Music talent usually runs in families, we have never been able to determine if it was nature or nurture or both, as many children of famous musicians follow their parents’ steps.
Joachim Cooder, son of legendary guitarist, Ry Cooder – who was to Cuban music what Paul Simon was to South African music – has just released an album 'Love On A Real Train' as his new project, which can hardly be called ‘solo’, since each track features one of his close friends and family: Inara George, Petra Haden, Matt Costa, Frank Lyon, Jon Hassell, his wife Juliette Commagere and her brother Robert Francis. I remember seeing Juliette joining her brother on stage at the Bootleg theater a while ago, may be Joachim was there too?
Originally a percussionist, he transformed himself in a sort of bandleader for this new project, and after listening to the whole album only once, I can tell I could obviously hear many African and exotic influences all over it.
This track featuring Matt Costa posted on Soundcloud reflects the multiple influences Joachim was exposed to while traveling with his father. ‘Strike Up Your Matches’ is a textured adventure with Matt Costa’s layered and bright voice singing a catchy tune over both festive and melancholic choirs, that transformed themselves into an atmospheric vibe.
And what about the title of the project, could it be a nod to the German electronic band Tangerine Dream? Indeed, this is what Joachim said to the LA Times about it:
‘There was definitely a deep-pink-sunset feeling I wanted. When I was younger my dad would get tapes of temp music for film soundtracks, and I remember one was 'Thief' by Tangerine Dream from that Michael Mann film. It just felt so cold and lonely and beautiful at once.’
‘Love on a Real Train’ was released on April 3 on Aeronaut Records, and it is quite unclassifiable and diverse. Let's just say it is a sort of soundtrack for the beautiful view at sunset from his Echo Park house, as he explained in an interview.