Franz Lambert - Abends an der Wolga (1980)

Here´s post number three for the "Russian Week". It´s Franz Lambert, the other German big name when you´re talking Hammond or Wersi, besides Klaus Wunderlich. He started in 1969 playing organ in his parents´ restaurant. Soccer-fans may know him as the composer of the official FIFA-hymn, and he is supporting the German national soccer team with his music during every world-cup since 1978 as the halftime time-permitter. At the special request of Joseph Blatter, the FIFA-president, he performed his hymn live in Berlin at the world-cup-final 2006, he played both of the national anthems as well.

If you would like to dance to his music, I suggest that you have dinner at his parents´ restaurant, and hopefully he drops by to play for you. He still does this about once a month. If you´re interested, you can find the dates here:

http://www.felsenkeller-heppenheim.de/termine.html

But now, on to the music: This album, titled "At night down by the river Wolga" features organ-versions of Russia´s most beloved melodies. If you listen closely, you can hear some Russians saying "Nastrovje" and "Trink, Brüderchen!". Quite funny. To me, this is one of his best records, not only because it´s a concept-album, but for the almost perfect performance on the Wersi-organ as well. Please enjoy Mr. Lambert at his best...