Fatoumata Diawara - Fatou

Nonostante si tratti di un cd uscito nel settembre dello scorso anno abbiamo il piacere di ripresentare questo bellissimo lavoro di Fatoumata Diawara in occasione del suo imminente Tour in Italia che tocchera' Torino, Cantu' e Roma. Tutti coloro che sono appassionati di sonorita' afro alla Rokia Traoré non avranno difficolta' ad innamorarsi di questa artista ponte tra la tradizione del suo paese, il Mali che proprio in questi giorni è toccato da un inopportuno golpe molitare e una citta' musicalmente ricca e ricettiva come Parigi, la vera capitale musicale di questo inizio millennio.



Fatoumata Diawara (aka Fatou) was born of Malian parents in the Ivory Coast in 1982. As a child she became a member of her father's dance troupe and was a popular performer of the wildly flailing didadi dance from Wassoulou, her ancestral home in western Mali. She was an energetic and headstrong girl and at the age of twelve her refusal to go to school finally prompted her parents to send her to live and be disciplined by an aunt in Bamako. She was not to see her parents again for over a decade. Her aunt was an actress, and a few years after arriving, Fatou found herself on a film set looking after her aunt's infant child. The film's director was captivated by Fatou's adolescent beauty and she was given a one line part in the final scene of the film 'Taafe Fangan' ('The Power of Women'). This led to her being given a lead role by the celebrated director Cheick Omar Sissoko in his 1999 film 'La Genèse' (Genesis). At the age of eighteen Fatou travelled to Paris to perform the classical Greek role of Antigone on stage. After touring with the production she returned to Mali where she was given the lead in Dani Kouyaté's popular 2001 film 'Sia, The Dream of the Python'. The film tells the story of a West African legend called Sia, a young girl who defies tradition. To many in Mali, Guinea, Senegal and Burkina Faso, Fatou is Sia thanks to the film's enormous success throughout the region. Offers for further acting roles poured in but Fatou's family wanted her to settle down and marry and forced her to announce, live on Malian television, that she was abandoning her career as an actress. In 2002 Jean-Louis Courcoult, the director of the renowned French theatre company, Royale de Luxe, travelled to Bamako to offer Fatou a part in his new production. An unmarried woman is considered a minor in Malian society so her family's permission was required. They refused. After much soul searching Fatou took the daring decision to run away and at Bamako airport she managed to board a plane for Paris, narrowly escaping the pursuit of the police who had been alerted to the girl's 'kidnapping'. With Royal de Luxe Fatou performed a variety of roles around the world including tours in Vietnam, Mexico and throughout Europe. During rehearsals and quiet moments she took to singing backstage for her own amusement. She was overheard by the director and was soon singing solo during the company's performances. Encouraged by the reception from audiences she began to sing in Parisian clubs and cafes during breaks from touring. Here she met Cheikh Tidiane Seck the celebrated Malian musician and producer who invited her to travel with him back to Mali to work on two projects as chorus vocalist; 'Seya' the GRAMMY nominated album by Mali's star Oumou Sangaré and 'Red Earth' the GRAMMY winning Malian project by American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater. When the albums were released Fatou toured worldwide as singer and dancer with both projects. On her return to France Fatou took the role of Karaba in the popular touring musical 'Kirikou and Karaba'. She was encouraged to take the role by her friend Rokia Traore who also inspired her to take up the guitar: "To me it was a wonderful and daring thing: a Malian girl with an acoustic guitar. Why should the guitar be only for men?" Fatou bought herself a guitar and started to teach herself, and at the same time began to write down her own compositions. She made the decision to dedicate herself to her passion, music. She worked to complete an album's worth of songs and started recording demos for which she composed and arranged all the titles, as well as playing guitar, percussion, bass and singing lead and harmony vocals. An introduction from Oumou Sangaré resulted in a record deal with World Circuit and the recording of her debut album. Between recording sessions she found time to collaborate on Damon Albarn's Africa Express and contribute vocals to albums by Cheikh Lô, AfroCubism, Herbie Hancock's GRAMMY winning Imagine Project and Orchestra Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou. Since the release of the highly acclaimed debut 'Fatou' (19 September 2011) Fatoumata has toured extensively with her band as well as with Damon Albarn, Tony Allen and Flea as part of the 'Rocket Juice and the Moon' project. As well as a live tour the group recorded an album of the same name (Released March, 2012).

