3. GOODBYE, ERMES! (THE MYSTICS AND THE SIXTIES)

Hello, my dear Japanese friends!

Yesterday I announced today's chapter in my blog as "JAZZ/ROCK", but now we have a change, as something happened yesterday in my life and the "JAZZ/ROCK" chapter will surely be here, in Beppe's Blog for Japan at chapter number 4.

I tell you one thing before goin' on and starting today's chapter and I want to specify that I want Beppe's Blog for Japan be exciting, adventurous, moving and unpredictable, so ... everything can happen here!

Not just that! I'm treating it like a... table, with you, as friends, on the other side, talkin' about my greatest love, Music, in various aspects, focusing on my music, Me, my label's music, and so on, and focusing on Life, Freedom of expression, Love... in a musical way! I'm Putting all my cards on this "table", called Beppe's Blog for Japan!

So, today, in front of my friend I would have talked of what I'm goin' to talk with you, right now!.. These are today's cards I put on the table.
...I tell you now, what's happened, suddenly!

Yesterday morning when I went home I switched on my answering machine and I heard the voice of Rinaldo, a very close friend of mine, saying: "Beppe, I wanted to tell you that.. my father is dead!".

You can't imagine the sadness in my heart and some tears appeared on my face: Ermes was dead!

Ermes was Rinaldo Santi's father and Rinaldo was the guitarist and lead singer in the first band with which I performed a lot, The Mystics, in the Sixties, in 1968, 40 years ago and Ermes was surely the person that more than any other followed and listened to our music, definitely he was our greatest fan and friend.

THE MYSTICS
Beppe (in front) and from left to right:
Mario Ortalda, Rinaldo Santi, Alessandro Vannicola and Enrico Cagliero

The Mystics have been really important in my musical life, they have had a great importance in my decision of wanting to be a musician in this lifetime and I like to share this story and this moment with you.

There's a precise moment in which I know I decided to be a musician, and that's when with the Mystics I participated to a competition between bands, in 1969, in a city called Chivasso, near Turin.

On that night, for that competition, there was a jury formed by a quite famous italian beat band. "The Rogers" that had a hit on Italy called "Guarda".

I tell you, I really wanted to win the competition and as final piece we performed "Save me" by Brian Auger and I really gave my best..on my Bauer Combo organ!, doing the best capturing, emotional solo I had ever done till then!!! and all the band was playing so good!!!

I had never felt such "vibrations" before, around my body, such a deep emotion and.. at the end of the piece I raised my head and I saw the votes from the Jury (the highest vote was 10); and the votes were "10! 10! 10! 10! 10! and so on, everyone gave us the maximum votes and so WE WON the competition, WOW!

At that time it was the fullest moment of my life, and it was so "emotionally" intense and strong that the I decided: This is my life! it is soooooooo beautiful!
I can experience really strong emotions and I can transmit them to the audience!
For the first time in my life, the sky had no limits, I was in heaven!!!
I decided: "I have to be a musician!" , absolutely!, and that's what happened!

In following months the emotions, vibrations, sensations of that night were "stable" in my performances, confirming the DECISION of that night, and I also made another decision that Has influenced all my life in the same way.

In those days I knew that drugs were around, but I took another extremely important decision, as I had a life-changin' consideration: "With Music i've got the most intense way of living this life, with Music I'm in heaven and so I HAVE MUSIC and I don't need drugs at all!!! Life can be absolutely beautiful without "experimenting" with drugs, so I never took them, I didn't need them at all, ...I HAD AND I HAVE MUSIC!

A funny thing is that the Mystics often spent whole afternoons, improvising, for hours, with lights of different colours, creating really a...
Psychedelic scene!.. and without any drugs and without having seen a psychedelic "something", such as events, documentary or whatever...
The experimental intention ...was there in some ways, in the 60's there was ..."something in the air!".!

Lovin' Spoonful's John Sebastian used to say that the 70's started in 1967 and lasted till 1977 and I like this viewpoint.
In 1967, and in the years after, we saw the roots of progressive and jazz rock, gradually movin' progressively towards ..."adventurland"!

So at the end, I can say that without "The Mystics" I don't know if today I would be here to talk to a Japanese audience. It all started there!

The Mystics were Rinaldo Santi, Mario Ortalda, Sandro Vannicola and Gastone Santi at the beginning, the line-up on "that night" and later Enrico Cagliero came in, on Guitar. Enrico Cagliero later became Alluminogeni's guitarist, he was on "Scolopendra" and unfortunately, he died in the 90's.

I was inspired to choose this name, by the tile of a Van Morrison's tune, "Mystic Eyes" (originally performed by he THEM, that in Italy was the B-side of "GLoria", a standard tune between beat groups in the 60's)

In the Sixties the concept of a band was so rooted in every member of the band itself, and in our case I tell you, that today there are never ending echoes of those days for us, we're still great friends and we love to meet sometimes, talking about those wonderful times, telling the same old stories, that even if they have been repeated 1.000 times don't ever loose their emotional content, as in those years, when strong emotions were always switched on!!!

