The concept for the programme KNEF-DIETRICH was born together with Cynthia Knoch and singer/songwriter/keyboarder/pianist Ivo Rosbeek. But soon the duo decided to invite bassist Steve Jansen and drummer/percussionist Roel Maessen to continue as a band revisiting the songs of Marlene Dietrich and Hildegard Knef with a modern twist.
Dietrich (1901-1992) and Knef (1925-2002) were both free-spirited actresses who made at least as much of an impression as singers. Well-known recordings of Dietrich are „Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt“ (Der Blaue Engel), „Lili Marleen“ and „Surabaya Johnny“. Knef recorded dozens of albums with her fumed voice. Colleague Ella Fitzgerald called her the ‘best singer without a voice.’ Especially for this concert, Ivo Rosbeek and Cynthia Knoch put well-known and lesser-known songs by the German-American divas in a new musical setting.
From well-known evergreens such as „Lili Larleen“, „ Sag mir wo die Blumen sind“, „ In dieser Stadt“, „ Fűr mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen“ to lesser known songs such as „Im 80gten Stockwerk“ reaches the programme. While some songs are unexpectedly reinterpreted and wildly arranged, others sound more traditionally sung with a hint of chanson jazz. Cynthia Knochs' christened but playful vocals add to the band's freshness.
