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JAZZ Michel Camilo
Glasgow: Old Fruitmarket, Sat 8 Jul, 7.30pm.
Michel Camilo was already well down the road to a career in classical music when he stumbled across the music that would quickly become his principal focus. Born and brought up in the Dominican Republic, he was studying piano and composition at the strictly classical conservatory in Santiago when the revelation burst upon him.
’I was fourteen before I heard any jazz. I was practising piano at home one day, and took a break. I turned on the radio, and there was Art Tatum playing ’Tea for Two'. I was totally mesmerised, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. That was it for me. It was very hard to find jazz records in the Dominican Republic at that time, but there were a couple of radio shows, and I got friendly with the guys who ran them. I would hear their records, and try to work things out at the piano for myself.’
Camilo moved onto the National Symphony Orchestra while still in his mid-teens, but was encouraged to pursue his jazz leanings by some American classical musicians who came to play at a festival in Santiago. One of them invited him to visit New York, and there was no turning back. He moved there three years later in 1979, and began to build a name for himself.
He became a hot property on the international jazz scene in the late 805, and recorded a sequence of fine records for Columbia, from trio to big band. He never abandoned his interest in classical music, however, and continues to play and compose in that form, including his own Piano Concerto.
‘Even when I moved to New York to be right in the middle of the jazz scene, I still studied classical at
'Sometimes I'm just fucked off because the place I’m living in is full of arseholes
Exposure
We bring you the brightest gems from the diamond mine of pop. This Week: ballboy
aren’t we? ballboy are one of the shining lights in the burgeoning Edinburgh music scene. Since the release of their debut EP last November, the effervescent Silver
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‘Being around the clubs in New York teaches you something that you can't learn in
any school'
Juilliard and Mannes — when l was at Mannesl discovered that Bill Evans had studied there, and I think you can hear that in his music. I’m very happy I did all that, because it was very good for the development of my technique, and also for my composition, but being around the clubs in New York, especially in your early development, is something that you can’t learn in any school.’
Camilo's electrifying technique and improvisational flair are heard to maximum advantage in the trio setting which he will use in his jazz festival debut, but he has also been performing solo in recent years, and has recorded Spain, a new duo album with flamenco guitarist Tomatito which reveals a different facet of his playing.
’The trio has been my centre for many years, but it’s good to keep developing in new directions. I also put together my big band once in a while, which is always very exciting. For me, each one is different. I like to challenge myself, and try to keep on developing as a musician.’ (Kenny Mathieson)
Eh? Hate Scotland? Are they mental? Steady. Singer and focal pomt of the band, Gordon McIntyre, explains: ’The song is really about whether I do or don’t hate Scotland. You can’t live somewhere and just accept that it's brilliant, there’s huge chunks of Scotland I hate. Sometimes I’m just fucked off because the place I’m liying in is full of arseholes and bigots'
Ooh, hark at him, he's got a side hasn't he? What about the music though? Well, their first EP had a Belle & Sebastian meets Arab Strap feel about it, but the new one has a much more varied musical palette, from the excellent dark, brooding electronic; rant of the title track to the skewed pop jangle of ‘Essential Wear For Future Trips To Spac e'.
Any other advice, Mr Know-it-all? Yeah, check them out live for a thought-provoking evening. With songs titles like 'Sex Is Boring', ‘The Sash My Father Wore' and 'Donald In
and bigots'
ballboy - nothing to do with Wimbledon, I hope? Easy tiger. In fact ballboy are four alternative musical souls from Edinburgh.
And we're talking about them now because? Ooh, we’re in a mood,
Suits For Astronauts, things have really taken off, wnth loads of airplay, various radio sessions including a Peel Session, and now the Imminent release of their next EP, the superbly titlecl / Hate Sc ot/ancl.
The Bushes With A Bag Of Glue', they’re not your average brain-dead pop numpties. (Doug Johnstone)
I I Hate Scot/and EP is out now on SL Records. A launch party for the single is at Cafe Royal Thu 13 Jul
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A WHOLE HOST of bands have been announced for the Radio One Evening Session Stage at Glasgow Green in August. Lupine Howl, . . . And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, The Animalhouse and Gecko play on Friday 25 August, while The Hi-Fidelity, Annie Christian, The Vegastones and Quinn appear on Saturday 26 August. Mauro Picotto has also been confirmed as the inside out dance tent headliner on Saturday also.
THE FLING AT Lennoxlove House in Haddington on 19 and 20 August has been cancelled. The reason was due to poor ticket sales. The show was scheduled With Hothouse Flowers and Mary Black among others playing.
GERMAN SONIC EXPERIMENTALIST Sigur Ros have been added to the T in the Fringe bill on 22 August as have The Dirty Three who play on the 19 August. Brassy and De Salvo have been confirmed as support for ldlewild on 24 August.
TICKETS FOR THE second Radiohead show on Glasgow Green on 29 September have already sold out. There are tickets still available for the show on the 28 September. See page 26 for our coverage of Radiohead’s first UK show in two years.
Quinn
JUST ANNOUNCED
Lionel Ritchie, Edinburgh Castle, 28 Jul, Elton John, Edinburgh Castle, 30 Jul, Steely Dan, SECC, Glasgow, 6 Sep, Kathy Mattea, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, I I Sep, Jeff Healey Band, Garage, Glasgow, 10 Oct, Status Quo, SECC, Glasgow, I 1 Oct, Smashing Pumpkins, SECC, 30 Oct; Ronan Keating, SECC, Glasgow, 10 Nov; Sive, SECC, Glasgow, 7 Dec, Chris De Burgh, Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, 8 Dec, Jools Holland, SECC, Glasgow, 16 Dec; The Corrs, SECC, Glasgow, 18 Jan.
' STAR RATINGS
* a: it it it Unmissable
* t * it Very ood
ir * * Wort a shot
at * Below average
it You've been warned
6 20 Jul 2000 THE lIST45