On the Way

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DATEBOOK REVIEW in the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: Sunday, September 14, 2008 (SF Chronicle) CD: Lucia Comnes, On the way Image of the Little Man jumping out of his seat and clapping (equivalent to 5 stars) Solas and other musical groups have done the traditional Irish folk song Calling Home the Calves (Aililiu Na Gamhna), but Lucia Comnes has taken it to a higher level, using her singular voice and two instruments from the Indian subcontinent – bansuri flute and shruti box – to create a goose-bumpy tableau of nature and memory. Calling Home the Calves is one of numerous delights on Comnes new album, On the Way, which takes songs from across borders – including from Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria – and interprets them anew while retaining the original language. The result: a cascade of tunes (plus a jazzy Comnes original) that are otherworldly and embedded with soul and spirit. On many songs, violin merges with accordion, electric bass and other instruments, then is capped by Comnes vocalizations, which cross musical chasms. Comnes lives in the Bay Area, but her home is really the world at large. Written by SF Chronicle Journalist, Jonathan Curiel On the way – the debut album, released in May 2008. Truly a world fusion project, On the way features Lucia Comnes and her band performing a selection of songs in seven different languages from countries including Bulgaria, Albania, Turkey, Greece and Ireland. The one original song, Water, weaves a West African groove on the calabash with a thick bass line, melodic flute and violin conversations, and smooth three-part vocal harmonies. Lucia Comnes – vocals, violin Sean Stillinger – electric bass Aharon Wheels Bolsta – bansuri flute, tabla, darbouka, cajon, calabash, kanjira, frame drum, and other various percussion With special guests… Dan Cantrell – accordion (3, 6) Pat Duffey – guitar (3) Oona Garthwaite & Veronica Perry – back-up vocals (2) All songs traditional, except Water, composed by Lucia Comnes. All songs arranged by Lucia Comnes, Sean Stillinger and Aharon Wheels Bolsta. Recorded in 2007/08 at Small Treasures Studio, San Jose, CA Recorded, mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer, John Jacob Produced by Lucia Comnes For all song notes, lyrics and translations, please visit Lucias website. Words, particularly English words, are not enough. They have been used to lie on a grand scale. They continue to be used to manipulate and confuse. Music has a purpose that remains to be seen. The potential is beyond imagination. – Liam OMaonlai About the Artists: Lucia Comnes is a singer and violinist who interprets songs from many traditions. With a rich background in performance and ethnomusicology, she sings in more than 30 different languages and leads a band that reflects this cultural versatility. An emotive and stunning performer, she takes her audience on a journey around the world as well as into the depths of the human soul. An aspiring composer, Lucias first original song, Water, debuts on her new album, quot;On the wayquot;. A San Francisco native, Lucia was trained since childhood in classical violin, a wide range of vocal techniques, musical theater and dance. She discovered traditional Irish music during a summer tour in 2001, and this led to the study of many other forms of traditional music, including Eastern European, Turkish, Rom (Gypsy), Latin and Jazz. In 2002, at age 18, Lucia joined Kitka, an internationally acclaimed womens a cappella vocal ensemble spe