Aldo Romano - Louis Sclavis - Henry Texier 3 + 3

Premesso che a nessuno dei personaggi coinvolti in questo progetto piace essere "classificato" in stereotipi o categorie possiamo dire che questo lavoro ci mostra la bellezza della musica contemporanea nella sua veste migliore. "Se fossi un albero avrei bisogno di radici ma siccome sono un uomo ho bisogno di gambe" è una delle citazioni preferite di Louis Sclavis e citazione migliore non può che adattarsi allo spirito di questo trio pensando a progetti come Suite Africaine e African Flashback. Dotato di una propria impronta musicale questo ensemble perfetto incontra in questo cd un altro straordinario trio dominato dal lirismo balcanico del pianista Bojan Z ( a mio parere uno degli artisti piu' sottovalutati che vi siano in circolazione )e dalla tromba del nostro Enrico Rava accompagnati in questa avventura dalla chitarra di Nguyen Le. Con questa produzione la Label Bleu ( etichetta che per nostra fortuna ha editato il cd ) torna a riconquistare un posto di primo piano nel panorama jazzistico internazionale. Il suono che ne scaturisce da questo incontro ( 3 + 3 ) è forza che pervade l'atmosfera che ci circonda, richiede la nostra attenzione come se qualcosa di arcaico ma allo stesso tempo attuale penetrasse dentro di noi...... E' la forza del jazz che con nuovo vigore ha deciso di riavvicinarsi con tutta la sua potenza. Uno dei migliori cd dell'anno. Aldo Romano - drums, percussion / Louis Sclavis - saxophone, clarinet / Henri Texier - bass + Enrico Rava - trumpet (1,2,7,10) / Nguyen Le - guitar (1,3,7,10) / Bojan Z - piano (1,5,10)

Madison Violet - Good In Goodbye

Madison Violet è il gruppo rivelazione di questo 2012 per tutti coloro che amano le songwriter alla Lucinda Williams e Gilliam Welch. Il duo composto dalle musiciste amiche Brenley MacEachern e Lisa MacIsaac arrivano a questo importante appuntamento non proprio da esordienti visto che il loro precedente lavoro No Fool for Trying (2009), ha vinto nel 2009 il John Lennon Songwriting Contest per il brano “The Ransom,” oltre al Canadian Folk Music Award come gruppo dell'annno ottenendo anche una momination dalla East Coast Music Awards e dalla JUNO Award come miglior album Roots & Traditional. Tuttavia posisamo affermare che con questo nuovo album le Madison Violet hanno raggiunto la loro piena maturita' sia da un punto di vista compositivo ( l'album è molto intimo e le canzoni derivano direttamente dalle esperienze vissute dalle due amiche ) che musicale visto che hanno partecipato al progetto Joel Stouffer (Dragonette) alla batteria, Adrian Lawryshyn (Andy Stochansky) al basso, mentre la sezione corale è impreziosita dalla presenza di Ruth Moody (The Wailin’ Jennys) e Blair Packham. Quindi, dopo aver ascoltato attentamente l'album, possiamo dire che è arrivato finalmente il momento di introdurre anche nel nostro paese questo fantastico duo che sono sicuro entrera' immediatamente nella vostra discografia.




