Transcendental - Steam (Hamam: The Turkish Bath) Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Steam (Hamam:The Turkish Bath) is the soundtrack from the acclaimed film by Turkish director Ferzan Ozpetek. This exotic, sensual score is influenced by traditional Turkish/Ottoman melodies and the trance ceremonies of the Sufi dervishes. The compositions in STEAM are strongly influenced by traditional melodies of Sufi dervish trance ceremonies from the Konya region as well as Turkish music of the early 1900s, cutting edge Middle Eastern productions, and groove-oriented ambient/trance music.

Several groups signed to the Italian record company CNI (Compagnia Nuove Indye) participated in making the score: TRANSCENDENTAL, AGRICANTUS and SECRET. Outstanding performances were contributed by Rosie Wiederkehrthe voice in the main theme song of Steamand Faisal Taher (vocals), Massimo Silanus on violin, percussion by Zahir Xager, and Bob Callero on stick bass.

Trancendental is comprised of two Genoese composers, ALDO DE SCALZI and PIVIO. Their goal is to create a new kind of trance music, incorporating the musical traditions of the Mediterranean and creative film composing in a strongly spiritual context.

As a founding member of the new-wave group Scortilla, PIVIO released EPs with them between 1980 and 1984. He was one of the first in Italy to make computer music, collaborating with the Department of Musical I.T. of the University of Genoa. He wrote and produced the soundtrack for the film Cold Ground by G. Santi and produced tracks for the albums Tuareg and Darmadar by the group Agricantus.

ALDO DE SCALZI is the founding member of the progressive group Picchio Dal Pozzo, with whom he released two albums between 1975 and 1979 (Picchio Dal Pozzo and Abbiamo tutti i sui problemi). He was a longtime member and writer with the New Trolls, founded by his brother Vittorio. He has worked with Demetrio Stratos, Fred Frith and the Art Bears, among others.

TRANSCENDENTAL also composed the score for the film I Giardini dell Eden, directed by Alessandro D'Alatri, again with the collaboration of Agricantus. Both of Trancendental's soundtracks include contributions by Giovanni Lo Cascio (percussion) of Novalia, Paolo Modugno (lutes and percussion) of BROtheRS, and Maurizio Borzone (string instruments).

Agricantus is a uniquely talented group from Palermo, Sicily. They aim for nothing less than to help preserve our human musical heritage, by blending different cultures and archaic and electronic sounds. Starting with the ethnic folk traditions and rites of their native southern Italy, they mix in modern techniques and a vast geographical range. Their 1996 album Tuareg, was recorded in the desert of Mali, with nomad musicians and their instruments. It won the Club Tenco prize for Best World Music Album. On Steam, ROSIE WIEDERKEHR's outstanding vocals are accompanied by Mario Crispi on ney, kawwal and monotsapuno, and Toni Acquaviva on derbouka and qraqeb. The Romanian all-female 'ethnorock' group, SECRET, renders their unique blend of exotic vocals on the track "Tavla."

The director, FERZAN OZPETEK, contributed to writing the lyrics for the title track "Istanbul Uyurken," for which he also directed the video. The trance version of this track hints at the style of Trancendental's 1998 album release, Rinascimento. "Istanbul Uyurken (Hamam Trance Version)" is included in the Steam soundtrack CD as a bonus track.

Tracklist

Credits

MUSICIANS
Aldo De Scalzi - keyboards, devices, piano, bass, electric guitar, percussion, voice
Pivio - keyboards, tapes, xantur, flutes, percussion, voice
Toni Acquaviva - derbouka, qraqeb, tam tam
Mario Crispi - monotsapuno, nansur ney, kawwal
Massimo Silanus - violin
Bob Callero - 12 string stick bass
Zahir Xager - tablatics, derbouka, percussion
Rosie Wiederkehr - voice
Faisal Taher - voice
Secret - backing vocals

All compositions by Aldo De Scalzi and
Pivio except: [8] composed by Avni Anil and
Turhan Oguzbas, arranged by Aldo De Scalzi
MOl composed by Aldo De Scalzi, Pivio and Agricantus,
[16] composed by Aldo De Scalzi,
Pivio and Mario Crispi, [17] & [18] lyrics by
Ferzan Ozpetek
Produced by Aldo De Scalzi, Pivio and Dentrix

2-HOS-11306