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October 28, 2006
Jana Nitsch – Updated

Jana2s

(update below)

Jana is one of my favorite local street artists. She sings balads/chanson in four languages, with an impressive voice and seemingly in trance.

Today she had selfmade CDs for sale.

Drachenblut (mp3) is sung in bard style and a mixture of modern and medievial German

Living A Sunday (mp3)

my favorite: Gold ("why aren’t you here with me …") (mp3)

(I didn’t compress much, so filesizes are about 4Mb)

bigger pic, another pic

(sorry, only cellphone cam pics)

How do you like her music? I’ll let her know your opinion.

Update:

Today I met Jana for a coffee/tea and did get the CDs for those of you who asked. (And yes Rowan, she is really pretty …)

Here are four more songs by her, though only as teasers – i.e. incomplete. Still, very enjoyable music – give it a try.

Toute En Ronde,
Mis Sueños,
Is It Okay? and something special.

If you want to have a CD by this coming star, let me know.

Posted by b on October 28, 2006 at 15:52 UTC | Permalink
Comments

very nice.
well, she’s not “a local street performer” now, not after travelling through my t1 line.

Posted by: slothrop | Oct 28 2006 17:13 utc | 1

Living A Sunday
is my pick.
Would be at home with the Dixie Chicks.

Posted by: Cloned Poster | Oct 28 2006 17:28 utc | 2

i am with bernhard. b is my favorite, makes me want to hear more.

Posted by: conchita | Oct 28 2006 17:43 utc | 3

Loved it b, great assertive, yet sensitive voice. Nice with the accordian. I’d buy one.

Posted by: anna missed | Oct 28 2006 18:34 utc | 4

Drachenblut is my favorite. I love the sound of an accordian …bal musette, zydeco… music that occupies a place and time. Or maybe I should qualify that remark, considering that the best-known accordionist in recent American memory is Lawrence Welk, Polka Master.

Posted by: fauxreal | Oct 28 2006 18:39 utc | 5

@anna missed – I asked the price and Jana asked what I would pay – I said 15 and she was very suprised – I told her that I had listened often to her playing and never gave anything to her even when I should have done so, so I just payed what was due anyway.
You can send me an email, and I’ll get you a CD.

Posted by: b | Oct 28 2006 18:42 utc | 6

I love her voice. Really liked Drachenblut, with its asymmetric phrasing. She’d be really spooky singing Solomonsong or Seerauberjenny.

Posted by: catlady | Oct 28 2006 18:44 utc | 7

yes, she’s wonderful(and very pretty too). i like gold the best. could we get a translation? my next favorite is living on a sunday then Drachenblut. they are all excellent tho.
thanks, been listening to her while i work…

Posted by: annie | Oct 28 2006 20:31 utc | 8

b, could you translate Drachenblut also?

Posted by: annie | Oct 28 2006 20:37 utc | 9

She’s very talented B.

Posted by: ran | Oct 28 2006 20:53 utc | 10

“Dragon blood” is my favorite; lots of interesting little twists and turns in the melody.
Fauxreal, isn’t Myron Florin (LW’s featured accordionist) more famous for assaulting the squeezebox than Welk himself?

Posted by: cpg | Oct 28 2006 23:10 utc | 11

thanks b – i really love & am stimulated by what people bring here – which is srill a political discourse
& we the left – as wm blake knew well – in his sacred works – are forever inextricably linked with that beauty

Posted by: remembereringgiap | Oct 29 2006 0:58 utc | 12

The music is quite haunting. Is she from HH? Such a Seefahrerfabel feel to her style.
I too would like buy a copy of her CD, buy don’t know your email address. Mine is submitted with this comment, and I will hope to hear from you.

Posted by: Lurch | Oct 29 2006 2:28 utc | 13

If Bertolt Brecht and Edith Piaf had had a love child, she would be this young woman. I want her CD too. Thanks for this. Please send me payment info via the email address I’ve given. I’ve also posted a link to another forum where I know great music is appreciated.

