Concert and presentation of CD Opus 7 ‘The Cross-over’ has been held in Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam. Stan Rijven journalist from Trouw provided the CD presentation and director Kees Bleichrodt of the Stichting UAF received the first copy of CD Opus 7 ‘The Cross-over’. Nihad Hrustanbegovic’s 2nd solo album consists from his own compositions and a fusion of classical, jazz, postmodern and world music. Flying Cheng 8.01 Non sospiro Alhambra Suite de Transcendent 16.41 Adriatica 6.26 Recitativo Quasi Flamenco Toccata 8.28 Balkan Gypsy Jazz 3.56 Prelude en The Children street rhapsody 9.25 Stork Suite: Wereldpromenade 1.37 Sevdah 3.41 Jazz Ballade 1.56 Flamenco wals 1.18 Balkan soul 2.06 Totaal time 63.35
The Astor Piazzolla of the accordion – Dagblad Trouw – 21 juni 2010 Stan Rijven
“What Pablo Casals did for the emancipation of the cello, and Astor Piazzolla for the bandoneon, Nihad Hrustanbegović is doing for the accordion. He gives the classical harmonica its rightful place on the concert stage. Musically, the integral performance of his new album was also a boundary- pushing. On the album ‘The Crossover’, Hrustanbegović moves with lightning speed across all scales that combine the Balkan tradition through classical and jazz with pop and flamenco. Meanwhile, it combines virtuoso melody and rhythm into a relaxing Zen experience.”
Very diverse, inventive and intensely playing musician – Saskia Bender www.mixedworldmusic.com
It takes courage to release a solo accordion CD in these times. But of course Bosnian Nihad Hrustanbegovic has courage – how could it be otherwise when you flee your war-torn homeland at the age of twenty and have to build a new life in a foreign country, and then also as a musician. The very talented accordionist, composer and teacher shows how broad his scope is on Opus 7, The Cross-over. He draws on the music traditions of Eastern Europe, on contemporary composed music, jazz, tango and gypsy swing. His resume shows how versatile Hrustanbregovic is: he played with Grace Jones, Flairck, Al Di Meola and the Rosenberg family. And the general public is familiar with the music he wrote in 2007 for the Heineken Extra Cold commercial. This album is a wonderful calling card for a very diverse, inventive and intensely playing musician who rightly puts the accordion in the spotlight.
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Non sospiro Alhambra
