Don the Tiger
Let’s dive into the extraordinary world of Matanzas. Led by Don The Tiger’s deep, expressive voice, we'll find out how Cuban bolero can smoothly collide with experimental recording techniques, how the spirit of Andalusian processions can coexist with video game music, and how Catalan sardana can morph into a cubist strain of ambient music. We'll also encounter murderous sharks, doomed relationships, parrots & pirates, and even a fisherman of the disappearing Aral Sea.
Don the Tiger is the solo project of Adrián de Alfonso, an ubiquitous presence in Barcelona's underground until recently, and the nomadic guitarist who has played with the likes of Lydia Lunch, Mark Cunningham, Robert Forster and Carla Bozulich.
Having relocated to Berlin, Don The Tiger now takes inspiration from everything he misses in that city - be it rumba, MPB, baroque fantasy, guabina, flamenco or Fania Records- and mixes it with musique concrète and elaborate sampling techniques, delivering it all in a way that owes more to primitive rock'n'roll than to anything else.
Described by Don The Tiger as “a dive into melodic exuberance after years of experimental music-making”, Matanzas is his second album to date. It was mixed and produced with the help of revered Colombian pop experimentalist Lucrecia Dalt
The Lewis Sisters comprise of singer-songwriters Sylvie Lewis and Sharon Lewis ( pooka). They will be sharing songs together in harmony accompanied by guitar and ukulele.
Sylvie:
Her first recording was aged 14 at AIR Studios in London with Beatles producer George Martin. The songs they recorded garnered her a place at Berklee College of music in Boston which she attended for 3 years before graduating with a degree in songwriting.
After finishing her studies she headed to Los Angeles where she met and began a long collaboration with the late Richard Swift (The Shins, The Black Keys, Nathaniel Rateliff etc) and together they made 3 albums. Her first album aroused the interest of Indy label Cheap Lullaby Records (Ane Brun, Teitur, Joan As Policewoman) who signed her. Music from all her albums has since found it’s way onto film and T.V. soundtracks most notably “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Barney’s Version”.
Sylvie toured the US extensively and began a creative relationship with Sondre Lerche co-writing songs for both their albums and touring in the US and in Europe. She has also toured with: Eleni Mandel, Ed Harcourt, The Weepies, Jaymay, Dawn Landes, as well as opening for Jesse Winchester, Tom Brosseau and Josephine Foster among others.
In 2007 she relocated to Rome where she became part of L’Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio, a multi-ethnic orchestra with musicians from 17 different countries.
Sharon
Much revered for her tender and heartfelt songs enchanting songstress Sharon Lewis weaves a rare and compelling spell with delicate vocals and piano/guitar playing. Formerly one half of highly regarded duo Pooka, she has collaborated with eclectic artists such as Orbital, 1 Giant Leap, Nick Hemming from The Leisure Society and more recently Anais Mitchell in her folk opera Hadestown which featured artists such as Ani Difranco and Martin Carthy.