Hanno Leichtmann presents a new album Outerlands from Villa Aurora

Hanno Leichtmann presents a new album Outerlands from Villa Aurora

Pacific Palisades, USA - something is happening in the world of music! Hanno Leichtmann has created a real highlight with his latest album "Outerlands", which he composed on the organ of the Villa Aurora in Los Angeles. According to taz , the album was created as part of its time as a scholarship holder of the renowned artist residence, which was opened in the 1990s. The Villa Aurora, built in 1927, was originally a refuge for the writer Lion Feuchtwanger and his wife Marta, who found refuge there while fleeing.

What makes "Outerlands" so special? With his 12 compositions, Leichtmann captures the idea of ​​sound landscapes; Short, detailed vignettes that take the listener on an acoustic journey. Particularly noteworthy is the piece "Lucero", in which a machine rattling is harmoniously under the organ sounds. In addition, his work also shows clear influences from Latin Jazz, for example in the play "Alondra". This combination of organ with percussion is not new, but is strongly reminiscent of the sound discoveries of musicians such as Hans-Günther Wauer and Günter "Baby" summer in the 1980s.

Die Villa Aurora: A place of exchange and creativity

The Villa Aurora is not only the stage for Leichtmann's musical experiences, but also a historic place for artists. Hanns Eisler and Bertolt Brecht contributed to their fame as well as many other German exile, including Fritz Lang and Theodor W. Adorno. Earth and culture meet here, which makes life and creating particularly valuable in the villa, as reported Tagesspiegel . Marta Feuchtwanger, who picked up the villa, created a place of encounter and inspiration that continues after her death in 1987.

With 301 artists who have been working in the residence since then, Villa Aurora offers scholarships for three months and has established itself in the scene. Not only art is created here, but also the topic of flight and exile are intensively discussed. Every year the results of these creative disputes are presented in Berlin, which further promotes the exchange between cultures and artists.

Leichtmann's work is therefore not only a personal, but also part of this important narrative of displacement and new beginning, which symbolizes the Villa Aurora. His musical work contributes to the lively history of this extraordinary place and shows that art always knows how to create a bridge.