Top Ten Sexiest Piano Players, #7, Champian Fulton

She makes jazz what it is suppose to be, happy, sad, emotional. Jazz at it's best is brain food.
Champian's repertoire is as broad as a Sunrise. She is a walking talking American Songbook.

Champian, champian.net

And her command of the piano is a joy to watch!


I call her the "hardest working woman in showbiz". Seems like every night in New York City she is leaving her jazz mark on Da Apple. Live she is wonderful, so get out and see her!

...have a look: this is my favorite, and she played it for me when I wrote my live review of her at The Garage in NYC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyrXpqz_QI8&feature=related

Here is that review: http://streetcredmusic.blogspot.com/2011/04/champian-at-garage.html

...One more classic from Champian, BTW the "young man with the horn" in this one is Steve Fulton, Champian's dad.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v87pMUI9A3A

...to continue treating your ears, go to champian.net and listen to some great "brain food"!

           Champian Fulton #7.

I'm Pete, follow me:  www.twitter.com/petecarma

Top Ten Sexiest Piano Players, #8, Nina Simone

Excelled in every genre of music from Gospel to jazz to her classical roots. Civil Rights activist.
Outspoken, and was not afraid to record songs like, "Mississippi Goddamn" and "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free"...Nina Simone.

Nina Simone, http://www.ninasimone.com/

I first saw Nina in 1963 at Basin Street East, NYC. A very small venue, I was about 10 feet from her and the Grand Piano. She was marvelous. Her "command" of the instrument and the audience was unmatched.

have a listen:  this composition of Nina's is what she was all about, making people who were oppressed, feel good about themselves...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUcXI2BIUOQ

Nina stared segregation in the eye, and fought it at every turn, politically and with her music. A giant of a woman, a pioneer and a "door opener" for today's generation....Nina died at her home in France from breast cancer, her ashes are scattered in Africa.

...here is some vintage Nina:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sAbW0ONRBU&feature=related

                                                         ...the incomparable Nina Simone #8.   


I'm Pete, follow me at:  www.twitter.com/petecarma

Answer #5, Ten more to go...

This weeks $15 ITunes gift card goes to RW, from NYC. This was the question I selected to be this week's winner! I have 10 more to give away, one a week for the next 10 weeks.

Q; In your review of Abby Ahmad you said her song "Landing Gear" ranks with Dylan's classic "The Times They Are A-changin" and Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" did you really mean that? Or were you just blowing smoke?

My answer:  First of all RW, the cigarettes I have smoked in my life were the ones you want to keep the smoke in!  
Second of all, take a good look at my blog. There are NO paid ads, no pop ups selling shit. My point is best described by the cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn..."I sezz what I means, and I means what I sezz!"

There is no bigger Dylan fan then yours truly. His words are poetry of the highest form, and McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" is a masterpiece....and both fit the times they were released, with a political savvy and insight.

Abby Ahmad has done that with "Landing Gear". The difference is Abby is living in a time when the masses are slow to catch on, because they are politically ignorant. If you read the lyrics to "Landing Gear" it's as if you are watching a news report from this afternoon, or any afternoon of this decade. I truly think the tune ranks with Dylan and McGuire's takes on our society!

here's Abby:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqaRAMf6Wh0

Abby Ahmad, abbyahmad.com

here's the review: http://streetcredmusic.blogspot.com/2011/10/abby-ahmad-curriculum.html

RW...thanks for the great question!!
send questions to me, jrclemente@hotmail.com
I'll pick one on Friday every week the next 10 weeks!!


I'm Pete, follow me at:  www.twitter.com/petecarma

Top Ten, Sexiest Piano Players, #9...Kalen

Once you have seen Kalen, as she put it "in the flesh and blood" you will understand why she is on this list!


Kalen is a New York based singer, songwriter, recording artist and performer. Originally from New Hampshire and an Ivy League graduate of The University of Pennsylvania, she brings her Northeastern intellectual poetic lyrics, detailed grooves and sense of jazz harmony to her urban landscape in her music.


Kalen:  The band is known as Kalen and the A-Listers...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PZwUFD6mAE

Kalen..kalenmusic.com

...in addition to Kalen's, skills on the keys and vocals she has composed two of the best tunes I have heard in a while with her "Rabid Girl" & "Golden Door"...both available, at Kalen's site!

have one more look, and then GET OUT and see her !!  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFqoyIPHN_4&list=UU94p-p3-XckqJ_ZR5IRvYCw&index=1&feature=plcp

That's Kalen #9.


