I have an inquiring mind, a proclivity for inquiring and I am inquisitive by trade. Discovering new stories, getting to know new characters, stimulates my imagination. Therefore, there is nothing better for me than surfing the net, going from a video to an article, a gossip, serious, semi-serious, or serial news. I always try to read between the lines and search for something interesting to learn and convey. Sometimes it happens that in my roaming I find pleasant things. And so it was when I discovered Ambra Mattioli. I happened to watch her in one of her videos while looking for David Bowie’s music tracks. Bowie’s birthday is on 8^th January, and he died on 10^th January, two years ago at the age of 69. I noticed Ambra Mattioli’s videos on YouTube, and I must admit I did not realize it was a woman singing. Incredible!, I thought. So, I went on reading a few articles on the web about her and her band, the Aladdin Insane, and I checked her website. Hence my interest in her. I tried to contact Ambra and she immediately answered. She was kind of surprised but available. And I understood that she is just like that. She is spontaneous and simple.

Then I discovered an uncommon person – although she does not like to be defined that way. She is a musician, singer, painter, writer, and also project-designer, cabinet maker of fine mahogany furniture and furnishing solutions. In short, an artist, or “art performer” as they say now, with many facets, passions and abilities.

I know that there are people who think that doing too many things ends up by making a dispersive enterprise, lacking definite features, especially in the artistic field, where it is so difficult to get one’s own recognized niche. But I do not think so. If there are – and there are – people capable of expressing what is in their mind in many different ways, they are welcome.

When Ambra was a teen, she went to London with her guitar. She washed dishes at Wimpy’s and supplemented her income by singing Bowie’s songs on London’s tube. It was for her a year of new thoughts and discoveries. Then she went back to Italy and she set up a band – the “Clips” – with some friends, which today are now all established musicians. The band played its own original music, progressive rock, on Ambra Mattioli’s lyrics and opened the concerts of Nico of the Velvet Underground on her tour in Italy. But Ambra was also working at RCA record company with Petrossi, Migliacci, Fea and Basile. And on top of that, Ambra wrote stories, a science fiction novel that she herself brought to the Mondadori publishing house in an adventurous way.

Life went on, she got married and had two sons. They are twins. She started to paint, unusual, thoughtful, and poignant paintings, somewhat funny. In any case, very unique. Her paintings were exhibited not only in Italy but also abroad and they were published in top-rated catalogues. Then, she cultivated her passion for design, for fine wood-working and largely used mahogany in letting loose this drive of hers, producing furniture and furnishings of value, craftworks with a distinctive design.

Nonetheless, the great love Ambra Mattioli had for music – and for that of David Bowie in particular – was never dormant. She founded another band, a tribute to David Bowie, a tribute to his art, the Lady Stardust & Diamond Dogs. When this experience ended, it lead to the foundation of another band, the Aladdin Insane.

I know very well that there are people who, in principle, say they hate those who make tributes, make covers of other performers’ music. People who maintain that this is not art because it is not original music, that these artists have no ideas, do not have real talent and, and being the reflection of other artists, they are advantaged by the reputation of the famous performers of reference. To all of them I want to tell a great truth: for centuries, other people’s music has been covered, sung and played. Just think of all the philharmonic orchestras in the world, all the opera singers and the more or less famous singers who sing other artists’ songs. I do not accept the axiom that in that case it is different. It is not! I think that the only discriminating element is whether you make good music or not, if you can really play and sing or not, if you know how to interpret without being a pseudo clone, if you know how to fascinate the audience, if you can make people dream. It is true that in this field, especially in modern music, there are some incompetent, smoke-sellers who are struggling just to earn a crust. But when there is passion combined with interpretation, ability, commitment, discipline and sacrifice, when performers are able to transmit emotions, behold! it is art, regardless of what is sung or played, and no debate on that point.

And this is Ambra Mattioli, who continues to write and to publish her novels and short stories (they are on all on-line platforms), and goes on with her music research. In 2015, Ambra is the only one in the world who, for the twentieth anniversary of the release of Bowie’s album 1.Outside – which she considers an under-estimated masterpiece – performed the entire album at Rome’s Cross Roads Live Club. She even performed the spoken and recited parts, accompanied by professional musicians. 1.Outside is really complex music, but still cool and modern today, a difficult challenge that she described as exciting.

Bowie’s death deeply saddened her, like the death of a beloved one. Perhaps it is exactly because of her love for David Bowie, that she was driven to do even more. A part from the great shows followed by large crowds of fans (very beautiful performances at the Piper Club and at the Gay Village in Rome), Ambra Mattioli participated with her interviews in a short film entitled “Burning Tape” – which she herself produced and interpreted –  and in the Bowie Next project, a film that will be finally released in the coming months.

Ambra Mattioli is well known for her outstanding interpretation of David Bowie. Dave Thompson, writer and journalist, mentioned her several times in his book “The Freakiest Show: David Bowie cover versions” and in the last edition of his book, Thompson even included a few pages about Ambra Mattioli with photos of her.

