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Anja Garbarek: Smiling & Waving

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Virgin Norway AS
Released: 1990
Time:
 39:19
Category: World Music
Producer(s): Anja Garbarek, Steven Wilson
Rating: *********. (9/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.anjagarbarek.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2004.08.16
Price in €: 6,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Her Room (A.Garbarek) - 2:33
[2] The Gown (A.Garbarek) - 3:21
[3] Spin the Context (A.Garbarek) - 4:48
[4] Stay Tuned (A.Garbarek) - 4:16
[5] You Know (A.Garbarek) - 3:43
[6] Big Mouth (A.Garbarek) - 3:19
[7] The Diver (A.Garbarek) - 4:06
[8] That's All (A.Garbarek) - 3:51
[9] And Then (A.Garbarek) - 4:25
[10] It Seems We Talk (A.Garbarek) - 4:57

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


ANJA GARBAREK - Percussion, Vocals, Arranger, Programming, Art Direction, Sound Design

STEVEN WILSON - Percussion, Piano, Guitar, Arranger, Engineer, Programming, Sound Design, Engineering
THEO TRAVIS - Bass Flute, Flute, Saxophone
LAURENCE PENDROUS - Organ, fender rhodes, Piano
ROBERT WYATT - Vocals
MARTIN DITCHAM - Percussion
MARK HOLLIS - Piano, Electric Bass, Melodica
CHRIS LAWRENCE - Bass
RICHARD BARBIERI - Analogue Synthesizer
STEVE JANSEN - Drums, Percussion

THE LONDON SESSION ORCHESTRA - Strings
PAUL KEGG - Performing Ensemble, Cello
MMARK BERROW - Performing Ensemble
BEN CRUFT - Performing Ensemble
DAVID DANIELS [COUNTERTENOR] - Performing Ensemble
ARTIN LOVEDAY - Performing Ensemble
CATHY THOMPSON - Performing Ensemble
KATE WILKINSON - Performing Ensemble
DAVE WOODCOCK - Performing Ensemble
BILL BENHAM - Performing Ensemble
DERMOT CREHAN - Performing Ensemble
VAUGHAN ARMON - Performing Ensemble
PETER LALE - Performing Ensemble, Viola
TONY PLEETH - Performing Ensemble, Cello
BOGUSLAW KOSTECKI - Performing Ensemble
EDDIE ROBERTS - Performing Ensemble
PERRY MONTAGUE-MASON - Performing Ensemble
LAURENCE POWER - Performing Ensemble
SIMON FISCHER - Performing Ensemble
TONY LEWIS - Strings
JOHN BRADBURY - Strings
FRANK RICOTTI - Vibraphone
GAVYN WRIGHT - Violin
RICHARD BISSILL - Horn
HELEN TUNSTALL - Harp
MELINDA MAXWELL - Oboe
JOHN PIGNEGUY - Horn
ANTHONY PIKE - Clarinet
IVO JAN VANDERWERFF - Strings
NICK BUCKNALL - Clarinet
TONY HINNEGAN - Strings
ROBIN O' NEILL - Bassoon
CHRIS LAURENCE - Bass

MIGUEL DIAZ DE LOPEZ - Programming, Sound Design, Programming, Sound Design
EWAN DAVIES - Engineer, Engineering
PHILL BROWN - Engineer, Engineering
JOHN MALLISON - Engineer, Engineering
GEORGE SHILLING - Engineer
MARK HOLLIS - Arranger, Co Producer
ISOBEL GRIFFITHS - Contributor
GODFREY WANG - Score Orchestration
GAVYN WRIGHT - Orchestra Leader
JORGEN KNUDSEN - Atmosphere

