THE STORY IN FIVE CHAPTERS

by Pierpaolo Adda

Several friends of the Soave Guitar Festival have asked me why I don't collect all my memories of this festival in one volume and publish it, so that everyone can know its origins and development. I actually already did it in 2009, when, after almost a year's hard work, I published “Soave Guitar Festival – Scenes and background”, a large volume of 256 pages of text, enriched by a more substantial photographic kit. Unfortunately, almost all 1.200 printed copies, in which I talked about the festival from the beginning and up to the end 2008, were lost in the flood that in 2010 hit Soave. In the 2006 I had suffered a major theft of guitars in my Guitar Ranch. This other catastrophe could have crushed me permanently: But no! Amen, I said to myself... if fate wants this too, let's let him vent and hope for a better tomorrow!

And here is Gabriele last year (the last name doesn't matter) he writes to me to tell me that he is a student about to obtain a three-year degree in guitar in Teramo fingerstyle^G, and it is his desire to prepare the thesis by examining the style of some guitarists, including Tommy Emmanuel, and also talking about Soave Guitar Festival^G, stage that launched Tommy onto the national scene and beyond. He suggests that I answer some useful questions for his research, making me briefly reconstruct the history of the festival.

What to answer? Yes, Obviously. Here are Gabriele's questions and, if you want to get an idea of ​​what the Soave Guitar Festival was, my answers:

Gabriele:

Good morning, then I threw it down 5 questions that I think might be good to get a general picture. obviously any anecdote or event you want to include is welcome! the questions below:

1. When the idea for the festival was born, and how?
2. What has been the evolution of the Festival over the years?, from the first edition to the last
3. What was the situation of fingerstyle^G in Italy at the birth of the first edition?
   I ask because many told me, for example, That Tommy Emmanuel^W he was still unknown in Italy at the beginning.
4. Who were the leading artists of the festival

Pierpaolo:

The festival was born from my passion for the guitar, an instrument that has always thrilled me and of which I have been a collector since the 1980s, even though my musical history is that of a drummer, with the good fortune of having been so for the Veronese group "I Kings^G”. It was in 1991 That, exchanging some ideas with a friend of mine, this time real guitarist and, come me, collector, I thought it would be nice to show to ordinary people, the one who perhaps has never played but appreciates music, our instruments and those of some other friends who we knew had some nice examples.

This friend of mine – born Marco Gasparini – lived in Saint John Lupatoto^G and he was on excellent terms with the local municipal administration. It wasn't difficult for him to make the Civic Hall available, in which, for two years in a row, we put about a hundred guitars on display for two weekends, welcoming a lot of the public and many other collectors who, heard about our initiative, they came to visit us from neighboring provinces. I add that, the second year (1992), we organized, at the end of the event at the Astra theater in the same town, an evening seminar-concert, during which I explained to the audience the characteristics of about fifteen guitars lined up on the stage, guitars that were played, to confirm the characteristics that I was describing, by Marco himself and his friends (and excellent guitarists) Rudy Rotta^W e Canvas March^W.

In these two years the event was called "Vintage”.

Il 1993, following the political earthquake that followed Tangentopoli^G, we didn't do anything, because we actually had no political interlocutors available to deal with our passion. The next year, and we are so in the 1994, I thought it would still be nice to pick up the thread of the event, perhaps taking her somewhere more attractive. I then spoke about it to the municipal administration of Soave, my place of birth and residence, and I obtained the availability of the ground floor of the municipal building to host the exhibition and of the small medieval church of S. Mary of the Sacred Mountain^G of the Dominican Fathers^G to hold a final concert.

The result, thanks also to a discreet threshing advertising (posters throughout Verona and surrounding municipalities, in Soave and some interviews on our radios and televisions), it was really encouraging, with large public attendance, almost all of true enthusiasts.

