fresh

Nas is back and he's out for presidents to reperesent him... sort of... anyway from "Hip Hop Is Dead" his first solo disc for Def Jam comes a pretty damm tight new track Where Y'All At . Download it here

Carnegie Hall last night

CARNEGIE HALL - June, 19th
Sweet Lorraine: A Jazz Celebration For The Village Vanguard

The Bad Plus
Roy Hargrove Quintet
with Guest Soloist Bobby Hutcherson
Paul Motian Trio 2000 + One
with Chris Potter, Larry Grenadier & Rebecca Martin
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
with Guest Soloist Joe Lovano
Dr. Michael White's Original Liberty Jazz Band

Highlights from last night:
*Dr. Michael White's clarinet, olympic champion of glissando and control, and a gipsy rendition of a Second line (never realized how close it sounds, the neworleanian benjo and the sounds of the nomads from Eastern Europe).

*Paul Motian, the most senior of the Vanguard's alumni, always reminding me (don't know why) of Larry David from "Curb your enthusiasm" with stunner Chris Potter (incredible tenor sax). Their set, two flights of free jazz over the cuckoo's nest enclosing a few standards, as in brackets.

*Roy Hargrove Quintet - white sneakers, a flugehorn that for once didn't irritate me, fiery solos on a ritmo caliente latino and ***Bobby Hutcherson and WJ3*** (and myself playing checkers with empty seats to get even closer to the stage and YumYum, who was waving to me from across the hall)

*The Bad Plus. Normally not strictly my favourite. When to many people tell me I have to HAVE TO like something I tend to do the opposite. But I did love "Giant", the way they introduced their first song (This song is called "Mint" and it's in "Perfect condition". Come on, it's funny) and the way the closed the set, a dedication to the Vanguard's Lorraine ("A lot of people say, oh The Bad Plus, it's not real jazz. Well, Lorraine gave us our first break and I guess if it's good enough for Lorraine then... IT'S JAZZ")

40 10 and 9

The only good thing about the game (Italy-Usa 1-1, World Cup 2006, last Saturday) was the company. I formally apologize to all my American pals who sat watching, graciously avoiding to tell us to go the fuck off, us and our team's fould play. What is wrong with team Italia? We have a damn good game in our feet, technique and a tradition in soccer that goes back to before Romolus and Remus but we don't have humility and the spirit of sacrifice anymore. We win one game, we already feel the Cup in our hands. And once we realize it ain't so, that our braggadocio has made us lose focus, we react elbowing people in the face and pulling a Robert De Niro: "Who me? ME??? (hands thrown in the air, disbelief on our faces). I canNOT believe he actually thinks I deliberately broke his nose... "

Pookalu, way into second half: "Is that another Italian being carried out on a stretcher? ANOTHER one?". Yup. Don't we just love drama. Come ON guys, we could be kings of the world(cup) if we wanted to.

'Nuff said. So, to a 4-days long b/day celebration: two nights of jazz (I have two words for you: GUILLERMO KLEIN, oh man!), one night of Indian razzmatazz and one long hot day of Summer soccer. Thank you all for coming out!

(memorable quotes: "So you're turning 40 minus what?". "10 Italians=9 Americans")

this day one year ago

Yesterday I went down to the Foreign Press Center to have my badge renewed. It got me thinking about time: the FPC badge expires every 3 years. My hair was blonde and short in that picture. And only today, after showing the FPC officials a pile of articles (my work!) published in the past few months and seeing their pride (after all, they're the ones who started us all, we rookie foreign journalists, f.o.b.s who couldn't even tell Congress from White House and now look at us we cover THE UN - ok, it's social issues and MUSIC in my case, but you get the gyst), well only then did it really hit me: I've come a long way since I got here.

I also had a highly insipring exchange with one of the FPC officials: me "you look fantastic! You actually look younger than the last time I saw you and certainly younger than I do" (he's one year older). him "sweetie, that's cause I don't let stress get to me".

So here's to myself. (And to all the friends who helped me along the way)


This very same day, one year ago. I like to think I still defy gravity.

(Today I'm 31)

The things you find

Ah, New York City, eternal source of wonder, good-eats and random finds.

Here's to a few nights of discoveries:

* APT's restroom: 1 hotel room key

* APT (el Colombiano found it, where I don't know): compact blue Nautica umbrella with a nice faux walnut root handle
* That song I like from The 25th hour, whose title I always ignored, is "Bra" by Cymande (thank you Duane)
* Prince and Apollonia recorded the demo for "Manic Monday". Wow! I-want-that.
* Two slices at Two Boots are great. Two slices + 3 vodka tonics + Florent's goat cheese omelette with home fries at 5:30am are a recipe for disaster. And why do I always schedule phonecalls with my parents on week-end mornings?
* I can listen forever to a man who knows his music. That how far I'm willing to go for now and who knows how long. Listening.
* Freaky guy from two years ago (is he a drug dealer, is he a gigolo, is he really a Columbia university student and why is he fixated with my manicure?) is alive and well and showing up at APT!
* Nina Simone's all-time fav: Sinnerman, Mississippi Goddamn, See-Line woman.
* Two nights at the Village Vanguard, two sets each night: too much? Not enough! Gospel is a nice place for jazz to be rooted in. And you "Don't knock the swing" (WJ3).
* The fourth item from the top listed in the window of the beauty salon next door to the Vanguard is an 18$ hair CUT. The second letter is a "U", not an "L-I" but it sure looks like it. So if the "U" looks like "L-I" the "18$ hair cut" actually reads like... that. Too funny.
* If 4 aussies, fresh out of music school, decide to pulverize who-knows-how-much money on a two months "field trip" in the New York of jazz and systematically go see two gigs per night, plus the occasional jam, while practicing during the day and occasionally scoring a lesson with one of the musicans, the morale for us is simple: waste energy on what moves you. Find it first. Then let it consume you. Oh, and jazz is amazing food for body and soul.

Stay tuned for my personal recommendations for a month of can't miss jazz. JVC Jazz Fest is upon us.