Location: Postojna / Slovenia
Concert date: October 18, 2007
Attendance: 120
Ticket price: €11.00
The Postojna Blues Festival is something of a phenomenon, and if you ask me, a real black duck in the monotonously overcooked goings-on of the Slovenian music scene. But a duck with character, and nothing else for miles around comes close! The sub-Alpine capital of blues, now in its fourth year, keeps proudly carrying on its tradition of thrilling, wildly varied programming. Over the years it has clearly built up a reputation abroad too, and it’s turning into a favorite refuge for veterans of masterful musical rhetoric of every stripe. A representative of that very breed is the friendly young Austrian Raphael Wressnig, brilliant tamer of the black and white keys of his vintage Hammond B3, who last Thursday once again dazzled us with the smooth, effortless way he handles his wooden buddy (we’re talking about the legendary organ rig, just so there’s no confusion). After the great Sax Gordon, Raphael visited Postojna this time with a colorful trio of troubadours in great spirits. Besides the organist, as usual the exception, the standouts were Los Angeles trumpeter Scott Steen, a mostly swing-minded player, and the lost Italian bluesy soul Enrico Crivellaro. With the rhythmic foundation delivered at full amplification by Viennese drummer Silvio Berger, the quartet marked the night with an enticing side dish that ran from blues all the way to tightly knit swing-inspired music, though as expected it was all flavored throughout with the uncontrolled playfulness of jazz. Sharp, pointed communication within the band and perfect, inventively rounded-off improvisations that always, on cue, ended up in totally unexpected waters added up to a sound of their own. Despite the occasional nostalgic lapse, it was appealingly modern, and the Postojna crowd welcomed it with roaring applause.
Just one look at the stage said a lot about the night ahead: not much room for any shattering vocal performances, if any at all. What awaited us was two hours of tireless musical hustling, a merciless fight for the “dominant male” spot, wrapped tight in a whirlwind of seriously stretched-out improvisations, where in the end, as usual, our organ-grinding friend Wressnig comes out on top. On top of his astonishing technical chops, which push the endurance of the old B3 to the limit, the young man has a downright gentlemanly sense of manners, and he always left a crumb or two for his three brothers-in-arms. You’ve got to admit, what an incredibly nice guy!
Raphael Wressnig & Enrico Crivellaro Organ Trio set off into the cold Postojna evening the way real masters should: with an overdose of lung capacity from young Scott, who announced the arrival of Cherokee, an old acquaintance of the cave castle and the ideal playground for an opening endurance test of each member, ending in the impressively tireless key-pounding of the hero of the evening, and yes, we’re talking about Raphael again. After the early showing off, the night was soon eased up by Mc Griff, an almost boogie rock & roll oldie, obviously Raphael’s tribute to Hammond B3 legend Jimmy McGriff, which understandably carried on in a jazz vein. A marathon of swapped improvised ideas, which only gets more intense with time, keeps shrinking the natural habitat of any basic musical frame whatsoever. Boom Bello announces the arrival of that black “feel”, and suddenly we find ourselves in the middle of a dynamically colored, carefree New Orleans stroll. Basically almost a funky number, its playfulness once again owes everything to its distinctly jazzy look, with little prince Enrico reigning this time. Close to his heart, besides jazz, is the unpredictable nature of blues music, as you could sense from the melancholy of Slow, a plain blues form that didn’t deliver any highlights worth a special mention. Enrico is more than obviously an Albert Collins fan, but to get to more convincing blues he still lacks a more pronounced receptiveness to emotional perception. His otherwise enviable guitar playing therefore stays mostly on the surface, and a bit too polite as well, with the lack of feeling often compensated by traditional bluesy tricks and assorted popular acrobatic shtick. “Some people say the blues is corrupt! What about you?” went the words of the rowdy Enrico, who poured into his playing precisely too little of the said corruption. After the dynamic Banana Booggaloo, the night briefly veered into more laid-back waters. A tried-and-true contrast trick soon bore fruit. Enrico’s Wally’s March, A – Level with Scott’s impressive swinging and Berger’s exploitation of the magic of rhythm, the likeable Mosquito Bite, which a fired-up Enrico simply dubbed a funny tune, and above all the wound-up Speedin’, which wouldn’t have hurt even a well-greased slide, heated the night up to the max once again, and the organ trio treated us to a joyous encore with the dazzling Ease Back and Vinny’s Blues. Magical and unforgettable. And all that for a measly 11 euros.
Text: Daniel Pavlica
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Setlist
1.Cherokee 2.Mc Griff 3.Boom Bello 4.Slow 5.Banana Boogaloo 6.Wawy’s March 7.Mosquito Bite 8.A-Level 9.Barisone 10.Speedin’ —-encore—- 11.Ease Back 12.Vinny’s Blues
Photo Gallery
