Live music in Cantabria, July 2022

The concerts on Plaza Porticada were part of Felisa 2022 (Feria del Libro de Santander y Cantabria, 1—10 July) and La Semana Grande de Santander (22—31 July); those in the church of Santa María de los Ángeles in San Vicente de la Barquera were part of the Festival Cantabria Infinita.

• 2 July: «Jam Sesion: Cuaderno de Cantabria» @ Plaza Porticada, Santander
  Homage to José Hierro. With Càrabé (narration), Manuel Cavero (double bass), Lidia Gil (narration, vocals), Javi Lost (guitar, vocals), Javier San Miguel (sax), Adela San Miguel (drums) and Rafa Santana (piano).
• 4 July: «Vida. Homenaje a José Hierro» @ Plaza Porticada
  Inés Fonseca (vocal, guitar) and Carmela (bass guitar).
• 5 July: La Mala Hierba @ Plaza Porticada
  Gema Martínez (vocals) and Nico Rodríguez (guitar).
• 6 July: «Astro Azul» @ Plaza Porticada
  It was a difficult choice that evening: Versonautas at Plaza Porticada vs Juan de Diego Quartet in Rvbicón, with both events starting at 21:30. In the end I went to see the former, a show by a Valencia-based duo of Ana Sanahuja (voice, keyboards, effects) and Roqui Albero (voice, trumpet, flugelhorn, effects).
• 6 July: Juan de Diego Quartet @ Rvbicón, Calle del Sol, 4
  To my surprise, when I eventually arrived to Rvbicón, the show was still going on. They let me in for free so I was able to hear the last three songs and chat with the musicians afterwards. Win-win! Here you can watch the full concert featuring Juan de Diego (trumpet), Toni Saigi (piano), Pere Loewe (double bass) and Ramon Prats (drums).

  

• 8 July: Chebú & Co. «De Alejandra a Bluma» @ Plaza Porticada
  Homage to Alejandra Pizarnik (1936—1972) by Chebú (Zhenya Popova and Nahúm Cobo), Cuarteto Adagio and Miguel Ángel Sánchez.
• 9 July: Freedonia «Conciencia» @ Plaza Porticada
  Deborah Ayo (vocals), Ángel Pastor (guitar, harmónica), Fran Panadero (bass), Israel Checa (drums), Juan Carlos “Chavi” Ontoria (keyboards), David Pérez (baritone sax), Toni García (trumpet), Dani Niño (tenor sax) and Jorge Moreno (trombone).
• 13 July: Latorre-Carlés Quartet @ Rvbicón
  Rubén Carlés (double bass), César Latorre (piano), Hilario Rodeiro (drums) and Natalio Sued (tenor sax). Watch the full concert here.

  

• 20 July: Carla Sevilla Quintet @ Rvbicón
  On this occasion reduced to a quartet featuring Carla Sevilla (vocals), Marcos Salcines (piano), Juanma Urriza Razquin “Boli” (drums) and Jon Dorregarai (bass), with the special guest Adrián Buenaga (sax). Watch the full concert here.

  

• 22 July: Desert Rose @ La Plaza de Liencres, Liencres
  Covers of Sade, Sting and Toto by the band from Getxo featuring Laura Villacorta (vocals), Lorea Mendizábal (vocals, flute), Rafa Zuloaga (bass), Diego Lasheras (keyboards), Rafa Aspiunza (guitar), Andrés Tejo (guitar) and Nikola Goñi (drums).

  

• 27 July: Terraza-Fumero-Arnedo Trio @ Rvbicón
  Ignasi Terraza (piano), Horacio Fumero (double bass) and Guillem Arnedo (drums). Watch the full concert here.

  

• 29 July: Yves Lambert Trio @ Iglesia de Santa María de los Ángeles, San Vicente de la Barquera
  This was the first ever concert of the Festival Cantabria Infinita that I’ve seen — alas, not from the beginning. Amazing music from Yves Lambert (vocals, accordeon, harmonica), Tommy Gauthier (violin) and Olivier Rondeau (guitar).

  

• 30 July: Big Band del Conservatorio Ataúlfo Argenta @ Plaza Porticada, Santander
  A big band composed of both students, alumni and teachers of the Conservatorio Ataúlfo Argenta. Under the direction of Toño Gutierrez Llata and featuring, among others, Pedro Ruiz Ibáñez (sax), Eduardo Diz (trombone), Rafael Santana (piano), Manuel Cavero (electric bass) and Cristina Ceballos (vocals), covering standards such as A Night in Tunisia, Autumn Leaves, Chameleon, Respect, The Pink Panther Theme and (twice!) Tequila.
• 30 July: Calum Stewart Quartet @ Iglesia de Santa María de los Ángeles, San Vicente de la Barquera
  Calum Stewart (uilleann pipes, wooden flute), Yann Le Bozec (double bass), Sylvain Quéré (cittern) and Mathilde Rio (step dance).

