenius, bassist Lars Danielsson, bassist Ove Andersson (#12), pianist Jan Lundgren(#1, #5), guitarist Henrik Janson, guitarist Ola Gustafsson(#7 #10 #12), drummer Michael Edlund(#7 #10 #12) and drummer Rasmus Kihlberg. The album is recorded, mixed and mastered by Lars Nilsson at Nilento Studios in Gothenburg. Let me give the list of the songs and review each of them shortly:
  1. Mr. Pianoman (Kuller / Beckstine)
  2. Bang Bang (Sonny Bono)
  3. Brutal Truth (Ida Sand)
  4. Every Little Bit Hurts (Ed Cobb)
  5. Her Comes The Rain Again (Lennox / Stewart)
  6. One For My Baby (Arlen / Mercer)
  7. Feeding off The Love of The Land (Steveland Morris)
  8. Higher Ground (Steveland Morris)
  9. At Last (Gordon / Warren)
  10. Baby Don’t You Tear My Clothes (Sam Hopkins)
  11. Maybe You’ll Be There (Bloom / Gallop)
  12. Use Me (Bill Withers)
  13. Home (Ida Sand)
  1. Mr Pianoman: A very old song composed and written by Billy Eckstine and Sid Kuller for the album Basie/Eckstine Incorporated in 1959 performed by Count Basie Orchestra. A perfect vocal entrance (makes me crying) pushing the limits of the dynamic range is accompanied by the great pianist Jan Lundgren as well as very well defined drum and bass, after which a velvet harmony continues deciding where the song should go. During the first half of the song the same “rising and falling of the tension, controlled by Ida’s vocal” is made once again. Then, the piano starts to play the main theme with Rasmus Khilberg’s drums carrying the song to the end.
  2. Bang Bang: The energetic entrance that is followed by a slowed-down part in the first song is connected to the second song. This well-known composition of Sonny Bono may be in its most intimate form in this album. In my opinion, this may be the best cover of all. Acoustic guitar of Wakenius, smooth touches of the drums, Ida Sand’s soft piano touches and emotional vocal are perfectly matched. Ida and her friends add lots of various colors to the standard composition making it a dynamic song.
  3. Brutal Truth: and here we go… This well-stated composition belongs to Ida Sand. The energy of audience is raised again by a constant walking electric bass all over the song. The attacks of the drums are perfect and with Ida’s vocal they control the tension.
  4. Every Little Bit Hurts: Started with a very slow, sometimes swinging rhythm, the song makes surprising risings from time to time. In the first rising triggered by the drums we hear only Ida’s voice, in the second rise, which is again triggered by drums, we also listen to the the trombonist Nils Landgren just before her act. The second rising is a bit higher, after which we will find the end of the song with the same slow rhythm in the beginning.
  5. Here Comes The Rain Again: Oh My God… one of the most important song in my life. A man should not start any affair with a woman before listening to what  is said in this song. The lyrics are like a lesson, which answers the question “ What does a woman wants?”. Listening to this song from Ida makes it more special. Main theme is played by the electric guitar and bass in the entrance accompanied by crystal clear touches of piano and drums. I know it is hard to take attention from Ida but please listen to the perfect work done by the drummer.
  6. One for My Baby: Please excuse me, but I think this song with the 10th track is the sexy-blues part of the album and attracts you also about drinking a little bit much (one more). What can I say, Ida sings like an american female singer living in 50’s.
  7. Feeding off The Love of The Land: A romantic soul song in which I like electric guitar partitions very much. The vocal is very soft consistent with it. Drum and bass follow a standart rhythm without any surprise. 
  8. Higher Ground: Beats per minute is increased again in this great song of Stevie Wonder (Steveland Morris). You will certainly like Nils Landgren great trombone and Henrik Janson’s organic guitar tone. The great dialogue between Ida’s vocal and guitar should be given attention. The progress in the song is very well controlled by the drums and vocal.
  9. At Last: I think I will give an edit to my subjective review for this song. Why? Because I am far away from my lovely wife for a certain time and you will understand me when you listen to this song. For now, I can say that I am obsessed with this song and listen to it everyday. Lars Danielsson perfect bass tone, which I will recognize from 1 km away gives a perfect smooth entrance to the song. Later on, an harmony made of silk carries you through the last songs of the album. This time listen to the great work of piano with the guitar.
  10. Baby Don’t You Tear My Clothes: A great minor blues song. Ida Sand shows us what a great blues vocalist she is. Look at the dynamics of her voice. Henrik Janson shows the best performance of himself in this album sometimes taking place of the vocal.
  11. Maybe You’ll Be There: It is a love song, but I think love of a little bit desperate woman. The proper use of brushes gives a very emotional ambiance with the piano. It is dangerous to listen when you are in love  and he/she doesn't know you.
  12. Use Me: A great energetic record started with a great bass partition that continues with two individual electric guitar record played together. Then there comes the colorful vocal of Ida first. Secondly we hear not only a great trombonist but also a qualified male vocal, Nils Landgren.
  13. Home: Home Sweet Home… I like home very much and I suppose so does Ida. This song reminds you home but at the same time it reminds you that home is meaningful with the ones you love in it. I mean, what you miss is actually is a total harmony of all the things surrounding you and the spirit that you feel yourself belongs to. For the whole song, Ida plays and sings with her soft tone and tells you now it is time to go to bed and sleep in peace. But as I said before, you will not listen to her and play it back! 
It is very difficult to tell anything bad about the quality of a record coming from ACT they are all perfect.  I can say that the vocals are perfectly recorded (I think ACT makes the best vocal records). The vocal are well focused, all layers of the vocal is easily heard. The placements of the instruments on the stage is perfect. The bass records are very organic and acoustic. ACT records are certainly suitable for an hi-fi set up. I think considering that the natural sounds are better, ACT is better than ECM.

