Category Archives: Album Reviews

Album Reviews, Concert Photos/Reviews

IL VOLO: FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL CHIHUAHUA AND MORE by Daniela

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When Il Volo is in Mexico it is a jubilation, a party for everyone.
Every person has their own way of showing affection towards their favorites, and the Mexican people certainly do not lack a voice.
There is really a lot of enthusiasm and participation, as demonstrated by the sound check that you can see in these short videos.
Il Volo is the guest of honor at the final of FICH2023, the Festival Internacional Chihuahua. The event took place in Plaza De Angel in Chihuahua, a beautiful, completely free concert.
Here is the song list:

And here’s what the Festival Internacional Chihuahua published.
Majestic closing of the Festival Internacional Chihuahua and the FICUU with a concert by Il Volo.
Over 20 thousand people applauded the performance of the Italian trio who delighted the audience in Plaza de Angel.
From midday the followers of the famous group met in the square to reach the best sites and admire their idols, managing to exceed the figure of 20 thousand attendees at the event.
The musicians of the Orquesta Filarmónica del Estado de Chihuahua arrived on stage at 8.30 pm where, directed by maestro César Velázquez Hernández, they would accompany “Il Volo” in his interpretations.
The chords of “Ecstasy of Gold” were played when Gianluca Ginoble, Ignazio Boschetto and Piero Barone, members of the internationally renowned group, appeared on stage showing off their great vocal talent.
In front of the excited cries of the audience, at 9.40pm the music of mariachis resounded as they took to the stage singing the well-known theme song by José Alfredo Jimenez “Ella” followed by “Si ci dejan”, both melodies interpreted in perfect Spanish by the singers.
The concert closed with his greatest success “Grande Amore”, in front of a unison ovation from the audience who applauded such a wonderful interpretation standing up.
Thanks Chihuahua, see you next year!

There are many videos, but I have chosen some which, although not very clear, make us hear the beautiful and numerous songs in Spanish that were performed.

 

The moment in which a fan expecting a baby asks to read the letter in which the sex of the unborn child will be discovered… a little girl!!

 

 

Truly a beautiful event, furthermore it is certainly a positive recharge for Ignazio, Gianluca and Piero to have had the affection of so many people again and it confirms that their songs and their way of singing are really liked.
Before leaving for Mexico, Il Volo was also the protagonist of a private event in Taormina.

 

Do you remember a year ago, Il Volo in Japan had a performance at the Kiyomizu Temple behind closed doors. Now that event is a film and will be shown in 15 Japanese cinemas in January. 🥰

Dates for 4 concerts in Japan have also been published.
April 25 NAGOYA
April 28 OSAKA
April 30 TOKYO
May 2 SAPPORO

Ignazio has started broadcasting FlokiBar live again on Twitch bosky_tv. In the first live broadcast the topic concerned commenting on videos sent by “new singers” and Bruno Farinelli, drummer of Il Volo, was also present. 😁

Then there was the publication of “explosive” news given by three journalists, namely that IL VOLO will be present at Sanremo 2024 as competitors…….oh my God!! 😱
I honestly think it’s good news, but also very fearful, first of all I hope  that the votes take quality into account and that there aren’t the usual prejudices about our young men, who will surely now be able to respond properly, they’re no longer kids of the past, they are mature men and have certainly thought carefully about their possible participation, but I must tell you that the news is not official yet, so let’s see what happens. 🤔
Here is the video that gives the news of Il Volo’s participation in Sanremo.
LATEST NEWS, the new IL Volo per Natale EP was released today, Friday 3 November.

Our three loved ones dressed in red are beautiful. ❤️❤️❤️

There are only 4 songs:

HAPPY XMAS (War is over) 

AMAZING GRACE

O TANNENBAUM

FELIZ NAVIDAD

We will listen to these 4 Christmas songs with joy, and at a continuous pace! 🥰
……and let’s not forget that Piero, to rest a little, will participate in the New York Marathon on Sunday 5 November. Seems he will have the number 38750.
We wish Piero GOOD LUCK!! 💪👍 😘

What do I have to say?
So much beautiful and new news, there isn’t a moment’s pause as there is immediately something new and I’m sure that our men will have more surprises coming!!
See you soon: Daniela 🤗

 

Credit to owners of all photos and videos.

