Tag Archives: Matt Bianco

The Soundtracks accompanying our lives

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Mark R and Mark F of Matt Bianco inspecting a handsome ruin.

A long time ago, in my teen and twens, I used to look down on the sort of adult who would go to see sixties and seventees revival concerts. Why would you want to see artists whose prime was obviously over and their live appearances only motivated by the need to make a couple of quick bucks, I asked myself. Why would you go and see these codgers when contemporary music offers you so many thrills?

Ah, the arrogance of youth.

By the time I turned thirty I had already been to my first eighties revival concert (ABC/Human League/Culture Club {brr}). So much for contemporary music. The next month I will be buying my 12th Matt Bianco album (no wanker jokes, please!) and tonight I will be seeing Incognito for the, er, eighth (?) time live on stage. I have caught myself listening to Radio 2 and even cheerfully chuckle to Terry Wogan’s jokes (sometimes) and have been seen violently raging against the humourless, misogynistic shite that is modern R&B. My Ipod is full of Steely Dan, Miles Davis, Mezzoforte, The James Taylor Quartet, The Style Council, Jazzanova and other acts that are way past their prime (or have just vanished into the ether).  If I ever would have to pick a song that has accompanied as long as I can remember it would be MB’s ‘Summer Song’. Sad? I don’t know.

There must be an explanation the humans get more set in their ways musically and prefer the comforts of the music that shaped them when they whippersnappers. I try to keep us as mucyh as I can with contemporary music, but apart from Hot Chip and the Klaxons I haven’t really discovered anything that suits my elevator music taste.  Is there are neurobiological explanation, or is this purely behavioural. It’s not that we can’t enjoy new things once we have hit thirty: books, movies, theatre, people, all these can be interesting and new and be added to the list of things we like and follow, but somehow music seems to be except from that list.

If anybody is aware of any qualitative or quantitative work on this, the sclerotic attitude of men > 30 on contemporary music, please pass them on to me.

I might just find out what is wrong with me.

The Hague Jazz Festival, Day 2

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Day 2 of The Hague Jazz Festival was spent by G and me in the large auditorium called ‘The A Train’. It started with class, panache and African rhythms thanks to the impressive and inspiring performance of Seun Kuti & Egypt 80. After that to my old friends and favourites Matt Bianco, whose gig was unfortunately hampered by terrible soundproblems (which aparently were due to the stage monitors). In the second half things got fortunately better, and ‘Lost in You’, ‘Wap Bam Boogie’ and ‘Cha Cha Cuba’ were highlights on a short setlist.

After an endless pause in which the stage hands apparently continued to grapple with the monitors, Level 42 featuring old war horse Billy Cobham came on stage just to suffer the same problems as Matt Bianco. Feedback continued to be an issue, and Billy was apparently not able to pick up the sequenced tracks from Mike Lindup’s impressive keyboard towers, so he had terrible problems to synchronise himself with the rest of the band, most obvious during ‘Lessons in Love’, when the band actually had to stop playing for Cobham to pick up the beat of the sequencers. Nevertheless, Love Games and Hot Water were fun as ever (although the rest of the set was a bit contrived with some rather unusual material being showcased).

All in all the 2008 Hague Jazz event was brillant. A relaxed, well organised festival with plenty of variety, great music and nice people. Thoroughly recommended.

The Hague Jazz Festival, Day 1

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Last night my friend G and myself arrived after a pleasant and uneventful trip (thanks to Netherlands Railways and KLM) at our hotel in The Hague and ambled over to the first night of The Hague Jazz Festival 2008. An impressive first night, we were able to check out Randy Brecker, Stanley Clarke and Nile Rodgers. The festival, set up in the World Forum Conference Center is immaculately organised, with thousands of happy punters ambling about, having drinkies, eating some lovely food and listening to some amazing music.

You really couldn’t wish for a more friendly party atmosphere, and there was none of the usual vomiting, violence or aggression that you associate with British festivals. 

First gig of the evening for us was Randy Brecker: This was held in one of the downstairs rooms of the venue, with about 500 happy, relaxed fans grooving to the delicious funk that was oozing from the stage. Surrounded by four musicians half his age, Brecker guided his troupe through an excellent set filled with some superb solos by himself and his outstanding sax player Ada Rovatti that completey blew me (and the rest of the audience) away. Well done Brecker for featuring such a talent in his lineup, especially as her presence and her soli were so much more impressive than his.

Picture courtesy of AdaRovatti.com

 

Next up was Stan (the man) Clarke. A packed auditorium holding ca 1500 people his gig was both beautiful and boring. When playing with his outstanding band, his music spoke for itself without the need for any technical gimmickery. When he started to get the double bass out and dazzle the audience with his skills, it got quickly boring: while it might be interesting to see a man treating his double bass like rhythm- and melody instrument at the same time, it was quickly obvious that this was more technical showcasing than music. Shame.

Stanley Clarke before he got the double bass out.

Picture courtesy of Haags Uitburo on Flickr.

 

The last gig on the evening was Nile Rodger’s Chic. That, my friends, was so far the best gig of the year. Great voices, grooves that even made my scottish friend move his feet and outstanding musicianship (I would pay money to see that percussionist again: think the Muppet’s ‘animal’ antics with the looks of Siegfried and Roy) , topped by a collection of amazing songs: Good Times, The Freak, We are Family, I’m going up, Upside Down, I want your love, dance dance dance, my forbidden Lover, etc. 

Thanks Niles. 

And now on to the second night…

 

The best festival of the year?

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Toots Thielemann, Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, Randy Brecker, Matt Bianco, Nile Rodgers, Jazzmatazz and Level 42. All at The Hague Jazz Festival.

It is time to visit Holland in spring.

See you all there.