When we talk about "American Dream" we usually think of the myth of Stars and stripes that alone, through courage and determination, can be improved, especially economically but also socially. If we talk about the "American Dream" of a girl from Catania in love with Blues, country, folk and everything that smells (musically) of Stars and Stripes, then the speech changes. Thanks to the resourcefulness of Simona Virlinzi, his record, The roots of Roberta Finocchiaro's second record were placed in Memphis, the city of Tennessee considered the homeland of blues and soul, where rock ' n ' roll was born thanks to "tht's Alright Mama", Elvis Presley's first single with Sam Phillips's Sun records. From September 4 to 16, Virlinzi gave a dream to 24-year-old Roberta, a year after the first album "Leaves of paper" that had marked the debut of Tillie Records, the label that Virlinzi founded to give new life to Sicilian talents. In the stable, beyond the Finocchiaro, also Jo M, the musical alter ego of Giovanni Mazzarà whose sophisticated pop has entered into the graces of the great national media.
Memphis, we said, with two days dedicated to rehearsals and then jump Headlong, for a week, in the studio for recordings at Sam Phillips recording studio. Nine recorded tracks, all in English, except one, in Italian for the still untitled album that will come out with good odds in the next spring. "A record that was born in America-adds Roberta-also because musicians are predominantly American." "From the beginning I had the idea that this album was to be born in America" – Simona Virlinzi adds.
With Roberta they played bassist and drummer of the American country-blues singer-songwriter John Mayer, certainly the favorite musician from the Finocchiaro. Bassist David LaBruyere, who lives in Nashville, will also take care of the artistic production; He played in the first two albums of John Mayer Room for Squares of 2001 and Adrenoreceptor Things of 2003 and in the live tour of Continuum, Mayer's third album. Drummer Stephen Chopek played on the tour of Mayer's first album and is featured on the first live DVD of John Mayer Any given Thursday of 2003. The choice of the musicians was piloted by Roberta: "It was a happy coincidence-Simona adds-. I met Stephen and asked him to ask David if he wanted to be part of the project. And always Stephen has been busy finding keyboardist and the winds: Gerald Stephen on keyboards, Tom Clary on trumpet, Art Edmaiston on sax, Jana Misener on violin and cello, Krista Wroten combest on violin, Russ Pahl al Dobro and Pedal Steel».
Memphis, the City of Soul, and Nashville, the country's capital, are already figuring out where we're moving with the new Finocchiaro project. But for an "American" disc, which surely will have a title in English, we start from the only Italian song of the 9 that compose the album: "It is called fear-anticipates Roberta-. In This song I sing my personal fears. All of this second disc is more personal than paper leaves. There are my family inside, there is Simona, there are my travels, my feelings. With this disc you will know who I really am. ' Paper leaves in fact he was born putting together the experience with the New Generation Class Band and the first solo experiences. In this work in Itinere there is the new Roberta Finocchiaro. Virlinzi: "Playing with these musicians you feel that the sound is different, for you was a fundamental step to grow as a musician."
The songs were born in this last year. Finocchiaro: "I still have to realize, for me it was too great a experience. Having played with these musicians was crazy, I grew up watching them play in their videos. I can say that I lived almost inside a movie. ' But back to the unborn album of Roberta: "In Be myself I was inspired by the stories of home lived with my parents, watching them arguing. Build my Heart I wrote it for Simona, inspired by our trip to London where I could see John Mayer live. Leaf in Hurricane is a song that represents me a lot. I am not afraid to admit it, I sometimes feel a leaf in a hurricane, I am so. " Even a year of important stages have given Roberta the awareness of her own means? «In the song Scary song that only on stage I can overcome the fears that I have in general life. Honey Tree is a fantastic story, it's about a honey tree that protects me from all my problems. '
It is all more American this second record project of Roberta Finocchiaro. The big news are the Winds of soul, and how could not be being born in Memphis. «There are more funky sounds than Blues – says Roberta –, some tracks like something true and Liar is also danceable». Thanks to the communication force of music, which knows no frontiers, a great feeling has been created with Dave, Stephen and the others: "We have spoken especially with the music-says Roberta-and I with my acoustic guitar that I took from Catania I was there p Ronta to pick up their advice. The songs, from my auditations for guitar and vocals, have not changed a lot in the setting, separate arrangements. In A song My Father Salvo (known for playing with Mario Biondi NDR) had written a part for piano that has remained the same».
This was the approach with America for Roberta Finocchiaro, she who as a child had written the song Dreaming of Nashville, this work side by side with musicians who in good tradition to stars and stripes are accustomed to play with anyone and who have Found in the Sicilian girl anything but a fledgling novice, indeed, they found themselves in front of a real musician able to hold his head during recordings that were strictly live. "It was a dream for me, it was like I was in a movie. See, then, even the Sun Studio, and the room where Elvis and Johnny Cash recorded their first discs was thrilling».
And it also came true the dream of seeing Nashville, where Roberta and Simona have been taking advantage of three days of break in the recording work. «We did the tourists in Nashville – says Simona Virlinzi-, we visited the Johnny Cash Museum and then thanks to local contacts Roberta was able to play in a local country, the Robert's Western World».
' Americans live music differently than we do. I felt at home, everything was born in a natural way. For a period in America I would live as well, all my life I do not know '-says the Finocchiaro. «In the end it is simple people – adds the Virlinzi-. The musicians also thanked us for getting involved in this experience, they appreciated the talent of Roberta, always stressing that the songs were beautiful and that "we had fun", which had fun. They also appreciated my resourcefulness in pursuing this project. '
But what year was this that went from the exit of "paper leaves" for the 24-year-old musician Etnea? "It was a year of growth, I have experienced many experiences between music and travel, I also played in London, in Taormina I opened the concert of Elisa. Musically, I grew up a lot. This next album will tell just that. ' And because for a musician the appetite is ringing, are the concerts in the right places the key turning at this stage. Virlinzi: «Al Buscadero Day in Pusiano, on Lake Como, last July Roberta was heard by Joe D'Urso who takes care of the Light of Day, music festival born in Asbury Park (the city where Bruce Springsteen was born musically ed) to raise funds in the fight Against Parkinson's and where the Boss often shows up. Joe will play Roberta at Light of Day in January in both the New York and Asbury Park stages. I hope Bruce shows up, even though he's busy in the theater with the show "Springsteen on Broadway" on his calendar until February. Soon after we will go to Memphis to listen to the finished tracks».
The album will be mixed in Memphis by Matt Ross-Spang winner in 2015 of a Grammy Award for Something More than Free by Jason Isbell. And speaking of light of Day, on December 3rd Roberta will also perform at light of day Italia in Figino, Comasco. And in the near future, who knows, may also come concerts in America: "It would be nice to have a nice trio with Roberta, Dave and Stephen-dreams of Virlinzi-. Never say never, what is born what. " "After all I found myself well with them and they were well with me," adds the musician.
13/11/2017 – 16:49 by Gianni Nicola Caracoglia (Click here to see the original article)