Finding the good in goodbye is always bittersweet. JUNO nominated roots duo Madison Violet (Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac) can attest to that with their latest release, The Good in Goodbye, out on September 6 (True North Records). An album born from their growth, both together and apart, The Good in Goodbye is an open diary of their personal and professional experiences together as friends and musicians, two very unique relationships that affect each other in profound ways. Since releasing their last album, No Fool for Trying (2009), Madison Violet won the 2009 John Lennon Songwriting Contest for their track “The Ransom,” took home the 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award for Vocal Group of the Year, and were nominated for multiple East Coast Music Awards and a 2010 JUNO Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year (Group). As a follow-up to their breakthrough successes in 2010, The Good in Goodbye captures the duo’s growth and musical maturity. Their distinct take on iconic Americana-inspired up-tempo melodies beautifully contrasts with their breathtakingly sweeping and personal lyrics, creating songs that blend nods to Lucinda Williams and Gillian Welch with radio-friendly flecks of The Court-Yard Hounds. To capture the intimacy of The Good in Goodbye, Madison Violet returned to the studio with trusted friend and producer Les Cooper (Jill Barber) while bringing a collective of remarkable musicians into the fold, including Joel Stouffer (Dragonette) on drums, Adrian Lawryshyn (Andy Stochansky) on bass, and vocals from Ruth Moody (The Wailin’ Jennys) and singer/songwriter Blair Packham. Though Madison Violet seemingly made their mark in the last year or so, success was hard earned, spending up to eight months a year on the road, winning fans and champions the old-fashioned way, one song at a time, one gig at a time. Their first disc, Worry the Jury (2004), was an introduction to the lush arrangements and radio-friendly harmonies that would become a Madison Violet hallmark, with their sophomore album Caravan (2006) further exploring and incorporating country-infused, toe-tapping melodies. Their breakthrough album, No Fool for Trying (2009) enlisted, for the first time, the help of producer Les Cooper. The record showcased Madison Violet’s heartfelt (and often heartbreaking) lyrics in brilliant contrast to their uplifting arrangements, pushing their graceful harmonies to the surface. Receiving a mass of acclaim from outlets including the BBC, the CBC, Maverick Magazine, NPR, and Penguin Eggs Magazine, No Fool for Trying made dedicated fans of even the most hard-to-crack critics. Ultimately, Madison Violet captured the attention of Mojo Magazine, landing “Small Of My Heart” on the publication’s distinguished playlist, “Mojo’s Top 10,” in December 2009. Madison Violet also have the unique distinction of being the only Canadians to win The John Lennon Songwriting Contest. The duo has sold-out venues across North America and Europe, had the prestigious distinction of touring with Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Cafe, and has shared stages with contemporaries such as Chantal Kreviazuk, Ron Sexsmith and The Indigo Girls. With their newest effort, Madison Violet prove on they’re among Canada’s brightest singer/songwriters.

Janiva Magness - Stronger For It

Janiva
Magness può essere senza dubbio considerata una delle piu' belle voci
blues dell'odierno panorama musicale. Nella sua voce potente e interiore
si rispecchia tutto il suo mondo passato e presente, dannazione e
redenzione in un mix di emozioni che solo una vita vissuta può creare.
Non c'è finzione in questo personaggio, la vita non lo ha
consentito, ma tanta onesta' musicale, tanta forza che si rispecchia nel
carisma di questa nuova signora del blues. A conferma di quanto scritto è
testimone la vittoria al r B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year , premio che
prima di lei solo un'altra grande donna del blues ha avuto il piacere di
vincere : la grande Koko Taylor. Di lei il  Los Angeles Daily News
scrive  “A superb, powerhouse R&B singer who delivers blues and soul with show-stopping authority”
e USA Today rilancia "Stunningly sung...Magness is a blues star" .
Nonostante questa tarda notorieta' la Magness non è nuova del giro visto
che ha alle sue spalle 3 decadi di concerti live con all'attivo 150 date
all'anno.... attivita' live che le ha permesso di affrontare questi ultimi
cd, i primi della sua lunga carriera, con la stessa sicurezza e potenza di
una veterana ma con l'entusiasmo e la forza di una esordiente. Il mix che
ne risulta è puro Blues.... Ascoltare Per Credere.


Award-winning vocalist Janiva Magness is among the premier blues and R&B singers in the world today. Her voice possesses an earthy, raw honesty and beauty born from her life experience. A charismatic performer known for her electrifying live shows, Magness is a gutsy and dynamic musical powerhouse. She received the coveted 2009 Blues Music Awards for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year (she is only the second woman to ever win this award, Koko Taylor being the first) and for Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year, an honor she also received in 2006 and 2007. She has received eleven previous Blues Music Award nominations. USA Today declared, “Magness is a blues star,” and The Philadelphia Inquirer said, “Magness sings superb, potent soul-blues with a scorching intensity."

