27/04/2022
this is... Franky in NY Foundation for the Italian Americans
although Franky is based in NY ... they love CA too :) this is the link to listen to my Hotel California Remix.(sung in the Calabrian language)
https://open.spotify.com/track/008E2FuZm7WP2SY5KPSxVM?si=35a38962d9924559
What do Eagles' "Hotel California" and an Italian American musician and composer have in common? Much more than one may think. To mark the 45th anniversary of the release of the famed album named after the Eagles' evergreen hit, Michéal Castaldo is out today with a cover that pays a loving tribute both to the legendary rock band and to the artist's Italian roots. Castaldo's "Hotel California" version is no doubt the most non conventional ever, as it's sung in Calabrese language - yet it keeps the original vibes and influences of the song. "As Eagles fans well know - explains Michéal - the working title of the demo was 'Mexican Reggae'. My Calabrian translation remains true to the meter, rhyme, and beat of the original". Known for his crossover Italian ballads and Italian versions of popular hits from various genres, Castaldo has created a remix dance groove "that highlights the Reggaeton beat of the original song and brings out the flamenco flavors even more.” The song, produced by Majestic Castle Music Productions, also features the Andalusian Cante Flamenco vocalist Alfonso Mogaburo Cid. It is available on Spotify and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2K83RgUFtA
Born in Gioia Tauro, province of Reggio Calabria, Michéal Castaldo moved to Toronto, Canada along with his parents when he was a little kid. There, he was raised nurturing strong bonds both with the Italian and the North American community, being aware that music was his call - no matter if rock'n'roll or Italian pop. At 9, after a memorable solo at the performance of his church's choir, the decision was taken: he would be a musician, and do anything he could to make his passion thrive. Then came years of studying voice, guitar, piano, trumpet and songwriting, the graduation from Berklee College of Music in Boston, and eventually the relocation to New York, where he currently lives.
There's not only music in Castaldo's life, however. His deep passion for Italy lies in his artistic career, as well as in a myriad of other activities: from touristic rental of his family country house to organic olive oil production, from artisanal balsamic vinegar to a line of perfumed fragrances inspired by Mediterranean aromatic plants. If you want to know more about him, go to http://dscreationsmcastaldo.homestead.com/
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