Created by EnigmaMusic.com

1980

Michael Cretu continued to work with a number of the dance and disco groups around including The Goombay Dance Band who had the hit-song "Sun of Jamaica" (later covered by the Saragossa Band and produced by Tess a.k.a Fancy, a German Hi-NRG and Euro-dance singer and producer). Cretu co-produced Seven Tears, Ave Maria No Moro, and Reggae Nights. However, he wrote and produced one song for them entitled "Marrakesh". The song appeared on CD for the first time in 1998 on Sony Music Entertainment (Holland) 07-462454-10 on Columbia Records. "Indio Boy", another song arranged by Cretu, appeared on CD re-mastered by David Parker and Frank Reinke in 1993 on G.I.B. Music.

Throughout this period, Cretu's work with Peter Cornelius continued with the album "Zwei" ( Polygram GmbH 6435074 ) produced and arranged by him with the familiar group of session-musicians : Dicky Tarrach, Thissy Thiers, Bessy Besser and Nils Tuxen. This album was never released on CD but several of its songs were featured on Cornelius compilations. The latest of which is a 3-CD limited issue box-set that appeared in October 1999 to be available only till February of 2000 ( Mercury Records GmbH 564 276-2, Hamburg )

The same year, 1980, Michael Cretu produced Topaz. The production is credited to Topaz and so are the vocals, however, in the book on Sandra ("Sandra: Stationen Einer Karriere"; text : Siggi Niedergesäss. Hamburg. Edel Company, 1992 ) the project is listed as a Cretu production ( p. 88 ) "Topaz" was released on CD by Polydor ( 517 184-2 ) and it is left to the judgment of the listener as to who is singing. The sound of the album could be characterized as a mixture of soft rock and rock/dance. The faster ones are slightly more poppish "Hurricane" 4:15, and "Lemon Boy" 3:53 while the softer "Alasca" 4:14 and "Days of Summer" 4:45 have dreamy keyboards that are central to the structure of the songs. The keyboards are distinctly Cretu's and one can especially sense that familiarity in Alasca. The album has a summery feel and the titles reflect that fresh sound ("From Coast to Coast", "Train to an Island", and "Burning River" ) . The feel of summer, the sun and the joys of youth were a theme present in the productions of that period and Cretu's music was no exception.

Michael Cretu ~ "Why does everyone always emphasize that I'm talking about sexuality? It's one of the central themes of mankind."

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Written and researched By Taha A. Al-Douri
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