GUARDA CHE LUNA

To pay homage at the artistic and human figure of Fred Buscaglione last night GUARDA CHE LUNA was on stage at Turreno theatre. It is the product of the thought of “Fuori Via” and “Teatro Stabile of Turin”. Fred Buscaglione was a real comedian and musician who loved jazz. To accentuate these traits of his character last night some distinguished jazz musician like Enrico Rava, Stefano Bollani and Enzo Pietropaoli played his pieces meanwhile Banda Osiris performed with them to remind us the comic aspect of his figure. In the meantime Gian Maria Testa with his soft and warm voice reinterpreted the most beautiful songs written by the chansonniere from Turin.  The final result of the combination of these talented artists is a perfect mixture of theatre, concert and music all. A new formula in which each of them reinvented his own roles. Bollani e Pietropaoli song one piece each; on two occasion Banda Osiris become a professional and rigorous wind instruments section; Gian Maria Testa is a real narrator.
The concert has been greeted with cheers by the huge number of spectators. Repeat performance tonight, the last one for the summer season.

(by Giovanni Serrazanetti)

VIENNA ART ORCHESTRA
UJ 2002 kicked off the portion of this year’s festival dedicated to creative jazz big bands in a fitting manner on 12 July by presenting the Vienna Art Orchestra (VAO) in its Perugia debut to the delight of an enthusiastic audience at the Teatro Morlacchi. The eclectic ensemble, founded in 1977 by the Swiss-born composer and arranger Matthias Rüegg, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with a program called “Art & Fun 25.” It’s a fitting title which perfectly describes the essence of the music Rüegg composes for the VAO which is influenced as much by such 20th century visionaries as Erik Satie, John Cage and Frank Zappa as by American composers as Duke Ellington and George Gershwin...continua

(by Mitchell Feldman)

PAT MARTINO QUARTET
His performance at UJ Winter – Orvieto - was one of the greatest successes of the last edition and the reason the Umbria Jazz Festival organisation has decided to call him again for the summer edition.  Last night, Pat Martino opened his long series of midnight performances at the Turreno theatre with a different trio as regards the last UJ Winter: Gil Goldstein – piano, Steve Beskrone – bass, and Lenny White – drums Pat Martino is a musician who conveys a lot of energy, he attacks the notes and plays a powerful and accurate swing based on his melodic and rhythmic phrasing surrounded by the warm sound of his guitar. Thanks to his great poetic endowments and his incredible technical abilities he is considered as one of the most important living guitar players. His performances are very warmly received by all audiences.
 

(by Giovanni Serrazanetti)

CHUCKY C & CLEARLY BLUE
The musical menu of New Orleans is as rich and varied as the city’s gastronomic one and a highlight of the daily offerings on the Alfa Soul Stage of the Louisiana Corner in the Giardini Carducci atop Perugia’s ancient city walls is undoubtedly Chucky C. The talented vocalist and saxophonist, who is appearing daily at Umbria Jazz with his band Clearly Blue through 21 July, has toured internationally with blues diva Marva Wright and is an integral member of the group of back-up singers in Aaron Neville’s band. The birthplace of jazz, New Orleans is also globally renowned for the R&B scene that has flourished there since the 1950s and Chucky C, whose repertoire not only includes soul music from the Crescent City but from other black music meccas like Motown (Detroit) and Philadelphia as well, had his audience dancing in the aisles and singing along during his a lunch hour concert on Saturday 13 July.
 

(by Mitchell Feldman)

John Firmin
John Firmin comes from San Francisco and he is known under the assumed name Johnny Nocturne. He is an excellent saxophonist and band leader as well. For a long time he has been present at Umbria Jazz Festival and this year he is here as the leader of a group of talented musicians that play well together. Firmin offering a musical program which is a perfect mixture of swing and R&B he gives energy and vitality among the spectators. His performance is supported by Miss Dee, a great black vocalist, a talented performer with iron vocal cords and a great interpretative ability. Thanks to her contribution and her drummer Ronald Beck as well her music fly over the excited audience at the famous restaurant “La Taverna”.

(by Giovanni Serrazanetti)

URI CAINE

A classically trained pianist who embraced jazz as a teenager in his native Philadelphia where he back such jazz legends as saxophonist Hank Mobley, Uri Caine has established himself as one of the most original voices on the international contemporary music scene.
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(by Mitchell Feldman)