At this point (and so we arrive at 1995, year which constituted the turning point of the event) I wondered if the time had not come to give “Vintage” the chance to become an event of at least regional importance, if not even national. I aimed to make another dream come true, which in reality was the driving force behind the entire development of the event. I wanted with all my strength to be able to invite one of the two guitarists of the English group to Soave "The Shadows^W”, the training that since 1960 influenced all guitar enthusiasts. The choice was between trying to invite Hank Marvin^W, the soloist, o Bruce Welch^W, the rhythm guitarist. I immediately discarded the first one, even if reluctantly, when I discovered that he was permanently residing in Perth^W, in Australia^W, why, even if he agreed to come, I certainly wouldn't have had the financial capacity to pay for his flights and hospitality. Con Bruce Welch^W, who instead lived and still lives in Richmond on Thames^G, just outside London^G, after some skirmishes due to his obvious distrust towards a "Mr. Nobody" (the undersigned) who asked him to come to Italy, I was fine with it, Why, after a few faxes and one last of many phone calls, he accepted my proposal and came with his partner.

As soon as, always through the normal routes (press, local radio and TV) and moreover with the decisive help of the specialized magazine "Guitar Club^G” word spread that Bruce Welch^W of the Shadows^W he would come to Soave, the members mobilized to "Shadows Fan Club^G”, to whom it seemed like they could touch the sky with a finger when they learned that they could meet one of their favorites, so they came in great numbers, also formally introducing themselves led by their president Marco Ceselli^G. The voice of the arrival of Bruce Welch^W also crossed the Italian borders to soon arrive in France^G. So it was that one day I was reached on the phone by Marcel So^W, the most famous guitarist fingerstyle d’oltralpe, who told me that, if it was true that Welch was coming, he wanted to be part of the game too, as long as I covered all his costs. Of course I said yes, and so it was that there were two dreams being realized... and truly heavy ones! However, they are also heavy from an economic point of view, because the income was not enough to cover the expenses. This is how I lost Marco Gasparini along the way, my old ally, not willing to lose money, even if in the face of dreams come true.

However, I decided that the adventure, as it happened, it was exciting and was definitely worth continuing. And so the following year I organized everything myself, changing the name of the event, which was no longer called “Vintage” but “Soave Guitar Festival”. In fact it seemed to me that, as my orientation is increasingly aimed at bringing high-level guitarists to Soave, the guitar exhibition, and that is the real “Vintage”., would have become a section of a whole that would have been better represented by the concept of "Festival".

Thus we arrive at 1996, whenever it is Bruce Welch^W That Marcel So^W they said they were willing to return, with the proposal, by Marcel, to also involve the ADGPA^G, an association that was headed by him and the great Chet Atkins^W, American star of the finest fingerstyle. This association would have allowed me to have other excellent Italian and French guitarists, all available to perform on the sole condition that hospitality costs are covered. I said yes, and this edition also ended happily. We will have to get to Tommy Emmanuel a few years later to see, always in that style, the almost definitive evolution. Marcel, Indeed, he was an interpreter linked above all to the language of Merle Travis^W, more basic, although of extraordinary effect, compared to that of Chet Atkins^W, extremely refined, which constitutes Tommy's figure.

With Marcel Dadi the fingerstyle made his triumphal entry into Soave e, I can say that for sure, in Italy, because we had never seen anyone in our country play with that technique and at that level of perfection.

To the great emotion that the guitar playing of Marcel So^W aroused in all of us and also added the nice surprise of having, thanks to the friendship of Dodi Battaglia^W, well-known guitarist of Pooh^W, the trio “The guitars of Italy”, training born from the friendship of Dodi himself with Franco Mussida^W (P.F.M.^W) e Maurizio Solieri^W (Vasco Rossi^W). Their performance was great!

The drama, however, was the news that, a few weeks after the conclusion of this edition, news arrived that the plane on which Marcel Dadi was flying to return from the United States (he had just been to Nashville) in France it had exploded over the sky of Long Island. It was a real tragedy, in every respect. Anyway, we moved on, looking for new stylistic horizons.

Dal 1997 each edition was dedicated to the memory of Marcel Dadi. Precisely for that reason I managed to bring the great one to Soave Larry Corryel^W, that I met atOlympia in Paris^G on the occasion of an evening organized in the autumn of '96 in memory of Marcel, and another guitar star: Albert Lee^W, one of the guitarists country most appreciated and influential in the world, That, accompanied by "Luca Olivieri and TC Band^G”, he made us understand how much skill and sensitivity is needed to play this type of music at a high level. Also Franco Cerri^W, our jazz guitar star, joined us, and brought the elegance of his music to the stage.

