Just4Jazz

I really did not have a lot of hope. A jazz band from Sciacca, where there is no live music for ten months a year, and then only a little bit in the summer.
But they were playing at the residence, so of course I had to go hear them. On the left, you see the lovely and talented singer of the group, Christina Cannella. She was my first hint that it was going to be a good evening, as she warmed up her pipes during the sound check. She speaks some English, and certainly understands the mostly English standards that she sang. I have heard too many GOOD Italians cover English language tunes, include the Grande Celantano, when they did not understand what they were singing, and the effort was wasted. Not so with Christine. Whether she was singing Ellington or Gershwin, or doing her own fine interpretation of Lady Day, she was just great. And she was backed by a great group as well.

Valerio Oliveri, whose father and mother have an apartment in the residence, was the bass player. Of course I kept my eyes on him most of the evening, trying to figure out how he got such great music out of his instrument, so that I could emulate him when I went back to the apartment and picked up the bass I am trying to learn. Really, he did a fine job, with many neat riffs that reinforced what Christine was trying to get across with her voice.

On Guitar was Alessandro Schittone, GRANDISSIMO. He took solos for almost every piece, and each solo was better than the last, picking his way through the melody, adding to it, and giving the songs another fine interpretation. It was great to watch him work with Christine as they expressed what the song was trying to say.

Finally, the back bone of the group was Giuseppe Gulino on drums. He also took care of the sound board, kept everything smooth, knew the music cold, not just the rhythms, but the music. When it was his turn for a solo, he did a fine job, not just playing the drums as loud as he could, which too many drummers do, but rather playing them with feeling, even softly at times, continuing to set the mood in this wonderful evening of music.

Just4Jazz is a band that is Just4anybody who likes music. Bravi. Bravi. Bravissimi.