Collaborative
Album with Classical Greek Poets and Modern Folk Singers
On July 11, Robin Batteau is releasing “Banned in
Sparta,” a new collaborative album of songs based on poems by Classical Greek
poets, and recorded by friends Tom Paxton, Eric Andersen, Carolyn Hester, Livingston
and Kate Taylor, Matt Nakoa, Robin Lane, 2-time Tony winning actor James
Naughton and his gifted children Keira and Greg. Robin was inspired by an
Ancient Greek History class he took when he returned to Harvard during the
Pandemic to finish a degree he started in the 1960s. Robin earned the World
Record of taking a 50-year break (between 1970 to 2021) to return to Harvard and
finish his degree in 2022.
“Banned In Sparta” focuses almost
entirely on poets from Ancient Greece between 700 and 400 BC. One
poet, Gaius Valerius Catullus (84 – 54 BC), as smitten with the ghost
of Sappho as Robin or Alcaeus, is from Rome during Julius Caesar’s reign, for
whom Eric Andersen performs “Cross (of Gold),” an ode
to interlaced and conflicted feelings, “Odi et Amo"— I hate
and I love.
The title “Banned in Sparta” finds its
name from Archilochus, the Bob Dylan of the 7th century
B.C., a warrior-poet so irreverent he was “Banned in Sparta.” James
Naughton sings the song “Archilochus Re-Deemed (I Am a Servant of the Lord
God of War).” Kate Taylor performs “Telesilla’s On the Wall,” from the
female poet Telesilla, who led her fellow women warriors to
victory against those same renowned Spartans.
“The Greek Lyric poets
performed live, and were the stars of their day,” says Robin. “They
were singer/songwriters, they played the lyre (hence "Lyric") and
danced around the stage like Tom Paxton and Taylor Swift.”
Robin, who studied Ancient Greece
and Integrative Biology at Harvard, found that most of what was left
of the poems were fragments and myth, “So I mosaic-ed songs to reflect their
expressions and intentions— who they were, and are to me.”
A range of female poets contributed to the lyrical
history of Greece including Corrina, whose “In Her Loving Arms” is sung by
Carolyn Hester, and Praxilla’s “The Most Beautiful Thing in the World,” a
hymn to Adonis, sung by Keira Naughton. Sappho’s
writing inspires “Terra Cotta Heart,” sung by Robin Lane.
Livingston Taylor sings “My Sappho, Sweetly Smiling” from the smitten
neighbor and rival Alcaeus.
The fun and frolicking “Shake your Hair (You
Thracian Filly),” sung by Tom Paxton. Pianist and folk singer Matt Nakoa offers
a Bruce Hornsby-like treatment for Simonides of Ceos’s “Theatre
of Memory (Man of Gold).”
Sharing Grammy, Emmy, Clio, and Gold Record
Awards and an Oscar nomination, Robin’s recorded over a
dozen albums with Pierce Arrow, David Buskin
(Buskin & Batteau), and many others. His jingles
feature in long-running, award-sweeping advertising
campaigns from "I'm Lovin' It" for McDonalds to “Can’t
Beat It” for Coca-Cola to "The Heartbeat of America" for
Chevrolet. He’s played his 1898 Scarampella violin with everyone
from Yo-Yo Ma to Benny Goodman to Bruce Springsteen and has had
his melodies sung by Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Judy
Collins, Paul Newman, and more.
His songs
have supported charities and causes, including World Hunger
Year, Ocean Alliance, Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, and Paul
Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for kids. The Boston Globe defines his
music with David Buskin as "Acoustic Heaven."
“Banned
In Sparta” songs
“Stolen in
Love” (Gorgias) Greg Naughton (vocals: lead, harmony,
background, descants), Mark Dann (bass,
synths), Robin Batteau— (acoustic guitar (custom 7-string Sigma), Greek Chorus
oohs and aahs, fingerpop and heartbeat percussion).
“In Her Loving
Arms” (Corinna) Carolyn Hester (lead vocals), Jennifer “Genevieve” Vitanzo (harmony
vocals), Jerry Marotta (drums), Mark Dann (bass, electric 12-string guitar,
synths) Robin Batteau (violin (1898 Scarampella, muted), Sigma guitar).
“Archilochus
Re-Deemed (I Am a Servant of the Lord God of War)” (Archilochus) James Naughton (lead vocal),
Jerry (drums), Neale Eckstein (acoustic guitar), Robin (harmony vocals,
handclaps, drums, Sigma guitar, violins).
“Telesilla’s on
the Wall” (Telesilla) Kate Taylor (lead
vocal), Mark Dann (bass, synths), Jerry Marrotta (drums), Robin Batteau (violin,
acoustic guitar (1948 Martin 0-17, nylon-strung), background vocals, descant).
“My Sappho,
Sweetly Smiling” (Alcaeus) Livingston Taylor (lead vocal, acoustic guitar),
Mark Dann (bass, synths), Jerry Marrotta (drums), Robin Batteau (violin, Martin
guitar, synths, background vocals, descant).
“Terra Cotta
Heart” (Sappho) Robin Lane (lead vocal), Mark Dann (bass,
electric 12, synths), Jerry Marrotta (drums), Robin Batteau (Martin guitar,
drums, percussion).
“Shake Your Hair
(You Thracian Filly)” (Anacreon) Tom Paxton (lead vocal), Eric Schwartz (piano,
organ), Mark Dann (bass, synths), Neale Eckstein (acoustic guitar, drums),Robin Batteau (Sigma, drums).
“Man of Gold
(Theater of Memory)” (Simonides) Matt Nakoa (lead vocal, piano, synths, bass,
drums, electric guitar).
“How Can You
Love Me” (Stesichorus) Robin
Batteau (lead vocal, harmony vocals, Martin, violins, synths, drums, percussion),
Yani Batteau (harmony vocal, banjo), Neale Eckstein (drums, percussion).
“The Most
Beautiful Thing in the World” (Praxilla) Keira Naughton (lead vocal), Robin Batteau
(Martin Guitar).
“Cross”
(Catullus) Eric Andersen (lead vocal), Abby Newton (cello-1897 Scarampella), Mark
Dann (bass, synths), Robin Batteau (Martin guitar), violin, percussion
(inspired by Marshal Rosenberg)
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