Her talent in interpreting Bowie was also noticed by movie director Andrea Pallaoro, who wanted her in his film “Hannah”, presented at the 74^th Venice Film Festival. Actress Charlotte Rampling, playing the leading role in the movie, was awarded the Volpi Cup for best female performer. In the film “Hannah”, Ambra Mattioli plays a famous Bowie’s song, a chance to make the Thin White Duke, living inside her, known to the world.

Ambra went on with her research. So far, Ambra Mattioli and the Aladdin Insane are the only band in the world that played – entirely live and in the original keys – the whole album Blackstar, the last David Bowie’s masterpiece. Blackstar – which Ambra Mattioli and the Aladdin Insane performed at the Cross Roads Live Club in Rome – is an album designed and conceived only for studio recording. It demands uncommon interpretative techniques. It was a live effort that required exceptional commitment and passion, a real new challenge for the band and an act of love.

And even in this case, they showed that theirs is not a simple tribute to David Bowie, but a real show, which offers a dream to the audience, to Bowie’s fans, to the lovers of good music.

Finally, here is what Ambra Mattioli always says with genuine emotion: “The applauses we receive are above all for him, for his music and only a small part is for us performers. We are just reproducing his music, as reflections in the facets of a diamond”.

Here are some links:

Web sites:              www.ambramattioli.com  and  www.aladdininsane.com

Youtube channels:     Ambra Mattioli  and  Aladdin Insane,

Facebook pages:        Ambra Mattioli  and Aladdin Insane

 

Translated by Caterina Ciuferri

Lucia Aliberti with Direktor of Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin Gerhard Kampfe and Prof.Giuseppe Montemagno, President of SCAM

 

Lucia Aliberti celebrated 40 years of international career on 21 july 2017 in Berlin , as a guest star of the concert at Gerndarmenmarkt in the city where she started her career at the Deutsche Oper as the protagonist of the opera “Lucia di Larmermoor”  where she had such a triumphant success that even Maestro Herbert von Karajan went to listen to her.

On the same evening Lucia Aliberti received the “Golden Bellini International Awards” (Premio Bellini d’Oro)  which was delivered by prof. Giuseppe Montemagno, president of SCAM of Catania, birth place of Vincenzo Bellini.

Lucia Aliberti has sung at the world’s major Opera Houses and Concert Halls worldwide including : Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Covent Garden London, Bolshoi Moscow, Metropolitan Opera New York, Colon Buenos Aires, Concertgebow Amsterdam, Carnegie Hall New York, etc.

Lucia Aliberti was guest star of International Galas from UNESCO and UNICEF.

She has sung for Pope Wojtyla Johannes Paul II in the occasion of the “Jubilee of the world families” at the Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican Rome, for Prince Charles of England at the United Nations Paris, for the german Chancellor Helmut Kohl in Bonn and Berlin, for Margaret Thatcher, for Heads of State, Royal Families etc. 

 

www.luciaaliberti.com

 

 

Aladdin Insane is not a tribute to David Bowie only, but also a real celebration in his honor.
That is how we want to define this tribute band dedicated to the great “Thin White Duke”. Through their performances, you will find yourself going through Bowie’s entire career. Moreover, what makes them even more special is the band’s solo voice, Ambra Mattioli.

Ambra Mattioli

 

The style and similarity to Bowie makes this Italian woman unique! So what about her musical career? Ambra has contributed to several groups, starting from “Cronosfera” in 1976 to “Clips” in 1986, participating in the Italian tour of Nico Velvet Underground with the role of support group.

 

Her real Bowie adventure began in 2007 with the “Lady Stardust & Diamond Dogs“, a tribute band to David Bowie. Her strong passion for the White Duke grew more and more until she reached the current tribute band of Aladdin Insane.

Ambra is similar to David Bowie from a behaviour perspective, including the multifaceted expressive forms. The art of this woman is not only, the music: Ambra Mattioli is also a painter! She attended to the “Scuola Libera del Nudo” at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and created many paintings, always appreciated during her personal exhibitions.

 

Ambra is also a writer! She published several books, as “Paradigma Imperfetto, Storie di universi periferici” (The Flawed Paradigms, Stories of bordering universes), a collection of nine short stories. They are possible and impossible tales, where she leads the reader, and the characters across the threshold of bordering universes, which are similar, and yet never identical to our own. Places of the mind, soul and body, which the instinct rather than the intellect can recognize.

 

She also wrote a trilogy: “La trilogia di Ambra”, which takes place in about 50 years of history.  The books are “The Arcade,” a horror science fiction book, “Il Collezionista di Opportunità” and “Fatti per non durare”, a pure science fiction-related theme to the whole humanity. The trilogy, published as “Amber’s World”, consists in English in two books: “The missing piece of the puzzle” and “The other face of God”.

 

Ambra Mattioli is a woman with several interests and she is determined in all the work she does, even though music takes the first place in her heart. Dave Thompson, author and journalist, quoted Ambra several times and dedicated her, page with photo in his book “The Freakiest Show: The Armchair Guide to David Bowie Versions 1964-2017”.