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


2001 CD Virgin CDVIR130
2001 CD Virgin 5062
2004 CD EMI 850622



Anja Garbarek's third album — and her first for a major label — is a departure from her previous efforts in that she's enlisted the help of musicians who understand how to blend her electronic textures with more organic instrumentation. The daughter of ECM jazz saxophone legend Jan Garbarek, Anja has moved far from the distorted soundscapes of her debut, the elegantly weird Balloon Mood from 1996. Here she employs the talents and tactics of musicians such as Mark Hollis (formerly of Talk Talk), Richard Barbieri and Steve Jansen from Japan and Rain Tree Crow, respectively, and the production savvy of Steve Wilson from Porcupine Tree. Her sound is all but impossible to describe, but there are moments where the wispy, almost invisible vocal style of Stina Nordenstam echoes in the mix, as the does the lyrical irony of Laurie Anderson, and the broken poetic phrasing of Bjork. But this is no comparison, as shades and specters of different music such as jazz, classical, rock, trip-hop, and even dub waft through this airy mix, through all of them appear as ghosts, musics that are what we remember them as, from some near future emptiness, rather than as current constructs from which to make music from. There is the notion of observance, Garbarek is always the outsider, witnessing small occurrences in everyday life and reading who knows what into them. There is a duet with Robert Wyatt, entitled "The Diver," where besides a double bass — present in every track — there is little but a spare, lilting piano, some string, and an oboe. The pair's voices comment on witnessing the art of a diver's plunge. Their voices entwine and then separate, creating a view both from pool side and in Wyatt's case, distance. The up-beat trip-hop of "That's All," where drum loops engage a chamber group with bass; a flute slips and slides along underneath the listener like a ball rolling under the couch, almost moving by you before it can be grasped: "And he crawls to the door in a warm nurse/where he walks for the first time/surrounded by the dry clouds/he is leaving a trail/that's all we know." The next piece, the melancholy, "And Then," with nothing but a bass, the London Session Orchestra, and harpist Helen Turnstall, is at once a song of absence and arrival: "Unpack moments/the girl in the redcoat turns/passing. Entering. Going places/bring her name under the chain of lights/kneeling down/she throws herself into sound/passing. Entering. Going places..." In the broken lyric and shimmering instrumental quality we hear an artist emerging from her influences into a music of her own creation, shedding the pop influences of her past; in the process she is unearthing a signature music which turns in on itself before slowly opening to the listener in mysterious and wonderful ways. Smiling & Waving is an opaque, sensual gem.

Thom Jurek, All Music Guide



Anja Garbarek, die Tochter des norwegischen Jazzsaxofonisten Jan Garbarek ist sicher Papas Liebling, auch wenn Jazz auf ihrem dritten Album Smiling & Waving nur eine entfernte Rolle spielt. Wie eine ferne und vage Erinnerung geistert er durch die futuristischen, fragilen Soundgemälde, in denen die Pastellfarben der Holzinstrumente und Elektronikeffekte langsam zu einem Popsong wie "Stay Tuned" zusammenfließen. Wie im Titel "Spin The Context" bilden verdoppelte Wisperstimmen ein zartes Spinngewebe zu nostalgischen Streicherarrangements, die auf "You Know" an die atmosphärischen Filmmusiken des Italieners Nino Rota erinnern. Die Töne kommen behutsam wie auf Samtpfoten, zum entrückten, ätherischen Gesang von Anja Garbarek, bei dem man oft an ihre dänische Kollegin GRY denkt. Ein dominanter Doppelbass führt wie ein roter Faden durch die hauchzarten Lieder, die von nordischer Melancholie geprägt sind. Dass einem dabei auch die britische Band Talk Talk in den Sinn kommt, ist nicht von ungefähr. Denn deren Sänger Mark Hollis war ebenso am Album beteiligt wie die Ex-Japan-Musiker Steve Jansen und Richard Barbieri, aber auch Robert Wyatt. Das Duett "The Diver" mit ihm zur leisen Pianomelodie scheint nicht von dieser Welt.