Albert also returned in 1998, edition in which another of my favorites also participated: Mick Abrahamas^W, the first and unforgettable guitarist of “Jethro Tull^W”, a bluesman full of soul and technically impeccable.

The following year (we are in 1999) was that of further growth, perhaps the one that brought the "Soave Guitar Festival" to the honors of national and international news. Indeed, after having signed that myth of the electric guitar that goes by the name of James Burton^W, the legendary guitarist of Elvis Presley^W which characterized its activity from 1969 al 1977 (year of Elvis' death), e Jerry Donahue^W, an absolute guitar specialist country-rock, I was lucky, at the suggestion of Bruce Welch^W, to meet a London^G Tommy Emmanuel^W, arrived fresh fromAustralia^G and eager to build a new career in Europe and the United States. I invited him, making it clear to him that he would receive the best possible hospitality but no monetary compensation (we couldn't afford it!).

Tommy was a punch in everyone's face on stage! Nothing seemed impossible to him, and everything seemed easy for his fingers! James Burton^W same, who saw him for the first time in Soave, he said that, rather than take the stage after him, every guitarist would have been better off cutting off his fingers!

Tommy also returned in the 2000 It is in the 2001.

In the 2000 He had as adventure companions one of the most beautiful couples of musician friends that I have met in my life. It's about Thom Bresh^W (son of the legendary Merle Travis^W, which I mentioned when talking about Marcel So^W), powerful guitarist-singer-entertainer, e Buster B. Jones^W, real lightning with nylon strings.

In the 2001 the guest, much respected and loved by Tommy, it was instead Nokie Edwards^W, the soloist of “The Ventures^W”, the most famous American instrumental group in the 1960s. Other great talents were also on the bill with him: Laurence Juber^W, already with the group”The Wings^W" Of Paul McCartney^W, Stephen Bennett^W, a specialist inharp guitar^G’, instrument widely practiced towards the end of 1800, which still has notable performers in the USA, e Rudy Rotta^W, our great and sadly lamented bluesman.

On this occasion I proposed to Nokie Edwards^W to form an impromptu group to play some songs by them in the evening concerts Ventures^W. He willingly accepted and so, con Tommy Emmanuel^W on rhythm guitar, my late friend Paolo Manzini on bass and myself on drums, formammo “The Wanna Be Ventures Live In Soave”!

In the 2002, reacquired Tommy Emmanuel^W who also brought his brother Phil Emmanuel^W, Stephen Bennett^W, Luca Olivieri^W e TC Band, e, after dismantling the resistors during the Winter NAMM Show^G ad Anaheim^G, USA, I managed to enlist another 'big shot'. It's about John Jorgenson^W, one of the most respected guitarists and multi-instrumentalists in the United States. Fu, con Chris Hillman^W (ex Byrds^W) founding member of the very famous “The Desert Rose Band^G”, founder and animator of “The Hellecasters^G” con Jerry Donahue^W e Will Ray^W, and for many years guitarist of Elton John^W. A Spanish band also performed with him for the first time in Soave, destined to become a classic of the festival and a guarantee of quality and appreciation for the public. It's about “Pedro Javier González Trio^G”, three extraordinary musicians from Barcelona, good, very good!!

Let's add a huge one Franco Cerri^W e Raf Montrasio^G, never forgotten guitarist of Renato Carosone^W, Anita Camarella and Davide Facchini^G, couple in music and life, Valerie Duchateau^G, great French classical guitarist, Bermuda Acoustic Trio^G, Italian vocal and instrumental group of great scenic impact, e Christina Lux^G, refined German singer and guitarist, the jazz player Simone Guiducci^G e Andrea Palazzo^G, great exponent of the new Neapolitan electrical school, I can certainly say that this edition boasted one of the richest programs in the history of the festival.

The billboard 2003 it was very crowded, with the return of Dodi Battaglia^W, who presented his solo CD “D’assolo”; the return of John Jorgenson^W and a great one Tony McManus^W, Celtic guitarist of absolute excellence, and the incredible and acrobatic Johnny Hiland^W, That, accompanied by Luca Olivieri^G and his band, he gave everyone an unforgettable lesson in country guitar playing. From Italy Raf Montrasio, former guitarist of Renato Carosone.

