Continue reading »]]> 2012..

Time to resist, time to think and elaborate, time to become aware that this way we won`t get anywhere..

All the creative people in the world should make more efforts to break old boundaries and take humanity by the hand through the darkenss of this “End of empire age”.

We do know that the ones who control society don`t have any good intention.

Therefore it`s time to be united, to share emotions, to fix our hearts and tune them with the elements.

Many people live in a sort of fake dream,  many more live in a nightmare, the wake up call is on its way.

Some people are awake and have to resist…

Continue reading »]]> What am I doing?..

I`m producing Colasante`s album (a very gifted songwriter from Naples) also really finalizing my instrumental one (check audio page), then moving forward towards my third album.. There`so much stuff in my archive waiting to be recorded and produced that  I should lock myself in for at least a couple of years in order to do it, but music is a very vast universe to deal with, so I will do as much as can. I`m also updating this site, cause I`ve left it untouched for a while, adding some tracks to listen to and more info, so if you come across Al-Maranca  you`ll have a  better clue of what I`m trying to do.

Good news is also that a collective of artists two weeks ago occupied a fantastic space here in the centre of Napoli and great things are happening in it.. Finally there `s a place that can collect all of us together, where arts are free to run, without any political game hiding in the back and that`s very important for the whole community. We`ll see if we`ll manage to bring some serious change.

 We do need it!

Continue reading »]]> After a few months of life in the city of  Naples, I could probably say that it`s  for me the most beautiful city I`ve ever seen. The architecture and the layers of history create an incredible effetc, and so do the light and the sea.  I`ve travelled many countries “looking for  the beauty” to eventually discover that the most amazing stuff was in my homeland, that`s how it goes ironically… I know, the world is big, but if you can, come for a visit to Napoli, I live not so far from the central station and I will show you around..al*

Continue reading »]]> Hi everyone!

It`s been a while I know, a lot of things happened in the last few weeks.

News is that I`ll be back in London after more than a year for a few showcases in town.

There will be plenty of music to be played and good friends to catch up with..

See you soon*al

November gigs:

11/11/11 Cantina dell`arte, Montoro (Salerno) Italy

London gigs

24/11  Charlie Wrights (Shoreditch)
28/11  Vibe Bar (Brick Lane)
29/11  Mother Live (Hoxton)
01/12  The Kings (Islington)

ITA)

Ciao a tutti!

E` passato un po` di tempo dall`ultimo post, lo so..

Tante cose sono successe in queste ultime settimane.

Il mio album strumentale e` quasi pronto penso che lo faro` uscire fresco nella prima settimana di gennaio. Faro` uscire piu` o meno nello stesso periodo anche un singolo in italiano a cui sto lavorando, e`un po` una sorpresa, pure  per me, e` quasi finito e gli faremo un bel video lancio.

Di nuovo c`e` anche che torno a Londra dopo piu` di anno di assenza, per quattro concerti.

Ci sara` un sacco di musica da suonare e tanti amici da rivedere..

Ci riaggiorniamo presto*al

Continue reading »]]> (Eng-Ita)

Dear friends, summer has gone and most of us are doing their best while starting this new solar year. It sounds like the same old pattern, but this time is different.. Somehow, we all feel that there`s a change on its way, both in our individual lives and the environment, but more important, we need that change, because this is the right time for it.. Perhaps we`ll still need to work hard for it, in any possible way.
We do believe that humanity, especially in the western side of the world, needs to go back to the elements (earth, fire, water, air) in order to get in rhythm with Nature.. More and more people are becoming aware of the evilness, the madness and the contradictions of our times, so many veils are falling down. There`s need for a general “downshifting”, we need more time, we need a slow life, a less destructive one..
Klesha Production and Al-Maranca are glad to present their new video: KINETIC
Shot in Berlin with a technique called “cinemagraph”, it will be launched on Tuesday 27th of September, at 1 pm, the time when the next new moon will raise, hopefully bringing plenty of positive thoughts and precious intuitions for all of us.
Please share, comment and if wish, tell us how you would like your life to slow down, or maybe that`s already happening..
Namaste’