I'm Pete, follow me at;   www.twitter.com/petecarma  

Greta Panettieri, at Umbria Jazz Festival

..my dear friend Greta Panettieri, returned home to Umbria with her band Greta's Bakery, to be part of the annual festival...I asked her to give me her feeling, about being back home, she is from Umbria.

It was so good to "hear" the positive words she sent to me and I can tell she is happy!
....I will add nothing to them, except some wonderful photos!  Here is Greta, uncensored!!

Greta, gretapanettieri.com

Greta!!!

My Dear Pete, first of all we want to wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Somehow I have a feeling about 2012, on the contrary of what the most catastrophic theories say I think is going to be a great one!!!

Secondly thanks for giving me the chance to express myself again on your blog, I hope we'll keep doing this forever, wouldn't it be fun to be writing on your blog in  20 years from now? maybe I will be in a Democratic China and you in a Bank free America ;)

Anyway yes I was very exited about Umbria Jazz! You might know that I grew up in Umbria and when I was really just a baby my parents took me to see Miles Davis at Umbria Jazz, since than every year you would enjoy the best jazz musician on the summer stages, Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman ,Herbie Hanckok and the list goes on and on….

So to be part of this event is really a dream come true!

The audience was just amazing , consider that we were the only new 'young' act and the least known ,everybody else had some kind of Italian history if not a huge international name like Michel Camilo or Gonzalo Rubalcaba.Our shows took place in 2 locations 4 were in a pretty big hall called Sala Expo' of 'Palazzo del Popolo around 150 seats( maybe more maybe less…) in a huge castle from the 13th Century.

Our first gig was on a Thursday afternoon and to my surprise the hall was quiet full,nice educated audience they would clap after solos etc..well from there we went to an enthusiastic huge crowd

Before the show on Jan 1° the door man came to me and asked me: hey G are u done with your sound check I need to open the doors cause the line outside gets to the next square…

.

The place was packed there were no more standing places :)

HAPPY GRETA!  result: we played our ( can I say ass off )….

People didn't know us because the record didn't come out here ,same old UMG issues that nobody can really understand…but they started talking about this girl that is Italian but lived in the states etc etc so they were curious and of course to be on the festival's calendar does the rest.

To be part of the staff was also an amazing experience , we would all eat in the same place lunch and dinner ,we had a second floor of a restaurant reserved  with a really amazing catering and artists sound men, managers the entire festival staff would eat there so it was like going to summer camp with Mr. Camilo or Rubalcaba and of course some great old friends, really a great atmosphere.I can tell you again that you would have loved it.

I can say that it's been maybe the best experience we had in a while. Having the chance to play everyday was the key, we grew musically and on stage ,we grew together with the event and felt part of a fantastic music family.

I came back home happy, full of hope and with the feeling that after all,maybe, we are going to make it, and that we are not totally crazy to keep going…

--

Greta

Greta Panettieri, the voice of an Angel, beautiful and one of the nicest people on the Planet!!

...and yes Greta, I told you a long time ago, "you have a friend for life, whether you like it or not!"

 I'm Pete, follow me at:   www.twitter.com/petecarma

Rosita Kess, CD, "Nothern Sky"

"Northern Sky" could be the most eclectic CD I have heard is a while. It's a wonderful mix of jazz, pop, one tune that says "country" a taste of a French Cafe, and some good old New Orleans,
Trombone leadin' the pack, home spun fun.

...all beautifully done by Rosita Kess!   
                                                                               
    The diversity of the album just reflects the background of the artist. Born in Venice, Italy, spending time in Berlin, Paris, Barcelona, London and New York City and now in New Orleans, a more complete exposure to music would be hard to find.

Rosita, Rositakess.com

The opening cut is "The Blind Painter" it grabbed me from the jump. A stone cold lover of  AfroJazz...
...this one hit home with me....terrific rhythm, and percussion and add to that the lyrics that tell the story of a fading love affair, and you have winner #1.

"Tell Me" is a tune that is a blues and I mean some solid, bass leadin melodic line blues, that is just down to where the blues need to be. ..."so tell me baby do you think about me...there's a big blue ocean, in between...and the Moon is wild just like it use to be...so tell me baby do you think about me?"
...a standout tune!!

Then on cut four we visit a small Bistro in Paris, well at least that's what this tune makes you feel. I was waiting for "The Little Sparrow" to enter. The tune is "Leaving Alone"...hard for me to describe this one...A "Piaf like" beautifully done original.  A tune and lyrics that do total justice to the genre!!
I hit replay on this one a few times.