You can try this sample of the first song Mr. Pianoman but I recommend you buy the CD and listen to it in a good set up, because wonderful vocal of Ida Sand deserves to be heard and felt fully: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz-yrb8jFvo


You can read my other posts about Ida Sand:
http://fatih-erkan.blogspot.com/2012/05/ida-sand-great-vocalist-from-sweden.html

http://fatih-erkan.blogspot.com/2012/05/ida-sand-meet-me-around-midnight-2007.html
http://fatih-erkan.blogspot.com/2012/05/ida-sand-true-love-2009-ida-sands.html
http://fatih-erkan.blogspot.com/2012/05/ida-sand-gospel-truth-2011-ida-sands.html

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Ida Sand "True Love" 2009



Ida Sand’s second album “True Love” is released in 2009 again from ACT. This time this album is dedicated to love and family because Ida Sand is married and had a baby meanwhile. It is hard to put this album in any genre I know, it is free such as love. Ola Gustafsson’s guitar and a softer, a calmer vocal compared to the first album will meet you. I loved that album because I have seen again that love makes everything beautiful and paeceful. Look at the eyes of ones whom you love when listening to that album. You will learn that there is nothing more important than a home full of peace and love. A really Sunday morning album. For this reason, my review will be a little bit emotional. You will also see some great rock songs as well as a reggae piece in this album.

The musicians are: Ida Sand, vocals, Grand piano & Wurlitzer – Ola Gustafsson, guitars – Mattias Torell, guitars – Peter Forss,electric & upright bass, violin – Per Lindvall, drums & percussion - Peter Asplund, trumpet & flugelhorn - Magnus Lindgren, flute&bassclarinet - Ingela Olson and Andre De Lang, background vocals. The records and mixing is made by Janne Hansson at Atlantis Studios in Stockholm. Mastering is made by Klaus Scheuermann at 4ohm in Munich.

