Al di Meola, Timisoara, Romania, Sept. 16 2006

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   (better sit down with a drink beside you while reading - if - , I've done quite a sketch and combined, as usual, the personal with the direct, the mutual with the individual, the subjective with the objective and so...hope you enjoy...)

Superlatives; the closest possible touch

or

Al di Meola & Gumbi Ortiz @ Plai Festival
day 2, September 16 2006
Timisoara, Romania

We Romanian folks are a people with a hidden passion for a culture and a select passion for culture and I like to state that as affirmative and not as arguable. Thus, besides the usual habits and the normal activities (which includes pretty much all, from music to attitudes of life), there is the collective which appreciates not what is exacerbately offered, but what can be found, not what is easy and correlative, but what is challenging and has its beauty in the challenge. Yes, the picture of us runs mainly in a routine that doesn't let is self outline somehow else or better. However, there are the attentive, there are the ones who manage, there are the listeners, there are the people sharing thoughts of an indescribable elevation. Culture meets its quality when its moment is defined. And that, ultimately, counts...though it could do more. 

Anyway, Timisoara - my own, my old, my never, my sorrow, my delight - is of a slight cultural advantage, among other cities from the country. It's a feeling, it's more than a metaphor, it's more than a possibility. So chances of valuable things in a domain of pure resonance can happen, have happen -- happened. In an thought that exceeded usual displays, like night clubs, jazz cafe, square market, promo features, small stage performances, session of little anvergure, movements of slow motion, desires of a fused moment, images of a short memory, impressions of a personal echo, come occasionally the portrait of a special thing and of a grand thing. All possible and reachable. All made in nothing else that art, music, joy and passion's general unbeatable motions.

"Plai Festival" was raised as an idea, as I've heard, of teenagers wanting more and hoping to find the support of more. Thus these teenagers made out the scheme for a three-days cultural motion which to be authentic and to evade from the normal spirit of "any-kind-of-meal festival, sausages and alcohol excession or (most important - my adding) loud noise, harsh music, bad itches...". The spirit was in the right receptiveness and the support came, in a quite considerable way. The fingerprints of a proper direction came up from the Minister Of Culture and Cult to media publicity affections, Cultural and Intercultural centers, unions and associations, names of an illustrative orientation towards a plan made artistical.

At its first year, "Plai Festival" served its cause right and gave the chance towards moments of good time. September 15- September 17 was a period that perfectly dodged the school beginnings (at least for me) or any important other reflections (except perhaps the local soccer game of saturday, that to be ironic), imposed a spirit of weekend of most comfort, made an issue of attendance into a leisure caust (20 RON = under 10$) and gave everything its smooth walk and its undisturbed laws. The reaction was of course as mutual as possible.

Also for a festival debut, the motto related to all actions. Being diverse and not restricted, "Plai Festival" done the cover of many possible things in many possible ways. Thus the three days consisted of activites of a wide range, in an intended mood. Only to mention generally how each day came in its large point with theater shows, film projections and kids activities, small "book-fests", intensive lessons of inter-linguistics, african traditional games, percussion work-shops, tours and view, intercultural modalities and relations discussions, only to end up, from the evening onto night's deepest breath, with music concerts, in a spirit of jazz, of improv, of jam session, of collectiveness and of a fine ardor. Man, oh Man.

Slowly coming (finally, heh) towards my intended description, the two music nights of Friday and Saturday gathered the known and the experience, the slim-renown and the fantastic apprecition, the title and the gesture, the experiment and the walked-on state, the motive and the rational, the impression and the expression; artists like Funky Train, Agkebo Cultural Group, Dikie Krauser Band, Mircea Florian & Shukar Collective, Natasa Milosavjelic, Blazzaj, Eldad Tarmu Chamber Jazz Ensemble have participate and have made good performance. But mostly everything came to the wanted glorious end and to the grand surprise of Al di Meola, in duet with percussionist Gumbi Ortiz, ending in a "blast" of a view and marking an accomplishment like none before. Incidentally I have heard people asking informations only regarding the day of Saturday and the moment of Meola.  