"Waiting For The Show"...is filled with the Barcelona rhythm and I don't know Rosita that well, but I suspect a bit of a self portrait. This poetic lyric set to a Latin rhythm seems to have a bit of personal experience attached.
"you look in her eyes and only see, the lover you imagine her to be...but she don't wanna see the light...
she just wants to feel the night...and you know.....she's getting ready for the show!

"Where Should I Go"....is as country as you can get and Rosita delivers it right on the mark again! The twangin' guitar, the sad but sassy delivery by Rosita, delivered a total surprise to me...a very solid "Country" number....and again done with respect for the genre, it could stand the scrutiny of a country critic.

...every tune on this album deserves a paragraph of it's own, 12 originals, all top shelf!
...Thanks to the "Italian connection" for putting me in touch with Rosita!

Rosita Kess, has range and versatility at her command, what a beautiful music experience this CD is!

I urge you to get a copy:  http://www.rositakess.com/




I'm Pete follow me at...  www.twitter.com/petecarma

Answer #3 of 15...12 more to go...

JJ, from the garden spot of the world, Brooklyn USA, wins this week's $15 gift card from ITunes.

The Question; "Of all the live performances you have seen from the artists you write about, which did you enjoy the most?"

Well, I almost threw this question out, because I did not want to single out one artists and risk making others seem slighted, because I have seen some awesome gigs from these remarkable performers.
But then I remembered I said I would answers and be totally honest. Soooooo...

claralofaro.com

Last Spring I went to Caffe Vivaldi to see Clara Lofaro.

It was a 6 PM gig, the first of the night, and usually the crowd is small. But, the joint was full. Vivaldi seats about 30 people and it was full, full with women, a large group, some kind of event or office party, birthday party something.

I chatted with Clara then she went on, a duo, her and a bass player. She squeezed her petite self behind the Concert Grand Piano they have there, and I thought...this is gonna be a tough gig!!

Thirty or so women chatting, eating, the Vino was flowing, and I though they would be lost in their event and ignore the music.

About halfway through the second number, the audience was lost,
they were lost in the mastery of that Grand Piano, and the captivating lyrics of Clara's compositions, they were completely focused on her.

She then came out from behind the piano and did an Acapella number "Trouble", I though well she will lose them now...NOT.
They seems to love her more and participated in the number.

By the end of the set when Clara finished with "Daddy's Song" I was holding back tears and you could hear a pin drop in that room, that just a short while ago was an arcade of chatter and glasses clanging.

I still remember that night, and think I will always remember it, and Clara, just taking all the people in that room on a wonderful musical ride to peace and love!!

Clara Lofaro

So there it is JJ, last Spring, Caffe Vivaldi, NYC......Clara Lofaro!

Send a question to me at:  jrclemente@hotmail.com

I pick a new Q: every Friday....12 more $15 gift cards to go, one a week!!

Here is "Daddy's Song"...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvT6_xHiPGA

Clara will be at: Vivaldi again Feb 2d, Jones and Bleeker Streets, NYC

Top Ten, Sexiest Piano Players, by Pete Carma #10, Lynne Arriale.

Here we go, Top Ten Sexiest Piano Players...as I see them!

Lynne Arriale

 Since this is the first of the series let me define "sexy"
of course the attraction part of sexy applies, but the composition and presentation weigh in too, as equal parts.

Through the years I have seen many, I have chosen the ones who made me think and have shot a bullet or two through my heart!
              **********

Lynne Arriale, is a Gemini like me, perhaps the attraction? Born in Milwaukee, graduate of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and is now the Professor of Jazz Piano at U. of North Florida.



To say Lynne plays with emotion, is a redundancy, once you see her for an instant your emotions are stirred.
I love her rendition of "Blackbird", she takes a progressive approach and lends it to a feminine interpretation, that makes me wonder how it feels to be that into a performance.
 ...here's 'Blackbird'

As I see it jazz needs more Lynne's. She puts class and a loving touch on the music ahead of complicating it to the point where the artist loses me. Heart in jazz, something to behold!

"Frevo", is a piece where Lynne steps out. Her expression and dexterity dominate this wonderful chart.
....here's "Frevo"...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1wXK8p1B8Q&feature=related

I first saw Lynne live a year ago, and make it a point to catch her whenever she is close.

Lynne Arriale will be at:  Des Moines, Iowa, Feb 3d.
       ...and at the fabulous Half Moon Bay, Ca. March 11 & 12th.

lynnearriale.com

I'm Pete, follow me at:  www.twitter.com/petecarma