Album Reviews, Myron's Music Notes

REVIEW OF MUSICA CD by MYRON HEATON

64 Comments

I was one of the very first writers to write columns for the Flight Crew and I always enjoyed doing it and I always was proud of the fact that many you would write comments and some would email me when they wanted to.  The last time I wrote an article of any length was for the wonderful “Notte Magica” program – both the PBS presentation and the CD. Since then I was always waiting for a new album and/or a new PBS show.  Well the Latin American songs were MP3 and digital download. I do CD’s (as old fashioned as that is) but I did listen to the songs they recorded in Miami with Emilio Estefan. I did not write an article then because I was told there would be a CD eventually.  Well, so far ? ? ? I really ended up worried about the challenges that the boys were putting their voices through. The songs were each very similar to the next but I did like some of those songs. My problem was the stress and extreme tight throat they were developing in the recording process.

Now we skip ahead to right now.  Good news. In the process of preparing for this new album they must have gone back to working with their vocal coaches (always the foundation to the incredible sound these guys produce).  I sent an email to Barbara Vitali this afternoon and asked about vocal coaches and hope to get an answer soon. Bottom line is that each guy has progressed in spite of the extremes of some of those previous songs.  The other factor is that I really do like the songs on this album. Good for them!

Review 01

Gianluca:  In some of these songs the approach to vowels starts out a little closed and tight in the throat.  But as he warms up the throat gets more and more free and the size and sound of the vowels is bigger and more rich than ever. As I have said many times in other reviews, this is the finest baritone working the professional music world today and he sings Latin, Broadway, light rock, pop ballads, Italian romantic songs, opera and classical recital songs.  He can do it all and do it all superbly!!

Piero:  a little bit of the same problem that I think is left over from singing a whole different style of music.  But, as with Gianluca, he loosens up and gets rid of the old (sometimes) tight sound and lets it fly free and big.  This is an instrument that always was a big instrument and now is bigger.

Ignazio:  Listen to him float and soar up and around those high notes.  Greatest Lyric tenor working today. I have said that many times before also.  There is a way that he and Gianluca can “caress” and “romance” a beautiful phrase of love until the listener falls to the ground in a rush of emotion.

Review 02

Do you ever listen to these guys and find yourself getting chills up and down your back?   Do you ever find yourself having a hard time breathing when they handle the word “subtle” in their singing.   Too many young singers cannot sing soft without ending up with a dead sound and they cannot sing loud without screeching their brains out.  When our boys sing soft it is with absolute control and beauty – the kind that does send chills out. And they do not just sing with a mindless LOUD.  They produce a gorgeous large sound that fills the room without being harsh or formless. That kind of sound can make your heart skip a beat.

So here is where all that vocal work really pays off.

Review 03

The songs on this CD are:

Musica Che Resta  by Gianna Nannini &  Emilio Munda & Antonello Carozza

I think all of the Il Volo fans know by now this song was featured for the 2019 Sanremo Festival.  I was asked to address the controversy comparing “Musica Che Resta” to “Grande Amore” composed by Francesco Boccia.  First of all they are two different songs composed by two different composers. The “fuss” is silly and a waste of time.  These are two different songs and each has a special energy and works well for Il Volo. Having listened to “Grande Amore” many times and “Musica che resta” a good number of times I can see where some people would find similarity in the way the piano/softer opening sections layered over fast tempo rhythmic sections would have a “sameness” to them.  But they don’t really. Another place where you might find similarity is in the form of the two songs.

This is one place where there is a resemblance but, once again, it is of no importance.

Vicinissimo – more to come later.

Arrivederci Roma  by Renato Rascel & Pietro Garinei & Sandro Giovanni

A good number of the “crooners” of the late 40’s, 50’s and 60’s sang this at one time or another.  It was used in the movie “Seven Hills of Rome” and it was a hit for Dean Martin and also Mario Lanza,  Well you can see the attraction going from Dean to Gianluca and from Mario to Piero.

Gianluca starts out a little tight in the throat but gets more loose as he moves ahead.   Piero starts the same – restricted throat but changes as he moves to the next phrase and he is showing off a much more open vowel sound concept.  I am anxious to see him in person soon and what how he uses his jaw. Ignazio really makes this song very romantic in the way he works the musical phrase.

Review 04

A chi mi dice (English=“those who tell me”)  by  Lars Halvor Jensen & Martin Larsson musicians of Danish background but now live in United Kingdom.  This song was featured by their own band.

