De Telegraaf Sunday 15 March 2009
Gino Vannelli feels HOME in our country...
Canadian super Worldstar Gino Vannelli loves to work with Dutch artists...
"...I chase after perfection, sometimes it drives musicians crazy..."
| "I often prefer and choose in full consciousness for isolation and solitude, this country lends itself well to this purpose..."
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English/Engels: |
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BREUKELEN - Gino Vannelli does not feel like faking the amiable. "I find peace, rest and survey in the Netherlands. I'm happy here and in a kind of way this country saved me."The fruits of this salvation is a wonderful new album which he recorded partly with Dutch musicians.: A GOOD THING. The super worldstar from Canada fell in love with the small town of Breukelen and the residents. In the beginning people looked at me in a weird and funny way but now they greet me all the time. |
Besides the regular cd this album contains also a booklet with poems by the hands of Vannelli. "There will always be people who shout that this is rather pretentious, but I stand by every word I wrote."
Vannelli admits that the Netherlands will not become his future homeland. "I am a person who often prefers and chooses in full consciousness for isolation and solitude, this place lends itself well to this purpose... but I always miss my Family and my hometown Portland."
My Wife comes to the Netherlands very often and we can combine this perfectly."
It's the rest the formely casanova needed. "I had to fight against my image for years and years. In the period of success and fame I had to pay the bill for my looks. A man who looked like that could never ever make good music. In the tv studio's the camara's always made close-ups of my chesthair or my crotch. I also knew the other side, that because of my image and looks I could sell more records. This was always something dualistic." Years of therapy and spiritual quests made Vannelli the man who he is right now. "I am in balance and I do NOT lend my willing ears to listen to 'people with so-called good advices. I go my own way now and I do not allow nobody to distract me anymore."
Effortless Vannelli and his band give a number of performances in Europe in the upcoming months. In that band are drummer Hans Eijkenaar and pianist van den Brink. "Guys like that can match effortless with the level of American top musicians. I am so looking forward to play the new song with them. I did call them The Dutch All Star Band for a reason!"
Gino Vannelli and his band play on 20 March 2009 at the Jazz Masters in Maastricht at the Theater aan het Vrijthof and also on 22 march 2009 in De Boerderij in Zoetermeer. www.jazzmaastricht.com
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Also in the coffeeshop where we do this interview. Vannelli (56) is still a striking appearance.
His big black tuft of curly hair and underneath notable sunglasses showly dressed with a trendy jacket makes sure heads will turn around. Good looking and Vannelli still go hand in hand together. The owner of this coffeeshop speaks to him with 'dear Gino' and knows exactly which coffee his neighbour accross the way wants and prefers.
Retreat
Vannelli became world famous because of his hits like People Gotta Move, Hurts to Be In Love and Wild Horses. He lives in a simple house at a canal in Breukelen for about a year and a half. He alternates this little hut with his luxurious delightful house in the United States of America in Portland. To stay in the Netherlands feels like a kind of retreat. When I decided to come overhere my private life was not that good. But overhere I found the peace of mind and intellectual rest.
The level of A GOOD THING proves it all. The music almost sounds like the Vannelli old style. The touch of a Genius structured jazz, light-footed pop and funk dominate the album. He worked on this album for a few years. Vannelli already laughs even before we come out with our remark. "Yes I am a perfectionist, and maybe even close to obsessive, but that's me. That's who I am. Sometimes it drives musicians crazy... because I change everything till the last minute. It's really who I am."
About the Dutch musicians nothing else than good words. "I came into the Netherlands because of Jeroen de Rijk percussion-player, he introduced me to the Metropole Orchestra and piano-player Michiel Borstlap. Michiel and I wanted to make an album together but our busy schedules did not allow it. |
| "I often prefer and choose in full consciousness for isolation and solitude, this country lends itself well to this purpose..." |
"After this I bumped into Bert van den Brink. He is really top world firstclass piano-player and he could go on with the top of this world. He knows how to tell us a story and mixes this with beautiful pieces and with humour and with technical skills. Only a few are gifted with these talents in the jazz. But also Boehlee and the drummer Hans van Oosterhout are really of the highest level. It's absolutely not the case or the matter that I took Dutch musicians to play on A Good Thing because of nostalgic or commercial reasons."
According to the singer, it are the lyrics this time which give the surplus value. "I had such big inspiration when I started this project. In the beginning I did not see the beauty of the Netherlands immediately. It's not that overwhelming like the natural scenic beauty in Alberta or Oregon. But when you are here for a while, you realize what a very special country this is. Apparently the Dutch people are very closed, and you have to cut through their skin of detachment, especially when they see you as an American person.
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You are on page 14 of A GOOD THING...
Go to page 1 of A GOOD THING
Go to page 2 of A GOOD THING (DutchBeat)
Go to page 3 of A GOOD THING (Knight of the Road)
Go to page 4 of A GOOD THING (Videoshoot of The Measure of a Man)
Go to page 5 of A GOOD THING (Lyrics)
Go to page 6 of A GOOD THING (Comments & Reviews)
Go to page 7 of A GOOD THING (Cd-links)
Go to page 8 of A GOOD THING (Tour Holland Feb.09)
Go to page 9 of A GOOD THING (Slideshow Trojan Horse)
Go to page 10 of A GOOD THING (Slideshow Paradiso)
Go to page 11 of A GOOD THING (Slideshow Bijenkorf)
Go to page 12 of A GOOD THING (Slideshow Oosterpoort)
Go to page 13 of A GOOD THING (Slideshow de Gouden Uren)
Go to page 15 of A GOOD THING (Jazz Maastricht Festival)
Go to page 16 of A GOOD THING (Soundcheck Maastricht)
Go to page 17 of A GOOD THING (Boerderij Zoetermeer)
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Copyright © 15 March 2009 Barend and Trees in Holland
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