(ITA)
Cari amici, l`estate e`andata e molti di noi stanno facendo del loro meglio all`inizio di questo nuovo anno solare. Sembra la stesso giro di boa ogni volta, ma stavolta e` diverso.. Non sappiamo come, pero` tutti percepiamo in qualche modo il fatto che un cambiamento stia per arrivare, sia nelle nostre vite che nell`ambiente intorno a noi e la cosa piu` importante e` che desideriamo quel cambiamento, perche` adesso e` il momento giusto.. Probabilmente ci sara` da lavorare ancora tanto perche` cio` avvenga.
Crediamo fermamente che l`umanita`, specialmente in Occidente, ora abbia bisogno di tornare agli elementi (terra, acqua, aria, fuoco) e di rientrare nei ritmi della Natura..Sempre piu` persone si stanno risvegliando e diventano consapevoli della pazzia, dell`ingiustizia e delle contraddizioni di quest`epoca, cosi` molti veli stanno cadendo. C`e`un bisogno generale di “downshifting“ (scalare le marce) abbiamo bisogno di piu` tempo, vogliamo una vita piu` lenta, meno distruttiva..
Klesha Production e Al-Maranca sono lieti di presentarvi la loro nuova creatura: KINETIC
E` un video girato a Berlino con una particolare tecnica chiamata “cinemagraph” e verra`lanciato martedi’ 27 settembre alle 13, ora in cui sorge la nuova luna, che speriamo sia carica di pensieri positivi e di preziose intuizioni per tutti noi.
Vi invitiamo a commentare, condividere e se vi fa piacere, raccontateci come vorreste che la vostra vita rallentasse, o forse vi sta gia` succedendo…
Namaste’

KINETIC
(Energy stolen in Berlin by cinemagraph technique)
A simple way to watch the soul of the World.

Directed by:
Pask D’Amico
Shot, Editing and animation by:
Klesha production
www.kleshamusic.com
Music by:
Al-Maranca in “A Licosa”
www.al-maranca.com
Photography supervisor:
Luca Spennato
Special thanks to:
Nicola Bavaro for audio mixdown

Enjoy the video!

]]> http://www.al-maranca.com/2011/09/219/feed/ 0 http://www.al-maranca.com/2011/09/196/ http://www.al-maranca.com/2011/09/196/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 13:16:33 +0000 Al-Maranca http://www.al-maranca.com/?p=196

Continue reading »]]>  

I don`t quite remember the very first time I heard the Beatles, I guess I was in my mum`s belly, of course then I came out and I do have rather confused but pleasant memories of that amazing sound..The Beatles were often played on our turntable and for sure I clearly remember the moment my dad played me “day tripper” for the first time..As soon as the bass came in I was just mesmerized, it was incredibly exciting! …Right next I heard “paperback writer” and wow!.. I was gone and I still can`t tell where!

I had the same kind of shocking feeling only a few years after, I was 11 and I bought in partnership with my older brother “the dark side of the moon”, by Pink Floyd, but that`s another story..

Infact I`ld like to talk about another Beatles album that was in the house, Revolver..Well, I think Revolver is the “manifesto” of pop music and saying “pop”, I include everything. In my opinion those 14 songs are 14 different visions and paths revealed and shown for future generations.. I know, I know… Sergent Pepper, Abbey Road, the White Album, Rubber Soul etc.. in the end we`re talking Beatles here, such a huge topic! But I think (and I`m not the only one) that there`s something special about Revolver, something positively obscure, even in the cover. Anyway, that`s my favourite album ever. There`s absolutely nothing I don`t like about it.. The songs, the production, the arrangements, the vocals, the playing, everything is so impeccable and so inspiring..

There was a time when records could change your life, after the first listening (sometimes after a few) one wasn`t the same person anymore, is it still happening? If yes, how differently does it happen? How did the perception of music change during these last decades? Web access and technology are now definitely new rulers, while most of the mainstream music business is run by lawyers and accountants, nothing to do with some pioneers and visionaries from the second half of the XX century… Maybe those years, 60′, 70′, part of the 80′, were just a great and powerful wave, full of spectacular coincidences, therefore a lot of music from that time had (but still carries) the creative force that was around..

That was then, tomorrow never knows..

(ITA)

Di preciso non mi ricordo della prima volta che ho ascoltato I Beatles, probabilmente ero ancora nella pancia di mia madre. Quando ero piccolo i Beatles venivano puntualmente suonati sul nostro giradischi e  ho ricordi un po` confusi ma piacevoli di quel sound unico, di sicuro mi ricordo chiaramente della prima volta che mio padre mi fece ascoltare “Day tripper”, appena entrato il basso fui come ipnotizzato, incredibile..subito dopo mi fece ascoltare ”Paperback writer” ..completamente partito e ancora non so spiegare per dove…

Ebbi piu`o meno lo stesso tipo di shock qualche tempo dopo, a 11 anni comprai insieme a mio fratello piu` grande “The dark side of the moon” dei Pink Floyd, ma quella e`un`altra storia..

