Der Mann mit der Mundharmonika 3

Mann mit der Mundharmonika, the full-length album debut of Michael Hirte, is a 40-minute instrumental showcase for the man's exceptional talent as a harmonica player comprised of 12 songs, the majority of them well-known standards. Hirte rose to fame in 2008 on the reality show Das Supertalent, winning the competition with a convincing 72-percent of the vote (in comparison, the second-place runner-up, Kelvin Kalvus, won a meager five-percent of the vote). The song with which Hirte won Das Supertalent, "Ave Maria," is the opening song on Mann mit der Mundharmonika, and also the highlight of the album. Other standouts include the inspirational Secret Garden song "You Raise Me Up ; the Christian hymn "Amazing Grace"; Dieter Bohlen's 2003 chart-topping hit from Deutschland Sucht den Superstar, "We Have a Dream"; the signature song of Andrea Bocelli, "Time to Say Goodbye"; the Simon & Garfunkel favorite "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and the Christmas carol "Stille Nacht." Practically all of the material is familiar to some extent, and Hirte handles it all with ease, showcasing his exceptional talent as a harmonicist. The easy listening musical production is handled by Dreamfactory, a moniker of Joachim Mezei (aka Jeo), a German hitmaker with an impressive track record of commercial success that includes work with DJ Ötzi, Mark Medlock, Daniel Schuhmacher, Christina Stürmer, and other superstars of the German-language world. All in all, Mann mit der Mundharmonika should please Hirte's fans.