The list of the songs is:
  1. Ventura Highway (Dewey Bunnell)
  2. Notice Me (Ida Sand)
  3. The Weight (Robbie Robertson)
  4. My Biggest Fear (Ida Sand)
  5. As Long As You Love Me (Ida Sand)
  6. Devil’s Game (Ida Sand)
  7. Heart of Gold (Neil Young)
  8. Manic Depression (Jimi Hendrix)
  9. Loverman (Jimmy Davies/ Roger Ramirez/James Sherman)
  10. Who’s Gonna Help Brother Get Further (Elvis Costello/Allan Toussaint)
  11. Redemption Song (Bob Marley)
  12. True Love (Ida Sand)
  1. Ventura Highway: The entrance is nearly a 45 seconds trumpet solo followed by an accompanying guitar playing in two speakers with a small phase and tone difference, which makes you feel like while you are driving alone in an ordinary road, you suddenly entered a forest lane. The trumpet is you, alone. The guitar tones are the trees, the song is the life. The trumpet changes when it meets the guitar and the song changes. You change when you see the trees and life is better. After the first minute Ida Sand’s very soft, intimate vocal is started to gliding over the song like a bird flying over you, sometimes near to you, sometimes away from you. What about the drums? It is time. After the first half of the song the decision is made that life is beautiful, every instrument is very well defined in the stage playing in a great harmony and Ida controls the tension not only by her dynamic vocal but also with her piano.
  2. Notice Me: This song is composed by Ida Sand. First 10 seconds look like a start for a hard-rock song, however with the soft touches of the guitar followed by the consistent soft vocal of Ida what we listen to resembles a smooth-jazz song. Take a cup of coffee! Ida used a Wurlitzer in this song instead of a piano.
  3. The Weight: A brave blues guitar entrance is followed by a near whispering vocal of Ida. Afterwards,  in the high-tension part, Ida showed us what a strong vocalist she is. A very difficult partition is successfully performed with no fear. I have been listening to most attractive “Put a load on me” pronounciation. In every level Ida rises the tension further more. You will ask yourself wait a minute, can she do that again. And you will see she can. You should really give attention to the hot guitar tone. The drums’ attacks well-fit with the tension all over the song.  
  4. My Biggest Fear: Ida said in İstanbul concert that her biggest fear were snakes. But in her own song we learn that her biggest fear is loosing her love. Besides Ida’s soft vocal accompanied by soft touches of piano, a great violin (sometimes solo, sometimes behind her vocal) tone of Peter Forss makes this song a very emotional one that covers you like a blanket made of silk.
  5. As Long As You Love Me: Another love song of this love album performed by a lovely, soft vocal of a woman probably in love. This song is composed by Ida.
  6. Devil’s Game: Ida’s great composition’s guitar performances should be taken attention. The vocal of Ida Sand, at first, gave me a similar feeling that I get when listening to Tina Turner. Try to listen the perfect vibratos when the bass and drums are silent. In this song I learned again that tension and “beats per minute” are independent terms in music. In this such a slow rhythm these perfect musicians give us an excellent example of it. Lastly, try to catch the Ida’s last breathe taking. In past, some of the perfect jazz singers sing not only while breathing out but also while breathing in. This makes them to create a continuous and fluent performance in which there is no breathing-in sounds. Especially when scatting, when singing solo or singing in a fast tempo this is a beneficial talent. Ida can do that. That’s last breath-out, I think, proves that.
  7. Heart of Gold: A great rock song of Neil Young that we are so used to listen from his soft male and delicate vocal. You can say that I am exaggerating but trust me Ida sings it as wonderful as it can be. It is certain that she had listened to it long enough. The guitar tone is soft and smooth. Especially listen to the entrance of the song for the guitar once more. I am so excited to hear deeply recorded kicks of the drums. Great. Also perfect background vocals accompany Ida in some part of the song.  
  8. Manic Depression: This masterpiece belongs to the king, Jimi Hendrix. No need to say anything about him here, everybody knows it. If you do not know please click on “Cancel”… Forget it, I’m joking. I think Ola Gustafsson has a real rocking effect on Ida Sand or she really has chosen to be a rock star. Look out the great tone of bass clarinet of Magnus Lindgren in the whole song. I think, since the whole instruments are on the lower octaves, Ida sang this song on a higher octave. Although it is very difficult to go on singing the whole song in that way, Ida’s voice has a lot place to go and she can do it. 
  9. Loverman: A dialogue of trumpet and Ida’s vocal met us in the beginning then her piano begins as soft as her vocal. A very relaxing song from beginning to end, feels you like you are in a romantic Hollywood film looking to the sunset at the balcony of a ball room.
  10. Who’s Gonna Help Brother Get Further: This is the last piece with a fast tempo in the album before the end. I think Ida gives the most assertive vocal performance in the album. Check the great technique she used to give lower frequency tones using her nasal space. Again the drum records and performance is state of “ART”. There are some back vocals which are well-fit with Ida Sand’s vocal.   
  11. Redemption Song: This is another “one of the most important songs of my life” not only for its lyrics and meaning but also for the great reggae musician Bob Marley. This song is a once-a-week song for me. I think it can be classified as classical music because the messages are universal and timeless. Sometimes there is no need to make any comment for the cover. Listen to this song once again this time from Ida Sand.
  12. True Love: Here comes the last song having the same name with this album of love. We hear the wonderful flute of Magnus Lindgren in this song. The lyrics are very critic for this song to be fully meaningful to you. Ida Sand basically explains what true love is. I totally understand what she is talking about  ‘cause glad to say I have it. It is a perfect choice to be the last song giving the main theme, that love and family is important and must be true, deep and strong. Ida shouts this to your face silently with her incredible vocal in the last part of the song.
The vocal are well focused, all layers of the vocal is easily heard. The placements of the instruments on the stage is perfect. The bass records are very organic and acoustic.

