Try before you buy!  Here are a few audio samples from our latest album String Fever’s World Cruise.  Its available now for digital download from the String Fever online shop.

Scroll down for the full track list and program notes.

String Fever’s World Cruise

program notes by Brenton

When we first created String Fever in 1998 our former managing-agent had the bright idea that our theme should be “a musical trip around the world”.  It was a great source of inspiration and we loved tapping into the huge supply of beloved songs & instrumentals firmly associated with various nationalities.  Twenty years later we’ve created a new themed show and album on the “’round the world” theme.  The main difference is that we’ve now actually been to most of the places we play music from, thanks to our cruising career!

1.  España Cañi (Spain)

A classic Paso Doble which has been performed by flamenco guitarists, saxophonists and full orchestras in thousands of different arrangements.  Even André Rieu performs it!  It’s often associated with the bullfight, but thankfully we can still enjoy the wonderful music without killing any bulls.

2.  Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (England)

You can’t get more British than The Beatles.  Our thanks go out to Paul McCartney for creating this joyous tune.  Although apparently John Lennon hated it.

3.  Czárdás (Hungary)

Although the Czárdás is traditionally a Hungarian folk dance, this particular composition was written by an Italian called Vittorio Monti.  Just about every violin student plays Monti’s Czárdás at one stage or another, often causing a lot of angst to their long-suffering parents.  Our version is inspired by a live festival performance by Nigel Kennedy.

4.  Reel Around the Sun from Riverdance (Ireland)

String Fever was created the year after the first US tour of Riverdance, and Riverdance music was the hot ticket at the time.  Reel Around the Sun was one of the first arrangements we wrote for our act as it works so well for our instruments.  Twenty years later we still love it.

5.  Can’t Help Falling in Love (USA)

It’s impossible to choose just one style of music which captures the spirit of the US, but we think Elvis Presley’s popularity is almost universal.  We recorded this song as an intimate duet for cello and piano.

6.  The Love Boat (Cruise nostalgia)

How could we record an album called World Cruise without including this nostalgic gem?  Jacqui and I were lucky enough to have a tour of the original Island Princess, one of the two ships used in the making of the original Love Boat series.  (The actual Love Boat was the Pacific Princess but the Island Princess was an exact replica and occasionally used in filming).

7.  Tarantella (Italy)

This archetypically Italian dance was invented as a cure for the bite of the Tarantula!  I think I’ll stick with the anti-venom.

8.  Zorba’s Dance (Greece)

Also known as Zorbas and Zorba the Greek this is a song that everyone seems to love to clap along to.  When we’re playing it live I always suspect the audience is trying to get the band to play faster than we can cope with.  That’s why we practise a lot.

9.  Sabre Dance (Russia)

Although this was written as classical ballet music by Aram Khachaturian it has become one of the 20th Century’s most recognizable tunes.  It has been used in countless movies and TV shows and was even a Jukebox hit in 1948.  Its also been covered by umpteen brass-bands, pop groups and buskers, and at least one Australian violin and cello variety duo.

10.  Chiquitita (Sweden)

Benny & Bjorn of ABBA wrote some fantastic tunes which sound beautiful as instrumentals.  This recording marks the first time I’ve played viola on a String Fever album.  Despite all the jokes I really like the instrument!  You can also see me playing viola in our five-minute studio demo video Five Shades of Careless Whisper.

11. Tritsch Tratsch Polka (Austria)

Although this is not a waltz, it was written by the Viennese “Waltz King” Johann Strauss Junior.

12.  Can Can (France)

In the 18th century, you could get arrested for dancing the Can Can.  These days you just get exhausted.