MICHEL MONTECROSSA SINGS JIMMIE RODGERS
‘COUNTRY ROOTS’
Audio-CD
The Mira Sound Germany Audio-CD ‘Country Roots’ – Michel Montecrossa sings Jimmie Roders and related Artists features 10 Jimmie Rodgers songs including ‘My Blue Eyed Jane‘, ‘Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes‘ and ‘Jimmie The Kid’ as well as songs of related artists: Michel Montecrossa will be presented with the songs: ‘Lonesome’, ‘Another Lonesome Cowboy’, ‘Littel Bit Of Lovin” and ‘When I Hold You In My Arms’ and Bob Dylan with the songs ‘Dignity‘ and ‘Lay Lady Lay’. In addition there are three treasures of Stan Jones, Lonnie Donegan and Robert Johnson: ‘Ghost Riders In The Sky’, ‘Does Your Chewing Gum Loose Its Flavor On The Bedpost Over Night’, and ‘Come On In My Kitchen’.
Michel Montecrossa’s song-collection ‘Country Roots’ is about Jimmie Rodgers the ‘Singing Brakeman and Blue Yodeler’ and ‘Father of Country Music’, as he was called later, and some of the artists who are part of the great stream of music’s mystery Jimmie set free, like Bob Dylan and his Visionary Music, Cowboy Songwriter Stan Jones, Skiffle Man Lonnie Donegan, CyberRocker Michel Montecrossa and Jimmie Rodgers’ contemporary, the Blues-Legend Robert Johnson. Michel Montecrossa presents them all in his own essential style singing from the heart of their individuality. It is the direct, unlimited realness of 10 of Jimmie Rodgers’ songs that forms the core of Michel Montecrossa’s ‘Country Roots’.
The Jimmie Rodgers songs are: ‘Jimmie The Kid’, an autobiographical song reflecting Jimmie Rodgers’ way up from water carrier to brakeman when he followed his father into the Mobile and Ohio Railway, enjoying traveling the country, hearing the music of different areas, observing the social conditions and making his way to the top. ‘Any Old Time’ is one of the many songs delivering Jimmie’s message, as Bob Dylan says “like nectar that can drill through steel”. ‘Prairie Lullaby’ in its tenderness is as charming as is the playful and joyfully dynamic ‘Pistol Packin’ Papa’ or the direct talking ‘Looking for a New Mama’. ‘Frankie and Johnny’ is a well known folk song Jimmie Rodgers too performed in his unique way. Michel Montecrossa presents it as ‘Frankie and Johnny Alive’ giving the story of loss and finding a special turn. ‘I’m Lonesome Too’, the heartbreaking ‘Dreamin’ With Tears in My Eyes‘ and the yearning ‘My Blue Eyed Jane‘ as well as the scary ‘Gamblin’ Bar Room Blues’ are four more masterpieces of Jimmie Rodgers’ genius and power to “get into the mystery of life and death without saying too much”, as Bob Dylan puts it. Jimmie Rodgers has been, is and will always be a force of inspiration for unnumbered musicians through his living individuality, his seriousness, his humor and his Blue Yodel Trademark because he is, as in the Warren Smith ballad, the man who “… held your hand and sang you a song.”
Songs by other artists:
The Bob Dylan song ‘Dignity‘ was chosen by Michel Montecrossa as the opening track. “It reflects the quest of Jimmie Rodgers’ life”, says Michel Montecrossa, “as much as it reflects the meaning of every true life sensing and looking for the inmost reality. It is thus a fitting prologue to Jimmie’s songs. In the same way is Bob Dylan’s ‘Lay Lady Lay’ a salute to Jimmie’s art of giving the message between the lines, ‘like the smell of flowers’ as Bob says.”
‘Ghost Riders in the Sky’ the cowboy-myth by Stan Jones, the hilarious Lonnie Donegan skiffle song ‘Does Your Chewing-Gum Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost over Night’ and the profound Robert Johnson blues ‘Come On In My Kitchen’ are included by Michel Montecrossa “as three examples of artists and songs of different times and backgrounds who share that stream of expressiveness which you can’t kill by defining it, because it will overflow every circle you draw around it.
It’s the same energy that Jimmie Rodgers knew.” The bitter-sweet ‘Lonesome’, the 12string blues ‘Another Lonesome Cowboy’, the heartfelt ‘Little Bit of Lovin” and the intense ‘When I Hold You in My Arms’ are Michel Montecrossa’s own contributions. He says: “They are sap of the roots. They are from the place where I can easily see Jimmie Rodgers. And I see him as the root and most precious flower of country music because he embodied that rare soul-power which by its innocence brings new light. Jimmie Rodgers had that innocence and his music and personality radiate it: touching and naked.”
Due to tuberculosis his life was short, beginning in poverty but it was crowned for a few quickly fading years by an immensely creative career. Born on 8th September 1897 in Pine Springs, Mississippi as the son of a railway foreman he made his way through as brakeman with little to lose and all to win. In 1924 he turned to songwriting and performing. In 1927 his music rose to popularity and from then on he bravely fought the battle against death with one song after the other, right to the end. His body died on 26th May 1933 in a New York hotel while working on his last recording. But his soul is ever present in his music with the freshness of self-renewing life, the simple mystery.