Posted by: Sandra | Oct 29 2006 5:19 utc | 14

@annie @8
Jana Nitsch
“Gold”
// Du bist so weit so weit weit fort
An einem weit entfernten Ort
Warum bist Du nicht hier bei mir? //rep.
// Du bist meine Liebe, mein Herz und mein Gold
Doch ich will Dich nicht schmieden – hab ich nie gewollt
Denn würde ich es wollen dann wär’ es nicht richtig
Du weißt genau so wie Du bist bist Du mir wichtig
Warum bist Du nicht hier bei mir?
Warum bist Du nicht hier bei mir? //rep.
Ich wünschte Du würdest mit mir reisen
Mit mir die ganze Welt umkreisen
Doch das ist nicht dein Revier
Ich wünschte Du würdest mit mir reisen
Mit mir die ganze Welt umkreisen
Doch das ist nicht dein Revier
Denn wäre es das deine dann wärst Du ja hier
Denn wäre es das deine dann wärst Du ja hier
// Du bist so weit so weit weit fort
An einem weit entfernten Ort
Warum bist Du nicht hier bei mir? //rep.
(literal) translation
“Gold”
// You are so far so far far away
At a so far distant place
Why aren’t you here with me? //rep.
// You are my love, my heart and my gold
But I do not want to forge you – never wanted to
If I would want to it would not be right
You know just as you are you are important to me
Why aren’t you here with me?
Why aren’t you here with me? //rep.
I wish you would travel with me
Circle the whole word with me
But that is not your beat
I wish you would travel with me
Circle the whole word with me
But that is not your beat
Because if it would be yours then you would be here
Because if it would be yours then you would be here
// You are so far so far far away
At a so far distant place
Why aren’t you here with me? //rep.

Posted by: b | Oct 29 2006 6:54 utc | 15

thanks b

Posted by: annie | Oct 29 2006 6:57 utc | 16

b,
I wasn’t sure about the music at first, but that’s cause I got to the English song last, and it blew me away. Likewise, she’s, uh, really pretty. I’m with annie on that one, though possibly coming from a different direction…

Posted by: Rowan | Oct 29 2006 7:16 utc | 17

p.s. is the accordion the sexiest instrument in music?

Posted by: Rowan | Oct 29 2006 7:17 utc | 18

Wonderful, I’ll be sending this to my Germany exchange student/friends…

Posted by: Uncle $cam | Oct 29 2006 7:26 utc | 19

p.s. is the accordion the sexiest instrument in music?
Saxophone? like Candy Dulfer playing (if you have a chance, see her live) – don’t really know …

Posted by: b | Oct 29 2006 7:41 utc | 20

jeez yer slayin’ me b

Posted by: Anonymous | Oct 29 2006 8:30 utc | 21

the Candy Dulfer video was quite nice even if the tatoo of an elephant on the girl at 1:17 put me off. There is something about Dave Stewart that irrates me too. I liked Annie Lennox in Eurythmics and always wanted Stewart to stay in the background….he just looks creepy to me.
back on topic, Lower Saxony has quite a varied past with regard to street musicians from the Pied Piper of Hamelin to the Bremen Town Musicians. We have the privilege of living in the same time as Jana Nitsch.
thanks b, this women has a lot of talent. Maybe someone could offer her a break, if she wanted one of course.

Posted by: dan of steele | Oct 29 2006 11:27 utc | 22

wow, wow, wow… utterly beautiful in all aspects. German makes me melt (beide meine Eltern waren Deutsche), and as a kid I played accordian. I still have my humungous Cordovox sitting in it’s case waiting for me to pick it up again…wish I’d have stuck with it. Please drop me a line and let me know how to get her CD? Thanks a million…
Paul

Posted by: Paul | Oct 29 2006 16:03 utc | 23

was just paging down to see if a translation had been posted and realized my comment made no sense. must remember to sleep more often. it is gold that is my favorite and thanks, bernhard, for posting the lyrics.

Posted by: conchita | Oct 29 2006 16:04 utc | 24

so what are the lyrics for Drachenblut?
I’d also buy one of her cds. Actually, I could get more than one and donate the other to my local alternative station for their world music collection. I think she’d get airplay.
In Living on Sunday, her phrasing and the way she slides across notes sounds like she likes Bjork…not a bad vocal influence, imo.

Posted by: fauxreal | Oct 29 2006 18:28 utc | 25

oh, and as far as the sexist instrument… for females, maybe, harmonica might get some votes… nevermind.

Posted by: fauxreal | Oct 29 2006 18:30 utc | 26

@annie @9 –
I tried to translate Drachenblut, but it is very difficult to even catch it correct in German – it is mystic and full of conotations I am unable to translate and at the same time quite constructed – the first part in German – note how within the rhymes the first letter of the words are using the same sound letter:

Weit wie ein wolkenmeer, das wort so mit klang,
wenn der wellen wogen wiegen, fern nimmt man weinenden gesang,
sanft strahlt das sonnensegel, stumm schallt ein schrei,
innen singt ein silbersegen, singt so süß der seelen litanei,
traumtrunken tanzt der teufel, zum todeston,
trägt er trauertragetücher zu betten seinen sohn,
in fremde freiheitsfasern, hüllt sich der feind,
finded seine fesseln fahnen, die nie zu fahnen er gemeint,
…