  

• 31 July: Highlanders & Banda Municipal de Santander @ Plaza Porticada
  Eduardo Andérez (guitars) and Borja Feal (flutes, bagpipes) accompanied by Banda Municipal de Santander conducted by Vicent Pelechano.

Goodbye, July.

Ninjababy

a film by Yngvild Sve Flikke

Some films provide such obvious American remake fodder that you just want to draw a protective circle around them to ensure that people experience the unassuming charms of the original.

David Rooney, Ninjababy: Film Review

From imaginary and picturesque vikingdom to modern-day Norway: grey, rainy, with the sea nowhere in sight. Norwegians nowadays ain’t no Vikings either: yes they still can shout “Blood and suffering!” but only when playing Warhammer.

I hope this does not discourage you from watching Ninjababy. Who cares about the Vikings anyway?

Based on the graphic novel Fallteknikk (Fall Technique) by Inga Sætre and featuring the latter’s animation, this hilarious and poignant film stars Kristine Kujath Thorp as Rakel, Nader Khademi as Mos, and Arthur Berning as aptly nicknamed Pikkjesus (“Dick Jesus”, or “Jesús de las pollas” in Spanish subtitles); the animated Ninjababy is voiced by Herman Tømmeraas. Watch out for the scene of Rakel posing as Fatima at the pre-adoption meeting for prospective parents.

The Vikings

a film by Richard Fleischer

Then his Father built a warship Saying: ‘Let’s go raiding, Chums! Although guess who isn’t in The crew — no matter who else comes!’ Terry Jones, Algernon the Viking

With the notable exception of clean-shaved Einar played, naturally, by Kirk Douglas, the Vikings of this movie look very much like Peter Jackson’s dwarfs inhabiting some sort of Hobbiton. (OK, it was filmed on location in Norway. So what? So were Dune and The Empire Strikes Back.) The plot is a bit random; here’s the summary, once again, courtesy of Terry Jones:

Well the Vikings were victorious, And they held a Victory Tea.

The best line is by Bridget (Dandy Nichols): “Mine isn’t too tight”; the silliest one is by Morgana (Janet Leigh), directed to Einar and referring to Eric (Tony Curtis; you know the guy): “He is your brother”, sadly not followed by “Nooo!”. Of course, what Janet really meant was “he is my husband”.

Peppermint Frappé

a film by Carlos Saura

A stylish neo-noir movie starring Geraldine Chaplin and José Luis López Vázquez and filmed on location in Cuenca which is now on my to-visit list. The Incredible Miss Perryman by Los Canarios (from Las Palmas!) was another discovery. The only (mild) annoyance was the sound: it is as if the film was dubbed into Spanish.

Barbara Thompson (1944—2022)

If I had some hesitation about who would occupy the drummer’s or, say, guitarist’s chair in my imaginary all-female jazz-rock supergroup — consisting exclusively of the greatest musicians I ever had the privilege to see live — no such doubt existed for the saxophonist. It simply had to be Barbara Thompson. Now that she passed away, there is no chance to see that band.

I first learned about Barbara Thompson in 1995, from The Penguin Guide to Jazz; I borrowed that book from the Leeds Central Library which also had a few of her CDs. I think the first album I listened to was a compilation CD Barbara Thompson’s Special Edition. One of the songs there, Little Annie-Ooh, remains my favourite Thompson’s composition.

Little Annie-Ooh Colin Dudman: piano Dill Katz: bass Pete Hartley: violin Jon Hiseman: drums Barbara Thompson: soprano sax

Later that year, Tamara and I went to Bradford to see Barbara Thompson & Paraphernalia. The first part of the concert Thompson played together with some kids’ big band which was touching if not exactly mind-blowing; the Paraphernalia part truly was.

Here’s my top five Barbara Thompson’s albums. Mind you, I still have not heard most of her work.

Il fiore delle mille e una notte

a film by Pier Paolo Pasolini
score by Ennio Morricone

Arabian Nights is the first and so far the only film of Pasolini I’ve seen. Il Decameron, that was shown in Filmoteca de Cantabria last month, doesn’t count: I went to see it on Friday afternoon, straight after work, and woke up refreshed after it had just finished. So much for the power of art.

This time, I had a go at Pasolini on Sunday, after a one-hour siesta and a coffee. It worked.

Featuring a host of gorgeous actors and shot in magnificent locations (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Nepal and Yemen), the film remains a visual fest. I’d lose the (by now ridiculous) special effects though.

Shiva Baby

a film by Emma Seligman
score by Ariel Marx

Oops. That must be awkward: turning up to a shiva only to bump into people you didn’t expect to bump into. Then again, if your universe is the New York Jewish community, it would be really strange not to bump into other inhabitants of that universe.

The whole setup sounds like it is another Woody Allen comedy — except it isn’t. Rachel Sennott shines as Danielle in Emma Seligman’s debut feature. Fred Melamed (A Serious Man, Hannah and Her Sisters) and Polly Draper as Danielle’s parents are pretty good, if a bit clichéd; maybe that was the whole point. And when you think it can’t get any more awkward, it just does.