BLACK AND WHITE MOVIE
Making of
From the production of a flamenco solo guitar CD to the idea for "Black and White Movie"
In 2009, Christian Kammerl moved from Deggendorf (Lower Bavaria) to Ronda (Malaga). After a two-year apprenticeship with various flamenco guitarists, Kammerl decided to record a flamenco guitar CD himself.
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Another two years went into the country before it was time: with the support of some talented and experienced musicians from the flamenco scene in Seville, Kammerl was able to complete the production of his first flamenco guitar CD. The CD titled "Ciudad Soñada" sold quite well for some years and so on. to tourists and concert visitors.
Production of the new album
with own songs and instrumentals
(Mix of different styles)
Through the production of the flamenco CD, Christian Kammerl has found a connection with a group of musicians in the Seville region who work with artists who are successful in the music industry in Spain and some internationally. Most of these musicians are not only masters in the field of flamenco but also in various other musical styles at home.
Satisfied faces after the recordings in Seville from left to right: Domi Serralbo, Sitin, Christian Kammerl, Christian Lettner, Alvaro Gandul and Patrick Scales
While working on the flamenco CD, there was a good opportunity during a break and Kammerl introduced his colleagues to a demo CD without any ulterior motives, with some of the songs he himself had written, some of which had been written before his time in Spain were.
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These pieces are pop music with English lyrics in which Kammerl mixes different styles of music that he has dealt with over the years (including rock, pop, blues, soul, jazz and Latin). After several years in Analusien it is not surprising that also increasingly Spanish elements in Kammerl's own personal style mix with flow.
Especially the studio owner and sound engineer Domi Serralbo from Moron de la Frontera near Sevilla was the one who persuaded Kammerl to produce a CD with the above mentioned pieces.
Christian Kammerl and Domi Serralbo in the studio near Sevilla
The start with Alvaro Gandul
Pianist keyboardist and arranger
Domi, studio owner Kammerl, first introduced keyboarder and arranger Alvaro Gandul. Gandul is best known in Spain for his collaboration with legendary guitarist and songwriter Raimundo Amador, who in the 1990s was even one of Kammerl's musical idols whom he admired and who influenced him greatly in his career as a musician. In addition, Gandul has worked with the following artists in Spain: Manolo Garcia (El Ultimo de la Fila), Maria Rozalen, Rosario Flores, Carlos Benavent ...
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Alvaro Gandul at the piano
When Kammerl and Gandul began working on the arrangements for the pieces on the new CD, they had no idea that this would be a three-year intensive collaboration. During this time regular meetings took place and there was also a friendship with Gandul the Kammerl learned to appreciate not only as a talented artist but also as a very gracious man.
Once they had managed to create a demo version of each piece that completely convinced them, they began to engage with musicians who seemed fit to play the pieces in the studio.
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Coffee break and talks about music with Alvaro Gandul
The rhythm section from Munich
Musicians wishlist
At the top of the "wish list" of musicians hoping to win Kammerl for production was the name Patrick Scales. Patrick is a wonderful bass player and u.a. For many years a permanent member of the legendary band "Passport" of saxophonist and composer Klaus Doldinger. The joy was correspondingly great when Patrick signaled his interest in the production. After listening to the demo versions of the pieces, he immediately agreed to come to Spain for the recordings.
It was close to his friend and congenial partner on drums Christian Lettner with Patrick for many years in various formations (including "Passport") working together to ask if he too would be available for production. When he had heard the demo versions of the pieces in question, Christian Lettner was also willing to participate in the project.
Christian Letter, Christian Kammerl and Patrick Scales in the studio
Recording sessions in Seville with Luis Dulzaides
A German-Spanish project is born
With Alvaro Gandul on the keys, Patrick Scales on bass and Christian Letter, a rhythm section has now come together whose members are among the best in their field in Europe and perhaps even worldwide.
Highly motivated and inspired, the musicians from Munich came to Seville in July 2017, where they met with their Spanish colleagues. Despite the enormous heat, the mood could not have been better. One noticed that the musicians from Munich enjoyed the "excursion" to Andalusia and the opportunity to work in an absolutely unfamiliar environment. The Spanish colleagues, for their part, were delighted to meet these extraordinary musicians, who naturally also see things from a different angle.