I really hope you enjoy this stories about my start, with a band that definitely has a part in a corner of my heart and that gives me such good feeling when I'm talking about: The Mystics!

So thank you Mystics, thank you Mario, Rinaldo, Sandro, Gastone ed Enrico and Thank you and Goodbye, Ermes, our Greatest fan and friend! Your smiling face will be with us forever!


PS. see you tomorrow with Beppe's Blog for japan, Chapter 4 : "Jazz-rock".

2. MY NEW JAPANESE ADVENTURE

Hello, my Japanese friends!

And so at the end of next month,
I’m back on Japan.

I’ve been in Japan in 2005 with arti & mestieri
at Club Citta’ where we have been recording “First live in japan”
(Prog Citta’ Records – PCCD 1001 (NKCD 3992).
You know, in the seventies we were one of the first Italian groups that
had an album that been published, in Japan (“Tilt”, our first album reached your country with “Pioneer”)
Since those years we had this dream of playing in japan, so really,
“arti & mestieri” and me are grateful to everyone that contributed to make a
a long time dream to become real, as Nobu Maruyama, Amy Ida, Shin Katayama, Toru Yamamuro, Tom Tao and all the staff at Club Citta’, not forgetting D&D’s Iaia De Capitani and Moon June’s Leonardo Pavkovic.

After that exciting first trip, I’ve been back with my trio, “C3” with arti & mestieri’s Furio Chirico and Roberto Cassetta at STB 139.

On June 26 ad 27 I’ll be back at STB 139 for a piano solo concert, this time, followed by a performance of Esagono, one of the most appreciated artists in Electromantic Music’s family, in “Turin jazz rock School” catalogue.

I’m back in Japan, thanks to Naoju Nakamura, that takes care of of STB139, that already organized “C3” performances there and that appears also on “First Live in Japan”, with his great photos, and as you hear at the beginning of the first DVD, “Il Guardarti” on arti & mestieri’s big box, “33” he introduced the band, the first night at Club Citta’.
Naoju takes also care, in Japan, Electromantic music’s jazz-rock catalogue, named “Turin Jazz rock School”.

BEPPE AT STB 139, 2007, photo by Naoju Nakamura

And so I’ll back in Japan, in Tokyo and at the STB 139!
I love the space, the atmosphere of STB 139, I love being on “that scene”!
When I was there, in 2006, in the afternoon, before the gig, while waiting to be interviewed by Nakanishi Nobuhisa, for “Euro-Rock Press”, I was sitting at the Yamaha grand piano that was there, it was a rainy day and I composed a tune called “A rainy day in Roppongi”.

On june 26 and 27 I will introduce my new solo album, a piano solo CD, called “Pianovagando”.

In next days I will talk more about this CD and my performance.
I’ll be followed by “Esagono” that in this year celebrate their 30th birthday.
In 1978 their were the first Italian band that created an indipendent label,
called MU, they will present their new CD, “Apocalypso” and on the stage with
them you’ll se Massimo Camarca on bass, one of the most famous bass player, in Italy,
that you can see every week on Italian national TV, RAI 1.

Massimo is also the leader of another band in “Turin Jazz rock School”, that’s “Blue Indigo”.
He’s part of “Chirico Camarca Project” and he’s the main bass player in my next solo Hammond CD “Soulful Traffic” that will be out later this year.

Esagono will be introducing their new Cd, “Apocalypso”, a new CD after their first one “Vicolo”, in 1978 (that was followed last year by a live CD “Due”, with 70’s live and studio tracks).
In next days I will talk again about Esagono as well.

So Esagono and I are coming to japan, for this new adventure, with excitement
and with bags full of our emotions, waiting to be shared with you!

PS Dear friends, come back tomorrow, in this Blog,
with a new exciting chapter, titled “JAZZ ROCK” ,
in which I’ll be talking about jazz rock, its roots and its evolution.

See you then,
in the meantime,
Stay happy my friend,

Beppe


P.S. if you want to communicate directly with me, please send your e-mail to
beppe@beppecrovella.com

You can find me in these sites:

www.beppecrovella.com
www.electromantic.com
www.artiemestieri.org
www.aem33.com
www.c3trio.com
www.turinjazzrockschool.com

www.myspace.com/beppecrovella
www.myspace.com/artimestieri33

1. INTRO: ME, MUSIC, MY MUSIC AND JAPAN

Hello, Japanese friends.
I’m happy to start today my Japanese Blog.
It’s a Blog that’s been created just for you, my friends.

In this Blog I’ll talk about music, my music, arti & mestieri, Electromantic music, Turin Jazz Rock School, Jazz rock, progressive and more.

Sincerely I like your country and as I’m an artist
I really love your attitude toward arts and music.

