Belle et Fou = Beau Ti Ful!
In 2006 Berlin acquired a new show... and as realized by four star chef and events caterer Hans-Peter Wodarz and producer/director Arthur Castro, Belle Et Fou combines dance, theatre and refined culinary delights and is topped off with an exquisite soundtrack that is produced and compiled by none other than Jazzanova!

This soundtrack features new material from Jazzanova as well as several amazing hand-picked selections from the Sonar Kollektiv label's back-catalogue. Orchestral soul is the predominant `genre' on the soundtrack, however we see a wide-ranging plethora of influence and style when we examine this 70 minute collection of aural ecstasy in greater detail.

Take for instance, Micatone's "D-D-D-Dance," (from their 2005 release Nomad Songs) which builds the funky groove with shakers, deep funky bass and vocals that make you want to strut your stuff all the way down your block!

Once you've had your dancing fill and would like to take it a little slower, this soundtrack has got you covered! Just take a listen to the live recording of Jazzanova ft. Clara Hill performing "That Night" at the Sonar Kollektiv Office, and not only will the pure beauty of Clara's voice and the professionalism that Jazzanova play their instruments with bring a tear to your eye, but will firmly establish that the sweetness of this sound is coming from a very real and heartfelt place in this life.

Don't be fooled, this soundtrack is coming full-range and represents sounds from a higher-realization on Jazzanova's angelic downtempo `killer of a track,' "Sirens." This cinematic arrangement is both lush and wondrous in texture and uses sounds of the female voice as an instrument (as opposed to a vehicle through which words bring imagery to mind) gently melded with acoustic guitar, harp and smooth bass sounds to form a song that could easily be mistaken for the feeling of soaring along mountain tops on the back of a majestic bird in flight.

Beautiful and crazy!
This CD is one of the all-time greats in my collection. Belle et Fou literally has it all: R&B, chill-out/lounge, house, downtempo, 70s-style pop fusion, disco, and even some Barry White-esque soul. Despite the multitude of genres -- it is a compilation, after all -- there's a beautiful cohesion among the tracks. The underlying theme of orchestral soul-jazz is complex yet unifying.

Melodic horns, lush strings, muted synth, and the gamut of percussion instruments make this CD one of the most unique and satisfying albums I have ever heard. What's even more satisfying is that you get 19 tracks of this musical bliss.

Apparently, Belle et Fou ("beautiful and crazy" in French, but the adjectives are in feminine and masculine forms, respectively) is an all-senses-incorporated theater/dance dinner show at the Casino of Berlin. Jazzanova was commissioned to create this "musical mosaic" of a soundtrack. Many of the tracks are not their own; working with the show's director, they chose the music specifically to fit the mood of the show. However, Jazzanova did write and produce several of the tracks themselves; these blend beautifully with the other hand-picked selections and add to the relaxed mood of the album.

iTunes sells the whole album for $9.99. Listen, and buy it. It will quench a musical thirst you didn't know you had.