Fino a quando fa bene  –

People (from musical “Funny Girl”)  by Julie Styne & Bob Merrill.  Funny Girl was a huge Broadway hit back in the mid-1960’s and made Barbara Streisand a star.  Then Columbia Pictures made a truly great film of the musical and Streisand, once again, starred.  At Oscar time, she ended up in the only tie ever in Best actress with Katharine Hepburn. All you loyal Il Volo fans should know that the boys have always loved her and, better yet, sang with her on her 2012 tour.  Great experience for them. They learned a lot from her. This song is her theme song and it works very well for the guys. Each guy is doing his best work on this song. Makes sense since they are loyal to her. Rumor has it she may join them for the PBS program – hope so.

La nave del olvido  by Dino Ramos and Armando Manzanero

This song was a big hit for the famous Mexican singer Jose Jose.  Remember IL VOLO singing for him at an awards program because he has lost his voice forever. They sang “El Triste” at that time.

Lontano dagli occhi  by Sergio Endrigo and Sergio Bardotti

Review 05

Be My Love  by Sammy Cahn & Nicholas Brodzsky

Those of us of a certain age (now wait a minute, I did not say the word “old” ) – anyway for those people of that age we all remember what a strong impression was made on us when Mario Lanza sang this song in the movies.  Check out the video of “That’s Entertainment” from MGM which is a fantastic collection of many scenes from MGM musicals from the 1930’s to the 1960’s He is very much part of the late 40’s and the 50’s. He was way too young when he died.

Here is another song that I bet Piero loves.  I would be interested in finding out in which order these songs were recorded.  Certain songs show that the boys have a rather tight throat take a verse or so to get loosened up to a more free sound

When you read my reviews of the past years you will see that the control of their instruments (voice) was always one thing that amazed me for their age and their more pop interests. One note about Sammy Cahn.  He is a composer that wrote a lot of Frank Sinatra’s best songs.

La voce del silenzio  by Paolo Limiti and Elio Isola

This song was a hit in 1968 from different singers first in Italian and then in English under the title “ Silent Voices” sung by Dionne Warwick

Meravigliosa creatura  by Gianna Nannini & Mara Redeghieri

A few more thoughts:

I have been reading that our boys have been getting negative comments for the style of music they do.  They seem to get more support here in the USA than they do in Europe (although that is getting better).  My thought is that we who stick by the boys no matter what kind of music they do because they are the best and because they show their love in every note – we must always make sure that loyalty gets to them and gets known by them.

I have a feeling that upcoming programs will be just wonderful.

Myron Heaton

LasVegas

Album Reviews, Editorials, General news, Myron's Music Notes

Myron’s Musical Musings on their new Album! – by Myron Heaton

55 Comments

The guys have landed safely in Miami!  They are “here” for a little while, even if we are not lucky enough to run into them, like the fans in Miami….

From Myron…

I had planned to wait for the new Il Volo album to review but I have been getting a number of emails and phone calls about the album that have inspired me to comment ahead of time. I will still do a review of the album later. Since all of the people that have written and many of you on this Flight Crew site that I have met at concerts or at the Il Volo Fan Faire conventions are friends I had the urge to share some ideas about your concerns for this coming album.

FORMAL VOICE TRAINING

First of all the basics: Gianluca, Piero, and Ignazio come from backgrounds that are founded in well-trained, formal voice work – private voice lessons. If you look at some of the concert or album reviews that I have written on this site (see Flight Crew archives) over the past 6 years you will see what factors are involved in the mechanics of good singing. It is not easy!

Our guys have that kind of formal work in spades! You may remember the tour they did with Barbra Streisand and how they had their vocal coach and she had her own. She started working with that coach 6 months prior to tour and had the coach drop in once in a while during the tour. This keeps the singing honest, true and high quality. For the Notte Magica concert in Florence that DVD had a “behind the scenes” video that showed the guys working with a vocal coach. As Barbra would probably say: you never stop needing a vocal coach if you want to do things right.

This kind of training will give them the prowess to handle any kind of music they choose to perform – including the Cuban-influenced Latin music that they are learning with Emilio Estefan.

CHOICE OF REPERTOIRE

From the beginning of their career the guys have chosen great music to sing and it has often been in different languages from different cultures: Italian (of course) , English, Spanish, French, and German. Some times they have gone back and redone parts of an album to sing a translated portion in Spanish that they had previously done in Italian or English. So a whole album in Spanish is nothing new. They have done it before and we loved it. Regardless, the songs they have chosen have been excellent and a person does not have to understand the meaning of the text to get the musical message from that song. Passion wins through in the end and these guys have great passion by the boat- load to add to those beautiful vocal instruments.

