This week sees the much anticipated release of Gypsyhood, a unique CD capturing 13 years of material written by the Colombian musician Daniel Cruz. The album is unique in that Cruz has recorded it with a selection of outstanding street artists of some 18 different nationalities across 12 cities around the world.
Gypsyhood is released by independent record label Planet Alice Productions (www.planetalice.net) and represents the unprecedented journey Cruz embarked upon recording his own songs as played by street artists from far and wide. In the making of the album Cruz travelled to Germany, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Cuba, Turkey, England, Portugal and China.
Daniel Cruz started the project back in 1996 jamming with musicians on the streets of Bogotá. The following years were to see the musician, after studying recording arts in London, realise his vision and take his recording equipment to the world's streets to capture the talent of grass roots musicians, and work with them to record this original material. Gypsyhood was recorded in all sorts of places including cultural centres, music schools, houses of friends, wedding halls, living rooms and, of course in the streets themselves.
Cruz explains his reasons for embarking upon this remarkable journey. “Music lives in the street. It feeds from reality and gives us myths. I'm sure the street has a voice thanks to a mysterious pact it made with street artists. I went to the streets of the world to meet these people, to invite them to play with me my music, my compositions. I went to the streets of the world because like them I have a pact with music, I am a wonderer, a troubadour.”
The Gypsyhood project is exciting and different from any other album on a number of levels. Not only does it offer the listener the opportunity to discover and enjoy artists they would never have come across but is also a platform for artists from so many different cultures and countries. In the booklet that accompanies the CD, Cruz highlight his experiences with the musicians of Gypsyhood, making it possible to learn more about their different origins and personalities and. In consequence, about modern street music.
All music and lyrics, recording, mixing and the production of Gypsyhood is by Daniel Cruz. The album is now available in www.planetalice.net, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.com and soon in itunes.
