Roger Cicero
Männersachen

THE REVIEW

Although I am not a music expert, «Männersachen» by Roger Cicero greatly impressed me: it is a classy mix of modern and somewhat retro swing that proved fascinating from the first listen. German but of Romanian parents, Cicero (his name on the civil registry is Roger Marcel Ciceu) comes from a musical family: his father played in the Eugen Cicero Trio.

From a very young age, he joined the Bundesjugendjazzorchester (German Youth Jazz Orchestra) where he gained experience and polished his innate talents, rising to prominence with the "Roger Cicero Quartet", in which he combined a decidedly 1940s and 1950s style with the unusual use of the German language. Despite his success, he continues to play in the orchestra of Trossingen, his hometown, and participates in numerous jazz and swing festivals. In 2003, the fifth album of his career, «Männersachen», was published, further highlighting the artist's style, which brings to mind names like Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin, but it is never mere imitation.

Cicero is a great entertainer, with a style that is highly recognizable: the German language has never sounded so pleasant; well-constructed, well-executed, ironic, and fun, the album is a collection of very enjoyable tracks, among which «Schieß Mich Doch Zum Mond», a German cover of «Fly Me To The Moon» by the great Sinatra 'The Voice', stands out, as well as «Kompromisse», «Das Ganze Leben Ist Ein Zoo» and other delightful performances. Particularly amusing is «Kein Mann Für Eine Frau», a 'not-made-for-one-woman' reminiscent of Lou Bega's «Mambo n.5». Especially beautiful is «Wenn Sie Dich Fragt»; a delightful and refined bossanova. The undisputed success of the piece is «Frauen Regier'n Die Welt» (women rule the world), included as a bonus track after the artist presented this piece at the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki representing his country.