Magness has been performing for almost three decades, logging thousands of miles on the road and appearing 150 nights a year at clubs, theatres and festivals all over the world. Her longest road trip yet was to Iraq and Kuwait in April 2008, as a co-headliner of Bluzapalooza, the first-ever blues concert tour to perform for American troops. The tour was an incredibly profound experience for Magness. “My job is a gift. It’s about human connection, to remind people they are not alone. I can’t think of anyone in greater need of a break than these soldiers. Those kids came up to me and said, ‘You made me forget where I was for two hours. Thank you!’ That was beyond priceless.”
Magness released a series of independent albums, including two on the Northern Blues label, prior to her extraordinary 2008 Alligator Records debut, What Love Will Do. Her new CD, The Devil Is An Angel Too, co-produced by Magness and Dave Darling (Brian Setzer, Meredith Brooks, Dan Hicks), is a hard-hitting collection of material that explores the depths of good and evil, with Magness’ glorious, soul-baring vocals burning their way through twelve powerful songs. “All of us have a light and a dark side. Human beings are capable of the most incredible acts of kindness and absolute wretchedness. This record explores both sides,” Magness explains. She wraps her huge, soulful voice around original material written especially for her, and songs from Julie Miller, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe, Joe Tex, Gladys Knight, Nina Simone, Ann Peebles and James Carr. From the haunting, seductive title track that explores evil masquerading as good to the spiritual awakening of “Walkin’ In The Sun” to the revenge tale of “I’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down” and the joyful proclamation of “I Want To Do Everything For You,” Magness cuts to the heart and soul of each song with grit, heart and fierce passion, making The Devil Is An Angel Too her most compelling release yet.



Although Magness is now a bona fide blues star, her rise to the top was far from easy. Born in Detroit, Magness was inspired by the blues and country she heard listening to her father’s record collection, and by the vibrant music of the city’s classic Motown sound. By her teenage years, though, her life was in chaos. She lost both parents to suicide by the age of 16 and lived on the streets, bouncing from one foster home to another. At 17, she became a teenage mother who gave up her baby daughter for adoption. One night in Minneapolis, an underage Magness sneaked into a club to see blues great Otis Rush, and it was there that she found her salvation and decided that the blues were her calling. Magness recalls, “Otis played as if his life depended on it. There was a completely desperate, absolute intensity. I knew, whatever it was, I needed more of it.” She began going to as many blues shows as possible, soaking up the sounds of her favorite artists, including Johnny Copeland and Albert Collins. She immersed herself in records by James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and all the other R&B greats.



Listening to these blues and soul artists, and watching them live, sparked Janiva and gave her life direction. Her first break came several years later, while working as an intern at a recording studio. She was approached by her boss to sing some supporting vocals on a track. Finding her voice, she soon began working regularly as a background singer. By the early 1980s, Magness made her way to Phoenix and befriended Bob Tate, the musical director for the great Sam Cooke. With Tate’s mentoring, she formed her first band, Janiva Magness And The Mojomatics, in 1985 and before long the influential Phoenix New Times named her group the city’s Best Blues Band. She moved to Los Angeles in 1986 and slowly began finding work. She recorded her second studio album, It Takes One To Know One, in 1997 (her debut was the cassette-only release, More Than Live). After three more independent releases, Janiva signed with Northern Blues and recorded Bury Him At The Crossroads in 2004 and Do I Move You? in 2006. Both CDs were co-produced by Magness along with Canadian roots star Colin Linden, and both garnered Magness a tremendous amount of critical and popular attention. Magness and Linden won the prestigious Canadian Maple Blues Award for Producers Of The Year for Bury Him At The Crossroads in 2004. Do I Move You? debuted at #8 on the Billboard Blues Chart and was the #1 Blues CD Of The Year in 2006 on Living Blues magazine’s radio chart. Blues Revue said, “Magness is a bold and potent artist with a powerful, soulful voice… impossible to forget.”



Magness signed with Alligator in 2008 and released her stunning label debut, What Love Will Do, to massive critical acclaim. The Chicago Sun-Times raved, “Her songs run the gamut of emotions from sorrow to joy. A master of the lowdown blues who is equally at ease surrounded by funk or soul sounds, Magness invigorates every song with a brutal honesty,” while Blues Revue called her “a blues interpreter of the highest rank…punchy and tough…swaggering, incendiary vocal performances.” Allmusic declared, “rollicking blues, swampy soul and R&B…stark, gritty, emotional material…terrific, magnificent voice. She rips into ballads with moving and riveting tenacity…she burns through these songs like she’s got everything to prove.” Fueled by all the positive press, Magness was profiled on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition, putting her in front of an audience of millions and expanding her ever-growing fan base.



