Tchavolo 来ますよ！

At the end of the month Tchavolo Schmitt is coming to tokyo.
He also appears in the movie Swing by Tony Gatlif:

In praise of low materialism

 

Yesterday’s hanami has been partially ruined by heavy rain but still many people came to yoyogi park.
Since last year I have switched from piano to accordion initially for  practicality ( to rent a piano in tokyo is not easy and my room is as big n half coda piano) and bcause accordion has two important quality that a piano does not have: portability and the “long note” (one note can theoretically last forever).
Switching from piano to accordion has a much deeper meaning: it means switching from high music to low popular music. A piano performs at its best in a concert hall, in silence an accordion gives its best during a fair, in the streets, at night in half darkness. A piano can be played only with cleaned long hands. An accordion gives its best played by small fat greasy fingers. They belong to the sides of music: the high, theoretical abstract, precise, Apollonian and the popular, passionate, ecstatic and Dionysian one.
But both, if well interpreted, can lead make music to be the our unconscious memory of the lost eden (E.Cioran ).

Italian young jazzist

I did not know you mr Mirabassi, I am sorry.  Do not do the same mistake.

Despite the fact we have the oldest politician in Europe we do have really talented young jazzist.

Ryoji Ikeda first solo exhibition

A few weeks ago I mentioned Ikeda as an interesting artist.
Soon there will be his first solo exhibition which I am looking forward to visit.
If you are into radical sound experiments, math and hamburgers this should be for you.

Artists of the week: Yoshida Brothers

I suppose everyone heard at least once shamisen a traditional japanese instrument.
The sounds makes foreigner immediately think about zen, japan, temple, silence, sushi, asia, meditation and other cliche.
If you want a different feeling check the Yoshida Brothers

artist of the week: Gianluca Petrella

This week I decide to take a break from Japanese people and suggest finally an Italian amazing trobone player.
A few reason why you should take a look:
-he is playing with the maestro Enrico Rava
-in his own album he is playing an interesting contemporary jazz, with electronic, dissonances…
- you might want to get to know some italian which are neither dead nor over 60 years old
-you might start giving trombone a better consideration

web site

japanese artist of the week

I hope i can suggest a japanese artist every week.
This week is Ryoji Ikeda, sound artist, musician and much more…
wiki page
myspace
Enjoy!

il ritorno dell’omino nervoso // Jarrett back to La Scala

Milan is not a world capital but luckily there are still a few institutions that have a world recognition. La Scala is one of those. Yesterday, after the glorious 1995 concert, Jarrett played in one of the two pagan temple of Milan ( the other of course is the football stadium San Siro).
an article of Il Sole 24 Ore

from ViviMilano

Shahram Nazeri

Because today it seem a good day to suggest musician, here is another one I listened to when I went to Iran.

mike del ferro

Last night I had opportunity to go to a party organized by Mr. Ronald Post from the US Embassy. I could get a chance of listening to Mike Del Ferro Jazz Trio.
We all appreciated the music and the great food from  Osteria Elio .
Here some video of Mike Del Ferro playing around the world:

sun bear concerts

The monumental Keith Jarrett Sun Bear Concerts set is not as well known as other works but definitely worth listening to. Carefully. Repeatedly.
The concerts where recorded in five Japanese cities in 1976: Kyoto,Osaka,Nagoya,Tokyo, Sapporo.
If interested take a look here.

tango and piano

interesting 4 hands playing style.

shimokitazawa!

a picture of me playing a little accordion in shimokitazawa

music

if you are looking for new music try this application. it uses amazon user preferences but it is much better visualized;

about music and symmetry interesting work here;

a new friend.