"OKUDZHAVA FOR MY MOTHER, ART BEAT RECORDS, 2020

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Bulat Shalvovich Okudzhava (Russian: Булат Шалвович Окуджава; May 9, 1924 – June 12, 1997) was a Soviet and Russian poet, writer, musician, novelist, and singer-songwriter of Georgian-Armenian ancestry. He was one of the founders of the Soviet genre called "author song" (авторская песня, avtorskaya pesnya), or "guitar song", and the author of about 200 songs, set to his own poetry. His songs are a mixture of Russian poetic and folk song traditions and the French chansonnier style represented by such contemporaries of Okudzhava as Georges Brassens. Though his songs were never overtly political, the freshness and independence of Okudzhava's artistic voice presented a subtle challenge to Soviet cultural authorities, who were thus hesitant for many years to give him official recognition.

 

Dear friends!

I am pleased to present this album which we have been working on for more than two years.

This project touched me very deeply having turned into a process of getting internal insight, of reflection and renewal, both personally and professionally.

I love Bulat Okudzhava's work since childhood and many of the songs of this album I used to sing when a teenager, accompanied by guitar.

For this project, I arranged my favorite songs by Bulat Okudzhava, trying to treat the melodies and lyrics as carefully as I could, to always sing and play as close to the original as possible, which was not easy, I must admit.

Bulat Okudzhava, like the light of a lighthouse, guides us through life. His poems and melodies are filled with love and wisdom, which is so necessary for us all.

I hope that those who are not familiar with his work  still, will come to Bulat Shalvovich Okudzhava through this album and find a place in  the sacred core of their heart for him.

I dedicate this album to my mother. Many years ago she unveiled  Okudzhava for me.

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Alexey Leon

Evgeny Lebedev

Makar Novikov

Ignat Kravcov

 

feat:

 Victoria Pilatovic

Carlos Sarduy

Antonio Belenguer

Victoria Pilatovich vocals in “Prayer”, Carlos Sarduy trumpet in “Small orchestra of hope”, Antonio Belenger trombone, Alberto Palau grand piano, Mariano Steimberg drums and Ales Cessarini double bass in “Painters”.

Recorded at the Cine Lab studio in Moscow by Bruno Soeiro and Oleg Timofeev. The “Painters” arrangement was recorded by Pablo Schuller at the Ann Kreis Scoring Stage, Berklee Valencia, Spain.

Mixing and mastering by Pablo Schuller at Schuller Sound, Valencia, Spain.

Arrangements made by Alexey Leon.

Photo: Antonio Porcar.

Cover drawing: Boro Peris
Design: Alexander Medvedev.