So now we have the guys working with renown producer, Emilio Estefan – husband of great singer, Gloria Estefan to produce this album. To get a little hint look at Gloria and her music history. She is a well trained singer and she has done not only Cuban – influenced albums but also, mainstream jazz, Broadway and Latin pop songs. She is superb in her wide variety. Recently, she released an album called “ The Standards”  which features songs the guys have also done like Charlie Chaplin’s “ Smile” and she has a number of Frank Sinatra and Henry Mancini songs that are American standards on that album. Go to Youtube and look up Gloria and Smile. Give a listen. She is very good. I am telling you this because Gloria gives a hint about the kind of background not only she has but also Emilio. So I would say that the guys are in good hands. From what I have heard they are doing a song with Gloria. Great ! I hope they do other things with her. Some of the “guest” singers they have worked with in the past left much to be desired (compared to the guys) . Well they can’t all be a Barbra or a Gloria.

The guys have indicated that they want to explore different musical cultures. They have for the past number of years, done an excellent job of exploring their own Italian heritage and the classical background they share. Now, while they are still young, they want to branch out. This is a good thing. It does not mean that they have stopped loving the music they have done up to now. It does not mean that they are leaving those of us in mainstream USA behind. It just means they want to try new things and they want to take us along with them on the journey. Hopefully, tried and true fans will want to venture out with them on that journey.

Nothing can erase the great albums, PBS specials, and the concerts that they have done so far. Those events will always be part of their heritage and our memory. Will this new album be equally successful ? From what I hear they are doing a number of songs that are original – never done before – unpublished. That is gutsy and brave.

MUSIC STYLE

If you want to get a hint about the new album listen to some of Gloria’s Cuban/Latin pop albums. Of all the Latin American countries Cuba has had a very strong influence on North and South American music. This goes back long before the Castro government came in. Even in Hollywood you can see from the movies in the 1930s and 1940s that the influence is strong. Go to Youtube and look up Gloria and “ Conga “ have some fun.

IL VOLO RETURNS TO SANREMO – 2018.

I had a chance yesterday to watch a video of the recent Sanremo event. Il Volo was not in competition this time but, rather, guests to add some sparkle to the show. They sang three songs – one from the Notte Magica album and tour – one from earlier album and tour and a song that was not in the earlier albums. It was great to see them back there again. I will save this review for another time.

 

Thank you, Myron!!

A note from Jana…

And to all of you out there that are saying “that is not my kind of music – pshaw!” and shame on you!  Remember that old “Life” cereal commercial?  “Mikey won’t eat it, he hates everything!…” as they say…  Then cut to “hey look, he’s eating it!”  Well, to all of you “Mikeys (and Michaelas)” out there – just TRY it, you might LIKE it!  I am not a personal fan of rap, or hip-hop, but if the guys are singing it, then I’ll listen to it.  Remember, like Myron said, they’ve been singing this same type of music now for nearly 10 years!  When was the last time you had a job, the same job, for 10 years?  It gets boring after a while, right?  Didn’t you want to branch out?  Do something different?  Change it up just a bit?  That’s all the guys are doing!  They have a long career ahead of them and they will probably try just about anything and everything in the next 20 plus years.  Some of us may be under ground or on a shelf by then, but they will still be going strong!  🙂   Does anyone remember how many people said “I don’t like opera” when Notte Magica came out?  I’m sure there were plenty!  These guys are chameleons!  But leopards, too!  They may change their colors up once in a while, but a leopard can’t change its spots and we can’t change the incredible voices these guys have.  Speaking of the animal world, they are also like zebras, where no two zebras have the same pattern of stripes – our guys are as unique and individual as they come, even amongst themselves!  Remember, you are never too old to learn or appreciate something new!   – jmv

 

I know we will all turn into “THIS” Mikey, real soon!  🙂 

I guarantee it!

Album Reviews, Article or Video Translations, Editorials, Randomness

(a little history of…) Grande Amore… We never get tired of listening to it.

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On December 16, 2016, this article was published on Zon.it, by Antonella Esposito. Although it has been a while of time, I (Daniela) will  translate it for you because it is worth reading.

