NAU NUA JUNE 2012
SUMMARY
FRONT COVER by Célia Bai Lambert
HOM
NAU
Apolo's moonrise
More than a festival
Almas gêmeas
MOS
NO RES
Couleur Café 2012
NAU NUA JUNE 2012
Apolo's moonrise
More than a festival
Almas gêmeas
Couleur Café 2012
NAU NUA JUNY 2012
SUMARI
PORTADA per Célia Bai Lambert
HOM
Almas gêmeas
MOS
NO RES
Couleur Café 2012
AVIAT MÉS CONTINGUTS
NAU NUA JUNIO 2012
SUMARIO
PORTADA de Célia Bai Lambert
HOM
Almas gêmeas
MOS
NO RES
Couleur Café 2012
PRONTO MÁS CONTENIDOS
PORTISHEAD
Dos noches en Barcelona
La banda británica Portishead escogió Barcelona para un evento muy especial. En nuestra memoria aún resuena su último concierto en el Primavera Sound como una magnífica experiencia, profundamente intenso un concierto que acabó con parte del público sobre el escenario bailando con la banda. A veces la magia existe.
Ahora han decidido organizar un evento de dos días en Barcelona con otras bandas y solistas. Acompañados por MF Doom, Thought Forms, Blanck Mass, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, Edan & Paten Locke, Bear in Heaven, Cuchillo, Anímic y muchos más, Portishead tocaron en el Poble Espanyol de Barcelona los días 22 y 23 de junio, en una fiesta que los dos días acabó más allá de la medianoche en la sala Razzmatazz.
La banda de Bristol ha publicado hasta la fecha tan sólo tres discos desde sus principios en 1991. Dummy (1994, Go! Beat) se grabó por la banda como un dúo integrado por Geoff Barrow y Beth Gibbons, aunque Adrian Utley ya coprodujo el disco y tocó la guitarra en nueve de las canciones. Tras aquélla experiencia, Utley se convirtió en miembro oficial del grupo. Canciones como Numb, Sour times y Glory box así como el cortometraje To kill a dead man, escrito por Portishead y dirigido por Alexander Hemming, fueron aclamados por crítica y público, un magnífico comienzo que continuó con el excelente segundo álbum llamado simplemente Portishead (1997, Go! Beat). All mine queda para siempre como un clásico de los noventa, y la banda se convirtió el la figura primordial del trip hop.
Pero la banda cesó su actividad conjunta hasta 2008. Entonces publicaron 3(2008, Island), un album que representó un tour de force en su sonido y uno de los mejores discos de la década. Oficialmente, están trabajando en un disco nuevo, y cabía la esperanza de que avanzaran algún tema nuevo en su evento especial en Barcelona. Como dije, la magia a veces existe. Y existió, aunque no tocaron nuevos temas, pero su nada nuevo bajo el sol tuvo aroma de novedad eterna.
Texto de Juan Carlos Romero
PORTISHEAD
Dues nits a Barcelona
La banda britànica Portishead escollí Barcelona per a un esdeveniment molt especial. A la nostra memòria encara ressona el seu darrer concert al Primavera Sound com a una magnífica experiència, profundament intens, va ser un concert que acabà amb part del públic a dalt de l’escenari ballant amb la banda. De vegades, la màgia existeix.
Ara han decidit d’organitzar una festa de dos dies a Barcelona amb d’altres bandes i solistes. Acompanyats per MF Doom, Thought Forms, Blanck Mass, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, Edan & Paten Locke, Bear in Heaven, Cuchillo, Anímic y molts més, Portishead van tocar al Poble Espanyol de Barcelona els dies 22 I 23 de juny, a una festa que els dos dies acabà més enllà de la mitjanit a la Sala Razzmatazz.
La banda de Bristol ha publicat fins avui tan sols tres discos des dels seus inicis cap a l’any 1991. Dummy (1994, Go! Beat) va ser enregistrat per la banda com a dúo format per Geoff Barrow i Beth Gibbons, tot i que Adrian Utley va co-produir el disc i va tocar la guitarra a nou dels temes. Cançons com ara Numb, Sour times i Glory box així com el curtmetratge To kill a dead man, escrit per Portishead i dirigit per Alexander Hemming, van ser molt lloats per crítica i públic, un magnífic començament que va continuar amb el segon àlbum titulat simplement Portishead (1997, Go! Beat). All mine roman per sempre com un clàssic dels noranta, i la banda esdevingué la figura principal del trip hop.
Però el grup va aturar la seva activitat conjunta fins el 2008. Llavors van publicar 3 (2008, Island), un disc que va representar un tour de force per al seu so i un dels millors discos de la dècada. Oficialment, ara treballen en un nou disc, i cabia l’esperança de que toquessin algun dels temes nous a Barcelona. Com ja he dit, la màgia a voltes existeix. I existí, malgrat que no tocaren cap tema nou el seu res de nou sota el sol sona com a eterna novetat.
