Juan Hitters: diciembre 2011

miércoles, 28 de diciembre de 2011

New cover for MA Recordings (California)

Todd Garfinkle, factotum of MA Recordings based in Encino, California, has chosen this old-looking picture by Juan for the new recording by Bach's Flute Sonatas (Vol. 1). The playing by Diana Barone is sheer joy. A second image, also part of the same series based on pears, will be used for Vol 2 when released.

martes, 6 de diciembre de 2011

At La Fortuna for Massimo Ianni

Juan made this portrait at La Fortuna, a super-chic estancia owned by Massimo Ianni. Massimo has got an impressive career, being responsible for the Faena Hotel + Universe, Alrov Hotels and recently for Armani Hotels and Resorts.

What's on the CD player this week

New film about Architect César Pelli

What's on the CD player this week

"Sound City": real to reel. Dave Grohl has put together many wonderful musicians and directed a documentary film called Sound City. The movie is about the sheer joy of playing and recording plain (or not so plain) rock music starring Chris Goss, Joshua Homme, Rupert Neve, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, Rick Rubin and Paul Mc Cartney to name just a few. The soundtrack is a true marvel, similar in a way to Slash's first solo album. It has been on steady rotation since I came back from Sydney.

Keith Jarrett at Teatro Colon

Tonight Keith Jarrett is improvising on the piano at Teatro Colon. It has been nearly three decades since I listened to "The Köln Concert" for the first time. The experience was revealing. It is probably one of the albums I have enjoyed the most. I clearly remember once driving with friends along a deserted road someplace in Uruguay while listening to Keith play the old Bösendorfer in Cologne. The compact cassette sounded awful, but I could do nothing but wonder: listening to this beautiful music recorded many years ago, in a far away city, while driving through this lonely country, was magic! Well, life has been good to me, and gave me the opportunity of contributing to ECM on Keith Jarrett's "Testament" album cover, a recording of two improvised concerts in Paris and London. This was a couple of years ago. Tonight I will be listening to the man himself, no state of the art recording or crappy cassette, just an incredible musician playing the piano. You bet I am looking forward to this experience.