The only flaw was the choice, to give more space to an increasingly numerous audience, to use a tensile structure, he “PalaFender”, Why, while the result in terms of seating was obviously wonderful (900 chairs!), the acoustics turned out to be a disaster!

With the 2004, Other Tommy Emmanuel, they arrived Muriel Anderson^W and Nashville^G, e, from the Great Britain^G, Brendan Crocker^W, an eccentric but brilliant artist, former member ofNottinghillbillies^G" Of Mark Knopfler^W, and with him a tightrope walker Jon Gomm^W. Here it is from Italy Massimo Varini^W, a presence that has since become a classic. This year we began making a celebratory DVD, with the best of the evening concerts.

Il 2005 saw great returns (now it was the artists who asked me to be called back, despite the festival ensuring everyone only travel and hospitality, given that, also for my decision not to look for sponsors, there were no financial means to pay cachet to the guests). Ecco John Jorgenson^W (this time though, in addition to the now well-known electric version, also with his Gipsy Jazz quintet), Johnny Hiland^W, Stephen Bennett^W, Pedro Javier González Trio^W, and the others you will see in the poster, with two new features from Germany: the singer-songwriter Christina Lux^W (beautiful... it made many fall in love!!) and the classical guitarist Rainer Rohloff^W.

Also Franco Mussida^W (PFM^W) suddenly appeared, off the billboard, to present his new music teaching program. He held a seminar on this subject and also played an evening concert. When signing the authorization to include his performance in the DVD that I would have prepared, he denied it, much to my disappointment!

For the 2006 (tenth anniversary of the disappearance of Marcel So^W) I inaugurated a beautiful tradition in collaboration with Casale-Bauer Spa^G, guitar importing company Fender^W. This company made it available from this circumstance and then every year until the interruption of the festival, two guitars Stratocaster^W which I had decorated with images that constituted the theme of the edition. A, That, clearly visible on the poster, was raffled off to the public attending the concerts and the other remained in the festival archives. Bene, I then chose to remember Marcel So^W, and the guitar was decorated with his face.

Among the guests of the edition they once again stand out Tommy Emmanuel^W, arrived in Soave with the singer-guitarist Lizzie Watkins^W, his partner at the time, Laurence Juber^W and other friends already known to our audience, among which Valerie Duchateau^W, the French classical guitarist that Marcel brought to Soave before he died, and who seemed to me to be the presence from beyond the Alps most worthy of remembering him.

The edition 2007 It was the culmination of a dream of mine, which was to have a true musical phenomenon in Soave. It's about Monte Montgomery^W, singer, guitarist and composer of excellent quality, capable of moving even a marble statue! After four years of insistence, finally arrived, accompanied by Brian Andrew Lee^W, another singer-guitarist who is a great friend of his. There were other guests of great importance Carl Verheyen^W, guitarist, Moreover, of the supertrap^G, it's ours Beppe Gambetta^W.

Il 2008 it was another year full of great presents: Tommy Emmanuel^W con Lizzie Watkins^W, Monte Montgomery^W (with us for the second of five years in a row!), Lawrence Juber^W, Muriel Anderson^W e, for the first time, Frank Vignola^W, met a few months earlier in Anaheim and immediately enlisted, with his highly refined quintet swing. Frank will also become a festival classic.

Also the edition 2009 had a very prestigious billboard (you see poster), with still some notable new presences: Greg Koch^W, Marcio Rangel^W (a left-handed Brazilian guitarist who plays using a right-handed guitar backwards), “The Bendy Pastorious Group^G” (John Bendy^W on the guitar, Felix Pastorious^W , son of Jaco, to the bottom and Virgil Howe^W, son of Steve and recently deceased, to the battery).

Il 2010 was dedicated to 50 years since "The Shadows^G” they recorded “Apache”, a worldwide success, but above all the beginning of a new season for young music, which from that moment saw the "three guitars and drums" formation become the pattern followed by the majority of those who wanted to make music and set up a small band. Pete Huttlinger^W, a great American guitarist, he too unfortunately died in recent years, it was a real revelation, both from a technical and human point of view. A wonderful person!

