Tarab - Travels with my guitar
'TARAB
- Travels with my guitar' is Carl's first book of road stories.
A new CD of songs related to the stories in the book was released jointly
and features rare Brazilian recordings as well as songs written for The
Hottentots and new material.
From the Sudan to Northern New South Wales, Tarab is an epic, mesmerizing
tale of high adventure and the search for meaning. Carl Cleves escapes
national service in Belgium to live in South Africa at the height of the
Apartheid era. So begins the adventures and quests, wanderings and narrow
escapes, mishaps and illuminations of a guitar-toting troubadour in his
roles as young beat poet, law student, single father, ethnomusicologist,
relief worker in India and recording star in Brazil. Cleves's page turning
memoir is no simple music biography, but rather the story of an artist's
quest for Tarab: a place where music and poetry bestow true bliss upon
the lucky one.
Carl's book 'Tarab - Travels with my guitar' is available in all good bookshops in Australia and New Zealand from or on line through Transit Lounge Publishing or Boomerang Books
Carl Cleves
Carl Cleves, Flemish songwriter and guitarist with The Hottentots, ethnomusicologist and traveller, has released 2 new solo albums, a book of road stories and a new album with Parissa Bouas.
'OUT OF AUSTRALIA' was recorded by the famous German sound guru, Gunter Pauler, in his state of the art studio in Northeim, Germany. His Stockfisch Records label has a cult following with audiophile music lovers, in Germany and around the world.
Carl and Parissa's 'OUT OF AUSTRALIA' is a super audio, surround sound CD featuring 12 tracks, selected by Stockfisch, showcasing new versions of some Hottentots classics and some new songs, such as: Way Down in the Mines, Don’t Flowers Grow, House of Sorrow…
FOLKWORLD
'OUT
OF AUSTRALIA' CD
REVIEW
Stockfisch Records - 2010
This is a very nice folk record that has a classic UK style sound, yet
is about as international as you can find. The excellent German label
has released this record from an Australia-based duo comprised of a Belgian
guitarist who has travelled the world with a female singer who was born
of a Greek sailor and has toured through Latin America.
Not only do they cull all these influences together, they are able to focus this into their sound, rather than issue out a haphazard cultural stew. “Way Down in the Mines” could be snuck onto a compilation with Raven & Mills, Pererin, and the Watersons.
The lyrics
are strong and the music is constantly involving, with some intriguing
bass playing and sounds. This is a gem and moves to the top of my listening
pile. If you enjoy classic folk duos and like the psychedelic influences
on folk from the seventies, then you are certain to enjoy this.
Review by David
Hintz
'ALL ALONE' is Carl's first solo album of story songs since his 1980s Brazilian releases. The album is populated by refugees, addicts, a child beggar, a drunk driver, the smell of money, the tears of broken hearts, the rage of obsession and the joys of solitude & travel. His song, "The Rose of Kordofan" from 'ALL ALONE' was chosen from amongst thousands of entries to win the national Australian Songwriters Award for BEST LYRICS.
Carl's nomadic past results in highly original songs which have won many awards in world & roots categories - most recently, MUSICOZ & Australian Songwriters Association - BEST FOLK SONG AWARDS.
Carl's unmistakable guitar style was learnt from Brazilian players, bluesmen, Bert Jansch & Caetano Veloso, from the American banjo and the arabic oud. Traces of Brazil, Africa, folk and blues are the spice in the stew of Carl's songs which range from polyrhythmic exuberance to intimate subtlety, the personal to the political. Poetry and emotion.
contact: Carl Cleves, PO BOX 1492 Byron Bay, NSW, Australia
+ 61 2 5613 0031
carl@carlcleves.com
myspace: www.myspace.com/carlcleves
youtube: www.youtube.com/CARLCLEVES
New
Releases
Out of Australia
Purchase
directly from Stockfisch Records here
Stockfisch
Records are available in Australia from Rockian
Trading
All Alone
buy
CD here: www.indie-cds.com
or now internationally available and downloadable through CD
Baby
listen
Tarab - Travels with my guitar
buy
CD here: www.indie-cds.com
or now internationally available and downloadable through CD
Baby
listen
For album track lists and discography
click here