Steve Hackett – Under A Mediterranean Sky
I have been a fan of Steve Hackett and Genesis since childhood. Steve Hackett is right up there with the two Jimmy’s: Hendrix and Page as one of my favorite guitarists of all time. So, when I heard he had some new and instrumental music on the way this year, I had to hear and review it.
Under A Mediterranean Sky, released January 22nd, 2021, is the music we all have been waiting for during this global pandemic. This is the peace, calm and location we all want to be right now during this pandemic. Imagine lying on a beach on the Mediterranean enjoying this music with headphones or earbuds. Enjoy every pluck of the myriad of Mediterranean instruments Steve uses to concoct this fulfilling dish of aural nourishment!
The album “takes inspiration from Steve’s extensive travels around the Mediterranean with his wife Jo”. It is “an extraordinary musical journey around the Mediterranean, painting vivid images of stunning landscapes and celebrating the diverse cultures of the region”.
Hackett states, “A lot of acoustic ideas had been forming over the years, and it felt like the perfect time to create this album,” “A time to contemplate the places we’ve visited around the Mediterranean with the kind of music which evolved from the world of imagination.” “Because we can’t really travel substantially at the moment, I hope that the album will take people on that journey. Whether you sit down and listen to it or drift off to it with a glass of wine…”
Exactly, that is what I did on a beautiful sunny, Seattle’s winter day, when I wrote this. A glass of wine and a comfortable easy chair.
Every song on this album is a relaxing coastline of sound. The highlights for me were: The opener “Mdina, (The Walled City)”, which felt like an arch back to Steve’s solo work, with the addition of Roger Kings’ wonderful orchestration. During some of the middle orchestrion, on this track, and throughout the album, I even felt like I was being transported back to Alexandre Desplat’s wonderful soundtrack to the movie Valerian & the City of a Thousand Planets.
“Sirocco”, was a perfect sound description of the mysterious wind for which it was named.
“Joie de Vivre”, with its hints towards Mason Williams’ famous “Classical Gas”, (one of my favorite guitar instrumentals), was another of my favorites; as it visually plunged deeper and deeper into the clear blue Mediterranean Sea, with each nylon guitar string pluck.
The difficult guitar playing on “The Memory of Myth”, (another stellar title from the master who gave us titles like, “The Air-Conditioned Nightmare”, “Cradle of Swans”, “Spectral Mornings”, and of course, “The Red Flower of Tachiai Blooms Everywhere”), is a wonderful tribute to the work Steve Hackett puts into every album.
“The Dervish and the Djin”, joins that spectacular list of song names mentioned earlier. This is by far my favorite song on the album. It takes you deep into the traditions and spirit of the culture of the Mediterranean region. Steve Hackett’s touring band regular – Rob Townsend’s soprano sax, the tar of Malik Mansurov, (from Azerbaijan), and Armenian Arsen Petrosyan’s duduk, are simply amazing.
“Andalusian Heart”, is another broad arching orchestral composition, after Steve delights you with wonderful guitar playing. This should have been the closing masterpiece.
Under A Mediterranean Sky “features Steve Hackett playing nylon, steel string and twelve string guitars, charango and Iraqi oud. Keyboards, programming and orchestral arrangements are by Roger King. Featured musicians are John Hackett and Rob Townsend, on flute, (Casa del Fauno); Malik Mansurov, on tar; Arsen Petrosyan, on duduk; and Rob Townsend, on sax, (The Dervish and The Djin); Christine Townsend, on violin & viola, (The Memory of Myth and Andalusian Heart); and Franck Avril, on oboe, (Aldalusian Heart).
All tracks were produced by Steve Hackett and Roger King with all tracks recorded and mixed by Roger King at Siren.
“I had a great time doing this album, seeing it take shape, and I’m very pleased with the outcome. I’m very proud of it,” says Steve Hackett. “The nylon guitar has a very individual sound but, within the compass of what the nylon-strung guitar can do, there are a lot of different tones. You can do the full-on attack, the kind of salvo that you expect from the flamenco players but, at the same time, it can also be very gentle, gentle as a harp. It’s shades of black and white. It’s also exciting to play alongside instruments from around the world, as well as a wide range of orchestral sounds.”
Please do not miss this peaceful album. For all those moments of relaxation by the beach this summer or the diner parties we can all go back to after this pandemic is finally defeated. Every moment of this album belongs in Steve Hackett’s deep catalog of music. If you are a Hackett or Genesis fan this is an easy choice.
Track Listing:
- Mdina. (The Walled City), (Steve Hackett / Roger King) – 8:45
- Adriatic Blue, (Steve Hackett) – 4:51
- Sirocco, (Steve Hackett / Jo Hackett / Roger King) – 5:14
- Joie de Vivre, (Steve Hackett / Jo Hackett) – 3:41
- The Memory of Myth, (Steve Hackett / Jo Hackett / Roger King) – 3:29
- Scarlatti Sonata, (Domenico Scarlatti) – 3:40
- Casa del Fauno, (Steve Hackett / Roger King) – 3:52
- The Dervish and the Djin, (Steve Hackett / Jo Hackett / Roger King) – 4:57
- Lorato, (Steve Hackett) – 2:30
- Andalusian Heart, (Steve Hackett / Jo Hackett / Roger King) – 5:34
- The Call of the Sea, (Steve Hackett) – 4:45
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https://www.insideoutmusic.com/release.aspx?IdRelease=2327