| 1. |
SOFTLY, AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE - We wanted a free exposure of music, without scaring people with the preconceived restraint of jazz. Maybe it’s not the best choice for starting a show, but the free form of our assignment gave us the energy for the rest of the evening. A classical theme, with an opened approach. |
| 2. |
MY FUNNY VALENTINE – It enters the “one of the most beautiful ballads” category. With a thrilling simplicity, gets you in a very special mood. You never have too much beauty. Now I can explain myself why this song is so popular. |
| 3. |
SEX BOMB - No matter how much the purists will frown, we have a lot of fun playing this song. We didn’t find the original groove very appropriate, so we switched into a spy-movie-parody-swing. |
| 4. |
FLY ME TO THE MOON – One of the most famous love songs, again. We definitely didn’t want to make a love ballads record or intentionally attract the more sensitive part of the audience, but in this pragmatic world, a little romance is more than welcome. |
| 5. |
MERCEDES BENZ – It’s not that we sing about cars. It may be the last subject in our repertoire. But this simple song with lyrics written by poet Michael McClure didn’t have many versions with an instrumental accompaniment. Everyone adds his individual flavour and the two minutes prayer turns into a throbbing bluesy-funky act. |
| 6. |
SMOKE ON THE WATER – It’s near impossible to think about this song and not immediately think of the heavy guitar riff describing the Deep Purple adventure on the Lake Geneva shore. If anyone would’ve tell me in the highschool years that I will play this song without a guitar, I would’ve think that he’s utterly mad. On our version, the rock’n’roll wall of sound turns into a genre bending fiesta. Maximum fun. |
| 7. |
WATERMELON MAN – I imagined an indian immigrant who can’t cope with the american way and tries to make a living by selling watermelons. The world around you is crazy and cruel but you can do good by cooling people down with a cold watermelon. |
| 8. |
MAS QUE NADA – Jorge Ben tried to picture Brazil in one song. And everybody feels brazilian when the song is played. I was so involved in the atmosphere that I tried to introduce the band in portuguese. A great choice for an explosive end of the show. The more we know, the more we love. |
| 9. |
DON’T GET AROUND MUCH ANYMORE – The first encore. A classical Ellington. All the jazz clubs in the world heard this tune at least once. |
| 10. |
MAMA DON’T ALLOW NO – An elegant way of saying goodbye. A rollicking song, with funny lyrics and a reason for one more round of solos, with a more relaxed approach. It was absolutely necessary for all of us to leave that place smiling. |