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Ida Sand "The Gospel Truth" 2011



Ida Sand’s third album “The Gospel Truth” is released in 2011 from ACT and I bought it with the speed of light. This album is a Gospel album full of great chorus arrangements and I think Ida Sand is a great gospel singer. I think her mother, being a church musician, had an effect on her and she might have spent sometime in church choirs. Inside the album cover you can read a small tribute from Ida Sand to Mahalia Jackson, who inspired her. I should add that there are covers in the album as well as good compositions. In my “Meet Me Around at Midnight” post I have said that Ida waited very long to be experienced. From this point of view she already has the necessary maturity in music but within this album she has reached her highest level of experience in my opinion. She is totally self-confident of what she is singing and playing. This confidence can also be seen in the compositions. On the other hand, “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Like A Prayer” covers are just so amazing that they can be one of the bests made for these songs. Especially “Like a Prayer” cover is totally different from the previous ones with its choral arrangements. 

The producer is again Nils Landgren with Siggi Loch. The musicians are: Mattias Thorell(guitar), Thobias Gabrielsson(bass), Andres Hedlund(drums&percussion), Raul Midon(vocal), Joe Sample(piano), Steve Gadd(drums), Nils Landgren(trombone), Magnus Lindgren(woodwinds), ACT Jubilee Singers  (Jeanette Köhn, Ida Sand, Sharon Dyall, Rigmor Gustafsson, Jessica Pilnas, Nils Landgren) The records are made by Jan Ugand (asisted by Ian Agate) at Soundtrade Studios in Stockholm and mixing and mastering is made by Lars Nilsson at Nilento Studio in Gothenburg. (A Change is Gonna Come is recorded by Oliver Bergner, asisted by Jens Kunze, at NDR Studio in Hamburg.)

