Otto Vowinkel

Guitar maker Amsterdam

cutaway

Boi Akih livestream at the Concertgemaal

These are guitarist/composer Niels Brouwer and vocalist Monica Akihary, the core of ensemble BOI AKIH.

BOI AKIH has a unique, striking sound based on musical traditions from the Moluccas (Melanesia/Oceania), Sunda and Bali, Dutch (European) jazz and improvised music, classical Indian music and traditional African music.

Singer Monica writes and sings in her father’s native language, regarded as moribund by the scientific world. Since 1998 Brouwer and Akihary have been working with Dutch and Australian linguists who study Haruku. With their help and support, Boi Akih not only keeps the tradition alive, but also employs the language in its most authentic form: poetic self-expression.

This video was recorded at the Concertgemaal, a former pumping station which was turned in to a cultural spot and concert venue. During the lock down it offered live streams for their audience.

Niels Brouwer plays a seven string, cutaway, Model 2A.

Lazaro Tejedor on the Spotify List

Leyenda - Lazaro Tejedor_CD

This is Leyenda, a CD by Lazaro Tejedor. He sent it to me a while ago since he recorded it with a spruce top cutaway concert model , built by me.

Lazaro Tejedor works as a guitar teacher, guitarist and composer. He also organizes guitar workshops in the Netherlands, Spain and Morocco.

Lazaro Tejedor was born on Tenerife, the largest and most populated island of the Canary Islands (Spain). He’s fluent in Spanish, English and Dutch. Occasionally he performes as a singer-songwriter, usually in Spanish.

Last week Spotify celebrated it’s ten year anniversary so I updated my playlist on Spotify with albums or tracks, played on guitars built by me. It’s named Played on guitars made by Otto Vowinkel. The playlist is far from complete. If you know an album or track which should be added, please tell me. For now, I hope you enjoy Lazaro’s interpretation of the title track of his CD, which obviously, I included on my list.

Ernesto Snajer and Luis Salinas in Notas de Paso

luis salina _ernesto snajer

These are the Argentian guitarists Luis Salinas and Ernesto Snajer in Notas de Paso, Ernesto’s music talk show in which he invites his collegues and friends to discuss musical style, performing, arranging ,instruments and everything else that is or has been important in their professional career.

The program was never meant to be didactic but a lot can be learned by listening to Ernesto’s guests. Those who don’t understand a word of the Castellano, can simply enjoy the music played by these top of the bill musicians.

Listen and watch
Milonga Sentimental by Sebastián Piana (fragments) – 4:17 – improvisations at 6:10 and 8:10.
How insensitive by Carlos Jobim – 10:24.
Zamba en Mi by Master Salinas himself – 17:19.

For this occasion Luis Salinas plays the cutaway (concert model) which I made especially for Ernesto and about which I wrote earlier.