In 2009 we released “The stones of Naples”. It was a
very productive year for the band.
We went for a concert in a very small town in Germany
called Nordhofen. It was a very long trip. We rent a car at the Frankfurt
airport and we still had 400 kilometers to run. After 150 kilometers our
percussionist, Francesco Manna, said: "hey guys, can you stop the car,
please? I'm not sure I took my riq. I am afraid I left it at the car parking of
the airport". (the riq is an egyptian frame drum). We were all disappointed,
but the driver (Alfredo Notarloberti, our violinist) stopped the car.
Francesco checked everywhere and the riq was not in the car! So Francesco said:
"please, I must go back to the airport's parking because I want to try to
look for hoping to find it, I just bough it in Egypt, I can't miss this special
instrument!" It was around midnight, we all started to keep Francesco on
his leg and to blame him for his lack of attention. it's been three hours since
we leaved and we were sure that the riq would not be there any more! Simply
impossible.
We went back at the parking area and the riq was still
there instead! We were very surprised, also because it was a public
parking, so we could not believe it!
We arrived at our hotel in Nordhofen extremely late.
The town was so small, but pretty. The day after we reached the venue. It was a
beautiful church, quite far from the town. I was really worried about the
audience because the ticket was quite expensive. Moreover the place seemed
quite isolated and last but not least it was the first time we played in
Germany. But all at once many people crowd into the church. It was a very
unusual sensation for me to hear the public applausing just any time onee note
was silent. I had performances in other countries before, but the German
audience really impressed me for its attention.
I guessed that we were transmitting our mediterranean
feeling to them. They have always appreciated our culture and things have not
changed. By the way, I remembered what Johan Wolfgang von Goethe said about
Naples: he was deeply impressed and shocked by a so different world, but
at the same time, there was something attractive to him ("forgive those
who loose their minds in Naples" he wrote in 1787).
We went to Nordhofen with two important singers of our
band: Annalisa Madonna and Claudia Sorvillo. I can vividly remember pleasant
moments of friendship and energy. I should still have a recording of an
improvisation we made after the concert, with Edo at the piano and Claudia and
Annalisa singing.
After the concert I realized that Germany was one of
the best music audience I had ever played in front of, and every time we
perform there, I believe it again.
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Categories:
DUSK MEMORIES
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