What To Say On A Card About Pregnancy

X-mas Concert, Silvia Manco Solo Piano In Rome

Silvia Manco Live @ Pentagrappolo (Roma 12/23/2010). After the surprise Christmas Album ( Suddenly It's Christmas Time), I learn that Silvia Manco on 23 plays in Rome alone in a room called The Pentagrappolo . So I do not miss the opportunity and reserve a table for 21. While I sip my beer, I see it there: I introduce myself and ask if after the live set Music can have a chat. In reality an anticipation of the interview after the concert is already the case when I am presented to the owner, Emiliano Pari , the original cross between a musician and an innkeeper. He starts talking about the musical passion of Emily , also shared by Manco , soul-funk of the 70s, with inevitable references to Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder , The Meters . Silvia tells me that Emily is a great singer and piano player (look on youtube and you'll have confirmation ...) and discover that self-released an album, New Morning . In short, the climate is already hot when Silvia sits on the floor. In full version lonely redo all his Christmas album, with interpretations feel Silent Night, I Wish I Knew How , Suddenly It's Christmas Time . The atmosphere becomes more lively in songs like Jingle Bells, Little Drummer Boy , Borboleta and spirit 'Za You, Santa Claus? , where Manco proves connoisseur of the fiery New Orleans piano style. In the end I'm happy as a child because I could not finish better than my usual full immersion into the world of Christmas music. Then Silvia sits at my table and start talking. The wonder of his musical training and I find that his piano studies have been erratic: first lessons classical, poorly tolerated, then the decision to go to Rome and join a private music college. But in reality the true artistic turning point was to have attended the excellent jazz music scene in Rome, listening to the advice of more experienced musicians and especially having played much live. My inevitable question about his musical influences. Silvia admits to being influenced by the music his father listened to: Otis Redding , Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder (and the good Daddy!). His passion for jazz is for those musicians that in addition to being efficient tools are especially great composers ( Duke Ellington, Mingus , Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock ). His other major interest is the bossa nova ( João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim ). I also cites some Italian singers as Luigi Tenco, Gino Paoli , Toby Lightman, admired above all as a great creators of texts. In fact, listening to his latest album, Afternoon Songs , we feel all these influences have been cleverly blended. In the end I am conto di avere di fronte un'artista sempre pronta a mettersi in discussione, a confrontarsi con altri musicisti, molto concentrata nel costruire un suo stile personale. E inoltre si è dimostrata una persona disponibile e gentile. Thanks Silvia…

VOTO: 28/30

Massimo Daziani