Trasemino Blues
 |
| Detail from "Madonna in Trono", Church of St Sebastian, Penicale, Umbria Attributed to Raphael (1505) |
Music is as old as the human experience and making it gives us a way to communicate and entertain each other at the same time. It transcends spoken language, culture and creed. I came across these beautiful frescos in Penicale (Umbria, Italy) last week. They were painted in 1505 and can be found in the Church of San Sebastian and were only recently attributed to Raphael in 2015.
Music is still being made in Penicale, the villages and towns around the nearby Lake Trasimeno. Trasimeno Blues is one of Umbria's biggest music festival and has been running since 1996. It has grown every year since and now boasts 23 concerts on 15 stages throughout the area. The most amazing thing is that nearly all of the concerts are free!. One can not help fear however that the "all enveloping plague of austerity" currently spreading across Europe may eventually silence these exciting events. Wish we valued live music in the UK as much as the Italians do!
Sadly for me, we arrived in the area on the last day of the festival but managed to catch the finale in nearby Citta della Pieve. We gathered around the main church in expectation of a unique marching band that has entertained local people and festival towers for a number of years. Its difficult to describe the P-Funcking Band but once experienced, they are never forgotten. Take a look at the video below. Its the only way to explain!
The Great P-Funking Band
The P-Funking Band
Later, after some great food and company (of course it's Italy) and much wine we congregated in another square to hear Lisa Hunt & James Thompson with the Harlem Blues Band. I can't say that it was virtuoso Blues and Lisa Hunt is more of a Soul singer but it was great fun and the whole square was rocking away to some rousing music. Lisa Hunt's from New York and came over to sing with one of Italy's greatest singers and never left.
Lisa Hunt: Italian Sister Soul
Lisa Hunt sings Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah with the Harlem Blues Band
James Thompson, originally from Cleveland, USA also seems to have been adopted by Italy and he and Lisa Hunt chatted effortlessly in Italian throughout the night. He is a great Saxophonist but plays a number of other instruments including a really good flute.
James Thompson
James Thompson and Friends 2008
We just caught the end of this great little festival. I certainly want to some back next year and visit these ancient Italian towns that continue to rock. The music may have changed since Raphael's time but the passion remains. Something great happened here over the last few weeks, everyone was talking about it. We will just have to come again and report back to the @TheBluesRoad.
I just want to say a special thanks to our beautiful host Colinette, her family and friends for making us to welcome. Special thanks also to Bruce and Sue Macloed who are just some of our best fiends to travel on the Blues Road!
Read more on Trasimeno Blues and catch up on :
http://trasimenoblues.it
http://visitperugia.com/annual-events/trasimeno-blues/
It's been some time since I added to this blog. The Blues Road has still been active and you can now follow it on Twitter @TheBluesRoad.