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GRANDE AMORE OF VOLO:  BECAUSE WE DO NOT GET TIRED OF LISTENING TO IT

 

After the first listening to GRANDE AMORE, did the song really like you and did  join your favorite playlist? Are you still irremediably attracted to the melody and lyrics of the song? That’s why GRANDE AMORE of IL VOLO does not tire you.

Grande Amore is the winning song of the 65th edition of the Sanremo Festival, interpreted by the trio opera lirico Il Volo. Although it seems to have been written specifically to brush the powerful and versatile voices of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, the piece had a tough road before cutting the finish line “Il Volo”.

 

THE SONG

Composed in 2003, by Francesco Boccia, songwriter and frontman of the music band I Quisisona, together with Tommy Esposito of Il Giardino dei Semplici, the romantic piece already having a precise layout designed for lyric lyricals, is presented at the selections of the   Festival of the Italian Song, in 2005, with a negative result.  So it remains to dust in the drawer for 10 years.

 

It is in fact 2015 when the song is enthusiastically evaluated by the commission of Sanremo Young and assigned to the duo Operapop. Even then, fate is a strange joke, because the duo is excluded from the competition for the age limit reached by one of the two components, Enrico Giovagnoli.

 

Grande Amore  is also offered to Orietta Berti, who proves to be favorable to the song but she is, however, unable to participate in the singing contest for personal reasons.

 

Once again, bounced back and without interpreting the fate of the piece, it is entrusted to the hands of the artistic director Carlo Conti.  At his first conducting of the Festival, using the help of the Operapop manager, convinces the producer of Il Volo, Michele Torpedine, to compete for the three young singers with the signed song Boccia-Esposito.

It’s the evening of 11th February, 2015, when IL VOLO sing for the first time, Grande Amore, in the slaps of applause from the Sanremo audience. The three different and perfectly complementary voices of the three singers, enter the heart and fill the audience’s eyes in the theater and viewers who are following the kermesse  (festival) in the world. Grande Amore.

 

For some it’s a discovery, for others it’s a confirmation. The elegance of the guys of Il Volo, the stage presence with which they saturate with energy each single tile on the stage of the Ariston, and the dramatic might with which the three young singers sing the love all or almost conquer.

 

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MELODY AND TEXT

 

Great love strikes, likes and creeps in the head with a basically simple and essential text and for this easy to memorize. The plain strode opens with the term “love” which in a vibrant and prolonged acute spreads the basis for the beginning of the refrain. And here comes the engaging redundant melody that never touches the nenia, by the way, draws a rhythmic curvature cleverly caressed first by the baritone basses of Ginoble and then raised by the strong and precise setting of Boschetto and then exploding with Barone in a  Love screaming to all generations.

 

It is therefore a universal love that sang by IL VOLO declinable in all the nuances of loving sentiment, not by chance as revealed by the same authors: “The text is not inspired by a specific person, but it is a story always valid as it may be love declaration”.

CLASSICISM

Musicality, universality and pop-lyrical contamination are probably the key elements to place with a certain conviction the classical lyric passage for the song’s story. Grande Amore with an extraordinary rapidity of diffusion not only musical but cultural has already been able to fully fit within that pink of international pieces representing Italianity. Grande Amore has all the characteristics of symphonic sweetness needed to become the Caruso of the new millennium. It  has that rhythmic and flamboyant stylistic cadence so that it can be sung by the middle world as has always been the case with O ‘sole mio.

 

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IL VOLO

 

It seems despicable and yet between different artists the song would not get the same feedback or maybe yes, but this is another story. The truth is that each song chooses its own interpreter and Grande Amore was born and struggled to end in the repertoire of Il Volo, altering in a shocking way the same artistic path of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca who so much to the song that made him disconnect the ticket to success in Italy. Not that the three were not good enough, just as often happens the masterpieces make a difference and Grande Amore is without too much delay the diamond tip that has given the group the gender specificity that has always been sought after.

 

These are the technical reasons why listening to Grande Amore does not tire and will not even tire in twenty or thirty years. Stylish stylistic lists that are merely fine to themselves, which, because the longevity parable is valid over time, then add other elements with the most irrational flavor. These are the emotional ones, those you can not explain and that with a song almost invite you to listen to it and listen to it again and again.

 

 

Article translated by Daniela.  Credit to all owners of photos and video.

 

 

~~Jane~~

Album Reviews, Editorials, Gianluca, Ignazio, Il Volo, Piero

Even Amazon Knows!

19 Comments