New Age and New Sounds
Interview by Alessandro Doni
October issue, 2007 www.emmekeditore.it
(click to see a larger image!)
A new wind from Greece
Cinematic melodies and orchestral sounds from the Greek duo, who, thanks to a first, beautiful album and to a second in preparation, is prepared to overcome the national confinements and to invade the European musical scene.
Fofi Maniadaki and Samy Elgazzar, the founding members of Honest Touch, love to call themselves a "project" more than a musical band, partly because they love to create arrangements for large ensembles, such as the Amadeus Orchestra, the Philarmonia Bulgarica, the choir Fons Musicalis. The two has exquisitely debuted in 2005 with the New Age album Memories From To Dream, distributed by Universal Music, and composed and arranged by Samy, with Fofi at the piano as soloist. The CD has been successful at home, in addition to having received several independent music awards in the United States. The album is not distributed in Italy, but we grasp this opportunity to introduce you the group while they’re working on a second CD, anticipated for mid 2008. What do you mean when you say Honest Touch is a project rather than a musical group?
The idea behind the concept of a project was to give to ourselves the opportunity to collaborate with diverse talented musicians in each new album while exploring new musical concepts. Thus we can both experiment with different arrangements and orchestrations as well as with combining a number of music genres. That creative route really excites us very much and we wish our fans will enjoy and approve of the new sound and concept of our next album.
How can you describe Honest Touch sound?
Our project’s sound fuses the aesthetics of Pop and Classical, while creating a cinematic and emotional musical approach–a crossroads of Piano music, New Age Pop and Orchestral music. Our fans have compared our sound to such talented artists as David Lanz, Yanni, Ennio Morricone, keiko Matsui and Suzanne Ciani.
You play backed by famous orchestras. What does it add to your music?
First of all, I would like to thank my long time collaborator Maestro Valeri Vatchev who introduced us to the amazingly talented Bulgarian orchestras and acted as producer during the recording sessions. Our vision when writing the music for the debut album “Memories From A Dream” was to fuse, in several ways, aspects from different music genres. The color of the symphony orchestra helped convey the classical sound. Furthermore, the symphony orchestra played an important role in creating emotions and images not possible otherwise.
What's your link with New Age world? I mean: what do you think about the importance New Age culture give to spirituality, meditation and so on…
The New Age movement offers a wonderful alternative spirituality. For several decades now, New Age music has been used as an aid in healing, meditating, and generally in relaxation. While in the production phase of the album, part of our esthetic objective was to enhance the listener’s daily activities while listening to the music; to inspire him/her in different ways, either to gain faith and a feeling of capability and strength, or to relax and unwind or even to uplift and rejoice. Actually, we receive hundreds of messages from fans and listeners from all over the world telling us how the music of Honest Touch has both helped and inspired them.
Which are your future projects?
Our immediate plan for this year is to finish writing and recording the biggest part of our second album, which will be released in mid 2008. Concurrently, we’re represented by Eugene Foley, an American agent and consultant (www.foleyentertainment.com). Mr. Foley is helping us solicit record labels in Europe and USA. Fofi and I are confident that within the next two years Honest Touch will much expand its musical horizons.
Before ending, will your fans have the opportunity to see you playing in Italy?Hopefully yes. It’s our goal, as I mentioned earlier, to expand our musical horizons. Fofi and I are working very hard to increase our success and recognition, and consequently be able to perform to our supporters and fans in other countries. After all Italy is one of the most important music centers of the world.
Can you tell us a bit about the origins of Honest Touch?
Samy:
Fofi and I met early in the year 1999 at a music conservatory in Athens where we both were teaching. Our common passion for Classical music, New Age music, Pop and Film music created the momentum to unite and fulfill a common vision, to create music that fuses the aesthetics of both Pop and Classical.
How did you go about assembling the additional participants in the project - the band, the guests and the orchestral and choral artists?
Samy:
Early in the year 2000 we started looking for the remainder members of the project. Actually it wasn’t really hard, since as a professional arranger and orchestrator I work extensively with session musicians as well as with symphony orchestras. Drummer Tolis Arsenidis and bass player Sotiris Papadeas were friends and close collaborators at that time. The other members of the project were gathered as the music and concerts developed. When the time came to record the album I called my long time collaborator Maestro Valeri Vatchev in Sofia to book the symphony orchestra. Fofi contacted the director of Fons Musicalis Choir who she already knew.
What led you to work with this particular style of music?
Samy:
Since none of us write lyrics, the obvious route was instrumental music. The challenge we put ahead of us was to create, as best as we can, a unique sound and style. We believe our distinctive style is characterized by a genuine and emotional color. You could say a sort of cinematic Pop music or as we call it “ Tacit Pop”. That is music so inspiring that words are not needed.
Do you have any major influences behind your musical approach?
Fofi:
We are both classically trained, so we are very much influenced by classical music. Among the classical composers we admire are Sergej Rachmaninoff, Maurice Ravel, and Chopin. Contemporary artists that inspire us are Ennio Moriconne, Andreas Vollenweider, David Lanz, George Winston, George Benson, and many others.
What effect would you like your music to have on your listeners?
Samy:
Our intention is to create instrumental songs that touch the listener in a sincere and emotional tone, to be enraptured by images created by the balance of continuous beautiful melodies, ambient harmonies and lush, fluent orchestrations.
Tell us a bit about your live performances - what kind of set up do you have and how is the music received?
Samy:
With Fofi on piano and me on Keyboards, we are usually supported by a five-piece band; that is drums, bass, percussion and two guitars. And of course we have guest artists on violin and voice. Depending on the venue, we may either have orchestral tracks playback or have a small ensemble of strings accompany the project.
Fofi:
The style of music we perform is not quite popular in Greece, and so our audience is usually very selective. This helps in creating a very powerful and inspiring vibe on stage and in the audience. The music and arrangements are so powerful and sincere that people in the audience who aren’t our fans soon become hooked.
What would you say is the most gratifying piece of feedback that Honest Touch has received so far?
Samy:
For the mastering of the album I contacted Vlado Meller at Sony Music Studios. Mr. Meller’s credits are quite impressive, having worked with Barbara Streisand, Prince, Celine Dion and many other renowned artists. After listening to the mix he wrote in his email: “You have a very nice album on your hands, and the fact is that it is all about the music and the feel. You have accomplished both.” I consider such a comment an honor for us.
What made you decide to include the ABBA cover on the album?
Fofi:
Actually we’re both fans of ABBA! In the beginning we thought to arrange an Abba’s song as homage for this wonderful Pop band. Later we considered it a powerful promotional tool to include in our debut album an orchestral arrangement of a hit song.
Would you say that the internet has had much impact on the distribution of your music?
Fofi:
Definitely. The internet helped us sell our album internationally through CD Baby, iTunes, Rhapsody, and others. Moreover, it’s very much practical to contact the media, press, music industry people, fans, and radio producers in any country. In short, promoting and distributing our music to the world is a lot feasible through the internet.
Where does Honest Touch go from here?
Samy:
Our plans for 2007 is to begin recording our second album; probably around April or May. Concurrently, we’ll continue promoting our music and expending our fan base throughout the world through the internet. Hopefully we’ll be successful enough to be able to perform to our fans abroad in Europe and America.