Text de Juan Carlos Romero
PORTISHEAD
Two nights in Barcelona
British band Portishead chose Barcelona for a very special event. In our memory, their last concert as a part of the Primavera Sound Festival still remains as a wonderful experience, a deeply intense performance that ended with the audience on stage dancing along with the band. Sometimes magic exists.
Few months ago, they decided to organize a two days event in Barcelona along with other bands and soloists. Joined by MF Doom, Thought Forms, Blanck Mass, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, Edan & Paten Locke, Bear in Heaven, Cuchillo, Anímic and more, Portishead peformed at Poble Espanyol in Barcelona on 22 and 23 June., in a party that finished beyond midnight at Razzmatazz.
The band from Bristol has released until now only three albums from their start in 1991. Dummy (1994, Go! Beat) was recorded by the band as a duo, with Geoff Barrow and Beth Gibbons, but Adrian Utley co-produced the album and played guitar on 9 of the tracks. After that, Utley became an official member of the band. Songs like Numb, Sour times and Glory box and the short film To kill a dead man, written by Portishead and directed by Alexander Hemming, were acclaimed by critics and public, a magnificent start that continued with the excellent second album simply called Portishead (1997, Go! Beat). All mine remains as a classic from the nineties, and the band became a major figure in the trip hop music.
But the band stopped their activity together until 2008. Then they released 3 (2008, Island), an album that represented a tour de force in their sound and one of the best albums of the decade. Officially, they are working in a new one, and we were expecting for some new tracks in their Barcelona special event. As we said, sometimes magic exists. And it did, although they didn’t play any new track their nothing new under the sun has the smell of an everlasting innovation.
Text by Juan Carlos Romero
COULEUR CAFÉ
More than a festival
Couleur Café is
a home for artistic creativity. One could easily think music is the most
important aspect in this festival celebrated every year in Brussels. And, of
course, it is one of them, but not the only. Probably, its celebration of
solidarity, its mix of cultures, its green spirit, are the soul of a party that
smells like coffee and tastes really delicious. Art exhibitions, concerts,
dance, fifty three restaurants with food from Ethiopia, Togo, Congo, Ivory
Coast, Senegal, Ghana, some countries from Asia and many more, also with stands
offering their traditional handcrafts. Serge Gainsbourg composed Couleur Café under the influence of
afro-cuban rhythms, the Couleur Café Festival was born in that open minded
spirit.
But music is the
major event. This year the music trip walked along the sounds of Erykah Badu,
Ayo, Public Enemy, Ben l’Oncle Soul, Brigitte, Orishas, Sarah Ferri, The
Excitements and many more. Erykah Babu presented her latest album New Amerykah Part Two (Return
of the Ankh) (2010, Universal Motown Records) as a new stop in her Out My Mind, Just in Time World Tour.
After the magnificent video Window seat, a
splendid time was guaranteed for all. Ayo’s I’m
gonna dance sounded and made us dance with her wonderful voice full of
energy from her latest and powerful album Billie-Eve
(2011). She went down the stage and surrounded by the audience she sang so
moving to finally say “ God bless you cause it's thanks to you all that I can be
here”. Public Enemy, kings of hip hop in the late eighties, have a heavy sound
on stage thanks to a long list of classics and a great performance. Brigitte is
a French duo project whose debut album Et
vous, tu m’aimes? (2012) is becoming a new peak for the French music scene.
Their concert was so exciting that it was not easy to say goodbye. The
Excitements is a really funky soul band from Barcelona. Just let you ears feel
their Take the bitter with the sweet and
the voice of Koko Jean Davis Never gonna
let you go.
And the art
exhibition included works by David Palmont, Yannick Ledaniel, Patricia Guilhem,
Michel Liégois, Alexandre Dang, Christophe Dalecki, Astan Zigo, Fred Merz,
Alice Smeets, Akintunde Akinleye, Wilmes & Mascaux, Robert Gligorov, Cédric
Tanguy, Kahn & Selesnick, Roberto Kusterle, Bob Verschueren, Ellen Kooi,
Pascal Bernier, Jacques Dujardin, Florin Balmus and Ada Rajszys. Contemporary
art under the title Nature je t’aime, moi
non plus. Again it was a reference to Gainsbourg’s spirit in an exhibition
about the link between humans and nature.
One negative
aspect is that being in Brussels it was really strange that a festival so open
to different cultures was not respectful enough with Dutch speakers, one of the
Belgian official languages, also in the Brussels region. Millions of Belgians
speak Dutch but it was not easy to ask for a simple rode wijn because most of the time people didn’t understand you. Nederlands, alstublieft!
