Bob Hill Illicit Grooves
I love everything about this album; the tunes most certainly but also the concept and how it was made. Many a track from this will be finding a place on the playlists of The Illicit Grooves Radio Show. Class, sheer class.
roirizla
It takes me back to a sunny Sunday morning at Green man 2022. I walked in just as they started their set and thought to my self, "oh hey! Brazilian music sung in Norwegian...how nice". By the time it dawned on me that it's actually sung in Welsh I was already beyond totally in love with it. It is a great memory & this album allows me to relive it.
Favorite track: Olá!.
Ydych chi ishe ymuno
Yn y dathlu a’r dawnsio?
Ydyn - ni ishe ymuno
Yn y dathlu a’r dawnsio
Ydych chi ishe ymuno
Yn y canu a’r gwrando?
Ydyn - ni ishe ymuno
Yn y canu a’r gwrando
Ydych chii ishe ymuno
Yn y rhannu a’r joio?
Ydyn - ni ishe ymuno
Yn y rhannu a’r joio
Wel, co ni off
Neb ar goll?
Ni ar y ffordd
Mas i wlad arall
Gwlad tropical
Y carnifal
Ola, Ola, Ola
Ola, Ola, Ola
Ola, Ola Ola,
Bom dia!
Teimla’r curiad ‘ma
Teimlad da
O’r samba
Dere mas i’r haul
Gwych neu gwael
Ni am adael
Ola, Ola, Ola
Ola, Ola, Ola
Ola, Ola Ola,
Bom dia!
Ola, Ola, Ola, Ola
Bom Dia!
Hiya, Hiya, Hiya, Hiya
Bore da!
Mae’r bywyd llonydd
Tu ôl i’r gorchudd
Yn y tŷ rydym ni gyda’n gilydd
Mae’r drws hyn ar agor
Bydd e wastad ar agor
Fel dylai fod o hyd
Dros y blynydde
Roedd y camgymeriade’n
Fwy na ddisgwylio'n ni'n dau
Ond mae ‘na dal siawns
I ailgynnu'r rhamant
Mae’n dibynnu arno ni’n dau
Anghofia’r camgymeriadau
Yr holl bethau bychain
Fu’n tyfu rhyngo ni shwt gymaint
Os tyfo'n nhw gymaint
Ni oedd ar fai
Os o’n ni’n ffeulu symud mlaen
Ond mae na dal amser
I lenwi’r holl wacter
Fi ishe bod ble'r o’n ni o’r blaen
Rwy’n moyn popeth eto
Sai ishe bod ofn
Fi ishe rhoi mewn mwy
Cariad, fi moyn rhagor -
Teithio tan fi’n blino
Penwythnosau ger y mor
Ishe mynd mas i’r byd
Moyn cwtsho ffrindiau eto
Fi moyn gwilio mwy o ffilmiau
A darllen mwy
Mynd mas mwy
Sai moyn becso cymaint, ishe aros mas yn hwyr
Ishe eiliadau o heddwch
Ishe gwennu mwy a helpu mwy
Ishe bod yn hapus
Ishe bach o heddwch
Ishe bach o heddwch
Sai’n moyn aros rhagor
Moyn edrych mlaen i’r dyfodol
Llai o ymddiheurio
Teimlo’n llai euog
Sai moyn methu ti gymaint
Fi moyn mwy a phopeth arall
Mi ddaw’r gweddill yn araf bach
Be wnai, os na?
Cariad, Cariad
Rhywle draw, draw ymhell
Ddim rhy bell o’r cyhydedd
Mae 'na le
Ym Môr Y De
Paradwys hyfryd yw hi
Ynys breuddwyd yw i ni
Mae’i fel y nef
I fi a nghred
Hwylio’i hafonydd hirion
Dringo’i mynyddoedd mawrion
Rhannu’r Gair
I’r Ynys Aur
Cysgu’n sownd mewn caban pren
Sêr anfeidrol uwch fy mhen
A’r heulwen
Diddiwedd
Pan mae’r haf yn dod yma
Mae’n aeaf draw fanna
Ond wastad yn braf
O leiaf
Berwi’n boeth fwy nag erioed
Nofio’n noeth dan olau'r lloer
Rhannu’r Gair
I’r Ynys Aur
Casglu cregyn ar y traeth
Anghofiai byth fy nhaith
Yn rhannu’r Gair
I’r Ynys Aur
Arpoador
Y garreg aur ar lan y môr
Ble licen i fod
Trysor Rio
Fi ishe mynd na unwaith to
Mae'n disgleirio!
Y lle gore i wylio
Yr haul yn araf gwympo
Hwyr y prynhawn
Os bydd y telerau yn iawn
Bydd y glannau’n llawn
A phan ddaw’r awr
(Mae’r) haul yn cael cynulleidfa fawr
Wrth iddo fynd lawr
Pawb yn clapio’r machlud
Am olygfa hyfryd!
Ipanema
A hefyd Copacabana -
Mae’r ddau yna!
Am gyfuniad!
Arpoador
A’i draethau hardd ar naill ochr
Yn edrych mas i’r môr
Arpoador
Ai dyna’r awr?
