Films and music have for quite some time been accepted as one. Often film music is a great way to recall a nice movie. This has motivated jazz singer Miroslava Katsarova to team up with Veselin Veselinov - Eko, bass, Miroslav Turiyski, piano, and Hristo Yotsov, percussions, for an experiment that seeks to interpret themes from famous movies. These include Modern Times starring Charles Chaplin with the soundtrack Smile, Cucurrucucu Paloma (1954 original by Tomas Mendez)from Pedro Almodovar’s Talk to Her, the emblematic track Orfeo Negro(Black Orpheus) from the movie of the same name and the wonderful amorous melody fromA Man and a Woman. The new album also features compositions inspired by two of Wim Wender’s most beautiful films, Wings of Desire and Pina. The track taken from Wings of Desire has been complemented with lyrics by Miroslava Katsarova. The version also includes lovely lyrics by Peter Handke. Miroslava has added her own lyrics in French to the music from Pina. The new version is entitled Le Tango Solitaire.

More about the project from Miroslava Katsarova:

„It was a challenge to select my favorite songs and perform them in the concert program entitled Cinema. I finally chose these because they are part of rewarding personal experience. Also, there are compositions among them that I have always wanted to perform. When I shared my idea about the album with bassist Veselin Veselinov – Eko, he loved it and we started work. After a while, pianist Miroslav Turiyski joined in. In the end we selected seven soundtracks. To them we added three of his compositions written especially for the project. This is our interpretation of a few popular film soundtracks. On the other hand, the story in each of these films offers a wealth of images and associations, and when expressed through music it turns into an invisible film narrative. This texture has added plenty of emotion to the album. When remaking music themes, a change is not all. From successful musicians I have learned that one has to invest a lot of work and talent but also daring. So I try to do something I’ve never done before, and above all to express myself through music.”

„Two years have passed since we started the project Cinema. Over that time we have given 15 concerts across Bulgaria. I am glad that audiences have accepted this music emotionally. All the time we felt this exchange of love and sensibility. Many people have written to me to ask details about the music. After so many concerts we decided to record the project Cinema because we wanted to capture its spirit. We didn’t want to let it go down the drain. We changed the title to My Cinema. Yavor Dimitrov made the post-production and Hristo Yotsov was also part of the team.”

Andrea Morricone is the author of the soundtrack to Nuovo Cinema Paradiso. He worked on the music jointly with his celebrity father Ennio Morricone. The Bulgarian lyrics to this track were written by Elin Rahnev.

The album My Cinemawill be premiered in Sofia on 31 May, at Peroto Literary Club.

English Daniela Konstantinova

Audio: My Cinema, a new album of jazz singer Miroslava Katsarova (jointly with Veselin Veselinov (Eko), bass, Miroslav Turiyski, piano, and Hristo Yotsov, percussions)

1.  Le Tango Solitaire

2.  My Cinema

3.  Keeping You Out

4.  Cucurrucucu Paloma