CD Lollo Meier quartet featuring Tcha Limberger "Rosas" Gypsymusic GMLMS JP 0062, 2007 www.gypsymusic.nl / www.lollomeier.nl Last year, Lollo Meier's beautiful song Melody for "Le Quecumbar" (cd Hondarribia) made it to the finals of the International Songwriting Competition Nashville and is listed with honorable mention. This year, we're proud to announce his title song ROSAS has made it to the semi-finals of the ISC 2006. LOLLO MEIER Among the gypsy jazz musicians that play guitar in the style of Django Reinhardt, there are a few that really stand out. Lollo a Dutch gypsy was raised on gypsy Jazz and started playing at the age of 12 with members of his family. He is truly a legacy of the old master and certainly belongs to an elite group. Gipsy blood runs through the veins of this absolute top guitar player who made his goal in life to carry on the music of Django Reinhardt. His technique and suppleness are amazing, his music refreshing, not the standard tunes that are often heard in this genre. His unique style of playing has resulted in his performance today which is an extraordinary talent, simply because he makes music he loves. In addition he is an accomplished composer of new tunes which have that genuine Django flavour. press/revieuws Après le très réussi " Hondarribia ", voilà le nouveau disque du guitariste Lollo Meier, entouré d'une équipe renouvelée : à la rythmique, un duo anglais bien connu dans le style : Dave Kelbie, guitare acoustique et Andy Crowdy, contrebasse, deux excellents musiciens à la solide expérience (on les a vus aux côtés de Ian Cruikshanck, Garry Potter, Angélo Debarre ou Fapy Lafertin, entre autres) qui déroulent le tapis aux deux solistes inspirés ; la clarinette a fait place au violon, celui swingant et sensible du jeune Tcha Limberger, le fils de Vivi, entendu aux côtés de Koen De Cauter. En compagnie de tels partenaires, Lollo confirme tout le bien qu'on pensait de lui. Les 15 titres alternent standards un peu convenus (I love you, Lady be good, Some of theses days..) mais traités de façon royale (cf. l'arrangement original sur What is this thing called love : intro lente de Tcha dans un style roumain puis accélération de tempo) et 5 compositions de Lollo qui n'oublie pas la belle mélodie (cf. Rosas, swing d'excellente facture, pepe's dream, remarquable pièce en solo ou Sur la route de Paris, magnifique ballade sentimentale qui figurait déjà sur le CD précédent). Styliste au phrasé chantant et lumineux, Lollo a chois la voie de la poésie et de la musicalité (élégance, respiration, son précis, chorus très construits) plutôt que celle de la virtuosité gratuite, même s'il est un technicien hors pair (cf. son long solo sur Step swing) ; Tcha n'est pas en reste dans un style empreint de lyrisme et de sensibilité ; un petit bémol : par moments, la justesse est limite ! Pourquoi Lollo n'est-il pas signé par un label et correctement distribué ? Mystère et boule de rom ! En attendant, les programmateurs feraient bien de penser à cet ambassadeur haut de gamme d'un swing manouche authentique ! Francis Couvreux www.etudestsiganes.asso.fr Lollo Meier Quartet, All Saints Centre, Lewes 31-07-2006 by Paul Brazier A sold-out concert of gipsy jazz is an auspicious way to begin a festival. Just after 8pm, the lights dimmed and rhythm guitarist Dave Kelbie walked on stage, guitar in hand, leading the blind violinist, Tcha Limberger. Following them came the stand-in bass player, Andy Crowley, and Lollo Meier himself. They sat down and launched straight into a wonderfully quick, light-hearted tune ñ but all their music is joyous, even the melancholy songs. They played an array of original and standard tunes, featuring some classic Django Reinhardt such as Nuages and Djangology. But of special note were the Quecumbar Waltz and the two songs on which Limberger sang. His voice, mostly light and romantic, would suddenlydevelop a harder, louder edge, then fall back into more mellifluous tones. Likewise, he treated us to an astonishing display of virtuoso playing equalled only by Lollo Meier himself on the guitar, with the two of them swapping high-speed licks to great effect by the end of the evening. A full minute's ovation greeted the last number then the group gradually faded awayover three encores, finallyleaving Meier to perform a short guitar solo piece to end a perfect concert. The festival is off to a swinging start. London Evening Standard 13.12.2004 - Brilliancy Unamplified European stars beating a path to le Quecumbar’s door include Dutch virtuoso Lollo Meier and his Belgian colleague, the blind violinist-guitarist Tcha Limberger. Backed by two British experts, Jonny Gee (double bass) and Dave Kelbie (rhythm guitar), they made some wonderful music last night. Dutch players are reputedly more subtle than their French and German counterparts, and sure enough Meier was caressing the strings at the fiercest tempos. Limberger varied his attack, sometimes making the violin speak in a tender, breathy tone. Having warmed up with some Reinhardt favourites, Limberger began switching between violin and guitar, and then singing. Brilliancies came and went so fast that there was hardly time to applaud until the end. Nobody had used amplification or even a microphone, Limberger simply rising from his chair between numbers to deliver his announcements. JACK MASSARIK