Half Moon by Wouter Kellerman After doing yoga, my friend Paul Whellock and I would get together and play some music. We decided to just let it flow and let the music that’s been brewing for so long, come out. We went with feel instead of structure. I started to work with Mauritz Lotz to arrange and pull this together. We traveled the long road of realizing the potential that was there. Then Husky joined with his mixing magic, and… out of the peace and tranquility of our beings and the energy of dance came this album, the music of my heart… 1. Vuelvo al Sur - A Piazzola, F E Solanas I have been a Piazzolla fan for a long time. I first heard this number on the GOTAN Project CD, and loved it from the first time I heard it. When I was in Buenos Aires, I kept on hearing the flute playing the melody lines in my mind and when I got back, I decided to record it. 2. Half Moon - W Kellerman, P Whellock This was the first song we created and it’s really about the plaintive sound of the fife and the emotions it unlocks when you listen to it. We named it after a yoga posture that Paul was trying to teach me at the time. 3. Irish March - Traditional We used to perform this Celtic traditional with just the flute and guitar - Mauritz filled it out a bit for us. 4. Buenos Aires - W Kellerman, P Whellock This song really captures the spirit of Buenos Aires for me. It has depth, a sadness that’s full of hope and fierce energy. It’s one of my favourites on the album, as it allows me to be really expressive on the flute… 5. Quisas, quisas, quisas - Lila Downs The three sisters in the movie ‘Tortilla Soup’ sang this song with such enthusiasm that it was impossible not to like it. 6. Folies d’Espagne - Marin Marais The baroque composer Marin Marais wrote this theme and variations, based on a traditional folk tune. Irene Grafenauer’s recording of this is one my favourite listening experiences. While I was performing in Berlin with pianist Wessel van Rensburg, he started adding his own variations into the mix, and that’s how the idea for this version originated. We later met in Jo’burg to develop the idea further. 7. Nothing compares 2 U - Prince Sinead o’Connor really moves me when she does this song and I wanted to express the same passion on the flute. 8. Na die Reën - W Kellerman, M Lotz This comes from a bass flute solo that I wrote. I went into the studio and just improvised on top of the bass line and this was the result… 9. Duel - W Kellerman, P Whellock This piece started by having a musical ‘duel’. One of us goes first and plays a beautiful melody, which the other one tries to play even more expressively... 10 - Desert Rose - JB Arthur This song was written by JB Arthur for a movie soundtrack. Nianell is one of my favourite vocalists, and this song was a great opportunity to combine the colour of her voice and that of the Indian flute. 11. Bukha - W Kellerman, P Whellock There is a lightness that is difficult to define… It moves with an uneven lilt - it has a 5/4 rhythm and a definite swing to it. 12. Wind - W Kellerman, P Whellock I used to play this piece as an introduction to a Flamenco show – there is a Spanish flavour to the beginning that just seemed to flow once we started creating it. 13. Contrabajissimo - Astor Piazzolla When I heard the live recording of Astor Piazzolla playing the beautiful melody in the middle section of this piece on his Bandoneon, I was totally swept away. The madness of the other sections just helps to make the peaceful melody stand out more. 14. Excuse Me? - W Kellerman, M Lotz Inspired by Jade and Simone and the way they sound when they say ‘Excuse me?’ 15. Al Lê Die Berge - Traditional This is one of my favourite Afrikaans traditional songs. Underneath the simple melody and words lie a deep sadness and a resignation to the realities of life. Produced by Mauritz Lotz and Wouter Kellerman Arranged by Mauritz Lotz Recorded at Verny Scholtz’ Eleven Studios, except for track 10 – recorded by JB Arthur at Joe’s Garage Flute recorded at Kellerman Studios and Eleven Studios Tracks 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13 mixed by: S. Husky Höskulds Tracks 1, 5, 4, 5, 8, 9, 14 and 15 mixed by: Mauritz Lotz, Wouter Kellerman and Verny Scholtz Mastered by: Ian Cooper of Metropolis Mastering, London and Dale Becker from Bernie Becker Mastering Photography by: Michael Glenister Art direction and design by: Hlopho Lerata at Qurious Brand P & © 2012 Kellerman Music Tholsi at tholsip@mweb.co.za or +27 78 458 9090 All titles published by Kellerman Music except 1 – Milan Records, 5 – Milwaukee, WI:Narada World, 7 – Warner Bros/Wea, 10 - Awsum Music (Pty) Ltd, 13 – Gallo Music Wouter Kellerman - Flute, Bass flute, Alto flute, fife, vocal bits on track 14 Paul Whellock - Nylon String Guitar (track 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 12) Mauritz Lotz - Guitars (track 1, 2, 5, 7, 13, 14, 15), all Programming Veronique - Vocals (track 1, 5, 7, 15) Nianell - Vocals (track 10, 11) Jolette Odendaal - Vocals (track 3) Tim Moloi - Vocals (track 11, 12) Jade & Simone Wilson - Vocals (track 14) Denny Lalouette - Bass (track 5, 7, 13, 15) Vinnie Henrico - Drums (track 5, 14, 15) Sergio Zampolli - Accordion (track 1, 12) Lizzie Rennie - Viola solo (track 7) Matthys Maree - Piano (track 5) Wessel van Rensburg - Piano (track 6) Michal George - Nylon String Guitar (track 6) Paul Berner - Acoustic Bass (track 6) Barry van Zyl - Drums (track 6) JB Arthur - Acoustic Guitar, Synths, Programming (track 10) Kids group (M Nokwe for Lyn’s Pot) - Vocals (track 10) Sibusiso Victor Masondo - Upright Bass (track 13) JMI Strings - Strings (track 13) Serge Cuca - String section leader (track 13) Carel Henn - Cello (track 13) SPECIAL THANKS TO Firstly, thanks to the people who created this music with me: Paul, thanks for all those fun sessions of free improvisation and for allowing me to just take it at my own pace. Thanks to Mauritz – your musicality is astounding and it comes through so strongly on this album. Thanks to Verny for all those hours in the studio, Husky for adding a new dimension with your amazing mixing skills And to all the musicians for making such beautiful sounds. Tholsi for all the support and help, it really means a lot to me. Nici for all the design help and for always being there when I needed to discuss something Thanks to Pieter for lending me your ears to listen – ‘which do you prefer – this or that?’ ☺ Sandra for all your creative ideas… Ronel ‘Ms Dynamite’ for a spark here and there. Thanks to Chats for guiding me into the world of technology and recording. Larry for your technical help. JB Arthur – your recording advice was invaluable. Thanks to Nici and Ewoudt, who have kept me grounded through the years… To my mom and dad, who took me to the symphony concert and asked: ‘Which instrument would you like to play?’ Thanks to my family and friends who have been so amazingly supportive with a special word of thanks to Helen, Nancy, Mala, Kamanee, Denise and Debs.