In addition to her musical accomplishments, Magness is reaching out to help others. She is a National Spokesperson for Casey Family Programs (her fourth consecutive year), promoting National Foster Care Month. “It is a huge honor and a daunting responsibility. But I am very excited to be a part of it, and I look forward to carrying the message of hope for youth in the foster care system,” says Magness. “Casey Family Programs does groundbreaking work, and I am deeply honored to work with them again.” Magness has also reconnected with her daughter, and is now the proud grandmother of an eight-year-old boy. “Our fate doesn’t have to be our destiny,” she says. “I’m living proof of that. And I’m so very grateful.”



Magness is also incredibly grateful for her Blues Music Award for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year. “Winning Entertainer Of The Year is overwhelming to me,” she says. “Being the only woman besides Koko Taylor to win this award is just staggering. I adored and worshipped Koko for so long that it’s really hard for me to wrap myself around it, but I couldn’t be prouder of that award. It’s very humbling, because I still can’t believe that people find me worthy to stand in her company.”



Janiva Magness’ deeply emotional music, sung with passion, conviction and soul, and her telepathic ability to connect with an audience, assures her place among the blues elite. “We need real music now more than ever because it gives us strength to pull through tough times,” says Magness. “We need it in a real bad way. Blues is a ray of hope. It articulates what’s lacking in people’s lives.” With The Devil Is An Angel Too and her explosive live shows hitting cities across North America and Europe, Janiva Magness continues to spread her empowering message of hope through music.

Eric Bibb - Deeper In The Well

“…Music is more than the expert’s description - Don’t care if it’s French, Hawaiian or Egyptian, If I feel it, that’s good enough for me!” E.B.

Vi sono luoghi incontaminati dove ne eventi naturali catastrofici ne l'irrazionale sentimento umano di onnipotenza possono intaccarne la bellezza e la cultura. Uno di questi luoghi magici è la Louisiana, un luogo dove mille culture si sono ritrovate e anzichè scontrarsi si sono arricchite a vicenda dando luogo a ritmi , suoni e suggetioni davvero unici. Ed è un bene che nella "palude" sia finalmente arrivato anche il nostro Eric. Lo abbiamo visto lo scorso anno in tour in Italia e ne abbiamo potuto provare di persona non solo l'indiscussa conoscenza del blues, la capacita' scenica e la buona tecnica di esecuzione chiatarristica , ma soprattutto la grande umanita' e umilta' che ne fanno un vero blues man. L'arrivo in Louisiana ha fatto sicuramente bene al nostro dando nuova linfa alla sua musica che da un Blues piu' roots e tradizionale del delta passa a un suono piu' contaminato da altri stili propri di quelle parti dove anche i Blues Brothers hanno dovuto vincere per sopravvivere. Buon Ascolto a tutti e non perdetevi questo bellissimo album di uno dei grandi blues man ancora in circolazione.



Anyone with an avid interest in the traditional folk music of North America knows that Louisiana has long been, and still is, a place where the old styles survive and thrive and new sounds are born. Its rich history of African, French, Spanish, Caribbean and Native- American influences has gifted the world with a unique culture that no catastrophe, natural or man-made, can ever destroy.

Arriving, mid-September, at Dirk Powell’s Cypress House Studio in Pont Breaux, Louisiana, with a satchel of new songs, I felt the thrill of great expectations. The last time I’d met up with Dirk was back in January when we both had been invited to be a part of the BBC’s “Celtic Connections”- filmed in the Scottish countryside. That was the first time we’d had the opportunity to play music together and we really hit it off.

The original idea to record in Louisiana was hatched even earlier during a meeting with Matt Greenhill from Folklore Productions. His many talents include getting like-minded musicians together in interesting combinations. Anyway, knowing that I was looking for a versatile multi-instrumentalist to record with alongside harmonica virtuoso Grant Dermody, he suggested Dirk, an amazing musicianer who also has a wonderful studio. Matt also later came up with the idea of calling in the fabulous Cedric Watson, a young lion of the new Creole music evolving in and around Lafayette. Also on hand was the sublimely groovy Danny DeVillier, on drums, and Michael Bishop, sound engineer extraordinaire, who flew in from Ohio with his gear and million-dollar ears.

