![[COLUMN/KOLUMNA] Mind the Gap by Sara Al Hamad: Jazz it up!/Začinite život jazzom!](https://music-box.hr/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MindTheGap-770x439_c.jpg)
[COLUMN/KOLUMNA] Mind the Gap by Sara Al Hamad: Jazz it up!/Začinite život jazzom!
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Jazz it up!
After years of dreaming about visiting EFG London Jazz Festival, this year I finally crossed it off my bucket list. I have heard so many fantastic musicians playing this week I could probably write a small book about it. Nevertheless, since one particular musician who was performing there caught my ear right after I arrived to London, I decided to concentrate only on her – ladies and gentlemen, meet Luna Cohen.
On this years’ EFG, she contributed to the celebration of 60 years of bossa nova along with her amazing band and a special guest, Jurandir Santana, who is considered to be one of the greatest guitarists from Brazil. This famous genre introduced the world to prominent songwriters such as Antonio Carlos Jobim and singer/songwriter João Gilberto. Bossa nova peaked during the 60s and influenced a great deal of musicians in Brazil but also in the American jazz scene.
The first time I heard Luna sing, she was accompanied only by a guitar. It took me more than a few songs to realise what it is I found so enchanting. While she sings, she makes these small pauses without taking a breath, rather continuing, very smoothly, in the same tone and prolonging the same breath. By doing this, she enables you to feel the emotion behind the lyrics, without understanding one word of Portuguese, which is simply incredible.
On this years’ EFG, Luna told the bossa nova story from its origin to today accompanied by her band at an amazing venue, which is a very different experience from the one I had before and it really showed the extent of her talent.
It was all happening in 606 Club, also known as “The Six”, which is one of the most famous jazz venues in London. This club is owned by a musician, Steve Rubie, who also joined Luna on stage for one song during the concert, accompanying her with the flute. Besides Rubie, as mentioned, on stage was also her band made of remarkable musicians – Sam Watts on the piano, Rob Luft on the guitar, Matheus Nova on bass and Marius Rodrigues on drums.
Since I recently decided to take bass lessons, I have to admit that Matheus Nova is now my #goals on bass – simply wow! Prior to the concert, I heard a lot about Luft, and I was really excited to hear him play. I am very happy to say he lived up to his reviews – he is truly remarkably talented and I am looking forward to listening his debut album “Riser” throughout the next week!
Time out described Luna as “one of the most interesting singers and composers among the rising stars”, and after I heard her on EFG and found out she is working on electronic-bossa nova tune to be released next month, I am quite sure that she is.
EFG London Jazz Festival 2018 is officially over, and I am left speechless. If you love jazz, I recommend you to visit it, you will not be disappointed. So many wonderful musicians scattered on cool venues across London (since the festival is not held in one place, rather in a bunch of them) really amount to a great experience, and you will enjoy every moment of it.
That’s all from me folks, until next Monday, I leave you with a bossa nova classic – enjoy!
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Začinite život jazzom!
Nakon godina sanjarenja o pohodu na EFG London Jazz Festival, ove godine sam ga konačno prekrižila na listi želja. Čula sam puno fantastičnih glazbenika koji su svirali ovoga tjedna i mogla bih napisati malu knjigu o tome. Štoviše, prilikom dolaska u London za uho mi je zapela jedna glazbenica koja je sada nastupala tamo, stoga sam se odlučila koncentrirati se na nju. Dame i gospodo, upoznajte Lunu Cohen.
Na ovogodišnjem EFG-u, zajedno sa svojim sjajnim bendom i posebnim gostom, Jurandirom Santanom koji se smatra jednim od najvećih brazilskih gitarista, doprinijela je proslavi 60 godina bossa nove. Ovaj slavni glazbeni žanr predstavio je svijetu istaknute tekstopisce poput Antonija Carloa Jobima i kantautora Joâoa Gilberta. Bossa nova je bila na vrhuncu tijekom 60-ih godina i utjecala je na veliki broj brazilskih glazbenika, ali i na američku jazz scenu.
Prvi put kad sam čula Lunu da pjeva, bilo je to samo uz pratnju gitare. Trebalo mi je nekoliko pjesama da shvatim što je kod nje očaravajuće. Dok pjeva radi te neke male stanke bez da uzima dah, već nastavlja u istom tonu, vrlo glatko, razvlačivši taj isti dah. Radeći to, omogućuje vam da osjetite emocije koje se kriju iza tekstova, bez da razumijete i jednu riječ portugalskog jezika, što je jednostavno nevjerojatno.
Na ovogodišnjem EFG-u, Luna je ispričala bossa nova priču od samih početaka do danas, a sve uz pranju svojeg benda na nevjerojatnom mjestu, što je jedno drugo iskustvo od onog kojeg sam imala ranije i pokazao je širinu njezinog talenta. Sve se događalo u 606 Clubu, poznatijem kao „The Six“, što je jedan od najpopularnijih jazz prostora u Londonu. Vlasnik kluba je glazbenik Steve Rubie koji se također pridružio Luni na pozornici na jednoj pjesmi te ju pratio na flauti. Osim Rubieja, kao što sam spomenula, na pozornici je bio njezin bend koji se sastoji od sjajnih glazbenika – Sama Wattsa na klaviru, Roba Lufta na gitari, Matheusa Nove na basu i Mariusa Rodrigueza na bubnju.
S obzirom da sam se nedavno odlučila na lekcije u sviranju basa, moram priznati da mi je Matheus Nova moj novi bas idol – wow. Prije koncerta čula sam dosta o Luftu i bila sam dosta uzbuđena što ću ga imati prilike čuti. Moram reći kako sam sretna što je opravdao odlične komentare i doista je nevjerojatan talent te se radujem preslušavanju njegovog debitantskog albuma „Riser“ kroz ovaj tjedan.
Magazin Time Out opisao je Lunu kao „jednu od najzanimljivijih pjevačica i skladateljica među nadolazećim zvijezdama“ i nakon što sam ju čula na EFG-u te otkrila kako radi na elektroničkoj bossa nova pjesmi koju će objaviti sljedeći mjesec, uvjerena sam da doista jest to što kažu.
EFG London Jazz Festival 2018 je službeno završen i ostala sam bez riječi. Ako volite jazz preporučujem da ga posjetite, nećete se razočarati. Toliko predivnih glazbenika možete vidjeti na raznim mjestima diljem Londona (s obzirom da se festival ne održava na jednom mjestu nego na više njih), što je jedno sjajno iskustvo. Uživat ćete u svakoj sekundi.
Toliko od mene, ljudi, do sljedećeg ponedjeljka. Ostavljam vas uz bossa nova klasik – uživajte!
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