Must say that Meola's distinction overshadowed the rest; however not in the way of saying everything went mellow just to go fantastic, just in the way that it was clearly not the same to experience Funky Train or Eldad Tarmu Chamber Jazz and to feel the sensation of Al di Meola - acousticly dazzling. Perhaps the sole highlight except was Mircea Florian & Shukar Collection, but mostly I can't say more and I can't even feel more. The first day was tad dissapointing and I found little substance, just because I was not the man of jazz and the fan of such movements. Not that I found no redeem in anything, but that grandness was not to be spoken off, estompated. Up Saturday I directly arrived for the hour of 23 PM, the hour of the great artist. With sincereness I saw that he was the greatest and the mot intense moment of music, while the other guest gave their utmost intention in just a fine moment.

Up concerning attendance, many came and many felt, but mostly over anybody, of any type showed up. The made stage became small, but the people staying and watching were clearly the ones in the full perspective. At first, I arrived with the fear of not integrating, until I realized you don't have to integrate, you have to find your spot and to decide what you are going to do. Not long before I found my place, my heart stopped beating and my rhythm found its wave, I've started to react to what I see. Many people of many intentions. Thus at "Plai Festival" came the cultural addicts I've just mentioned about in the first paragraphs, the people of a night musical mood, the listeners of generation, the people of dazzle, the hearts of content, the stationary traveller; but also joining were the groups and the friendships, the gatherings and the resorts, the ones "in for the money" and the ones desperately wanting that alcohol, the people to talk and interact, the ones to linger and to not care, the few ones to mocker and to depreciate, the drunks, the idiots, the ignorants and the one not knowing at all what's supposed to be of this and of them. An main collecting in different colours.

Finally my impression over Al di Meola's performance, importance, and impregnance. Starting up late after the designated hour (23.30 instead of 23.00, out of technical measurements), it came in a warm welcome and in a dazzle look (as people stood up to see him, curiously, when he was just pre-testing); some words, but not to count. The start was slow, a warm-up, a motional relaxation, a night mood of slow intense. Even awkward and desolating at one point, the first piece, where people from the first row were stubbornely standing up (or even climed), irritating therefore the crowd behing and the wish far away. By the second piece, Al di Meola himself done a fine gesture of pointing out that he plays for all and each one. The first minutes, the first pieces, the first settlement was slow, but refined, ambiently friendly, nicely done; mostly him by a solo string, but also with Gumbi by a un-rushed rhythm. Applauses in the content, but I also believe that in the context and in the unfamiliar.

The lifted movement came unexpectedly, thus very charismatic. In a turn of intentions and of passion, every "ignited" in an oustanding burst of energy, of music and of passion. By the sizzling percussion attitude of Gumbi Ortiz and by the fluency of one's special moves, as well as his natural musicality, the pleasure became of an undiminishable refinement; I found myself in a glimpse of heavenly sentiments and in the knowledge and strong confidence that what is played here is naturally eccentric and rare. Superlatives came close to the known desire; motions of greatness came within the soul of a liking beyond any exceptation or intuition. The category was divine, the feeling was emotional, the uplift was complete. In the twist of rhythm followed more than thirty minutes of passionate, elevated, "uber-refined" and of staggering impregnability performance, giving us the memento shockwave, but also - and most definately - offering us the intended maintainance, the infusion of new and never heard before, the sheer quality right next to us, the closest possible touch in the most personal space of connection. Things became more than cultural and musical and such; things became of the caliber to make you satisfyied, over-whelmed, spirited. I just whispered, between my moments of not breathing and my time of not caring of anything else, towards God: "thanks". 

Up towards the end, one that came in the relaxed posture of you hoping it would have been more
, but that got compensated, ecstatic was the audience and fantastic was artist's image, reflection and posture. He did them all, in a various mood, within a personal touch and definately without the attitude of something else than a musician and of a man wanting to play for the beloved fans and for the endeavored listeners. An engraved spot in a fluctuant memory. The encores were also of the surprise necesarry and of the mood outstanded. Gumbi Ortiz offered a drop of magic from himself, very good percussionist. And Meola joined himself, up this time in a drum duet; which was enough to constantly express emotions instead of words. Two more encores gave two more glimpses of him being soft and relaxed or intense and moved. Re-inventing purpose. Redefining the moment. The auditory was completely charmed, the experience was most imperatively marked. And everything ended with the mutual gratitude and with the normal promise to happen again. The hour of a fascinating musical co-operation. The moment that, with aplomb, makes the spectacle worth and the creativity fruitfull. The mastertouch and the open inner beautifulness .

