martinbjazzy.nl

Dear Friends and Fans

I have just returned from the USA , where I did a very successful gig at the Sergio Franchi Memorial Concert. Here's a short report:

Friday 8 September 2006

I got on the train to Amsterdam at 06:00 am. After a successful check-in at Schiphol I left for Philadelphia . From there I had a connecting flight to Boston . There I had to travel by AMTRAK to New London . I arrived at about 8:30 pm local time (2:30 am Dutch time!) Friend and conductor of the Sergio Franchi Concert, Jeff Domoto picked me up and took me to the nearby Mystic Hilton Hotel, where I spent the night.

Saturday 9 September 2006

Of course I got up early, due to the time difference. After breakfast we drove off to Stonington , not far from Mystic. When I noticed all the signs on the way, saying that the Sergio Franchi Concert was sold out, I got a little nervous, knowing that they had a capacity of about 4000 to 5000 people!

When I got to the Estate I saw lots of volunteers working on the last details that had to be taken care of. I met Mrs Sergio Franchi in a flash, for she was very busy of course. Very nice lady! Then I met singer Giada Valenti. We talked and soon found out that she spoke Dutch! She married a Dutch guy, who used to work for Peter R. de Vries and we found out that a mutual friend of ours worked there as well! Isn't it a small world!?

We had to rehearse and although my mike did not work very well, it went quite alright. I had to get used to the sound of a symphony orchestra, for I had never sung with one before. I can assure you that it is very different from a big band!

I listened to lots of people rehearse and talked a lot with the other participants of the show. Very nice people indeed. And how talented. Later on I will make a list of people who were there to perform and include their websites, as far as they have one.

Although the concert started at 3:00 pm, lots of people started coming in from about 11:00 in the morning! And what a crowd! Many people brought their picnic tables and food, for the weather was great. The sun was shining all day and the temperature was about 29 degrees Celsius.

Then the concert started with the Overture "The Marriage of Figaro". The orchestra did a great job! That was followed by lots of classical highlights with, very many talented young singers and a great accordion player, Cory Pesaturo. Nili Riemer did a fantastic version of "les Oiseaux Dans La Charmille" from "Tales of Hoffman" She really looked like a puppet on a string. Giada Valenti did an interesting jazzy version of "Caruso". What a voice that woman's got. And very stylish as well. She once won the San Remo festival and she will soon appear in a Broadway show.

I'd almost forgot that Mrs Eva Franchi presented the show. And what a gift this woman has! She might be in her sixties (although she looks much younger), but she has got the energy of a teenager. She can definitely be called a sophisticated lady. Listening to Theodore Green I was immediately impressed by his way of playing with dynamics. I also enjoyed the wonderful voice of Nina Yoshida Nelsen, what stage presence this lady has! And I should certainly not forget the warm voice of Derek Taylor. I was also smitten by a small lady with a big voice called Rachele Gilmore. I should not forget to mention the charismatic and funny Filippo Voltaggio and the young Katherine Christopher.

The part before the intermission was concluded by the great star of the Metropolitan Opera Marcello Giordani. What a voice! The man sent shivers down my spine I can tell you.

After the intermission the orchestra played "Hungarian Dance No 5", followed by a Hungarian song, for Mrs Franchi is of Hungarian descent. Jennifer Caraluzzi did an impressive "Merry Widow" and one of the strongest voices present at the concert, Evelyn Pollock sung "Czardas" from "Die Fledermaus". Beautiful lady too! Then Marcello Giordani and Giovanni Guagliardo did a duet from "Don Carlo", while I was waiting nervously next to the stage. What an honour to be singing after such stars!

Mrs Franchi announced me and I took the microphone. The nerves had gone and the orchestra started playing "The Lady Is A Tramp". I really loved and enjoyed performing for all those people. And how wonderful an audience they were. I made a joke about not being Italian (for most of the singers and the audience were Italian, at least most of their ancestors were). "The only thing Italian about me is my suit", I told them. They seemed to appreciate this, as well as my last song on the show. "As Time Goes By". What an experience and what an honour to get the opportunity to be there and sing!

After I had gone off, another great talent went on stage. The great Byron Motley, who had already worked together with Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole and Barry Manilow sang "The Very Thought Of You" and "God Bless The Child". I can tell you that I got goose flesh, the way he did his fragile performance. Simply fantastic! He was followed by the funny and talented Aaron Caruso and another star of the opera world Roberto Iarussi.

The magnificent Marcello Giordani did another song and at the end of the concert everyone got on stage to do "Brindisi" from "La Traviata". I must admit that this was the only time, that I did not feel at ease on stage, due to the fact that my Italian is very limited indeed. But anyway, the night ended in a great way. After the 3 and a half hour concert, people came up to me and wanted my signature! How friendly they were!

Jeff Domoto and I took our things, said goodbye to all the musicians and of course lady of the day, Mrs Fanchi. Then we took the car for a 2 hours drive to New York. We had a great meal on the way in Mystic. At midnight we arrived and unpacked the car.

Sunday, 10 September 2006

After having breakfast we took a metro into the city. I had two(!) hours to see New York. I saw a street concert on Broadway, passed Times Square and walked through a part of Central Park. Then Jeff and I had to take the metro back to his place, from where I got a cab to La Guardia Airport.

At 3:00 pm I left New York for an uncomfortable flight on a small plane with much turbulence on the way. Fortunately the way to Philadelphia was very short. From there I had a transfer to Schiphol, where I arrived at 7:00 am (local time). I was so happy to see my lovely partner pick me up, so I wouldn't have to take a train anymore. Thanks.

And thank you Jeff for this wonderful experience. I will never forget this!

Martin B Jazzy

Artists:

Mrs Eva Franchi: Presentator

Jeff Domoto: Conductor

Singers:

Marcello Giordani: www.marcellogiordani.com

Roberto Iarussi: www.robertoiarussi.com

Jennifer Caraluzzi: No site available

Aaron Caruso: www.aaroncaruso.com

Katherine Christopher: No site available

Rachele Gilmore: No site available