The list of the songs is as follows:
  1. Eyes on The Prize (trad. Arr. Ida Sand)
  2. Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers)
  3. He ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother (Bobby Scott, Sidney Russell)
  4. A Change is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke)
  5. Have a Talk With God (Steive Wonder, Calvin Hardaway)
  6. I Wanna Know What Love Is (Mick Jones)
  7. Until The End (Joe Sample, Marita Philips, Denise Labrie)
  8. I Wish I Would Know How (Nina Simone)
  9. Have a Little Faith In Me(John Hiatt)
  10. It is to Know (Ida Sand)
  11. Like A Prayer (Madonna, Patrick Leonard)
  12. God Only Knows (Brian Wilson, Tony Asher)
  1. Eyes on The Prize: If there is a genre in music called Rock&Gospel, this song is from this genre. A constant rhtyhm of drum and bass is accompanied mostly by electric guitar. Ida has a very brave and self-confident vocal in this song. A very good selection to begin such an album. ACT Jubilee singers are at the back vocals.
  2. Ain’t No Sunshine: An awesome cover of a great song. Everything starts with great solo vocal entrance of Ida. She has chosen a rock style vocal in this song (a general tendency seen in the whole album) Give attention to Magnus Lindgren at woodwinds and Ola Gustaffson at lap steel guitar. The drum kicks in the beginnig is a perfect example to how a good kick record should be made.
  3. He ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother: Soft male vocal of Raul Midon is heard at the beginning of the song with electric guitar, drum and bass this time with a popular style rhythm. At first Ida Sand sings alone. Afterwards we see Raul Midon and Ida Sand making the duet. Their vocals are in a great harmony. I love Gospel!!!
  4. A Change is Gonna Come: Ida’s balanced vocal is again in a great harmony with her piano playing in this slow tempo song. Joe Sample gives a great Fender Rhodes tone which matches the song in a magical way. Then the trombone comes slowly through the end.  
  5. Have a Talk With God: A wonderful song of Steive Wonder is perfectly performed by Ida accompanied by ACT Jubilee singers of perfect singers and musicians. Listen to the great flute and breathe of Magnus Lindgren carefully.
  6. I Wanna Know What Love Is: This pop-rock song has perfect lyrics. Ola Gustaffson’s lap steel guitar, Nils Landgren’s  trombone and ACT Jubilee Singers accompany Ida Sand.
  7. Until The End: I know from Ida’s concert in İstanbul that Mattias Torell is a good guitarist. He is at work with a (I think he used steel) wonderful tone (I loved it).
  8. I Wish I Would Know How: Here comes an awesome Nina Simone song. A very well piano within her great vocal, Ida Sand make us feel like listening to Nina. I sometimes think of Nina Simone while listening to Ida, possibily because they both are not only great vocalists but also qualified pianists. Ida Sand feels the song while playing in the name of Nina Simone and especially in the end she rises the tension to a higher place where the audience will really be free.
  9. Have a Little Faith In Me: A really intimate and emotional composition from John Hiatt. You should listen to this song and understand why I am a fan of Ida Sand. She really sings the song in a consistent manner with the meanings of the lyrics. There is lot to learn from Ida for most of the singers all over the world.
  10. It Is To Know: An assertive drum and bass entrance catches the energy of the listener again just before the end continuing with a well-known and well-defined vocal from Ida Sand. This, I think, a signal for the following song to rock the place.
  11. Like A Prayer:Wow… You should listen to that cover. I do not like Madonna, and pop icons. I have listened “Like a Prayer” not more than ten times in my life from her, but I did this after I have listened Ida’s cover and I assure you that Ida Sand’s cover is far better than the original song. Look at that instrument placements. Check out the wonderful vocal of Ida Sand. Take attention to Magnus Lindgren’s wonderful saxophone. What about the wonderful ACT Jubilee Singers’ Gospel Explosion just before the end: I think you will stand up and start clapping your hands while singing the chorus. This is a really should-listen of the album.
  12. God Only Knows: Ida did it again at the end of the album this time with her husband. They say that it’s time to go to bed, sleep in peace. Ola Gustafsson has a real profound lap steel guitar technique. (They can make a duo record with David Gilmour :) )
I especially liked the records of drums and bass in this album. The placement of instruments and vocal in the stage and the balance are perfect. The sound is organic and natural.

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