(Crossover Jazz, Classical) [WEB] Noa (Achinoam Nini) - Letters to Bach - 2019, FLAC (tracks), lossless

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/noa-mn0000344061/biography
Artist Biography by Jason Birchmeier
Noa, also known by her given name, Achinoam Nini, was arguably Israel's most internationally renowned singer around the turn of the century. Born in Tel-Aviv in 1969 to a family of Yemeni heritage, she lived in New York from age two until age 17, at which point she returned to Israel. After serving her two years of mandatory military service, she studied music at the Rimon School, where she befriended Gil Dor, a multi-instrumentalist (guitar, piano, percussion, etc.) who would become her longtime musical collaborator.
Influenced by singer/songwriters such as Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, and Leonard Cohen, Noa teamed with Dor for her debut album, Achinoam Nini/Gil Dor Live (1991), as well as its follow-up, Achinoam Nini/Gil Dor (1993). Her third album, Noa (1994), was her first to be released internationally. Released by Geffen Records, the album was produced in New York by jazz guitarist Pat Metheny, with whom Dor was acquainted; most of the songs are sung in English and feature Steve Rodby (acoustic bass) and Lyle Mays (piano) of the Pat Metheny Group. Her fourth album, Calling (1996), produced by Rupert Hine, was also sung primarily in English and released internationally by Geffen Records. Unlike her previous recordings, it's a passionately political album inspired by the despair she felt in the wake of Yitzhak Rabin's assassination on November 4, 1995, during a massive rally for peace in Tel-Aviv at which she and Dor had performed.
In the wake of Calling's mixed reception, Noa released Achinoam Nini (1997), her first album of self-penned Hebrew-language songs, and then the live album Achinoam Nini & the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra (1998). For her next international release, her self-declared masterpiece Blue Touches Blue (2000), she collaborated with producer Mike Hedges, who had an impressive track record of working with iconic U.K. bands such as U2, Manic Street Preachers, the Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Lush. Now (2002), another international release, was a more intimate affair, written while Noa was pregnant with her first child; it was produced by Dor and Yoad Nevo. A pair of albums with the Solis String Quartet from Naples, Italy, followed -- Noa Live (2005) and Napoli-Tel Aviv (2006) -- before she teamed with Dor once again, this time for Genes & Jeans (2008), an album inspired by the Yemeni songs of her youth. In 2009 the duo of Noa and Arab-Israeli singer Mira Awad released the single "There Must Be Another Way," which was Israel's entry into that year's Eurovision Song Contest -- the song finished in 16th place. The two formed a strong friendship and, later that year, they collaborated on a full-length album, also titled There Must Be Another Way. Noa continued to work prolifically, releasing not just one, but two albums in 2011. Noapolis: Noa Sings Napoli saw her cement her longstanding connection to Italy by recording a selection of Neapolitan songs, while Eretz Shir: The Israeli Songbook was a collection of classic Hebrew songs recorded with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.

Noa, Israeli Born, NY raised singer/songwriter of Yemenite origins, is an internationally renowned artist, who has performed on the world s most prestigious stages, including numerous performances in the Vatican for three Popes, the White House, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the most important theaters of Europe. She has been produced and endorsed by Pat Metheny and Quincy Jones and shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Sting, Andrea Bocelli and many others. She is Commander of the order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Good Will Ambassador to the UN, Global Leader of Tomorrow and has received endless awards for her artistry and commitment to peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Noa s new musical project is entitled Letters to Bach, executively produced by Quincy Jones. It is comprised of 12 pieces of instrumental music written by Johann Sebastian Bach for which Noa has written English and Hebrew lyrics, inspired by subjects as diverse as technology and religion, global warming and feminism, euthanasia, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and relationships in the age of social media. The arrangements for guitar were done by Noa s long-standing musical collaborator Gil Dor, guitarist, composer, arranger and educator. The duo s performances are surprising and brilliant, with Noa s voice both soaring majestically and skipping playfully between the notes, intertwining perfectly with Gil s guitar, illuminating Bach s brilliant polyphony. In this project, Noa and Gil strive to break the binding walls of language, religion, genre, generation, and stigma to build a bridge of musical excellence, respect and joy, a place of curiosity, courage and hope... all under the auspices of the great super-connector, Johann Sebastian Bach.
https://www.cjnews.com/culture/entertainment/noa-returns-to-toronto-with-her-letters-to-bach
“The album,” Noa elaborates “is all dedicated to J.S. Bach, with lyrics I have written. The executive producer is Quincy Jones. The lyrics are very contemporary, touching upon subjects ranging from politics, feminism, religion and technology, to the generation gap, global warming, euthanasia and love. We are very proud of this album and happy to present it in our upcoming concert.”
Why letters and why Bach, especially considering she’s been performing original music for decades?
“The short answer is that Bach is amazing, incredible! The letters are lyrics, but also a correspondence across the generations with this amazing composer.”
“Throughout our career,” Noa explains, “one of the major themes has been building bridges, and trying to see how things connect. To me, Bach is that, first and foremost. He is the ultimate bridge builder. He connects generations and cultures through his incredible polyphony. We can all walk across this golden bridge that he has created to a more beautiful and spiritual place.
“Bach’s music gives me hope that things can work together,” Noa adds, “if you just touch upon that special place in melody, harmony, lyrics, voice and guitar. It’s all about how things work together.”

Noa (Achinoam Nini) - vocals, lyrics;
Gil Dor - guitar