– Michel Montecrossa & Mira Sound Gemany 2001
The Songs: ‘Dignity‘, ‘Jimmie The Kid’, ‘Any Old Time’, ‘Prairie Lullaby’, ‘Pistol Packin’ Papa’, ‘Ghost Riders In The Sky’, ‘Frankie And Johnny Alive’, ‘Looking For A New Mama’, ‘Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor On The Bedpost Overnight’, ‘Lonesome’, ‘I’m Lonesome Too’, ‘Lay, Lady, Lay’, ‘Another Lonesome Cowboy’, ‘Come On In My Kitchen Baby (Rainin’ Outdoors)’, ‘Gamblin’ Bar Room Blues’, ‘Little Bit Of Lovin”, ‘My Blue Eyes Jane‘, ‘Dreamin’ With Tears In My Eyes‘, ‘When I Hold You In My Arms’
MICHEL MONTECROSSA’S NEW YEAR CONCERT 2001
‘CYBERROCK ECSTASY’
CD-Plus
Mira Sound Germany presents with the ‘CyberRock Ecstasy’ New Year Concert 2001 CD-Plus Production full power CyberRocker Michel Montecrossa.
14 Soundtracks and one Music Video highlight the magnificent atmosphere of Michel Montecrossa’s New Year Concert 2001.
With the CyberRock Ecstasy Concert Michel Montecrossa is opening a new dimension of his abundant creativity entering the stage as the 2001 CyberRocker with a New Sound, New Style of Lyrics and the Drive of Cyberage.
The Songs: ‘CyberRock Ecstasy‘, ‘God Is A Girl‘, ‘Cyberbody-Action’, ‘Cyberchant’, ‘Blue Horizon Endless Sky’, ‘Cyberpunk’, ‘Met You In Paradise’, ‘Cosmic People Rock’, ‘Cosmic Action’, ‘Dream Of The Heart’, ‘Midnight Rambler’, ‘Sex Depends On Age’, ‘Cyberman And Cybergirl’, ‘The Dream Never Ends’
The Video: ‘CyberRock Ecstasy’
‘TIME TO CHANGE’
CD-Plus
The Interactive Mira Sound Germany CD-Plus ‘Time To Change – Michel Montecrossa sings Françoise Hardy and Himself’ for the first time presents songs originally performed by Françoise Hardy in the interpretation of Michel Montecrossa together with songs written by Michel Montecrossa.
The ‘Time To Change’ soundtracks feature 9 Françoise Hardy songs and 9 Michel Montecrossa songs creating in their union the fascinating and superb atmosphere of the ‘Time To Change’ album.
‘Time To Change’ is romantic and sensual as well as powerful and profound and unfolds the theme of love, loss and finding, of struggle and happiness, of tenderness and concern in the heart-felt way which is natural to Françoise Hardy and Michel Montecrossa.
The Music-Video of the Michel Montecrossa song ‘Splendors Of True Love’ visualizes this intimate quality of the ‘Time To Change’ album with its touching and unpretending warmth of feeling.
Michel Montecrossa covers the following songs originally performed by Françoise Hardy: ‘Pouce Au Revoir / Time To Change‘, ‘Rêve‘, ‘Premiere Rencontre / First Encounter’, ‘Je Suis Moi / It’s Me’, ‘Rêver Le Nez En l’Air / Dreamin’ With My Head Up High’, ‘Que Vas-Tu Faire? / What Will You Do?’, ‘Love Me Tender’, ‘Message Personnel’, ‘Mon Amie La Rose / My Friend The Rose
The Michel Montecrossa originals are: ‘Daylight‘, ‘Answers’, ‘All The Kids Of Your World (For Young Françoise Hardy)’, ‘Stunning’, ‘Wanted Girl’, ‘Yes’, ‘A Dream In Her Gaze’, ‘Heartbeat Rocker’, ‘A Woman’s Soul’, ‘Splendors Of True Love (Movie)’
Michel Montecrossa about Françoise Hardy and the ‘Time To Change’ album:
“Françoise Hardy brings a rare vision of beauty, charm and wonder to songmusic. With her voice and personality she has opened the door to a feeling which is both heavenly and sensual. Her music is in a simple and honest way free from limiting bondage to superficial trends and the soundstructures surrounding her are expressive of this unique european – mediterranean flair which is loved all over the world. Françoise Hardy is the sweet and touching artist of taste, freshness and emotion making a light shine through her apparent fragility – the light of her strong soul. It is in appreciation of these qualities of Françoise Hardy’s music and art that I made this production. ‘Time to Change’ is my own way of expression. It is different but at the same time close to the same inner source which is behind Françoise’s way of telling things. The selection of songs which Françoise Hardy performed includes ‘Love Me Tender’, probably the only song in which Elvis Presley participated as original songwriter. To many of the other songs Françoise Hardy wrote the lyrics. The music is composed by various artists which I all like, in particular Michel Berger and Jaques Lacome. All original french lyrics were translated by me into english except ‘Message Personnel’ which was translated by Françoise Hardy and Michel Berger. In addition to the songs originally performed by Françoise Hardy I contribute my own songs; songs which I love to sing for Françoise as a warm greeting and ‘Thank You’ for her great music of tender strength.”
‘Time to Change – Michel Montecrossa sings Françoise Hardy’ interactive CD-Plus with 18 soundtracks, 1 Music-Video, Pictures, Lyrics and Internet-Data. Produced by Michel Montecrossa and released by Mira Sound Germany.
The Songs ‘Pouce, Au Revoir / Time To Change‘, ‘Daylight‘, ‘Rêve‘, ‘Answers’, ‘Première Rencontre / First Encounter’, ‘All The Kids Of Your World (For Young Françoise Hardy)’, ‘Je Suis Moi / It’s Me’, ‘Stunning’, ‘Rever Le Nez En l’Ait / Dreaming With My Head Up High’, ‘Wanted Girl’, ‘Que Vas-Tu Faire? / What Will You Do?’, ‘Yes’, ‘Love Me Tender’, ‘A Dream In Her Gaze’, ‘Message Personnel’, ‘Heartbeat Rocker’, ‘Mon Amie La Rose / My Friend The Rose’, ‘A Woman’s Soul’
Michel Montecrossa Blog 