But for the
rest, it was a great party. Their coffee is always ready to be tasted and free
your spirit. From Friday 29th June to Sunday 1st July,
life was going on in Brussels in a colorful way. As Serge Gainsbourg once sang“J´aime ta couleur café, tes cheveux café, ta gorge café, j´aime quand
pour moi tu danses, alors j´entends murmurer, tous tes bracelets, jolis
bracelets, à tes pieds ils se balancent”.
COOL ART CAFÉ: NATURE JE T'AIME MOI NON PLUS. Click here
COULEUR CAFÉ 2012 VIDEOS click here
COOL ART CAFÉ: NATURE JE T'AIME MOI NON PLUS. Click here
COULEUR CAFÉ 2012 VIDEOS click here
Text by Juan
Carlos Romero
Photo courtesy
of Couleur Café Festival
Couleur Café
Festival website www.couleurcafe.be
Song Couleur Café written by Serge Gainsbourg.
All rights reserved
ST. VINCENT
Apolo's moonrise
Annie Clark is more than St. Vincent, her stage name. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as the sooner state, in 1982, she has grown as a songwriter thanks to her experiences as a member of The Polyphonic Spree and after that some tours with Glenn Branca and Sufjan Stevens. In 2006 she decided to record her debut album as St. Vincent and, under the title Marry me (2007, Beggars Banquet), received critical acclaim thanks to a list of songs written when she was just seventeen years old. The sooner state girl was also a very soon songwriter.
The second album was Actor (2009, 4AD) also acclaimed by the critics but with a higher commercial success. St. Vincent demonstrated again a wonderful talent for melody and a deep vision for dark lyrics. As she sang then Just the same but brand new.
And a third album came, Strange Mercy (4AD), which she described as a loneliness experience. Her songs are more cryptic and affecting, but most of all, deeply strong, the perfect mirror for her soul, and the harder one for ours. From sweetness people can also be Cruel.
Now she comes from her collaboration with David Byrne. They are going to release the album Love this giant (2012, 4AD, Todo Mundo). The only track known from this upcoming album is the promo single Who, but we can wait a lot of wonders from these two great songwriters.
In Barcelona, at the Sala Apolo last 20TH June, she performed the songs included in her last album and some from the first two. It's true that I would have loved she had given us a little surprise presenting some from her collaboration with Byrne, but I should admit that in the end, the show was so intense that I forgot my initial wish. When she hurled herself on the public, her body danced as a beautiful ship with no direction but her intense voice. Her eyes were looking then for a magical light that all the audience founded in her own soul. St Vincent sailed the Barcelona sea as un unforgettable experience. Time goes by but St. Vincent’s music will remain.
ST. VINCENT videos here
Text by Juan Carlos Romero
ST. VINCENT videos here
Text by Juan Carlos Romero
DIEGO RIVERA
A mysterious mural
The back light
of an extraordinary art rose as a tempest in Guanajauto, Mexico. It was the 8th
December 1886 when two little babies came to the well-to-do Rivera family,
descended from Spanish nobles. Those two little babies were Diego and Carlos,
but if the light of the first one had arrived full of energy until now thanks
to his art, the Carlos one died two years after his birth. From the early days,
Diego Rivera saw life and death, brightness and darkness, joy and pain, and a
revolution to be born.
Different
cultures had an enormous influence in Diego Rivera as a young student of art.
His mother descended from a Jew family forced to convert into Catholicism and
Diego Rivera always saw Jewish culture as a dominant character in his mind. His
life experience surrounded by the Mexican culture and his studies for fifteen
years in different European countries, were also an important background to
develop his artistic talent.
He arrived to
Madrid in 1907 and from there to Paris where he could live the beginning of
cubism movement starred by Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris and George Braque. Although
he was really interested in cubism, the major influence came from Cézanne’s
post-impressionist paintings. In the early twenties, Diego Rivera returned to
Mexico where he began also his political commitment with the Mexican communist
movement. That social spirit took him to link his art with the Aztec and Maya
cultures, and his frescos presented figures and colours deeply influenced by
those Mexican ancestors, so present in the popular culture, in the Mexican
current lives.
The story of
Diego Rivera and the PCM, the Mexican Communist Party, was a long and winding
road full of suspicious embraces. He founded the Revolutionary Union of
Technical Workers, Painters and Sculptors, some months before he joined the
PCM. But he was finally expelled and then began a dirty story in which Diego
Rivera became a confident of the USA informing about the PCM and the Spanish
exiled activities. It was the time of the Hitler-Stalin pact and Diego Rivera
felt very frustrated with the Communists. Those activities were recently
revealed thanks to professors William Chase and Dana Reed, from the Pittsburgli
University.
