IN THE SIGN OF ZAPPA: THE FULL PROGRAMME FOR 18 DECEMBER

Barley Arts and laVerdi

present

IN THE SIGN OF HOE

 

Wednesday 18 December 2013 - Milan Auditorium, Largo Mahler

 

A celebration in music, words and images of the brilliant artist, on the 20th anniversary of his death

 

 

 

Photo: courtesy of Guido Harari


Details of the programme for the evening dedicated to Frank Zappa at the Milan Auditorium:

Original scores of Zappa's The Yellow Shark and Stravinskyji and Varése for laVerdi conducted by Danilo Grassi

Selections from Joe's Garage, Sheik Yerbouti and other 70s albums for Ossi Duri with Elio

Selection from fifteen hours of retrospective video footage including official films and rarities by the collector Trombetti

The book by Alessandra Izzo with contributions by Patrice 'Candy' Zappa, Bunk Gardner Rutger Hauer and Fabio Treves

 

A long night "Nel Segno di Zappa" the one that will take place on 18 December at Milan's Auditorium celebrates the genius of the great Italian-American composer who died exactly 20 years ago. Fine musician, talent scout, desecrator, 'talking cricket' of the?american way of life, Frank Zappa is one of the most discussed e controversial of the entire culture of Twentieth century. From the beginning in the 1960s with theseminal album Freak Out!up to the productions of the 1980s and 1990s, his career is a consistent path against any form of homologation, social or cultural.

 

"Information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, wisdom is not truth, truth is not beauty, beauty is not love, love is not music. Music is the best." - Joe's Garage, 1979

 

The programme of the event (conceived and produced by Barley Arts and laVerdi in the context of of Autumn American) that takes shape in words, music and images from 6 p.m. until nightfall.

It starts in the foyer of the Auditorium Gallery with the presentation of the book-interview 'Frank and the Rest of the World', Alessandra Izzo's tribute to the Baltimore master, guiding the reader on a fascinating journey through the testimonies of those who knew him and worked with him.

La sister Patrice 'Candy' Zappa, Bunk Gardner of Mothers of Invention, Essra Mohawk (the famous 'Uncle Meat'), Claudio Trotta (who brought Zappa to Italy in 1988), theactor Rutger Hauer, who frequented him as a friend, compose an unedited and passionate portrait of theman, even before the musician. This book is an excellent contribution to the completeness of a endless puzzles,' writes journalist Ernesto Assante. which Alessandra Izzo enriches with the testimonies of those who, such as her, with Zappa ha made a piece of the street'. Introduced and moderated by Ezio Guaitamacchi, journalist and writer, the meeting will be an opportunity to debate Zappa's themes together with Claudio Trotta, Luigi Corbani of laVerdi and Giancarlo Trombetti, producer but above all collector of Zappa materials.

 

At 8.30 p.m. on the Sala Grande stage, laVerdi conducted by maestro Danilo Grassi will perform various pieces from The Yellow Shark, the last album composed by Zappa and released posthumously in 1993, along with other cult pieces such as The Perfect Stranger, interspersed with compositions by other great composers such as Igor Stravinskji and Edgar Varèse, who were particularly loved by Zappa himself.

 

 

Throughout the evening, live music will be accompanied by archive images tracing the live performances of Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention. A choice made between fifteen hours of rare material, both official and unofficial, selected by a Zappian and collector doc, Giancarlo Trombetti.

 

At 10 p.m. after a short break for the stage change, more live music by Frank Zappa, this time interpreted by the Hard Bones, a band formed on 4 December 1993 to pass on the genius of the artist, musical mentor of its members, with a personal tribute, who will be joined for this special occasion by Elio (Elio e Le Storie Tese), already a guest on two of their upcoming albums - 'Frankly' and 'ReCoversed' - as well as on other past productions.

Of the lesson imparted by Frank Zappa, Ossi Duri have made their own the desire to combine humour, irony of the lyrics and complexity of the arrangements in their music. Their passion for Zappa and his particular musical approach fostered two important encounters that turned into live and studio collaborations: Elio and Ike Willis - Frank Zappa's vocalist and guitarist from 1978 to 1988 - with whom they have performed in numerous concerts, even across borders. Their common substratum of irony and goliardia led them to meet and share the stage with Freak Antoni (Skiantos), Claudio Bisio, Rocco Tanica, Alberto Camerini, while their great love for 'well-played' music brought them closer and led them to collaborate with musicians such as Marco Minneman, David Surkamp, Riccardo Balbinutti, Fabio Giachino, Gianni De Nitto, Furio Di Castri, as well as other 'trusted' Zappa collaborators such as Mike Keneally and Napoleon 'Murphy' Brock. For the occasion Hard Bones and Elio are organising a ever-changing setlist, featuring compositions from various Zappa albums of the 1970s, with a focus on 'Joe's Garage' and 'Sheik Yerbouti', but not forgetting a few tracks cult of his live performances as Easy Meat, Sofa e Pigmy Twylyte.

 

Tickets are on presale on the Ticketone circuit (online at www.ticketone.it and in local outlets) and Vivaticket (www.vivaticket.it), as well as at the Auditorium box office.