Thusly assembled, in beautiful, not-too-hot, bayou weather, the six of us, brothers of varying hue, came to record a celebration of our shared Americana heritage – “Deeper In The Well”.

Eric Bibb - October, 2011

David Essig - Rolling Fork to Gallows Point

Correva il lontano 1985 e tra coloro che hanno aiutato la crescita della cultura musicale in Italia un ruolo sicuramente di primo piano per il genere "americana" va riconosciuto alla piccola etichetta indipendente milanese Appaloosa. Ed è proprio in quel periodo che David Essig registrò per questa etichetta “Whose Muddy Shoes” , un bellissimo lp blues ove è possibile ascoltare la bravura e lo stile chitarristico veramente di ottima fattura del nostro. Lp fa presa tra il pubblico del settore ed è oggi introvabile cosi' molti fans di David hanno piu' volte chiesto allo stesso di ristamparlo. Al momento di farlo nasce in Essig l'idea di rinciderlo proprio completamente adeguandolo alle sonorita' di oggi. ( per chi ha l'originale sarebbe bellissimo confrontare proprio l'evoluzione dello stile del chitarrista Canadese ). Ad accompagnarlo in questa avventura troviamo compagni di prim'ordine quali Chris Whiteley, Tobin Frank and Alan Cameron. Una piccola nota di colore. Rolling Fork è la terra Natale di  Muddy Waters nel  Mississippi. Gallows Point è il panorama che il nostro si gode ogni mattina guardando fuori dalla  finestra della propria casa in  Protection Island, British Columbia quasi a rimarcare una linea di continuita' tra lo spirito delle due terre che solo l'animo umano può creare. Gran Bel Cd.

JJ Grey and Mofro - Live ( Alligator Records )

"JJ Grey and his band Mofro stir up a Southern storm of soulful grooves. They deliver simmering, funky and propulsive Southern R&B with a rock edge."
 -The New Yorker  
 "A balance of wildness and cool. Southern swamp rock with undercurrents of Memphis soul…his songs chronicle ambiguous truths and unambiguous urges."
–The New York Times 
“World-beating blend of Southern rock, blues and Florida swamp soul”
–Billboard
“Understated elegance...soulful and funky”
–Paste
“Warm and organic, with blasts of hard-edged rock, Memphis soul and gutbucket blues.”
–Philadelphia Inquirer
“Makes an immediate impact with every track dipping back into the swamp for inspiration” 
–Mojo 

Durante il Top Audio ho consigliato a tutti coloro che mi chiedevano un cd blues quello di JJ Grey.  Il motivo lo potrete scoprire anche voi che state a casa ascoltando il suo nuovo cd "live". Un Mix di Southern Rock e Blues ti invadono sin dal primo attacco, l'armonica vibra forte e la voce non delude, anzi , è carismatica. Il "ragazzo" di Jacksonville, Florida, ci sa veramente fare..... gli album dal studio avevano gia' messo in evidenza il suo grande talento ma quest'ultimo lavoro live ti trascina dentro la sua musica. Tra l'altro bella operazione dell'Alligator che ha deciso di accoppiare al cd un dvd in altra definzioen e multicanale 5.1 surround la storia musicale di questo bluesman. Nel dvd, come nei piu' claccici rockumentari, i pezzi live sono alternati da interviste a JJ che prende l'occasione per farci entrare in quel territorio che tanto ha influenzato la sua musica. Inoltre, anticipando il New York Times di qualche giorno, abbiamo indicato questo cd di JJ Grey come una delle uscite piu' belle di questo autunno..... e il famoso quotidiano newyorkese ha ribadito il fatto anteponendo questo cd addirittura a quello di Marsalis - Clapton.... che dire.... lunga vita al Blues, lunga vita al Southern Rock !!!!
Per ascotare in anteprima il cd ( in bassa risoluzione ) clicca qui

http://primoascolto.blogspot.com/

Sostiene Bollani e Il Danish Trio

SOSTIENE BOLLANI

Abbiamo il piacere di presentare i tre cds che Stefano Bollani ha inciso con il Danish Trio ossia a Jesper Boldisen e Morten Lund che compongono la sezione ritmica del programma in onda la Domenica Sera su Rai TRe.

