Reza e iRagazzi - Reza E Iragazzi: Grieg Unheard (2014)

With ‘Grieg Unheard’, the controversial pianist, conductor and musical iconoclast Reza Aghamir has gathered together the cream of Norwegian male singers to perform thirteen songs by Norway’s greatest composer Edvard Grieg - like you have never heard them before. What makes these remarkable performances by Reza e iRagazzi (Reza and the Boys) so special is that each of the singers here is a soloist in his own right - mostly with Norwegian Opera - and consequently the ensemble sound that is created is striking and unique. With full reverence towards Grieg’s work and none for convention, Reza e iRagazzi have chosen their particular favourites from amongst his songs for this album, arranged them where required, and performed them with unrestrained passion. ‘Grieg Unheard’ was produced by Jørgen Træen, recorded at the Norwegian Opera and in Grieg’s own living-room at Troldhaugen, and mixed at Duper Studios.

The musician Reza Aghamir grew up in Iran, fleeing the country after the revolution in 1979 and ending up in Norway. An extremely gifted pianist, he was admitted into the Norwegian Academy of Music but kicked out again. With a background in the hip-hop scene, he became a rebel within the Norwegian classical community. For the CD he selected many of today’s very best young Norwegian male singers for this “opera band”, Carsten Stabell, Yngve Søberg, Marius Roth Christensen, Henrik Engelsviken, Hallvar Djupvik, Thor Inge Falch, Espen Langvik, Ole Jørgen Kristiansen, Rolf Magne Asser, Håvard Stensvold, Fredrik Otterstad, Kjetil Støa and Jens-Erik Aasbø. One of the most popular songs “Våren” (The Last Spring) features Nina Gravrok and Primadonne.