Jaco Pastorius & 9/11

I've recently been at a Billy Cobham show. Great technique. A real rhythm machine. Not so great when talking about emotions. Drum is a rhythm tool. Not a lead instrument. A drummer cannot be the main attraction in a band. The same is for bass guitar. It cannot be the lead instrument. Otherwise it could turn out to be really boring. This is the rule.

But any good rule has its own exception. In this case the only exception is an American guy quickly destroyed by his own madness during a short life dominated by any kind of excess. Jaco. For the ones with a minimum musical knowledge it's useless to tell anything else. Behind this name there is the greatest bass player ever. The only one able to break all the rules. The only one to turn bass guitar into a lead instrument. Simply incomparable.

Like it's said for Jimi Hendrix for Jaco Pastorius too is true that:"...the star that shines the double lives half time!". And his life has been too short. As soon as he did reach some fame madness started to appear. In a few months his decline has started. He introduced himself to Joe Zawinul as the greatest bass guitar player in the world. And he has shown to be it despite of the initial fu...ff received as an answer. With success he did also experience some mental disease that shortly took him away from the showbiz. And from his own life too. In the very last months of his life Jaco lived like a homeless. Without a dime in his pocket. Deeply addicted to alcohol and drugs. At the age of 35 he did meet his Death. Early. Too much early. And violently.

Jaco's legend started in 1976 when he was only 25. In that year he released his own masterpiece: Jaco Pastorius. This album kicked him directly into history. To hear Portrait of Tracy could be a shock. The way he plays the fretless bass, the deepness of his sound and the emotions coming out from his music could drive anyone to stop playing bass guitar. For ever. No human being can reach such a level. It's not a problem of technique. It's something related to feelings. No one can learn it! From this point he started many projects with well known musicians. Weather Report, Pat Metheny, Joni Mitchell just to name a few.

As long as his success got bigger also his mental disease did. Favored by the alcohol and drugs (ab)use. He always walked on the razor's edge. Until the final day. 9/11 is without any doubt related to NYC and the Twin Towers. Anyway also music has its own 9/11. On 9/11/1987 Jaco had a violent fight with a security guy outside a disco. He was seriously wounded and the result was his death after a few days. Twenty years ago, during another sad 9/11, has been killed the greatest bass guitar player ever. Jaco Pastorius. One & Only!

Ben Harper - Lifeline

I have seen a very interesting clip on Ben Harper. During a live show he was asking to the audience about how they have known his music. On TV? No one. On the radio? No one. Thanks to the advice of a friend? An explosion! Anyone has known him thanks to the word of mouth. Such a primitive marketing tool!

I had the same experience. Magical. Half drunk, late at night. During a party with many friends I have suddenly heard the rhythm of a bongo coming out from the stereo. Then a fine acoustic guitar riff. And finally his voice. He put a spell on me. It was Ben Harper's one. He was singing "Burn One Down". I was hypnotized. Since then I have started to hear all of his music. Up to his simply wonderful cover of "Strawberry Fields". Stunning.

Due to the primitive marketing tool of the word of mouth I have started to be a genuine Harperoholic! Anytime a new release is announced I start to fell a strong interior conflict. On one side the happiness related to the good news of some more music from Ben Harper. On the other side the fear. Ben is not from Mars. Sooner or later he will fail. His artistic inspiration must disappear.

Anytime he releases a new album Ben Harper declares that it is his best one. The most complete. Actually I have never been disappointed by him. Anytime the fear for the flop is strongly kicked out by the beautyfulness of his music and by the very deep lyrics. It's incredible but time after time Ben Harper looks like a perfect guy who never fails. For sure, some albums are better than others. But anyone is surprising. Just one example: "There will be a light". Very far from the previous works. Ben Harper was able to renew his music without betray his soul. He was able to bring the Blind Boys of Alabama back to music. He made a real masterpiece.

It's clear enough that when I heard about the new album from Ben Harper I have started to feel a little anxious state of mind. I have to be honest. Truly. This time I had a strong feeling about a possible failure. After a double album arisen from the angry generated by Katrina hurricane. A shout in favor of all the (black) homeless not considered by the administration. After months of tour all around the world. After a week of work in Paris relegated in a studio with his innocent criminals he has created another masterpiece.

It's a black music album. Soul. It sounds like a record from the '70s. But it also sounds modern. Since from the very first listening I had the proof that Ben was right once again. It's not important to write about each of the 11 tracks. It's enough one that could represent the whole album: "Put it on". Like the Marley tune. But inspired from the golden era of Black Music. Amazing. Makes your heart beat faster. It makes you scream while singing following its rhythm with the body.

Maybe sometimes Ben Harper will record a bad album. I don’t know. For sure today he is more from Mars than from Planet Earth.

Gigi Cifarelli's talking guitar

Talking about music is not so easy. There are many chances to use stereotypes. Brazilian has the rhythm in their blood! Any Brazilian? Cubans dance like gods! Any Cuban? Could it be possible? Only (Afro)Americans can play the Blues! Yeah, the Blues. But also Jazz music. It's chilling to think about a Norwegian playing Jazz music. But in the cold Scandinavia is possible to find some of the finest modern Jazz players.

And what about Italians? Think about Italy means to think about Pizza & Mandolino? Are we so sure? I'm not! Probably stereotypes, like any legend, have some truth inside. I'm quite sure that it's something related to attitude. Capacity. For sure a Jamaican is much more confident with Reggae music than with winter sports. But if I'm not wrong there was a Jamaican team riding a bobsled at the Winter Olympics! Probably an Italian is more confident with soccer playing (or at least talking) than playing Jazz music. But there are many examples of great Italian Jazzman & Bluesman. Could be crazy. Could sound impossible. I don't know. What I know is the existence of the proof.

And the proof has a name. The name is Cifarelli. Gigi Cifarelli. He is really incredible. In the Milan city area he is one of the most famous and appreciated musicians. But ha has lot of fans all over Italy and Europe. Probably his name is known also in the USA. For sure in USA he has lot of friends. Mike Stern is one of them. Many times they shared the same stage for a gig. Also a real Jazz Master like the (sadly) gone Tony Scott was a fan of Gigi. He has played with many stars. It's enough to take a look at the gallery of his own web site to check it.

Gigi has an incredible feeling with music. He doesn't play the guitar. He makes the guitar talk to the audience. The instrument is the media to drive all the emotions. And Gigi drives many emotions to the audience. He has incredible technical skills. But really seldom he uses it. He prefers to use the heart, to have fun and to provide fun to the others. He is for sure one of the greatest Jazz players in Italy. And not only. He plays the Blues like few others can. But the crazy thing is that music to him is not a job. He whisper to his friends that his real job is to ride the bicycle. For real. He wins many competition every year. Guitar is just an hobby. It's a way to lower everyday stress. It's just fun. Not a job.

On 6th July he has played in Nice with one of the biggest American guitar players: Mr Al Di Meola. Yes, typical American name...just look at the cover photos of Friday Night In San Francisco! Despite of its Pizza & Mandolino attitude Gigi has played great Blues & Jazz. Also Mr Di Meola has been shocked by him. Probably Gigi will receive some proposal for a tour abroad (maybe in the USA) but I'm not sure he will accept. How can he left his bike for such a long time???