Ingeborg Schober, Amazon.de



With its dream-like montage of moods and impressive variety of arrangements, Smiling and Waving shows just how far the daughter of Jan Garbarek has come since the 1992 album Velkommen Inn (Come On In). Gone are the Norwegian lyrics and driving, somewhat Euro-pop arrangements. Instead, Smiling and Waving offers a range of convincingly distilled--and delivered--English lyrics, building upon the poetic ambition and achievement revealed on Anja's second release, the 1996 Balloon Mood. At times, Smiling and Waving can bring to mind the work of Kate Bush and Annette Peacock as much as that of Björk. Overall, however, it finds Garbarek establishing her own identity, as much through the shape-shifting arrangements as anything else. Such jazz notables as double-bassist Chris Laurence and saxophonist Theo Travis contribute some fine moments, but apart from the lyrics, the album is mostly remarkable for its mixing and metamorphosing of acoustic and electronic sounds, concert strings and occasional trip-hop grooves, ambient space and judicious sampling. Robert Wyatt's guest appearance on the melancholic "The Diver" fits the overall concept and mood of the album perfectly.

Michael Tucker, Amazon.co.uk Review



She's not exactly a household name but in her native Norway Anja Garbarek is big news, renowned for her avant-garde jazz composer Jan and her own glacial, intricately crafted recordings. Her second album is one of those that needs to be heard in a darkened room to be best appreciated, with sprawling electronic beats, strings and piano merging together to create a distinctive tapestry of Scandinavian melancholy. Garbarek's vocals are beautifully delicate and the presence of other mavericks such as Robert Wyatt and Mark Hollis seems entirely appropriate. This is a lady well worth getting to know, but as with all such leftfield artists, you'll have to make the first move.

Andrew Lynch - entertainment.ie
Reviewed on 01 May 2001



With a jazz composer Dad, childhood interest in Brian Eno records and a drama college education, Oslo's Anja Garbarek was never destined to be the next big thing of Nordic pop. Her third album however, should see her rightly crowned as the queen of dark delights. Like a soulmate said some years earlier, it's oh so quiet as orchestral sweeps and smoky basslines combine for everything from 40's movie themes ('And Then') to off keel sea shanties ('The Diver'). And with help and hush from the likes of former Talk Talk frontman Mark Hollis, there's an eerie solace in every whispered line. The album's centrepiece, 'Stay Tuned', sounds like a confession in a phone box at the end of the world. An album to put you to sleep - but for all the right reasons.

Harry Guerin - RTÉ.ie
 

 L y r i c s


HER ROOM

I am in her room
It's I who live here now
I don't know how I got here
There's this man who comes every night

And hour passes
Then i another
Smoking slowly

Her death
Was she already dead
When i came ?
I mean enought to bury

I am in her room
It's I who live here now
I don't know how I got here
There's this man who comes every night

I count my cigarettes


THE GOWN

Robby make me a gown!
So that i can go back
So that that i can go
Into the garden
With cuddly tiger

And do all things
And do all things
And do all things
And do all things

Robby make me a gown!
So that i can go back
'Cause i'm only scared
Of see through

When i am far away
From texture
And the times i allow needles
I feel in one

And that's when i become
Instantly ready

To do all things
To do all things
To do all things
To do all things

To do all things
To do all things
To do a-all things
To do all things

Robby make me a gown!


SPIN THE CONTEXT

I lay down beside him
He gives me kisses
Follow the tracks
From another dream

I follow the tracks
And spin the context
I follow the tracks
And spin
I follow the tracks
And spin the context
Into the open

I lay amongst the clouds
Dissolving falling down
Follow the tracks
I promise to send word

I enter the visible world
With a tongue of secrets
I breathe the neon
With a calm, calm, calm, calm fear.

I follow the tracks
And spin the context
I follow I follow
I follow the tracks
And spin
I follow I follow
I follow the tracks
And spin the context
I follow I follow
I breathe the neon
With a calm fear

I follow the tracks
And spin the context
I follow I follow
I follow the tracks
And spin
I follow I follow
I follow the tracks
And spin the context
I follow I follow
I Breath the neon
With a calm fear
I Breath the neon
With a calm fear
I Breath the neon
With a calm fear


STAY TUNED

In between
Lost in noise
Somewhere
Somewhere

In between
Got no choice
But to be here
Somewhere
Somewhere
If you can hear me
If you're still there

Stay tuned
There is more to come
Oh
Don't start searching
I'll get back
To you

Riding waves
Trying to reach
Somewhere
Somewhere

Cannot share
This moment with you
I'm particles in the air
You can't see me
But i'm here
So if you can hear me
If you're still there

Stay tuned
There is more to come
Oh
Don't start searching

Stay tuned
There is more to come
Oh
Don't start searching
I'll get back to you
I'll get back to you
I'll get back to you


YOU KNOW

Did i tell you
Where i went this morning ?
Did i tell you
Where i've been all day ?