 

Director Andrea Pallaoro noticed her talent in interpreting David Bowie and chose her for a scene of his “Hannah” movie. The film is in competition at 74th Venice International Film Festival and for Ambra it was a unique and exciting experience.

If you want to know more, or to stay updated on Aladdin Insane’s shows, you can visit their official website: www.aladdininsane.com , their Facebook page or the YouTube Channel .

 

To find out more about Ambra Mattioli or even to know her future projects, just visit her official website! www.ambramattioli.com , her own Facebook page  or the YouTube channel .

Where will it end.

 

When music is inspired by strong emotions and influenced by the very soul’s reaction to tragedy, sorrow and grieve , it turns into a powerful message in the form of a song with the unique sound and the strength to carry meaningful substance with it, such as “Where will it end”.

 

The Tragedy behind the music.

 

To bring this song to life, the pain for the shocking events of the Garissa University College attack of April 2, 2015, in Kenyan soil, that killed 148 people and left 79 injured.

 

The Garissa University Massacre came down in history as the deadliest in Kenya since the 1998 US Embassy Bombing and as the second deadliest overall and was perpetrated by several gunmen belonging to the Al-Shabaab group that later claimed full responsibility for the attack. In fact on April 4^th a message from this group was sent to the Kenyan population where they denounced the unspeakable atrocities committed against the Muslims of East Africa and claiming the attack as a revenge for those killed by the Kenyan security forces. They also claimed the site was chosen as one of those institutions built over a land belonging to Muslims and colonized by Non-Muslim by force.

 

Where Will It End

The Singers and the Composer.

 

The very structure of the song is a mix of many different souls that worked together as one to promote the message of unity that many times is overlooked by the world’s powerful entities in this controversial time of human history.

 

To sing this hymn to the victims and the grief of their families, two African native reggae artists: South African Thuthukani Cele, former keyboard player for Lucky Dube and Congolese artist, Mermans Mosengo, member of the international group Playing for Change.

Their style and unique vocals bring the listener into this journey of words and melodies, accompanied  by the Zulu harmonies of the The Wits Choir of Johannesburg who most of all, is specialized in African Ethnic sounds.

 

This song has been striking the heart of many, so much it has been made into a second version in 2016: “Where will it end” is in fact also sang by the New York singer, Brian Clayton, great soul vocalists who worked alongside great names in the music industry like Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Sting  and Aretha Franklin.

His vocals are accompanied by the Soweto Gospel Choir, the first African native Gospel band, formed by more than 30 members and famous worldwide, taking parts in many international tours and giving their voices for projects like Pixar’s Wall-E, featuring in the Golden Globe nominated song “Down to Earth” with Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman.

 

The creator of this song is an Italian song writer and producer Mariano Schiavolini who made sure from the start of his career that his songs mattered.

His style unites different sounds and harmonies, representing his songs in a pleasant mix of soul, spiritual and progressive rock making it easy and intriguing for many different singers to lend their voices to a noble cause.

 

The Message in Music.

His passion for Africa made the humanitarian message as the most relevant in his songs and outside the music as well making him part of the project “Musica For Africa” who sees him gather artist from all backgrounds and scenes to play as one in an iconic ensemble, grasping with all their passion to the message of unity the world keeps forgetting.

 

The author speaks of his “Where will it end” as an hymn to those students killed mercilessly that day in Kenya, not indiscriminately, but because of what they believed in, martyrs of freedom itself.

 

The lyrics, written in English by Nikki Turner a writer from Cambridge, illustrate the struggle between the two worlds of light and darkness, making the choice that would destroy so many lives for the simple hatred born by ignorance.

 

“When you are the danger in every shadow, then only you can make it right.” these words in the lyrics are an appeal to the very forces who seek to destroy, the forces that pushed the man who killed so many innocents to pull the trigger.

 

“Tell me how can you hate me, when you don’t know me? And who said you should hurt me, before we’ve met? And tell me, who was it that told you, that I could never be your friend?”

The chorus questions are a plea to reason, questions that we could ask to anyone from any sort of background, down from the streets to our neighbours up to the most important world leaders.

Fear and ignorance are the canalizing entities that push hatred forward into feeble minds that commit atrocities in the name of extremism.

 

In the video directed by Loraa White, we can see the parallel experience of two protagonists starting their day.

One is a student getting ready for school, the other is the assassin getting ready to shoot: the story is narrated showing segments of their lives and how they differently cope with that is going to happen and will inevitably happen at the end.

The student’s everyday life is torn apart by the bullet of the murderer, all her hopes for the future she was planning thanks to her choice of pursuing education gone in an instant all because she and her fellow students, in the eyes of a twisted mind, chose to believe in the wrong religion.

 

The message is clear, message from those who died that day to those who will keep fighting: do not give in to fear or ignorance, keep believing, keep studying, keep questioning who tells you the world is to be one way only and that there is only one right.

 

A date to remember.

The second anniversary of the tragedy of the Garissa University College, is approaching the 2^nd of April 2017 and to never forget this horrible chapter still ongoing of human history, the song has been released in online stores and available since the 31^st of March 2017.

 

The Youtube Video