Infatti oggi vorrei parlare di un altro album dei Beatles che avevamo in casa, Revolver..Penso che Revolver sia il “manifesto” della pop music e dicendo “pop” intendo proprio tutto. Personalmente, credo che quelle 14 canzoni siano 14 visioni rivelate, 14 diversi sentieri indicati alle future generazioni.  Lo so, lo so.. Sergent Pepper, Abbey Road, White Album, Rubber Soul, etc.. in effetti stiamo parlando dei Beatles, un argomento gigantesco! Ma sono convinto (e so di non essere il solo) che c`e` qualcosa di davvero speciale in Revolver, qualcosa di positivamente oscuro, anche nella copertina. Isomma, e` il mio album preferito in assoluto, non c`e` proprio niente che non mi piaccia, le canzoni, gli arrangiamenti, le voci, gli strumenti, tutto e` cosi` caldo, impeccabile, creativo, sorprendente..

Una volta I dischi ti cambiavano la vita, dopo il primo ascolto (a volte dopo alcuni) non eri piu` la stessa persona di prima..chissa` se  succede ancora? E se succede, in che maniera? Come e` cambiata la percezione della musica negli ultimi decenni? Oggi l`accesso libero alla musica sul Web e la tecnologia la fanno da padrone, dall`altra parte quasi tutta l`industria discografica mainstream e` in crisi, anche perche` gestita per lo piu` da avvocati e commercialisti, niente a che vedere con alcuni pionieri e visionari della seconda meta` del XX secolo.. Forse quegli anni 60, 70, anche 80 in un certo senso, furono solo una potente ondata, un periodo pieno di coincidenze spettacolari..Di sicuro molta di quella musica esprime ancora oggi la forza creativa che allora circolava..

Come sara` domani, non lo sappiamo…

Continue reading »]]> In the Chinese tradition 8 is the perfect number and if  placed horizontal, it becomes the symbol of infinite.. I`ve always believed (some of you would agree) that August was the actual end of the year, the end of the Cycle, when nature gets to its climax and then slowly starts descending towards the darkness of Winter..

Here in South Italy, where religion is still very much involved with a pre-christian pagan heritage, most of the celebrations and festivals happen to be in this month, especially around the 15th, day of the Divine Mother (Mary=Isis=Maya, etc..) and regarded as the most important day of the Summer.

Anyway, going back to the Far East,  August should therefore be the most important month of the year, both a closing and opening one.. A good time for resting and enjoyng life , but maybe also good for thinking or simply “growing up”..

A time during which thick veils could finally come down and open new prospectives about ourselves and our environment..

Wherever you are and whatever you do, I hope you`re all getting the best out of this month!..

Al-Maranca

(ITA)

Nella tradizione cinese 8 e` il numero perfetto e se lo si posiziona orizzontalmente, diventa il simbolo dell`infinito..Ho sempre pensato (alcuni di voi concorderanno) che Agosto fosse la vera fine dell`anno, la fine del Ciclo, il momento in cui la natura raggiunge il suo apice, per poi iniziare la sua lenta discesa verso le oscurita`dell`inverno..

Qui in Sud Italia, dove la religione e` molto legata alla sua eredita`pagana precristiana, la maggior parte delle feste e delle celebrazioni avviene proprio in questo mese, specialmente intorno al 15, giorno della Madre Divina (Maria=Iside=Maya, ecc..) e viene quindi considerato il momento piu` importante dell`estate..

Tornando alla tradizione orientale,  Agosto dovrebbe quindi essere il mese piu` importante dell`anno, che chiude un ciclo e ne apre uno nuovo,  un buon momento per riposare e per godersi la vita, ma forse anche per pensare o semplicemente “crescere”.

Un periodo in cui veli spessi forse possono finalmente cadere e aprire nuove prospettive su noi stessi e l`ambiente che ci circonda..

Dovunque siate e qualsiasi cosa stiate facendo, spero tutti voi possiate ottenere il meglio da questo mese!..

PS=Next shows with my “one man and loops” project:

24th August, Vietri sul Mare (Salerno) www.vicolopassariello.it

02nd September, Trevignano Romano (Roma) www.facebook.com/Bistrot

03rd September, Sutri (Viterbo)  www.collediana.com

04th September, Sant`Anastasia (Napoli) closing day @ www.suoniemigrantifestival.it