In the 2011, 150° anniversary of the unification of Italy, I thought it was right to decorate the guitar on the poster with an image of the Frecce Tricolori^W on the body, and the reproduction of the meeting Theano^G Between Garibaldi^G e Victor Emmanuel II^G on the pickguard. To give great depth to the artistic part I called back Albert Lee^W with his group"The Hogan’s Heroes^G”, Laurence Juber^W, Frank Vignola^W, Monte Montgomery^W, Pedro Javier González Trio^W, enriching the cast with ours Paolo Sereno^W, “Bermuda Acoustic Trio^G”, Massimo Varini^W and the very good Roman group "Bjorn^G”.

And so we arrive at 2012, that is, the swan song, because this is where the adventure of, in the opinion of many, most beautiful guitar festival in Europe. I announced to everyone that this would be the last edition, And so it was.

However, to leave a good memory of the festival, I put together a program of absolute prestige, as you can clearly see from poster.

The reasons that convinced me to stop were trivial from one point of view, but fundamental from another. I realized that there were so many practical problems, which inevitably arise when managing a car like a festival, if they are faced by all those who can govern them they become nonsense because they are resolved and we move on. When the same problems are seen instead, not discussed, but who has power (I'm talking about political-administrative power) to resolve them he turns the other way, then even a person like me, full of enthusiasm and desire to do, loses patience and says enough! And this is what happened.

Tommy Emmanuel^W he made a long speech from the stage to convince the Mayor at the time to intervene concretely and thus change my mind, but they were words in the wind.

As soon as word spread that Soave no longer had the festival, I was contacted, through mutual friends, by the Municipal Administration of Vicenza^G, which convinced me to try to continue the demonstration in that city.

I did it willingly – and so we arrive at 2013 – also because the venues offered were of the utmost prestige (Palladian Basilica^G for the guitar exhibition-market, Olympic Theatre^G e Municipal Theatre^G for concerts) ma, after the first year, I decided to stop, Why, while managing an event of this magnitude in a country where I knew everyone was relatively easy, do it in a city, where you never knew which municipal office was responsible for deciding something, it turned out to be stressful enough to convince me to stop permanently.

This is where the story of the Soave Guitar Festival ends.

If it is useful to you, give even more substance to your research, please note that, on the sidelines of the festival, I organized various concerts for my guests after the event, among which it is worth mentioning those held by "John Jorgenson Quintet^G” (Gipsy Jazz), Frank Vignola^G, Tommy Emmanuel^G, Monte Montgomery^G, “Pedro Javier González Trio^G” al Olympic Theater of Vicenza^G.

All recorded in audio and video, and played on DVD.

Il fingerstyle in Italy, before the Soave Guitar Festival, it was not seriously practiced. Few enthusiasts, especially due to lack of artists, of models, to refer to. Marcel So^W it was important, but not decisive, also because it is little known in Italy.

The one who really gave the guitarists a shock was Tommy Emmanuel^W.

Looking at him everyone understood that his level was stratospheric, unattainable. However, it is also true that to a very large number of enthusiasts, especially after seeing him open the Winter Tour 2000 of the Pooh^W, I wanted to try it. Today there are numerous practitioners, and I believe that the number is destined to increase greatly.

This is demonstrated by the exponential increase in sales of acoustic guitars in the current century, when before 2000 it was the electric guitar that attracted young guitarists.

As you will have understood following this rough narration, the festival must thank all the artists who came to honor us with their talent. Right, If I have to single out a few names, I do so only to say which ones contributed to raising their level in front of the public and expanding their area of ​​attention.. And then I can't not mention it:

• Bruce Welch^W, because thanks to him ours has become a national audience.
• Marcel So^W, because his followers have also spread the word beyond the Alps.
• Tommy Emmanuel^W, Why, thanks to him, the whole of Europe (and also some non-European areas, given that we also had an audience from the USA, Russia, Canada and Australia) he looked at Soave.

Instead I add the memory of Jacques Prevel, a wonderful person who, since the arrival of Bruce Welch (with whom he was already friends) and until his death, occurred on 2 September 2008, he always came from Chelles, a municipality in the Parisian belt, one week before the start of each edition, to help me in any way he could. He was a senior official at Philips, it's here, with me, he did it all, from the transport of tables and chairs for display, to transport to and from the artists' airports, to the point of postponing from March to the end of the summer of that damned year an operation that could have given him a few more glimpses of life. And all this to be close to me! This is what it means to have a true friend!