 

NEL SEGNO DI ZAPPA: AUDITORIUM DI MILANO FONDAZIONE CARIPLO Largo Mahler

 

WEDNESDAY 18 DECEMBER 2013 starting at 18.00

Input single numbered seat: 25.00 Euro full price - 15.00 Euro reduced for over 60s and groups

10.00 Euro for laVerdi members and under 30s

 

Info and pre-sales:

Milan Auditorium tel. 02.83389.401/402/403 www.laverdi.org

            Barley Arts tel 02.6884084   www.barleyarts.com 

                                                           www.facebook.com/barleyartspromotion                                    

                                                           www.twitter.com/barleyofficial

            www.vivaticket.it

            www.ticketone.it 

 

THE EVENING'S PROGRAMME:

 

6 pm: Gallery Foyer - 1st Floor

Alessandra Izzo presents 'Frank and the rest of the world'. Introduced by Ezio Guaitamacchi, with the participation of Claudio Trotta, Luigi Corbani, Giancarlo Trombetti.

 

Alessandra Izzo is a journalist and office press. He has written for various warheads music including 'Rolling Stone', 'Duelists' and 'Rockstar'. On the radio, he has curated a few broadcasts on Radio 2, with the conducting by Riccardo Pandolfi and Sergio Mancinelli. He launched in Italy i cult books of the famous groupie Pamela Des Barres: I'm with the band (I'm with the Band) and Let's spend the nite together (of which he also wrote the preface), both published by Castelvecchi. She is currently the publicist Italian by Des Barres itself.

"Frank and the rest of the world' by Alessandra Izzo, Electi series, pp. 96, euro 14.90 ISBN 978-88-97508-81-6, in bookshops from November 2013.

 

 

 

8.30 p.m. Auditorium: laVerdi in concert.

MUSICAL PROGRAMME:

E.VARESE Intégrales

F. ZAPPA Dupree's Paradise

The perfect stranger

I.STRAWINSKY Ragtime

F. ZAPPA from 'The Yellow Shark'.

Outrage at Valdez

The Dog Breath Variations

Get Whitey

Be - Bop Tango

These fucking pigeons

G-Spot Tornado

 

He directs the Master Danilo Grassi

Danilo Grassi He performs in major Italian and international theatres and concert halls as a percussionist, collaborating with artists such as Martha Argerich, Vladimir Askenazy, Victoria Mullova, Chick Corea, conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Claudio Abbado, Yuri Temirkanov, Carlo Maria Giulini, Riccardo Chailly. Collaborations with composers Steve Reich, Franco Donatoni, Iannis Xenakis and Gerard Grisey, and in particular the long experience alongside Luciano Berio, were fundamental to the artistic development undertaken as conductor. The initial need to delve deeper into the scores to be performed and the direct contact with the authors, are the basis of the work that after many years brings him to be present in the major Italian and European music festivals.

 

theVERDI

Founded in 1993, theVerdi is today an undisputed protagonist of the cultural scene in Italy and beyond. This is testified by a Grammy Award, numerous international tours (most recently, September 2013, in London for the prestigious BBC Proms), and a rich record production.

Formed by Vladimir Delman and led today by Zhang Xian, the Orchestra was born when classical music in Milan seemed destined to play an increasingly minor role in the cultural scene.

Its goals were to broaden the audience, offering classical music to those who had never attended a concert hall before; to provide a cultural and social service to the city and the country; and to offer a job opportunity to talented young musicians.

Goals that have been achieved, as demonstrated by the quality and professionalism of its musicians and conductors, who have succeeded one another as principals or guests, the 200,000 spectators who each year attend the more than 250 concerts on offer, a musical activity that now takes place throughout the twelve months of the year. An activity that is increasingly rewarded by public success, critical acclaim and media attention. Among the many examples are the two concerts held in the Vatican's Sala Nervi for H.H. Benedict XVI and the very recent performance (November 2013) in Milan of Mahler's Eighth Symphony conducted by Riccardo Chailly. laVerdi today is a House of Music: a happy intuition that has borne fruit and has firm roots. A solid reality with a unique feature among Italian music institutions: the ownership of the Milan Auditorium Fondazione Cariplo, built in 1998 and purchased in 2008.

 

10 p.m. Auditorium: Ossi Duri in concert, with special guest appearance by Elio (Elio e Le Storie Tese) and Fabio Treves

TEMPORARY SETLIST HARD BONES + HELIUM

 

1. Easy meat

2. Why does it hurt when I pee

3. Florentine pogen

4. Cosmik debris

5. Pigmy Twylyte

6. City of tiny lite

7. Dancin fool

8. Stick it out

9. Tell me you love me

10. Zoot allures

11. More trouble every day

12. I.m the slime

13. Broken hearts are for assholes

14. Sofa

15. Keep it greasey

16. Packard goose

 

Hard Bones are:

Alex Muschio: vocals,

Martin Craig: guitar and vocals,

Monne: bass and vocals,

Ruben: drums

Andrea 'Vidjo' Vigliocco: percussion and keyboards

 

11.30 p.m. AuditoriumFrank Zappa continues in a video retrospective: rare concert footage and interviews of Frank Zappa and Mothers of Invention, curated by Giancarlo Trombetti