Bill Bailey in Black Books
Another very inspiring scene from the episode “The Entertainer” from the English TV show “Black Books”, where Manny (Bill Bailey) discovers his music talent.
If you want to see Bernard and Fran (Dylan Moran and Tamsin Greig) in a duo at the piano, click here.
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Dylan Moran and Tamsin Greig in Black Books
They simply crack me up! For me is Black Books the best comic show ever! Especially that episode where Fran, Manny and Bernard play piano (“The Entertainer”) is just divine.
I am generally especially impressed by Dylan’s acting, so much that I have subscribed his newsletters =an extremely rare attitude from me, who normally hate all these newsletters stuff! -, ready to fly to the UK , Ireland or wherever in the word to see him on stage! I wished so much he would create a new series… but well, in the meanwhile Black Books will do.. again and again and again!
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Accordeonist in Florence
Painting in Mixed Technique: ink, pastel and digital art..
One more from the ‘Street Musicians” series. I have seen that guy in Florence, Italy, at the beginning of May, and he was of course a wonderful painting subject.
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Black Country Communion
My first painting of the Supergroup “Black Country Communion”, featuring Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa, . As often with my music paintings, this is painted in a mixed technique involving ink, pastel and digital art.
I have never seen any of them live.. no wonder, considering that I have been introduced by Kev Moore to Joe Bonamassa’s music only about one year ago and to Glenn Hughes some years before that. Two giants of Rock music, and when both join forces, then it is simply divine.
Well, yesterday evening we made the fabulous spontaneous decision to attend the Black Country Communion concert in Loket, Czech republic, on the 17th of July 2011. We will first spend some days in Prague, which we both always wanted to visit, and then some days in Loket. One week altogether. Concert tickets are bought, Flights are booked, now just browsing the net in search of the right accommodation: this is FUN!
Needless to say we are both super-excited! Last time I attended a big live concert was in Toulouse, France, Pink Floyd were on.. I am speaking about the year 1974!!!! I hope to be able then to make some other paintings featuring these rock gods.. and some travel sketches of Prague and Loket of course!
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For those who need some more “technical” info about BCC, here it is:
“…Black Country Communion is an English-American rock supergroup featuring Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, Derek Sherinian, and Joe Bonamassa.
Formation and Black Country (2010–2011)
Glenn Hughes has stated that he and Bonamassa had been working together for over a year when they both performed at the Guitar Center: King of the Blues event in Los Angeles in November of 2009 and decided to record together. Producer Kevin Shirley then suggested the group work with John Bonham’s son, Jason Bonham. Bonamassa did not want the band to be a power trio, so he and the others decided to add former Dream Theater keyboard player, Derek Sherinian, to the lineup on the recommendation of Kevin Shirley.[4] The band began having sessions in Shangri La Studios in Malibu,CA. According to Bonham the group were recording as early as January of 2010. He claims, “I just literally went into the studio last week for two days with one person I’d done an album with before, very quickly, and then the other was a friend of my father’s I got to meet later on, Joe Bonamassa and Glenn Hughes, and we’re working on a new project with a working title of Black Country.” The group took their name from the English industrial area where both Hughes and Bonham hail from.
Second album (2011–present)
Glenn Hughes has revealed that he is already writing the band’s second album during an exclusive interview with EspyRock. “What I am doing is writing a follow up album right now for Black Country Communion; I’m writing a second album.”
On January 12, 2011, frontman Glenn Hughes has announced that the band would be releasing their second studio album in June 2011, a mere nine months after their debut album. Hughes has said that the release of the album will coincide with the band’s summer 2011 tour, and that the first batch of songs for the album were already recorded….”
Street Musician in Pietrasanta in Italy
One more from my series
“Street Musicians from around The World”
I saw him in Italy some weeks ago, more precisely in the wonderful little town of Pietrasanta not far from the marble town Carrara. I spent 3 days in Pietrasanta, and I saw that guy twice, at different places downtown. Once he had only his guitar and he was reading, in the posture featured on the painting, where I could not see his face. The second time, he was just sitting, looking around, with all that stuff in front of him, apart from the guitar. If I remember well, he had a long grey beard… to be honest, I am not sure if he even played one of these instruments, or is they were there just for “decoration”….in any case a spectacular apparition! I combined both appearances in this one painting. As all my Street Musicians, the painting is done in a mixed technique involving an ink drawing, pastel chalk, gouache and digital art.
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Jeff Beck 01
As I often mentioned, I did not know much about rock music before I met Kev Moore. I loved rock, but I hardly know any of the guitar heroes of this world.
“…Geoffrey Arnold “Jeff” Beck (born 24 June 1944) is an English rock guitarist. One of three noted guitarists, with Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, to have played with The Yardbirds, Beck also formed The Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. He was ranked 14th in Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”[1] and the magazine has described him as “one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock”.[2] MSNBC has called him a “guitarist’s guitarist”.[3]
Much of Beck’s recorded output has been instrumental, with a focus on innovative sound and his releases have spanned genres ranging from blues-rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion and most recently, an additional blend of guitar-rock and electronica. Beck has earned wide critical praise; furthermore, he has received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times. Although he has had two hit albums (in 1975 and 1976) as a solo act, Beck has not established or maintained a broad following or the sustained commercial success of many of his collaborators and bandmates.[3] Beck appears on albums by Mick Jagger, Kate Bush, Roger Waters, Stevie Wonder, Les Paul, Zucchero, Cyndi Lauper, Brian May and ZZ Top. He also made a cameo appearance in the movie Twins (1988).
He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a member of The Yardbirds (1992) and as a solo artist (2009)...”
I saw Jeff beck for the first time in a concert with the bass player Tal Wilkenfeld, and I adored him, and her, and both together. And as always, when I love a musician I have to paint her/him. This time I started with Tal Wilkenfeld, just because she is so young and so amazing. And anyway: women first!
You can see her portrait here.
For Jeff, I wanted to try a new style.More impressionist, but keeping the face features quite clear. I painted him in gouache, with brushes and palette knives, a technique which gives surprising results, at least surprising to me. It was the first time I used this technique for a musician portrait, I normally use it only for more or less abstract townscapes. I personally quite like the result, so I will probably try some more of our music heroes in this style.
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Bo Diddley
I saw him for the first time the other night on English TV, on “Later, with Jools Holland”, and I enjoyed it very much. Loved especially this position and, of course, his red rectangular guitar!
“…Ellas Otha Bates (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter (usually as Elias McDaniel), and inventor. He was also known as “The Originator” because of his key role in the transition from the blues to rock & roll, influencing a host of acts including Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground, The Clash, The Yardbirds, and Eric Clapton.[1] He introduced more insistent, driving rhythms and a hard-edged guitar sound on a wide-ranging catalog of songs. Accordingly, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation[2][3] and a Grammy Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He was known in particular for his technical innovations, including his trademark rectangular guitar….”
“…
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Son House
“…Eddie James “Son” House, Jr. (March 21, 1902 (?)[1][2] – October 19, 1988) was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music….”
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Robert Plant and Jimmy Page 02
Painting of Led Zeppelin performing “Stairway to Heaven”
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Robert Plant 02
Robert Plant, from Led Zeppelin, singing that divine song
“Stairway to Heaven”
… to die for!
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