Bass guitar sensation Marcus Miller in concert in Rome 15/04/2016

Marcus Miller, an American jazz  composer, is best known though as a bass guitarist, played to a full-house in Rome’s Auditorium.   Miller has worked with such illustrious artists as Miles Davis (at age 20 on Davis’s album “Tutu”),  pianist Herbie Hancock and singer Luther Vandross.

Miller was born in New York in 1959.  By 13 he was proficient on clarinet, piano, bass guitar and was also already writing songs. Marcus soon became a session musician, appearing on over 500 albums by such artists as Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Frank Sinatra, Billy Idol, Eric Clapton and Elton John.   

Miller was in Rome to promote his latest album 2015, “Afrodeezia”, which was also nominated for a Grammy Award.  He was preceded on stage by American singer American singer Brenna Whitaker on stage in Rome.

Press conference with Graham Nash in Rome

Graham Nash, a former member of The Hollies and a quarter of that other famous group, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, was in Rome promoting his new album which comes out in April. 

Nash spoke about Trump, music and a variety of other things (but NOT his recent break-up with David Crosby!).  

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in concert in Rome 11/03/2016

American alternative rock trio, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, played in Rome’s Monk club.  The band was formed in 1991 and is based in New York City.  Jon Spencer is the band’s frontman and guitarist.    

The band’s roots are largely in rock and roll but it’s also drawn its influences from punk, blues, soul, rockabilly and hip hop.  The band was in town to promote its latest album,  Freedom Tower - No Wave Dance Party.

Tony Allen in concert in Rome

Jazz drummer Tony Allen in concert in Rome 15/03/2016. 

Nigerian-born Tony Allen played in Rome’s Monk Club.  Allen, who was born in 1940, is a jazz drummer whose current work is in honor of another great drummer, Art Blakey.   

Allen’s work also dates back to his meeting in the 1970s with African superstar Fela Kuti.  For his Rome concert Allen was joined on stage by three musicians, Jean-Phillip Dary on piano, Matthias Allamane on bass and an awesome Jowee Omicil on sax and flute. 

(Allen's great sax-flute player, Jowee Omicil)
 

(Tony Allen, still drumming away at age 76!)

John Mayall in Rome, February 26th, 2014

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John Mayall, the lion of the blues, keeps rocking away in Rome.

In Rome for his “80^th Anniversary Tour”, the great British bluesman John Mayall shows no sign of slowing down.

The historic “father of the British Blues”, 80 year-old John Mayall, performed to a sold-out crowd in Rome.   Mayall needs no introduction to his stellar career that began way back in 1956 when he formed the group “Powerhouse Four”.   

Unquestionably, his most famous band has been the “Bluesbreakers”, his very own “University of the Blues, which he founded in London in 1963 after a brief spell with the “Blues Syndicate”.   Mayall’s new band eventually went on to record some 45 albums.

Some of the fine musicians that rubbed shoulders in the early years with Mayall were Jack Bruce (of “Cream” fame), Mick Fleetwood, Duster Bennett, John McVie, Aysnley Dunbar and Peter Green.

But perhaps the two most famous musicians that had the honor of playing with Mayall were Eric Clapton and a young Mick Taylor (Taylor was 16 when he showed up at a “Bluesbreakers’s show.  A guitar on stage was without its owner that night.  It belonged to Clapton.  Young Taylor asked John if he could play.  Mayall said ok, perhaps somewhat skeptical though of the very young guitarist, who went to play with his band at age 17.  Taylor’s also been considered by Mayall as one of the best slide-guitarists of the business).

Legend has it that it was John who recommended the young Taylor to a certain Sir Mick Jagger just after Brian Jones had died.  And history was in the making, as the young Taylor would leave his “mentor” Mayall to go play with the world’s “greatest rock and roll band” from 1969-74.

Mayall was joined on stage in Rome for his classic “jam session blues” concert, a mix of traditional Afro-American rhythms and jazz, by an outstanding back-up band made up of: Rocky Athas on guitar, Greg Rzab on bass and Jay Davenport on drums.  Mayall’s repertoire also included songs from his recent albums, “Tough” and “Live in London”.

Beady Eye in Rome February 17th, 2014

Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye live in Rome 

Liam Gallagher, the other half of a former great band, Oasis, played live to a packed audience at Ciampino’s (the military airport of Rome) Orion club with his new group (formed in 2009), Beady Eye. 

Beady Eye’s origins came about after the break-up of Oasis (once defined by Liam as the “world’s greatest band”) when his older brother Noel quit the group in August 2009 after the umpteenth squabble between the two. The remaining members gathered on and decided that they would "not quit making music together" and so Beady Eye was formed.  Their debut album was “Different Gear, Still Speeding”.


By November, 2009 Liam had announced that he and former Oasis band members had written new material as part of a new project, and could be gigging as early as a couple of months.  On 19 November, 2009 Liam announced that he would be recording an album with Gem Archer, Andy Bell and Chris Sharrock. 


“The Roller” was announced as the band's first commercial single.  Fast-forward to April, 2013 when Liam announced that the band’s second album, “Be” would be released in the same year.  Their new double A-side "Iz Rite" /"Soul Love" was released in November, 2013.   


The band’s Rome show, thanks to the folks at Live Nation, included Liam on vocals, Gem Archer and Andy Bell on guitars and drummer Chris Sharrock, all four former members of Oasis.   And it happens with all great bands at one point during the show the power went off leaving both the band and fans up in the air.  Nevertheless, patience prevailed on behalf of Liam and his mates as the show continued shortly after when the electrical glitch was finally sorted out.


In the meantime, Liam has clearly stated that he wants to celebrate “Definitely Maybe”, the LP which put Oasis on the international music map 20 years ago.  Could this perhaps mean an Oasis Part II on the horizon?

Eclectic Anna Calvi in concert in Rome, Italy February 24th, 2014

English singer-songwriter and eclectic guitarist Anna Calvi, the so-called “New Patti Smith”, played to an appreciative crowd in Rome’s Auditorium.   

The 34 four year-old musician was born to an English mother and an Italian father and originally hails from Twickenham.  She began playing guitar as a child and studied music in college. Calvi worked as a guitar instructor while recording her debut album over a period of several years.  The album was released in the United Kingdom in January 2011 to critical praise and entered the Album Charts at number 40 and was later nominated for a prize at the BRIT Award, catching along the way the attention of both Brian Eno and Nick Cave.  

Her second album, “One Breath”, was released on October 7,  2013 in the United Kingdom and United States.  Calvi has gained critical attention for her voice, guitar playing and live performances.  She has said that she tries to create the sounds of other instruments through her guitar and also incorporates in her music the world of flamenco in her stage outfits.   Musically-speaking, she’s been compared to the likes of PJ Harvey and Siouxsie.

Calvi's style has also been described as dark, romantic and atmospheric pop.  As far as her latest album is concerned, Calvi said the following: “One Breath is the moment before you’ve got to open yourself up, and it’s about how terrifying that is.  It’s scary and it’s thrilling.  It’s also full of hope, because whatever has to happen hasn’t happened yet”. 

Her Rome concert was sold-out, signifying a small and enthusiastic “Anna Calvi Legion” out there.