But the force of
his art continued so magnificent as ever. Murals like En
el arsenal (1928), Detroit Industry (1932-33),
El hombre en el cruce de caminos (Man
on the crossroads, 1933) which included a portrait of Lenin, a controversial
detail due to his New Yorker location, were emerging as powerfully as his own
personality and the craziness of his sentimental story with Mexican painter
Frida Kahlo.
Art, ideology,
politics, passion, betrayal, Diego Rivera was the creator of a deeply complex
story of almost 71 years, an enormous and mysterious mural always to be finished.
DIEGO RIVERA: MURALS FOR THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
A selection from MoMA 's exhibition in NAU NUA. Click here
DIEGO RIVERA: MURALS FOR THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
A selection from MoMA 's exhibition in NAU NUA. Click here
Text by Juan
Carlos Romero
Photo courtesy of Museum of Modern Art of New York, MoMA
All rights reserved
JULIA FREE
Painting sounds from an open mind
She describes
herself as a woman who is really feeling great about this life, creative,
contented and interested in the world in general and people in particular. Her
life is art itself, creativity as a way of freedom understood as a completely
free mind. Her latest album, Turn the
soil, is a chant for renewing our world, turning on our minds and taking us
to new directions. Love and nature as an only spirit, and her voice as an open
window.
Are you a
"Strange case of euphoria"?
Well.....I aspire to be a "Strange case of
euphoria" but at times life can interrupt the "flow" if you know
what I mean. I really love the idea of being a strange case of anything because
it's so inspiring to run against the grain of what society and people in
general expect of you.
That was also
the title of your first solo album. Why did you choose a solo career?
I have a bit of a tragedy story about why I choose a
"solo" career. When I started with my band Free Enterprise we were
just getting ready for a major label release and our drummer was going through
some rough times and he choose to take his own life which of course caused me
to take a deep pause.
Do you miss your
time as a member of a band?
Very much so as there is something so loving and
amazing that happens when you are relating in the group field...an unspoken
knowingness and a freedom to expand yourself through bouncing ideas and music. And
of course all the party's...
Your travelling
experiences are one of the biggest influences in your songs. Always following
the steps of Josephine Baker?
I'm a wanderer by nature...and Josephine Baker wasn't
accepted in her own country so she wisely took up residence in France and
became a force to be second with, fruit hats and all. There is a bit of a
conspiracy in this world if you are a real individual. Freedom is its own
reward sometimes, although it might not net you fame and fortune it certainly
gives you the gift of aliveness and for me that is worth its weight in
soul-gold.
You also were
singing in Parisian clubs for some years before starting your solo career
returning to the USA. What did you find in Paris?
Ahh...Pariggie what can one say about a city so laden
with old world beauty... I think the main thing was I was really forced to
listen at first because I couldn't speak French very well. French have an
amazing sense of humour and the Paris culture is great! I was so happy to live
without a car. I loved meeting the street people writing poems or drawing
pictures. The parks are amazing and the women are so beautifully dressed, the
food, the flowers mostly I really learned how to leave my old identity behind
and the thrill of reinventing oneself after a difficult time.
Your artistic activity
as a painter comes also from your times in Paris?
My mother was a painter and I grew up doing lots of art.
I have always painted pictures as a form of release and healing. Paris was very
inspiring in the sense of when I was living there at first I didn't know many
people so I spent many days alone and I didn't have much money so painting is a
beautiful way to pass the time.
Could we say
your songs are also very visual?
Possibly...when one is naturally inwardly turned you
spend a lot of time dreaming. And sometimes the dreams become real in the form
of a song or a painting based on a vision on one’s head.
Your latest
album is called "Turn the soil". What do you expect from turning the
soil?
Well that song is a bit of a protest as I believe
myself and many people think it's time to "Turn The Soil" as in renew
the world, if that's possible? When I used to garden with my mom as a child, at
the start of the garden after winter you turn up the soil and prepare for
planting the new seeds or pruning the plants remaining after winter for new
growth. as far as the CD "Turn The Soil", I would just like people to
give it a listen and see if it resonates and if it does download the songs.
Rainy times but
the beauty is still with us?
Oui se vrai....beauty will be with US for ever as long
as we can open our eyes because it's always right in front of us.
Do you think
it's possible to paint a sound?
I do actually...that is what I'm trying to do with my
new recordings...Ha! Paint a sound, like colours have a frequency and with the
new digital machines, synths and easy access to visual altering software it's
swell!
Which one is
your personal "California Dream"?
That's unfair to ask a dreamy gal like myself but I
just Love anything about the small town that I grew up in , Manhattan Beach
California and the great Skate Culture and Surf Culture and the Pacific Ocean
and the no makeup policies on the beach. I was blessed to live the California
Dream because my parents fled the East Coast before I was born.
An interview by Juan Carlos Romero
Julia Free website www.juliafree.com
Photo courtesy of Julia Free. All rights reserved
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)