29 de juliol, 2010

Novembre 2010: torna el festival


(En castellano a continuación)

Primer va ser Sonny Rollins (Auditori, 3 de novembre; concert inaugural en el qual se li farà entrega de la tercera medalla d'or del festival, després de Bebo Valdés i Wayne Shorter), després Jamie Cullum en el que serà (26 de novembre) el seu debut al Palau («em sembla que ens ho passarem molt bé», ens va dir en la seva recent visita a Barcelona), i aquesta setmana s'hi han afegit ja molts altres concerts. El 42è Voll-Damm Festival Internacional de Jazz de Barcelona ja està en marxa. 


Primero fue Sonny Rollins (Auditori, 3 de noviembre; concierto inaugural en el que se le hará entrega de la tercera medalla de oro del festival, tras Bebo Valdés en el 2008 y Wayne Shorter en el 2009), después Jamie Cullum en el que será (26 de noviembre) su debut en el célebre Palau de la Música Catalana («me parece que nos lo vamos a pasar muy bien», nos dijo en su reciente visita a Barcelona), y esta semana se han añadido ya muchos otros conciertos. El 42 Voll-Damm Festival Internacional de Jazz de Barcelona ya está en marcha. 

27 de juliol, 2010

La triple corona de Joe Lovano a 'DownBeat'


El saxofonista Joe Lovano acaba de guanyar aquest any l'anomenada triple corona del Critics Poll de la revista DownBeat, en la seva edició número 58. Artista de l'any (per davant de Sonny Rollins i Ornette Coleman), grup amb Us Five (darrere, el trio Jarrett-Peacock-DeJohnette i el Branford Marsalis Quartet) i saxo tenor (per davant de Sonny Rollins de nou i de Chris Potter).

Lovano va aprofitar la seva recent estada a Barcelona (divendres passat va tocar al Grec com a convidat especial de McCoy Tyner) per agrair a l'equip de The Project i al doctor que el va operar a la Clínica Quirón, Andrés Combalia, les atencions rebudes el passat novembre, quan va haver de ser operat d'urgència a Barcelona. El saxofonista i la seva esposa, la cantant Judi Silvano, van voler-ho celebrar convidant el doctor Combalia i part de l'equip de The Project a un dinar a Monvínic, probablement (ho diu The Wall Street Journal) el millor wine bar del món.

Així comença l'article de DownBeat, firmat per Dan Ouellette, que aquells dies de novembre també era a Barcelona.


The best jazz saxophonist in the land tumbled and was laid low—at least momentarily—but rebounded, albeit slowly.

Last November, Joe Lovano ambled cautiously into the breakfast room at the Hotel Alexandra in Barcelona, Spain, on the day he was to perform with his nonet at the city’s jazz festival. His left arm heavily bandaged so as to be immobilized, he had the fingers of his left hand exposed so that he could play the keys of his saxophones.

He arrived the day before, which was when he contacted the festival’s artistic director, Joan Cararach. “Don’t be shocked when you see me,” Lovano told him and explained his situation. “But don’t worry, I can play.” That night Lovano had dinner with Cararach and his good friend Bruce Lundvall (head of Blue Note Records), then rose early the next morning to get ready to play his third gig since the unfortunate accident. What happened? “I had a little misstep,” Lovano said, mildly irked but not downtrodden by the disability. Per usual, the jovial saxophonist smiled and downplayed the mishap that happened two nights earlier in Lausanne, Switzerland.

L'article sencer, aquí.

25 de juliol, 2010

Pat Metheny speaks



About his quartet (Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Antonio Sánchez):
«This is the core of my band, the Pat Metheny Group, in action. We did some concerts like this, just as a quartet, last year in Asia, playing a lot of the music from across all the years we have been together in a basic, kind of stripped down way. The audience reaction was incredible and we had a blast doing it.» 


About music categories:
«I really see music as one big thing. But certainly, my focus has always been on improvisation. There are certainly overlaps between all the different settings that I play in, but each context seems to bring out different requirements. Playing duets with Charlie Haden is a very different skill than playing with the PMG and playing more straight ahead with Kenny Garrett is very different than playing with Gary Burton, etc. It is hard to verbally describe the difference as much as I think the musical result describes itself.»

Pat Metheny Group plays today at the Porta Ferrada Festival.

The complete interview (in Catalan) is here.

13 de juliol, 2010

Chick Corea about Kenny Garrett

According to pianist Chick Corea, Kenny Garrett is "one of those creative musicians who are always probing. Who knows what he's trying to find? But I'm glad he's still looking." (From The Detroit News)

Chick Corea's Freedom Band (with Kenny Garrett, Christian McBride and Roy Haynes) will play in Tarragona (Camp de Mart) next Saturday.

More information (in Spanish), here.

02 de juliol, 2010

Sonny Rollins in Montreal


Sonny Rollins in Montreal. June 27, 2010.

Set list:

1. Patanjali
2. My One and Only Love
3. Global Warming
4. They Say It's Wonderful
5. Low Down Dirty Shame

Yes, Sonny sings the blues!

Check out Russell's Malone impressions on playing with Sonny:


«He's an encyclopedia of songs and melodies. This man has not lost his passion, his drive, or his enthusiam. It is an honor to be making music with him.»

See you in Barcelona, November 3rd!



Photo credit: Denis Alix / Festival International de Jazz de Montréal