- Gleda - Reinterpretazioni di canzoni tradizionali scandinave.   http://youtu.be/bNnkHRLl3_0

-  Mi Ritorni In Mente  - Cd altrettanto bello con la rilettura di  Mi Ritorni In Mente di Lucio Battisti in chiave jazzistica  http://youtu.be/nkwiNMzjUcw

- Stone In The Water - L'album della maturita' dove accanto a standard e musica brasiliana compaiono composizioni originali sia di Stefano che di Jesper.
http://player.ecmrecords.com/bollani


 Oltre a questi tre cds permetteteci di segnalare il nuovo lavoro di

Jesper Bodilsen,

che  ha inciso un ulteriore progetto che merita la nostra massima attenzione per la sua delicatezza e bellezza non solo musicale ma anche propriamente poetica. Stiamo Parlando di

Short Stories For Dreamers

un bellissimo cd che trasforma l'esperienza musicale in immagine e l'immagine in musica. E' da ascoltare molto attentamente come una bellissima poesia affinche' ti entri dentro creando quelle sensazioni che soltanto un' opera creata dalla sensibilita' di questo artista può dare. Atmosfere rarefatte e da sogno creano paesaggi immaginari dove le emozioni prendono posto, una ad una. Per raggiungere questo risultato Jesper si è fatto accompagnare da amici-musicisti molto raffinati quali Ulf Wakenius  ( che gli amanti dei virtuosi della chitarra acustica ameranno sicuramente ) , Peter Asplund (tromba molto delicata ), Severi Pyysalo (vibrafono). Insomma un cd che merita la nostra massima attenzione.

http://youtu.be/xj4vzVfqeYM

http://www.jazzconvention.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=877%3Ajesper-bodilsen-short-stories-for-dreamers&catid=2%3Arecensioni&Itemid=11

http://www.tgcom.mediaset.it/rubriche/articoli/1010326/a-jazz-meeting-jesper-bodilsen.shtml 

Tingvall Trio - Vagen

Vagen, ( The way ) è stato registrato in uno degli studi piu' cari alla comunita' audiofila nostrana ossia quegli Arte Suono studio di Stefano Amerio in quel di Udine, tempio ormai dell'audiofilia mondiale. Quindi qualita audio di assoluto livello a disposizione di un trio veramente unico espressione di paesi ( e quindi di approci musicali ) diversi. In Martin Tingvall ( ovviamente anima del trio ) è possibile riconoscere il tocco e l'ispirazione di Bobo Stenson, cui si affianca il percussionista tedesco Jurgen Spiegel. E fin qui il jazz nordico la farebbe da padrone se non arrivasse il bassista Omar Rodriguez Calvo, scuola rock cubana, a mescolare totalmente le carte introducendo nei suoni jazzistici europei quel calore cubano che si fonde miracolosamente dando energia al trio. In questo nuovo il trio si "allarga" facendo spazio ad una vera e propria piccola orchestra con Gregor Lentjes – Horns, Strings De Luxe Jansen Folkers – Violin Adam Zolynski – Violin Axel Ruhland – Viola Martin Bentz – Cello; tutti magistralmente diretti da Martin Tingvall & Wolf Kerschek. Come nei precedenti cd, anche in questo la musica trae ispirazione da quanto vissuto dagli artisti durante i loro tour o personalmente, comunque sempre in stretta relazione con la natura che li circonda sia essa ispirare calde ballate spagnole o suoni piu' propriamente orientali sempre miscelati e resi propri dall'esperienza artistica dei nostri.

