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Before we rush ahead to have a look at what’s hot this weekend, a word about last night. Doors for the Leena James gig, which was moved from den Atelier to Exit 07, opened at 20h as advertised and the band took to the stage at 21h30. Now I know there were ‘technical difficulties’, but an hour and a half hanging around is a bit much. Apart from that, the idea of moving the gig proved to be a very good one. James and her rather excellent band pulled out all the stops delivering a deeply groovy, profoundly sweaty, soulful night out. Worth the (very long) wait.
On to the business at hand, in other words: ‘What’s happening this weekend?’
If you’re a jazz fan, and even if you’re not, you’re in for a bit of a treat tonight when South African singer Tutu Puoane (pictured) takes to the stage in L’Inoui in Redange. Tutu started playing music professionally in 1997 in down town Johannesburg, but even before that, while growing up in a township outside Pretoria, she seemed to know that her voice would take her away from her native South Africa and into the wider world. As a little girl in school, she always claimed that one of her favourite hobbies was to travel, even before she had set foot outside Pretoria. “I am living my dreams. “My voice is my passport” she now says. And what a voice; Warm, sweet, round, pure, pitch perfect, yet understated. Her first album ‘Song’, included material which embraced everything from jazz, the torch song, a Joni Mitchell cover (A Case Of You), and traditional South African music. The gig in Redange is in part a presentation of her latest album, released just this month called ‘Quiet Now’ and I imagine you’ll hear not a murmur when she starts to sing. Well worth the short trip.
A brief reminder about Saturday. Snow Patrol in the Rockhal and Evita in Wiltz (which runs from tonight until Sunday) shouldn’t present many of you with a dilemma of choice, and we’ve previewed them both earlier in the week, so check back for further details. Tickets are still available for both events.
There’s also something called ‘Les Samedis en Couleurs’ (Saturdays in Colours) happening in pedestrian zones around the city centre. This event takes place once a month and is usually based around a theme. This months theme is music or more specifically strange musical instruments. The main idea of the day is that it’s an interactive experience with sculptures and installations on display, games for the kids, a music garden and something intriguingly called a Sound Cube. You’re guess is as good as mine, so go along and explore!
On Sunday you could squeeze in a little more jazz if you’re up to it, with the Marc Demuth Quartet and Sofia Ribeiro at the regular pre-lunchtime gig in the Brasserie at the Abbaye de Nuemunster.
Well that’s your lot for this weekend, have a good one and careful with that sound cube.
http://www.inoui.lu/ - Tutu Puoane - €20
Over the years Rose hasn’t been afraid to work with people who maybe you wouldn’t think were that connected to the kind of country based, rootsy idiom she revels in. Members of Del Amitri, The Sex Pistols, and The Ruts have all guested or played on her albums
All that was about to change, however, with the band’s third album Final Straw (2003), rumoured to be so named because the band were growing disillusioned and it was to be their final throw of the dice. They needn’t have worried.
At heart it’s a classic rags to riches story which plays fast and loose with historical fact (there’s no evidence that Eva ever met Che Guevara) but what the heck, it’s a musical not a history lesson
The title of the album, a homage to the Sam Cooke song of the same name, set down the marker for where James was coming from musically, namely a subtle, respectful updating of American soul of the sixties and seventies, and if that’s the kind of music that rings your bell, you should own it.
With a new second album, ‘Loyalty to Loyalty’, in the shops now, and receiving very good reviews not only online but in the mainstream print media, coupled with a bourgeoning reputation as a riveting live act, now might be the time to sneak a peek at a band which seems to be pushing all the right buttons.
If all that wasn’t enough, we are promised five marching bands parading around the streets to keep us company as we shuffle from gig to gig.
It is considered his ‘masterpiece’, his most sensuous and scandalous work as a choreographer (Aguilar, who was also a ballet dancer, died in 1995), mixing the original Bizet score with sections of raucous flamenco dance
At the time, classical record labels were expressing much interest in the young prodigy and Kennedy was told that playing jazz in such a high profile way with Grapelli, would most likely put an end to his prospects of establishing a classical career. Characteristically, Kennedy said ‘sod it’ and went out and did the show anyway.
A tour of Japan and a spot at the much coveted shop window which is the South by Southwest Festival followed, as did a support stint with indie darlings, Death Cab For Cutie.
Opening things up tonight is a Beatles tribute band, but the real ‘belle of the ball’ is the appearance on Saturday night of the fantastic Aussie, Abba tribute band, Björn Again.
Probably two of the five greatest meals I’ve had, have been Italian. One was a major family affair when a ‘mamma’ of a friend of mine produced four courses that I can still remember now, thirty years later. Another was in a bakery in Tuscany.