A rough translation of the first lines could be something like this:

wide as the sea of clouds, the word so full of sound,
when the waters waves sway, far one takes a weeping sound,
soft shines the sunsails, silent sounds a scream,
within lies a silverblessing, sings so sweet the souls litany
…

Posted by: b | Oct 29 2006 18:44 utc | 27

please do some more, b. that’s really interesting. I can hear the percussive use of consonants even if I don’t understand all the words.
Your translation gets that across too. I like it even more knowing what the words mean.
I have some friends who don’t even like to know or hear words, and just want to hear the vocals as part of all the other sound…but I like to know the words as well.

Posted by: fauxreal | Oct 29 2006 18:50 utc | 28

@faux – I’ll try later – just deleted what I had of the following rhymes – it just didn’t fit ..

Posted by: b | Oct 29 2006 21:41 utc | 29

b
did you watch the documentary on arte on horst bucholz – tho i didn’t approve of the transgression of a son towards his father – there was something extremely beautiful about the self destruction of this talented & underestimated actor

Posted by: r’giap | Oct 29 2006 23:05 utc | 30

@r’giap – no missed that – I hardly watch any TV (except “Die Maus” on Sunday mornings…)
@all who asked for CDs – I have them here and have emailed all of you for addresses etc. If I somehow missed anybody, please let me know (my email address is on the “About” page).
@fauxreal – I have the text for “Drachenblut” now (it is the first time it was written down) and will try to translate a bit more later.

Posted by: b | Oct 30 2006 14:31 utc | 31

b, I’d like to pick mine up in person.

Posted by: beq | Oct 30 2006 18:59 utc | 32

b, I’d like to pick mine up in person.
Posted by: beq
hey, me too. what a great idea, beq!

Posted by: fauxreal | Oct 30 2006 19:41 utc | 33

@ beq and fauxreal,
if you come to Hamburg, please let me know. I would very much like to meet you and Hamburg is relatively close to where I live now…maybe 5 hours away. Maybe we can have a yearly Kos kind of meetup on the Reeperbahn.

Posted by: dan of steele | Oct 30 2006 20:31 utc | 34

Will do dan of steele.
😉

Posted by: beq | Oct 30 2006 23:12 utc | 35

Dan — it would take someone like the wizard of annie to pull off a trip like that!
where are you?

Posted by: fauxreal | Oct 30 2006 23:45 utc | 36

@ fauxreal
I live near Kaiserslautern. My daughter goes to school in Bremen and my wife is from lower Saxony (more specifically East Fresia). We moved up here from Italy a little more than a year ago for work reasons. The local area is very nice but I still hope to return to Italy as soon as I am able.
bis bald

Posted by: dan of steele | Oct 31 2006 1:11 utc | 37

dan
hopefully, i will be there

Posted by: remembereringgiap | Oct 31 2006 1:18 utc | 38

Looks like a party.

Posted by: beq | Oct 31 2006 1:29 utc | 39

that would be too cool. I have often looked for an excuse to go to Nantes but it is not on the way to anywhere. Hamburg is a suitable substitute.

Posted by: dan of steele | Oct 31 2006 1:29 utc | 40

dan
“not on the way to anywhere” – indeed
it is the ancient heart of france, my friend

Posted by: remembereringgiap | Oct 31 2006 1:39 utc | 41

jana ist toll sie hat viel herz und erfeut mich sehr derzeit sucht sie eine winterbleibe

Posted by: Anonymous | Nov 12 2006 20:09 utc | 42

Hi everybody,
wonderfull!!! thats it…
But is it possible to get an email address of Jana?
Thank ypu for helping
M

Posted by: M | Dec 27 2006 10:58 utc | 43

@M – if you mail me at MoonofA-at-aol-dot-com – I’ll forward it to Jana – then she can decide to reveal or not her address too you ..
b

Posted by: b | Dec 27 2006 18:38 utc | 44

Hey B,
i habe send you an email for jana.
please be so kind and forward it to jana.
have a nice day…
M

Posted by: M | Dec 28 2006 8:46 utc | 45

hallo, ich bin ein riesengrosser fan von jana und hab sie dutzende male in altona bewundert und würde gern alle ihre cds käuflich erwerben und informationen darüber bekommen , wo man diesen stern am musikhimmel live sehen kann !!!…danke für infos an mich….lieben gruss anne

Posted by: anne | Jan 17 2007 9:47 utc | 46

Jana Nitsch ist wirklich einzigartig…ich habe sie auch schon dutzende male in Altona (Zara, Mercado) bewundert – und jedes mal hat sie mich mit ihrer Musik in eine andere, schöne Welt gezaubert. CDs kauft man wohl am besten direkt bei ihr (jede signiert) und besser als live in Altona geht es doch nicht.

