•
Rating: 'It's music, music in the air...quantu tiempo po durà?' That's how Pino (whom we musically lost at the end of the '90s) sang in 'Oi nè'. How long did a constantly high-level Pino last? This concert is, in my opinion, the end of Daniele's raspy voice, of the amazing 'live' performances, and the bold albums.
In an arena packed with people, on an evening in 1988, Pino appears with a stellar lineup: Mel Collins, Bruno Illiano, and the drummer (I humbly apologize for not knowing the latter's name) are guarantees for anyone eager to witness a show where blues and Neapolitan music blend almost perfectly. Just 4 musicians, but what technique! I will avoid describing every single track for convenience and to spare you unnecessary details, but let me reflect on the opening track: it's 'Yes I know my way', but there's something strange. Usually, it's the closing piece for most of his concerts, but he put it at the beginning: he wants to experiment and do so insistently. In my opinion, one of the reasons for his decline was the constant desire to make music always different, from Arab influences to purely Neapolitan blues and the obsession with experimenting with new things that, in some cases, disoriented his fans.
The singer's melancholic side comes out in several tracks: 'Gesù Gesù' is a song that's dear to him, and you can tell, but that arena strongly ties him to 'Oi nè'. I believe it's the best-executed song of the whole concert: each of the 4 musicians has the chance to shine, and even if 'he fumbles the words' (his quote preceding the intro of the piece), he manages to deliver 5 really thrilling minutes! Songs flow by, including 'Schizzechea' and 'Appocundria'. A fan reaches the stage to hug and thank him, and it's surprising how comfortable Daniele feels with the audience: there's a connection, and it's noticeable when he chooses to communicate in Neapolitan, a fitting choice. The songs follow one another, some don't differ much from the original versions, while others are completely different, but the audience is in a constant frenzy and continues to appreciate. It comes to an end dictated by the rhythm of 'A me m piasc o' blues': thus, a singer who, despite everything, knows where he comes from, and although he has experimented way too much in his fluctuating career, he always returns to the most beloved songs and the classics that made him famous.
In short, at the end of the concert viewing, I was overwhelmed by melancholy... I miss that Pino, and even the mere consideration of the possibility of stopping making music after those wonderful albums would have made me happy, but you know, 'Addo nun bastan e' parol...si perdo tiempo lasciam fa' and Pino, of time, has wasted a lot lately.
Loading comments slowly