Great performance and not just seemingly. A passionate attitude and a man of music like I've rarely seen. Was great and I enjoyed it on a level that meets only few words; and those euphorical. For moi it was also a discovery, as I'm not aquainted with jazz, moreover I'm not even aquainted at all with Meola. Worthy, so worthy. Somehow I did it for my father as well, the real fan, the real relisher; what a crowned evening it must have meant for him - though he likes to keep that idea for him, it comes obvious. As for me...I think I found a reason to live and a motive to be human, moreover artist, in that hour of serenity greatness. 

One fine sip of wine. An audentity cultivate one step above. A reason to consider yourself "one of the ones". How essential! Magic...

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here are some pics I took. I actually filled out my entire new memory card , but here's the rightful, decent selection:

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here's also a list of tour dates. It can be your magical moment! 

September

09 / 16 / 2006 - TIMISOARA, ROMANIA - MUZEUL SATULUI  BANATEAN

09 / 22 / 2006 - NORFOLK, VA - THE ROPER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

09 / 23 / 2006 - SAYREVILLE, NJ - STARLAND BALLROOM

09 / 26 / 2006 - SO. BURLINGTON, VT - HIGHER GROUND

09 / 27 / 2006 - ROCHESTER, NY - WATER STREET MUSIC HALL

09 / 28 / 2006 - PITTSBURGH, PA - MR. SMALL'S THEATRE

09 / 29 / 2006 - NEW YORK, NY -  ETHICAL CULTURE CONCERT HALL

09 / 30 / 2006 - ANNAPOLIS, MD - RAM'S HEAD
October

10 / 04 / 2006 - SELLERSVILLE, PA -  SELLERSVILLE THEATER

10 / 05 / 2006 - FAIRFIELD, CT - STAGE ONE

10 / 06 / 2006 - BOSTON, MA - BERKLEE PERFORMANCE CENTER

10 / 07 / 2006 - MAMARONECK, NY - THE EMELIN THEATRE

10 / 08 / 2006 - ALBANY, NY - WAMC PERFORMING ARTS

10 / 10 / 2006 - RALEIGH, NC - THE LINCOLN THEATRE

10 / 11 / 2006 - GREENVILLE, SC - THE HANDLEBAR

10 / 13 / 2006 - KENESAW, GA  -  DOZIER CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

10 / 14 / 2006 - GERMANTOWN, TN - GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

10 / 17 / 2006 - FERNDALE, MI - THE MAGIC BAG

10 / 18 / 2006 - CINCINNATI, OH - 20th CENTURY THEATRE

10 / 21 / 2006 - CHARLOTTE, NC - McGLOHON  THEATRE of SPIRIT

10 / 22 / 2006 - FALLS CHURCH, VA - THE STATE THEATRE

10 / 27 / 2006 - VILNIUS, LITHUANIA - UPA HALL

10 / 29 / 2006 - SALZBURG, AUSTRIA - UNIVERSITATSAULA
November

11 / 02 / 2006 - AZORES, ISLAND OF TERCEIRA - THE FESTIVAL OF RAMO GRANDE

11 / 04 / 2006 - INGOLSTADT,GERMANY - JAZZSTAGE INGOLSTADT

11 / 05 / 2006 - LUNEBURG, GERMANY - KULTURHALLE

11 / 06 / 2006 - BREMEN, GERMANY  -  GLOCKE THEATER

11 / 07 / 2006 - POTSDAM, GERMANY -   NIKOLAI-SAAL

11 / 08 / 2006 - LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - LEVERKUSENSER JAZZSTAGE

11 / 09 / 2006 - BASEL,SWITZERLAND -  FESTSAAL MESSE BASEL

11 / 10 / 2006 - PARIS, FRANCE  -  NEW MORNING

11 / 11 / 2006 - PARIS, FRANCE -   NEW MORNING

11 / 12 / 2006 - DEN HAAG, HOLLAND - WORLD FORUM THEATRE

11 / 28 / 2006 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA - GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL

11 / 30 / 2006 - SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA - COACH HOUSE
Tourdates 2007

January

01 / 17 / 2007 - SANTIAGO, CHILE -  PROVIDENCIA JAZZ        FESTIVAL, PARQUE de LAS ESCULTURAS

01 / 20 / 2007 - SANTIAGO, CHILE - PROVIDENCIA JAZZ FESTIVAL,  PARQUE de LAS ESCULTURAS
March

03 / 22 / 2007 - SEOUL, KOREA - TBA

03 / 24 / 2007 - PUSAN, KOREA - TBA

source: http://www.metalflakes.com/bowlofflakes/showthread.php?p=331277