Posted by: stefan | Jan 21 2007 13:41 utc | 47

Ich traf sie zufällig, letzte Woche, in einer hässlichen Einkaufsmeile, wie jede Stadt eine besitzt.
Es war ein verregneter kalter Abend, die Strassen grau, der Wind wehte durch meine Gedanken, und trug mir dann einen leisen Gesang zu, erzählte mir von fernen Städten und Meeren und Träumen – in dieser Stimme liegt soviel…
Ich hoffe, Jana wird noch viele Menschen berühren, ihre Sehnsüchte zurückholen und sie aus dem Alltag aufwecken…
Dank&hab es gut!
m*

Posted by: merle* | Jan 30 2007 21:16 utc | 48

Jana Nitsch has another concert in Hamburg:
Friday, Feb 16, 2007, 20:30
Café Buenos Aires
Friedensallee 41
Hamburg-Ottensen

Posted by: b | Feb 13 2007 19:13 utc | 49

awesome b, send her our hello

Posted by: annie | Feb 13 2007 19:17 utc | 50

Hallo!
Viele Grüße aus Berlin! Ich lerne Akkordeon und Jana Nitsch hat mich wircklich beeindruckt!
Wann ist das nächste Konzert? Ich komme!!!!!!

Posted by: Marie Asmussen | Feb 17 2007 17:18 utc | 51

I fortunetly could hear her music yesterday at friend’s birthday party in Altona.
Really amazing soul she has. and 4 languages she use! I thought she had such a many experiences like traveling the world and fall in love the artists… may be she was, but she is such a young girl! how she get such a soulful vibration! I almost fall in love to her…

Posted by: Koichiro Isogai | Feb 23 2007 9:27 utc | 52

Hi Jana.
Hope you are all right. Check youre mail som day, looking forward to hear frome you.
Thanks for the time we had.
Robert

Posted by: Robert | Mar 13 2007 11:43 utc | 53

hello people…
it’s funny to read about myself here.
i’m so happy that the reaction about my music are like this.
good feeling!
greetings back robert!!!
it was a really good time we had and i’m looking forward to see you soon,here in hamburg…
i really want to join the road-trip…
maybe we meet a few of the peole writing in this blog…
for information:we gonna have a road-trip along the westcoast of canada down to carlifornia…
so annie and all the others i met here in hamburg:see you down there…
kisses.jana

Posted by: jana | Mar 17 2007 17:19 utc | 54

…i forgot something…
we are playing a theatre-piece,’die glasmenagerie’ by tennessee williams.i just play the music for it,
but maybe there is someone here in hamburg who would like to see the play…
it’s gonna be played friday the 23.3. and saturday the 24.3. 8 o’clock …in the evening,in altona,
grosse bergstrasse,kultwerk-west…
bye.jana

Posted by: jana | Mar 17 2007 17:29 utc | 55

jana, what a coincidence, i just wrote b about 2 hrs ago about some info i found out about musicians bookings here on the west coast!
i see you have progressed , i totally look forward to seeing you here, i can possibly help w/accomodations, you are welcome at my home..
i will email you!

Posted by: annie | Mar 17 2007 18:02 utc | 56

Really good to hear these songs again (last time was a year ago in S. Spain) . Jana if you read this hope life is good and keep making your amazing music . I’m back in Scotland for the moment , trying to learn accordion basics and other stuff .
all the best to you , dion

Posted by: dion | Apr 1 2007 0:17 utc | 57

hi….. jana ist nicht nur musikalisch sondern auch menschlich einer der liebsten und beklopptesten *g* menschen die ich kenne!! SIe ist echt ein super mensch und ich hoffe und weiß dass wir musikalisch ncoh so einiges von ihr hören werden!!! Aber auch als Schauspielerin nicht zu verachten!!!!

Posted by: lukas | May 8 2007 9:44 utc | 58

Ein Jahr hab ich in Hamburg Ottensen gewohnt und nicht ein einziges mal konnte ich an ihr vorbeigehen ohne stehen zu bleiben und zuzuhören. Eine wahnsinns Stimme und eine wunderbare Austrahlung. Einfach nur fantastisch. Leider hab ich ihre CD verlegt 🙁

Posted by: Nils | May 28 2007 14:39 utc | 59

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