Is that Gino? Gino Vannelli's concert in Umeå, Sweden on October 27 turned out to be a huge success. The great showman Gino invited no less than four local guest musicians on stage.
Gino's only companion on stage pianist Michiel Borstlap immediately set the musical standards in the opening of the first song, Black Cars. When Gino started singing the first lines it was goosebumps time. What a voice! (and it did not fail during the entire show).
Gino's only companion on stage pianist Michiel Borstlap immediately set the musical standards in the opening of the first song, Black Cars. When Gino started singing the first lines it was goosebumps time. What a voice! (and it did not fail during the entire show).
"We need a percussionist!"
It was one of those concerts with great communication between the stage and the audience. It may have helped that this concert was arranged by the Umeå Jazz Festival. The drunk howlers that you may find in clubs don't go to the festival. So the quiet parts were very enjoyable too.
There was a lot of audience participation. Gino first requested a drummer and a percussionist from the audience, and later on two guest vocalists:
"Anyone out there with a big ego?"
Reciting poetry
Gino also wanted some background vocals for one song where everyone could join in. The show included new and old songs (Wild Horses and Brother To Brother to name a few), plus two examples from an upcoming book of poems (!)
This concert showed how two musicians can keep an audience thrilled for one and a half hour. The key to that is great musicianship and showmanship.
Here are some more great news for the Gino Vannelli fans: The concert will probably be broadcast on radio later since Sveriges Radio had their recording trucks outside the concert venue. Gino was also interviewed by the SR channel P2.
