Velvet Soul

Have you survived this freezing weekend? While the ouside temperatures crawled down the scale last night, in Jazz bisto Isebähnli in Baden (Switzerland) things were heating up with the trio from Zurich "Chamber Soul". 

photo: www.le-bourg.ch

If I could rename the trio, I'd propose "Velvet Soul". The velvet voice of the American-born Soul singer Brandy Butler is warm and deep and pure. And its as lovely to watch her as to listen: she sparkles with humor and humanity. AND her Swiss German is wonderful and charming. But I do get the Chamber lark: these three are not kidding, only a mixture of talent and long hours years of studying and practicing can bring a flawless improvisation-like effect.  Guitarist Roman Hosek and trombonist René Mosele accompany the singer with minimalistic and beautifully skillful sound of soul and jazz. To see. And to listen. Here you can find their tour dates, unfortunately no concerts in Switzerland in the nearest months. 

I couldn't stop listening to their CD this morning (Philadelphia is my favorite so far :-) And the one playing now is "Nothing stays the same".  A propos of changes: if you visited my previous posts, you might have noticed that all the photos decorating my little stories are gone! The constant changes of Google programs are to blame! (They, on the other hand, would say: WE DID ASK YOU, didn't we? yeah yeah, ok, they did). 

Beautiful evening to all and only good changes!

Love,
AB  

Weekend Love, Stories and Grooves

Not many of us would argue that Friday is a wonderful day no matter what weather is outside or what season it is. Take me for instance: I work on week-ends, but still, Friday is pretty special. Firstly, because friends around are all in the uplifted mood looking forward to a night out. Secondly, there is always something nice to see or do on Friday evening.

So what's your plan for tonight? If you got nothing (OUCH!), here is a tip: Teatro Palino in Baden.  Simona Hofmann presents her solo Love side story 1: "Nachts explodieren deine Träume" (Nights explode your dreams), a burlesque and philosophical piece about choices, love and dreams. 

Later on, in the philosophical room of Palino's  UnvermeidBar is a premiere of "Stories and Grooves" - a musical program of Johnny Jazz (bass) And Toby Tiger (text and voice).

Check out the program of Palino theater and the UnvermeidBar for more poesy, music and thoughts - here

Have a lovely weekend,
AB

Swiss Press Photo 2012

Continuing the theme of photography here is a nice tip:  "Swiss Press Photo 12" - photographs published last year in the Swiss press and awarded by an international jury - are on the display in Bern's Käfigturm (Political Forum of the Confederation). 

The first prize of the Swiss press photographer of the year went to Mark Henley for his photographs on the economy and banks. 

90 exhibited photographs deal with subjects as diverse as News, Sports, International, Life, Environment, Art and Culture.

The Käfigturm itself is an interesting exhibit: the medieval tower is part of the UNESCO CulturalWorld Heritage Site of the Old City of Bern and a Cultural Property of National Significance. The original tower was built as a gate house during the second expansion of Bern in 1256. The tower was demolished in 1640 and completely rebuilt immediately thereafter.

 I had a surreal feeling, finding myself walking up steep stairs of the tower protected from the noise of the city by 500 years old walls. The entry is free and it's the best place to have a quiet moment in the middle of a busy day. 

"Swiss Press Photo 12" offers the opportunity to review the year 2011 until 24th of Nov 2012. 

Good week to all!

Love,
AB

Golden years in Black and White

How was your weekend?  Mine? Colourful, to say the least. I love autumn. Especially sunny Saturdays in October. Especially FREE sunny Saturdays in October. Standing in the middle of Zurich train station in the middle of the day and looking at the bright blue board with train schedules: Where to go? Why not Lausanne today?   I love Lausanne in autumn, with the Lavaux vineyards turning all shades of gold and red.

And I love Lausanne every first Saturday of each month, when all museums open their doors for free. Musée de l’Elysée - a museum for photography - is displaying Howard Greenberg collection these days (21.09.12 - 06.01.13)

"Howard Greenberg has been a gallery owner for thirty years now and is considered today one of the pillars of the New York photography scene. While his role as a dealer is well established, less is known about his passion for collecting. It has remained quite confidential and is now being exposed".

Perhaps the collecting was confidential, but nothing is confidential about the collectibles being exposed: we all know them since decades, from Art books and Photo catalogues.  

Ruth Orkin, American Girl in Italy, 1951 © Ruth Orkin. Courtesy of Howard Greenberg Collection

Lunch atop a Skyscraper (New York Construction Workers Lunching on a Crossbeam)  by Charles C. Ebbets during construction of the GE Building at Rockefeller Center in 1932.

Confrontation between a flower and the bayonets of soldiers guarding the pentagon during the march for peace in Vietnam, Washington DC, 1967. Riboud, Marc (Born 1923)

Greenberg's collection is the XXth century through the lens of a camera.

Have a colorful week.
Love,
AB

Royal Night of Divas

How Diva are you? 

According to Simona Hofmann and Stella Luna Palino, Diva lives in all of us, sleeping innocently or longing to come out, or she IS out and about in our everyday life. Diva is not female, not male; the diva is in the nature of every human being. Often the Diva hides in pride and in the aesthetics of a person, sneaking in through the exaggerated mannerisms and gestures, through deliberately staged appearance, and therefore has a theatrical touch. 

Royal Baden

Friday night Theater Royale Baden wants to celebrate this theatrical attitude! THE NIGHT OF THE ROYAL DIVAS - Are there any divas around?

The programme consists of chanson duet of Stella Luna Palino and pianist Ueli Gygli. Simona Hofmann staged a lively Divas Gallery and Sandro Scarabelli from Cutting Edge coiffes live while a film about the world class divas runs on the background. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

Dress code for the guests is - of course - the Divas Look. Let your wild side appear as Divas at the Royal!

So, How Diva are you?

Love,
AB