You know
Where i go when i'm without you
You know
Behind the sky
The sun is always
Blue
Blue
Blue

Did i tell you
Where i spent my evening ?
Did i tell you
Where i spent last night ?

You know (you know)
Where i go when i'm without you
You know (you know)
Even among the stars
The moon is always
True
True
True
You
Only you
Only you

Did I tell ?


BIG MOUTH

I've got a big mouth
A very big mouth
With a lot of room
For different things

Once i had a whole nice day
A whole nice day
Once i had a whole nice day
Coming out of it

And with that day
Came a lot of friends
A lot of friends
Walked down my tongue

Playing my teeth like a drum
Giving out sound
Of happiness

Hey, i've got a big mouth
(I've got a big mouth)
A very big mouth
(A very very big mouth)
With a lot of room
(A lot of room)
For different things
(For different things)

Once i had a whole big boat
(A big boat)
A whole big boat
(Very very big boat)
Once i had a whole big boat
Coming out of it

Sailing on my spit as I spoke
Telling a joke about this girl
Who sailed away with a lot of friends
On a nice day

It was such a nice day
Oh what a lovely day
Hey, how do you do
How do you do
How do you do it ?

I've got a big mouth
A very big mouth
I've got a big mouth
A very big mouth

I've got a big mouth
(I've got a big mouth)
A very big mouth
(A very very big mouth)
I've got a big mouth
(I've got a big mouth)
A very big mouth
(A very very big mouth)

Giving out sound
Of happiness


THE DIVER

Standing
High above us all
At the edge of
The diving board

Smiling and waving
Before letting himself fall
The faintest splash
As the water engulfed him
It was beautiful to watch
So beautiful to watch

He was propably
The world's best diver
Probably
The world's best diver
He was
The world's
Best
Diver
Probably

Touching the bottom
He pushed away
With both legs

And cut through the surface
Like a fish

The faintest splash
As the water engulfed him
It was beautiful to watch
So beautiful to watch

I stay high above

He was
The world's
Best diver

But he could not swim

It was beautiful to watch
So beautiful to watch


THAT'S ALL

Emerging
Through water
That's all we know

On hands and knees
Towards the shore
That's all we know

That's all we know
That's all
That's all we know
That's all

And he crawls
To the door
In the warm nurse
Where he walks
For the first time

Surrounded by dry clouds
He is leaving a trail

That's all we know
That's all
That's all we know
That's all

He climbs out of sleep
Holding on to the lamp
By his bedside table
The sunlight feeds
Of his radio

That's all we know
That's all
That's all we know
That's all
That's all we know
That's all
That's all we know
That's all

That's all we know
That's
All


AND THEN

Unpack moments
The girl in a red coat turns

Passing
Entering
Going places

Bring her name
Under the chain of lights
Kneeling down
She throws herself into sound

Passing
Entering
Going places

Seen from above
This is instant living
Seen from above
This is instant living
Seen from above

This is the beginning
Of the night
And memories are watching
As she does the move

They glide through
Holding letters with collected time

Passing
Entering
Going places

Passing
Entering
Going places

Seen from above
This is instant living
Seen from above
This is instant living
Seen from above
This is instant living
Seen from above
At first and then, na-na na-na-na
At first and then, na-na na-na-na
At first and then, na-na na-na-na
At first and then, na-na na-na-na
At first and then, na-na na-na-na
At first and then, na-na na-na-na
At first and then, na-na na-na-na
At first and then, na-na na-na-na


IT SEEMS WE TALK

Low
Ceiling space
Along the restless water

The surface ripples
And words rise
Nearly touching my feet

So slowly
It seems we talk
Not knowing
It seems we talk
So slowly
It seems we talk
Not knowing
I am half inside
 

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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