"Vägen" (The Way) retraces the trio's imprssions on the way taken over the last few years. "Sevilla", the opening track took birth on the extended tour of Spain in 2010 and "Shejk Schröder" (Schröder the Sheik) could easily provide the backdrop for a camel race. The title tune "Vägen" is one of those compositions, where you literally hear the stardust swirl, offering space for reflection and lookinginward at what was, what is and what jsut might come to pass. As the previous ECHO JAZZ AWARD winning album "Vattensaga" the album was once again recorded at the highly acclaimed Italian Arte Suono studio of Stefano Amerio. On "Efter Livet" (After Life) Martin Tingvall has also gingerly supllemented the "triophonics" with additional instrumentation by arranging string and horns like splashes of color

Hans Theessink - Jedermann Remixed - The Soundtracs. ( Cd/Lp)

Come tutti sapranno il festival di Salisburgo è uno dei piu' imporanti festival per gli amanti della musica operistica e lirica. Si tiene ogni anni nella citta' che diede i natali ad uno dei piu' grandi geni della musica europea ossia Mozart ed è seguito da tantissime persone, un vero e proprio evento nazionale, con i giovani nella piazze a farla da padrona. Ed è proprio in questo contesto, che nel 1920, quando forse nessuno ancora capiva cosa sarebbe successo, venne presentato sul palco princiapale di quel festival lo Jedermann, divenuto da allora uno dei momenti piu' importanti e piu' seguiti dell'intero festival ( clicca qui x maggiori info Jedermann ). Si tratta della rappresentazione di una novella dove l'uomo , ( rappresentato dal ricco Jedermann ), Dio e la Morte si impersonificano e ci accompagnano durante il nostro ultimo giorno per farci prendere consapevolezza di quanto e come abbiamo vissuto. Da questa rappresentazione è stato tratto un film e la colonna sonora scelta per rappresentare questo viaggio esistenziale è la musica che piu' di ogni altra si adatta con l'anima : l'essenzialita' del Blues. E chi in Austria avrebbero potuto chiamare per un simile progetto se non il nostro Hans Theessink ? Per l'occasione Theessink ripercorre la storia del blues "moderno", quello post bellico per intenderci, affiancando a sue composizione originali brani di Bo Diddley, Tom Waits, Hank Williams, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash fino agli Stones della coppia Jagger/Richards. Classici e composizini originali vengono rielaborate e presentate in una versione essernziale dove a farla da padrona sono la voce e la chitarra semiacustica del nostro.

Dutch morality play Elckerlyc was written in the late 15th-century and may well have been the original source for the English play Everyman. In 1911 Hugo von Hofmannsthal adapted Everyman as Jedermann, and since 1920 Jedermann has been performed every year on the steps of the Cathedral in Salzburg as part of the Salzburger Festspiele. The open-air performances have been one of the highlights of the Festival season ever since. Throughout the years many famous German language actors/actresses have been part of Jedermann in Salz burg. Actors playing Jedermann include Attila Hörbiger, Will Quadflieg, Curd Jürgens, Maximilian Schell, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Helmut Lohner, Gert Voss, Peter Simonischek and Nicholas Ofczarek. His famous “mistresses” (Buhlschaft) include Christiane Hörbiger, Senta Berger, Sunnyi Melles, Veronica Ferres and Birgit Minichmayr ...

Based on Everyman and enhanced with dramatic modern adaptations, Jedermann presents God, Death, the Devil and other abstract beings as personifications. The rich Jedermann is faced by unexpected Death, calling him to his judgment. Allowed company on his final journey, he is deserted by his loyal servant, his friends and his money; the figures of Good Works and Faith help him repent and save his soul before he is lowered into his grave.

In 2011 the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation ORF commissioned film director Hannes Rossacher to produce the film “Jedermann Remixed” to commemorate the success-story of 90 years Jedermann phenomenon in Salzburg. Rossacher used archive footage from 9 decades to put together a cultural historic puzzle and create a unique performance of Jedermann that has not been seen in this form before. ORF and Hannes Rossacher asked me to produce the soundtrack for the film and we selected the songs that would fit the themes and scenes.

Besides several Theessink originals we recorded songs by many legendary songwriters: from Bo Diddley to Tom Waits, Hank Williams to Ray Charles, Johnny Cash to Rolling Stones Jagger/Richards. We also struck gold with some tradi tional songs that have been handed down through time.

For me it was a wonderful challenge to create this soundtrack to support the images of the film.

I‘ve tried to reduce the arrangements to the basic essentials; sometimes just one guitar-one voice.

It‘s the nature of film music that only certain passages of the songs are used where the film needs it. Still we recorded the songs in their full length; resulting in “Jedermann remixed” the soundtrack.