Gwell i mi fynd nawr
Fi di joio’n hun mas draw
Oriau braf
Mewn cwmni da
Ond mae’r amser wedi rhedeg mas
Ble aeth yr amser?
Ble aeth yr amser?
Gobeithio daw ryw gyfle to
Y byddai nol ryw dro
Ble aeth yr amser?
Ble aeth yr amser?
Ai dyna’r awr?
Fi di blino nawr
Sa nai’n aros diolch yn fawr
Wel dyna ni
Am heddiw
Mae’n bryd i ni rhoi’r gorau iddi
Ble aeth yr amser?
Ble aeth yr amser?
about
Late in 2020 as a global pandemic was raging, BBC Radio Cymru approached Carwyn Ellis with a view to performing a radio concert with Rio 18 and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
There would be no audience present. The orchestra would have limited numbers due to social distancing measures. And as the pandemic worsened, it became clear that Rio 18 themselves would not be able to travel or rehearse together either.
But the show must go on! So Carwyn adapted. He came up with these songs, and began recording them alone at home. Then, he sent them to his co-producer Shawn Lee who added drums and percussion at his studio in London. With these elements, the rest of the band were able to add their contributions from wherever they were, with Shawn co-ordinating the group’s recordings into the super tight tracks you hear here. Rio 18 did not see each other, or play together at all during the course of this process! Which is truly remarkable because the energy, joy, love and pure magic is palpable in these recordings.
In conjunction with these musical elements, Carwyn worked alongside two brilliant arrangers to make the orchestrations: the Brazilian Christiaan Oyens and Welshman Owain Gruffudd Roberts, who also conducted the orchestra.
The words are in Welsh. The music is international. In Rio 18 alone, there are Brazilian, American, Venezuelan, English and of course, Welsh members. The album is mixed by a French man. It is mastered by an Italian. The record label is German.
The title of this album, ‘Yn Rio’ reflects the theme and the sentiment behind the performance - it’s loosely based around a day in Rio. The first two Rio 18 albums were recorded mostly in Rio de Janeiro at the studio of producer Kassin in the Botafogo district, and this is where Carwyn stayed on his visits. Arpoador is the spot between Ipanema and Copacabana beaches where people go to see the sunset. Açai is what the band drink during their breaks in the studio. Y Bywyd Llonydd’ is a cover of Kassin’s masterful song, ‘A Paisagem Morta’ translated by Carwyn into Welsh. And ‘Y Ferch Ar Y Cei’ is a musical reflection of a poem by the great bard, T.H. Parry Williams written after his visit to Brasil a hundred years ago. These songs make up a heartfelt love letter to Rio, and to better times for us all.
And so, at 8pm on March 20, 2021, Carwyn Ellis sang and played these songs with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in one performance, over the course of an hour or so. The full show was broadcast the following day on BBC Radio Cymru (no time for re-takes or overdubs!) and was more than we could ever have hoped for. This record is a document of the thrilling new music created in that performance.
These are songs of hope, history and harmony, recorded in exceptionally challenging circumstances but in a spirit of international brother- and sisterhood, showing just what we can achieve if we dream, work and play… together.
- Mr Mellow (Légère Recordings)
"I sat in the room when the BBC National Orchestra of Wales accompanied Carwyn Ellis at this very special concert. I’m so glad this record is being released; it shows the depth of Carwyn’s talents and takes us somewhere very special!"
- Huw Stephens (BBC Radio Cymru / BBC 6 Music)
credits
released October 22, 2021
Carwyn Ellis - voice, guitars, piano and harpsichord
& Rio 18:
Shawn Lee - drums and percussion
Baldomeru Verdu - percussion
Andre Siqueira - percussion
David Page - guitars
Joe Carvell - bass
Elan Rhys - voice
Marged Rhys - voice
Nina Miranda - voice
Jim Hunt - flute
With the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Owain Gruffudd Roberts.
Produced by Carwyn Ellis and Shawn Lee
Mixed by Pierre Duplan
Rio 18 recordings co-ordinated by Shawn Lee
and engineered by Paul Elliott and Aled Wyn Hughes
Carwyn Ellis & BBC National Orchestra of Wales recordings engineered and recorded by Simon Smith at Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff.
Mastered by Andrea de Bernardi
Tracks 2,3,5 & 9 arranged by Christiaan Oyens
Tracks 1 & 8 arranged by Carwyn Ellis
Track 7 arranged by Carwyn Ellis and Christiaan Oyens
Tracks 6 & 10 arranged by Owain Gruffudd
Orchestrations and score preparation by Owain Gruffudd Roberts
Cover Art by Michael Gillette
Design by Richard Chitty
These performances were originally broadcast on BBC Radio Cymru on Sunday March 21, 2021.
Like so many others, this came like a bolt out of the blue and, even though it's well before payday, I had to have this astonishing album on vinyl to prove it exists. The feel of the tunes makes me feel like the Impressions do, Curtis Mayfield, the big spaces and instinctive horns and stuff drifting in and out. Great grooves and I can see lots of ghosts nodding along to this with big smiles on their faces. At last! Anthony Cottrell