Fiamma Fumana Official WebSite

Amazing. A kind gentleman who worls for the Imola city council called me to break the news: we have won the Imola in Musica award, conceived to celebrate “the crossing over from the tradition of Emilia Romagna to contemporary music genres”. That’s us all right! The award consists of a trophy, which will be given to us on Novembre 23rd at Masini Theatre in Faenza (it is the opening ceremony for MEI 2007 (Lady Jessica will represent us all, taking a welcome break from studio work); and of an invitation to perform at the next Imola in Musica Festival, in June 2008. A nice surprise! Our thanks to the judges, and congratulations to the City of Imola for a brilliant idea.

Fiamma Fumana are taking a break: we do not intend to play any more shows before 2008. Many people are asking me “So, what are you doing now?”

Lady Jessica, maybe inspired by Martyn Bennett, is producing an album of Arezzo folksongs generously sprinkled with elecronica, commissioned by IMAIE. She is using field-recorded vocal samples of farmers and craftsmen (maybe the same recordings made by Diego Carpitella and Alan Lomax over 50 years ago?), She is producing, and - if I’m not mistaken - ex-Fiamma Fumana Marco Bertoni will also be involved in mixing and mastering. I don’t know a lot more than this, I hope she’ll give us more details herself on this blog.

Roberta is very busy recording, too, In her case, she is recording no less than her first - and long overdue - solo album. We talk a lot about the songs, and she has played some for us (I’m a fan anyway, I used to go her shows even before she joined FF), but here, too, I prefer it is her to write about it.

Medhin is in a photography-and-commitment period: she is active in a NGO called G2, which rallies second-generation immigrants, those born in Italy of immigrant families. I think it’s a great idea, and I hope it does well. In fact I’d like to help out somehow.

Paolo is working in his own studio. Among other things, he is speaking about a project of N.O.A. with Fondazione Andrea Pazienza.

Me? I’m preparing a nice little show with two old friends, Cisco and Giovanni Rubbiani. I’ll write about this in a separate post.