From the first note, however, it quickly became clear to all those involved that Master Faches was at work here on all the instruments.
A Spanish-German music project was born. Over the following four days of tropical heat, intense recording sessions took place, laying the foundations for the production of the new album. At the highest level of concentration and in an artistically and humanly brilliant atmosphere, the participating musicians recorded 10 pieces that will be released on the new album.
The formation of Luis Dulzaides was complemented by a percussion artist from Cuba. Luis has lived in Madrid for many years and is one of the best percussionists in Latin and Pop. He is known for his long-standing collaboration with stars in the Spanish-South American area such as Alejandro Sanz, Ketama, Miguel Bose ...
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Given the talent and experience of the artists involved in the CD production, one could already guess that this would be a very special work. When you were able to hear the first results after several days of studio work, it became certain.
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Without exception, everyone was enthusiastic about the recordings. The "adventure" was already a musical success. The basis for a German-Spanish co-production was laid. The experiment artists from the two worlds in which Kammerl feels at home, was successful. A very own new sound was born. The enormous effort had been worthwhile.
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The Cuban percussionist Luis Dulzaides
Recording choir singing in London
Perfect rounding off the production
Now choral singing and strings were still missing to round off the production perfectly.
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After the enthusiasm about the already achieved results one quickly came to the conclusion: in the continuation of the project no expense and effort should be spared, in order to achieve a quality level with the choir singing, which would correspond to the already existing recordings.
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Kammerl, who had lived and worked in London as a musician and student in the 1990s, freshened up some of the old contacts of the time and decided to ask if it would work with the city's perhaps most famous gospel choir, the Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choirs would. This choir has already made headlines through its productions with the BBC London and the spectacular performances at Saint Paul's Cathedral.
First, several talks with Miko Giedroyc the director of the choir took place. It was agreed to send samples of the recordings made in Seville.
Since these were very well received in London, one could proceed to plan a collaboration. Alison Beck (vocals and arrangement) choir singer and arranger of the Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choirs was commissioned to write the arrangements for the choral singing for Kammerl's production. After several weeks of intensive cooperation and agreements on Skype, telephone and e-mails, the arrangements were ready. It was booked a studio and fixed an appointment to the Kammerl traveled to London to attend the recordings. The recordings took place on October 6-7, 2017 at Church Studios (or Crypt Studios) in Crouch End (London).
Members of the Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir recording with Christian Kammerl
This studio has an impressive history. In the 1980s, Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) bought an old former church in north London, set up several recording studios and named them Church Studios.
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In addition to the Eurythmics, Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Elvis Costello, U2 and more recently Adele have recorded here.
Strings of the Sevilla Symphony Orchestra
play arrangement for an instrumental piece
The 10 pieces to be released on the new album are mainly pop, rock, blues, jazz, soul and Latin. After a stay of almost 9 years in Andalusia, more and more Spanish elements flow into the style mix from Christian Kammerl's music. This is especially evident in the title "Ciudad Soñada". "Ciudad Soñada is a flamenco guitar instrumental whose name refers to the city of Ronda (Rainer Maria Rilke called Ronda the" dreamed city. "The Spanish translation is" Ciudad Soñada ").
Alvaro Gandul the Arranger wrote a wonderful string arrangement for "Ciudad Soñada", played by a string ensemble made up of members of the Seville Symphony Orchestra. The piece is given a decidedly Andalusian character by the authentic flamenco percussion base that was recorded with Domi Serralbo junior, the son of the studio owner.
String ensemble after the recordings for Ciudad Soñada
Return to Germany
with the new album in the luggage
Since the completion of the work on the CD time coincided with the return to Germany, Kammerl decided to mix the CD in Germany. After Demos had been sent to the sound engineer Markus Born in Mannheim, came back an enthusiastic response: "I'm already looking forward to animal ..." Markus Born is known in Germany for his collaboration with the "Sons of Mannheim", Xavier Naidoo and Edo Zanki.
Christian Kammerl with Markus Born in Sandhausen
When the album was finished, it made one last trip to Vienna to Christoph Stickel, a sound engineer well known far beyond German-speaking borders. Mastering by Christoph Stickel, the album got the finishing touch and is now ready for release.
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