After having been and having played in Japan, I’ve had a lot of interviews in Italy and all around the world, with magazines, radio and Tv.
In almost every one of them I talk very positively about Japan, my Japan concerts Japanese people and the Japanese impressions on my music.

I’m talking now about your concentration, your great attention towards music that shows a great respect for the artist, as this sincere admiration is a strong acknowledgment to an artwork.

I can say that when an artist is in front of a Japanese audience when Japanese fans listen to our music, we find what can be defined as the right attitude towards music.

I’ll tell you what I mean: in these days we find there’s a lot of music “on the air”;
there’s never been more music around us, in every previous decades, and in the past, in general, on this planet.
The missing factor, most of the time, is the right attention and concentration that music needs to give its full potential.
When I’ve been performing in Japan or just talking with Japanese friends, in the Japanese e-mails I get, I see, I perceive the depth of your interest, that’s definitely missing in other parts of the world.

I can say that in the 70’s Italy was really a reference point for the art and for the music of that time.
Absolutely!
In those years in well known English magazines, like “Melody Maker” of “New Musical Express” or “Sounds”, you found groups like “Gentle Giant” showing their love of Italy, as they said they played in clubs in England and in big stadium full of enthusiastic people that just loved, loved so much their music when they came to Italy, more artists said that the best place to go was Italy and in the 70’s we had Van Der Graaf Generator at number one in Hit parade... it seems like being on another Galaxy!

Now, in my opinion, I see Japan as a reference point for great art and music, really!
what Italy was for creative music in the 70’s, Japan is in this new Century.

So, I like your attitude towards music, please do me a favour, don’t change it!!!
That’s one of the many reasons that make me say: “I love you, Japan!”

Beppe Crovella


P.S. Dear friends, come back tomorrow, in this Blog, titled
“My NEW JAPANESE ADVENTURE”
in which I’ll talk about my next solo concerts (on the same stage as Esagono) at STB 139 on June 26 and 27,
thanks to my good friend Naoju Nakamura, with whom I share a great enthusiasm for creative and innovative music,
Till tomorrow, stay happy,
Beppe

*********************************************
こんにちは、日本の皆さん。
今日から、日本向けのブログを始めることが出来て嬉しいです。
そう、日本の皆さんだけのブログです。

このブログでは、一般ミュージックや、僕のミュージック、arti & mestieri、Electoromantic music、Turin Jazz Rock School、ジャズロック、プログレなどについて話していこうと思う。

僕は、心から皆さんの国が好きです。僕自身アーティストであるので、芸術と音楽に対する皆さんの態度は本当に好きです。

日本に行ってプレイした後、イタリアを含め世界中の雑誌やラジオ局、テレビのインタビューを受けたけど、断然に日本のこと、僕のコンサートのこと、日本の人たち、そして、僕のミュージックにおいての彼らの印象について、ポジティブに話すよ。

今度は、みなさんの「集中力」についてだけど、みなさんの音楽に対する熱心さは、アーティストに対するすばらしい敬意を示しています。

日本の観客の前で、アーティストが演奏するときとか、僕たちのミュージックを聴くとき、これが、音楽に対する適切な姿勢だと定義できるのかもしれない。

つまり、ここ最近沢山のミュージックが「放送されている」けど、過去数十年前は、こんなにより多くのミュージックがあったわけではない。
今の現状でなくなった要素といえば、殆どが、音楽が最大限の可能性を与えるために必要とする適切な注目と集中力でしょう。
僕が、日本で演奏しているときや、日本の友達とただ話しているとき、日本からのEメールを受けたときに、世界の他の地域では確実に失われている「興味深さ」に気づくんだ。

７０年代のイタリアは、その時の芸術と音楽の基準点であったと言うことが出来る。その通り！
その当時には良く知られているイギリスの雑誌「New Musical Express」の「Melody Maker」や、「Sounds」にも取り上げられてるけど、イギリスのクラブや大きなスタジアムで演奏する「Gelntle Giant」なんかのグループは、イタリアに来ると、イタリアをとっても好んでいるよ。多くのアーティストが、イタリアに行くのが一番だと言っていたし、７０年代のイタリアは、イギリスのプログレッシブ・ロックバンドのVan Der Graaf Generatorが大ヒットしていた・・・何だか違う宇宙にいるような感じだったね。

今や、僕が思うに、日本がすばらしい芸術や音楽の参照点だと見ているよ。
７０年代のクリエイティブな音楽がイタリアなら、今世紀は日本だね！

みなさんのその音楽に対する姿勢はすばらしい。 だから変えないで欲しい。
これも日本が大好きな１つの理由だからね。

Beppe Crovella

追伸：日本の友達へ、明日またブログを見てください！
今度は、僕のソロコンサート（６月の日本公演と同じ活動）について話すよ。
クリエイティブで革新的音楽を共に共有し合える友、中村尚樹に感謝しているよ。それでは、明日！
Beppe

BEPPE CROVELLA & ESAGONO in TOKYO