Mandoki Soulmates

Mandoki Soulmates release globally unique audio-visual artwork Leslie Mandoki plays together with Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), John Helliwell (Supertramp), Nick van Eede (Cutting Crew), Till Brönner, Szakcsi, Jane Xie, Steve Bailey, Al Di Meola, Peter Maffay, Jesse Siebenberg (Supertramp), Cory Henry, Deobrat Mishra, Mike Stern, Margarita, Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Sirreal, Richard Bona, Moto Fukushima, Tony Carey, Julia Mandoki. Taking advantage of the pandemic times of lockdowns and closed concert halls, Leslie Mandoki and his Soulmates, the band of bandleaders of iconic rock and jazz bands, have created an unprecedented audio-visual masterpiece. It will be released worldwide on 24th of September 2021 on SONY's label InsideOut. Entitled "Utopia for Realists", the BluRay "Hungarian Pictures" combines the recording of the concert film of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall with an impressive cinematic realization of the individual musical episodes. It also provides exclusive insights behind the scenes of the Soulmates production live and in the studio, a "making of". The package is completed by an audiophile CD with the original studio recordings of the ProgRock suite and a vinyl edition. This artistically outstanding realization for music lovers brings the legendary jazz and rock musicians as a unique ensemble into the living rooms of their international audience. "Utopia for Realists" is a great way to get in the mood for the post-pandemic times, when we can finally experience the Mandoki Soulmates live on stage again. The protagonists of the Mandoki Soulmates are besides Leslie Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), John Helliwell (Supertramp), Chris Thompson (Manfred Mann's EB), Bobby Kimball (Toto), Nick van Eede (Cutting Crew), Al Di Meola, Jesse Siebenberg (Supertramp), Cory Henry, Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Tony Carey, Richard Bona, Julia Mandoki, Till Brönner, Jack Bruce, David Clayton Thomas (Blood Sweat & Tears), Steve Bailey and many other famous musicians. They collectively won 35 Grammys and sold more than 350 million records, and when these frontmen of legendary bands are rocking together, they are not just "a band", but a community of values that feels a responsibility to embody and set a sign for ethical values." "We musicians often think with our hearts and right now, with our direct emotional connection to the audience, we must not rest, we have to be louder than ever!" states bandleader Mandoki. "The global challenges facing humanity in the coming years - pandemic, financial and economic crises, migration and integration, climate change - we only will handle successfully by overcoming divisions across all borders." A glimpse back to pre-pandemic times: After completing their acclaimed "Wings of Freedom" tour of Europe in 2018, the Mandoki Soulmates received an invitation from the Grammy organization to perform a concert at New York's legendary Beacon Theatre. The show was a terrific success, there were "standing ovations" from the enthusiastic audience and the US press celebrated the Mandoki Soulmates. At the MusiCares event that followed, fellow artists such as Elton John were full of praise for this spectacular concert highlight. For Mandoki, the former asylum seeker who fled the communist dictatorship for freedom more than 40 years ago, this success in the "Land of the Free" was a very special moment. For Mandoki it was actually the best moment to stop his career. What else could he still await to come? "After the concert, I spent a few more days with my adult children at Van Morrison's former house in Topanga, the old "hippie" part of Los Angeles, and used this time to reflect on the social developments of the last few years". Mandoki remembers discussions about generational justice and "where we old rebels took the world after the Iron Curtain was torn down and the Berlin Wall fell. Back then we were drunk with happiness and had every chance to set the course for a better, fairer, and more sustainable world for our future generations. Today we have to admit: We have failed all the way!" Soon, it became clear to Mandoki that "we as artists are challenged to be louder, to be the thorn in the side of society and to bring progressive jazz rock back to real socio-political relevance." After a few concerts in China, Mandoki spent several weeks in Bali, writing new songs in a beach house, secluded from the outside world. There the first ideas for the double album "Living in The Gap" were born, with the ProgRock suite "Hungarian Pictures" as its musical core, of which Mandoki says today: "It's the most ambitious and best thing we've ever done." 'Hungarian Pictures', the core piece and artistic highlight of our current double album, is constructed as suite, based on compositions and themes by Bartu00F3k, supplemented with our songs. Together with Greg Lake of Emerson Lake & Palmer, and Jon Lord of Deep Purple, I had worked on the seed of this idea years ago. "For Bartu00F3k, diversity in culture represented an enrichment, because it is precisely from its differences that art draws the strength for its further development. He mixed sounds and traditional melodies from the most diverse regions of the Carpathian lowlands in order to send a bright sign against the burgeoning threat of National Socialism through the people-uniting aspects in music. This idea of uniting inspired Jon Lord, Greg Lake and myself." Leslie Mandoki is grateful for the extraordinary chart success of the double album Living in The Gap + Hungarian Pictures and the enthusiasm resulting in sold-out concerts. A supporting concert series for 2020 was signed, sealed, and all but delivered when the pandemic arrived. This quarantine of musical expression has been a true test of character, but artistic souls cannot be locked in forever: the urge for freedom, responsibility and creativity are too great. With their song "We Say Thank You" the Mandoki Soulmates set an example of solidarity and respect for the true heroes of the pandemic, the nurses, paramedics, doctors, supermarket workers, lorry drivers, cleaning staff and the countless people without whose personal commitment a society could not run properly. It was during this phase of the first lockdown, in times of closed concert halls, that they came up with the idea for a joint virtual concert called "Music Is the Greatest Unifier" to give something back to their audience, who had carried them on their hands for years. "The success of our global online concert against division shows us how much people were touched by its unifying message. This encourages us not to give in. Together with our Soulmates around the world, we have tried to overcome these divisions with music and are grateful that ARD and other European TV stations have broadcasted our concert." "Just as digitalization enables us Soulmates to play this concert together despite local divisions, music makes it possible to overcome some divisions in our minds," says Mandoki. "Let us overcome the divisions, build bridges and do everything for cohesion between North and South, East and West. We all are Europeans, Africans, Americans, Asians, and Australians! And music is the common global language that unites us across all barriers." Every crisis is also an opportunity. Covid-19 is an amplifier for all the weaknesses in our system. It is a proof of character for all of us. "Especially in these times, we as artists are especially challenged to stand up for solidarity and against division in our society, and to formulate ideas for a better, more colorful world. Music can be the best prophylaxis against the penetration of radical ideas into the middle of society and is thus an important protective mechanism for democracy and our community of solidarity. We now have the opportunity to make a constructive correction to our socio-political mission statement, so that the focus is on people again, mindfulness reigns over indifference and humanity over greed." This is especially true for the latest artwork "Utopia for Realists". With the concept of this visual album, Leslie Mandoki has managed to create a unique new art form during the last Covid months. The ProgRock Suite 'Hungarian Pictures' as a live concert film, supplemented by studio recordings, films and a comprehensive making-of documentary combined into a holistic audiovisual work of art, is further proof of the indomitable creativity of Leslie Mandoki and his soulmates. Together with them we leave this endlessly long and dark Covid tunnel and at the end step back into the light together with the audience.