New Maltese CD Release

'Tila'(canvas)

'FRANS BALDACCHINO 'IL-BUDAJ' and MANUEL CASHA
CD PROJECT

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The story so far…

Over the last few months, I have been working on a CD project with Frans Baldacchino 'il-Budaj' who lives in Birkirkara, Malta. This is not the first time I have produced or arranged backing music tracks for Frans who in turn uses them in his various television and radio appearances. We rarely hear of these productions here in Australia due mainly to the distance involved and the lack of Maltese programmes shown here.
Frans and my collaboration on such projects has been satisfying on a personal level for both parties, but the results may also be significant because of the aspect of joint projects between Malta and Australia. Although distance presents many a problem, over the years we have developed an understanding and a working system, which has helped us eliminate this burden.

In my last visit to Malta (September - December 2003) I spent time visiting Frans in his garage studio in Birkirkara, where he spends many hours painting, sculpturing and writing verses for his Ghana singing performances. Frans, who is better known as 'il-Budaj', is in great demand in the Maltese music scene and works regularly in many venues and clubs. On his invitation, I even found myself joining his team of guitarists and accompanying him in some of these spots. One special appearance was at the President's palace which was a memorable occasion where Maltese Ghana singing was heard in this majestic building for the first time.

The experience gave me a better insight of the venues Frans 'il-Budaj' works, as well as the type of material he presents as part of his repertoire of Ghana songs and poems which he sings with the greatest of passion and soul. In fact it was while accompanying him at the President's palace that I got the idea of how impressive it would be to present an Ghana medley, with several key changes between different themes, to fully showcase his special talent in front of such a distinguished audience. Naturally, it was too late by then but I resolved to discuss it with him for the future.

I approached him with the medley idea in my next visit. Frans, who possesses a pioneering spirit, liked the idea and took up the challenge. I promised I would start working on it as soon I got back to Melbourne…and so the wheels were in motion. I arrived back in Melbourne on New Year's Day 2004. By June I had finished the Ghana medley arrangements and had also completed the music tracks at my house in Donvale. I then sent the master to Frans who loved the ideas and immediately, wrote the appropriate lyrics and mixed his voice to them at Creative Recording Studio, in Zabbar.

The Ghana medley ran for nearly fourteen minutes and we were both pleased with the result, so we decided to do more tracks and release a complete CD album of our work. The musical arrangements are mostly based on Maltese traditional Ghana themes which I arranged and played in the same style I did in my CD 'Neon'. While I tried to stay true in the Maltese prejjem motifs on the guitar, as well as the general chord structure, the backbeat and the tempos are more modern, as are the sounds of electronic instruments. Vocally, Frans stayed close to the traditional melodies and expression of Maltese Ghana themes and yet I feel there is a new spark in some of his vocal work.

France Baldacchino's lyrics in the album are a mixture of humour, social comment, pathos and spiritual praise to God. For those hearing Maltese Ghana singing for the first time, it is worth remembering that this form of Maltese indigenous singing is usually accompanied by three acoustic guitars, but it is also important to remember that Ghana keeps evolving and growing as it has over many centuries.

One aspect that makes this musical art form very Maltese is its fidelity to the Maltese language, and 'il-Budaj's dedication to his national language in track six 'Maltija' is tantamount to an anthem. Ironically, this is not a traditional theme but a song I wrote to which I asked Frans to write the lyrics. Perhaps it is appropriate that this song moves away from the traditional themes and stands alone as an original melody, which demands attention by being different in a body of work based on Maltese Ghana themes. The Maltese language has stood alone against the threat of extinction under many rulers in its history, yet, it always survived.

The work Frans and I offer here is a myriad of ideas and inspirations, which we sketched and painted on the same canvas or 'Tila', as we say in Maltese. We hope you will enjoy the music as much as we enjoyed creating it, between continents.

Manuel Casha and Frans Baldacchino 'il-budaj' at San Anton Gardens December 2003

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'Tila'

jikteb Frans Baldacchino 'il-Budaj'

Jien u l-habib tieghi Manuel Casha, meta kien Malta l-ahhar li gie jarana, konna ltqajna u ddiskutejna biex naraw kif sejrin naghmlu medley bil-ghana. L-ewwel m'ghamilna qbilna li din tista 'ssir. Biex isammghali ftit tonijiet qabad il-kiterra u beda jdoqq. Sintendi id-daqq helu ta' Manuel laqatni u wara li smajt ftit tonijiet iddecidejna, li kif jerga jitla l-Awstralja jirranga xi haga biex il-medley naghmluha.

Malli jien ircievejt id-daqq lest fuq CD issahhart fuq dan id-daqq u mill-ewwel qbadt nikteb il-lirika. Ghalkemm id-daqq kien varjat ridt noqghod attent li s-suggett ikun wiehed li jmur mar-ritmi kollha li kelli f'idejja. Insomma mort insib studio fejn stajt nirrikordja u l-medley saret. Bghattha lil Manuel lura l-Awstralja u ghogbitu hafna.

Minn hem mil-quddiem manuel thajjar li bejnietna t0tnjn stajna nzidu xi ritmi ohrajn u biex nibdlu xi ftit il-hoss u r-ritmi u naghmlu xi haga ftit differenti iddecidejna li naghmlu din is-CD. Rega baghtli d-daqq tal-kumplament, ktibt il-kliem ta'seba' bicciet ohra, mort nirrikordja, bghatthomlu lura, ghogbuh, u bi ftehim taghna t-tnejn din is-CD waslet.

Jidhrilna li jien u Manuel bqajna fidili lejn it-tradizzjoni taghna, kull ma bdilna il-hsejjes li konna nisimghu u li nhossu li stagnajna xi fti bihom. Hassejna li kien hemm lok fejn wiehed jista' jisviluppa dawn ir-ritmi maltin u nimmelodjahom ghal widna tallum, bhal ma diga sar bil 'Hooked on Classic' u bil- Flamengo spanjol. Jista jkun li dawn ir-riformi muzikali igibu xi ftit tal-kritika, imma ahjar nirrangaw dak li diga ghandna milli nhalluh jigi maqtul minn ritmi ohrajn moderni.

Ahna deherilna li ghamilna pass ghall-ahjar u nittamaw lid dan is-CD jintlaqa tajjeb biex ikun ta' kuragg ghalina ghal quddiem. Malli wiehed jisma'dawn ir-ritmi ihoss li anki jista jiccaqlaq. Malli wiehed jisma' dawn ir-ritmi ihoss li anki jista jcaqlaq riglejh u jizfen ghaliex ir-ritmi kollha fihom laqta danzabbli li mhix haga facli li thoss fuq daqq antik kif dejjem kien qabel u li ilu gej ghal bosta snin. Dan li ghamilna jien u Manuel Casha biex intejbu u mhux biex neqirdu, ghalhekk nittamaw li n-nies jifhmu l-iskop taghna t-tnejn.

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France Baldacchino
Il-Budaj
Jannar 2005

The price - $20 Australian + postage

manniec@optusnet.com.au
Cost $AUD20 (+ $2 postage for Australia or $5 overseas) you may send the equivalent in US dollars by cheque lease

Details

- The name of the CD is 'Tila' (canvas) -
- Vocals & lyrics by Frans Baldacchino 'il-Budaj' -
- "Musical arrangements, and music production by Manuel Casha -
- Cover design and concepts by Manuel Casha. -

Email: manniec@optusnet.com.au
Website: www.manuelcasha.com