Carl Cleves, singer, songwriter and guitarist was born in Mechelen, a traditional Flemish town in Belgium. Even as a child he would entertain his siblings and schoolmates with his vivid imagination. At 15 he was fronting his own band The Dragons and writing songs. His first recordings were made in Dusseldorf during one of his many escapes from student life, hitchhiking around Europe. In the mid 1960s he worked the folk clubs in London in the good company of Paul Simon, Al Stewart, Bert Jansch, Jackson C. Frank, Davey Graham and others, but instead of following a career path to musical fame like his contemporaries, Carl went travelling.
Carl's nomadic past results in highly original songs, which have won numerous awards in the categories of folk, world & roots, including two of the most coveted national Australian Music Awards (Music Oz and the Australian Songwriters Association). Ranging from polyrhythmic exuberance to intimate subtlety, the personal to the political, styles are interchanged and blended with great ease. Traces of Brazil, Africa, folk, blues and dance are the spice in the stew of Carl's songs. Approach and sound vary widely with each release but always with 'a complete lack of pretence and trendiness' (R. Jasituowicz, Diaspora World Beat). His pallet is as broad as life itself.
Tarab: Travels With My Guitar was released in 2008 and, although stated on the back insert as "this compilation of songs", it was an album of new recordings. The word "Tarab" means "a place where music and poetry bestow true bliss upon the lucky one" (as per liner notes).
2 To Coroico 3:51
3 Mustapha 4:29
4 Trem Mineiro 7:35
5 Party At My House 4:30
6 Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 8:09
7 Penkele 5:26
8 A Long Way 4:50
9 Welcome Home 1:38
10 Tashi's Song 1:59
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