Zucchero's Americana Tour rocks California

When an Italian superstar like Zucchero comes to town, one can’t expect things to be done in the American way. A crowd of Italians, Italian Americans, and also Americans passionate about his music gathered at the Nokia Theater in Downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 2, to attend the performance of one of Italy’s best contemporary artists.

After an initial moment of “disciplined” listening, the public revealed its true Italian, fun-loving character and really tried the security staff’s patience. In the blink of an eye, the seats were abandoned and the restricted area in front of the stage was turned into a spontaneous, festive dance floor packed with people of different ages and backgrounds.

They were dancing, singing, and taking pictures, trying to get as close as possible to the source of that contagious energy and enthusiasm. Many in the audience knew the lyrics or remembered them from their adolescence in Italy; others couldn’t understand a word, and yet were captivated by the lively rhythm and surrounding atmosphere.

A man standing next to me sincerely thanked me for explaining to him the meaning of Miserere, a song that Zucchero used to sing with and dedicated to his unforgettable friend Luciano Pavarotti. And a standing ovation welcomed some of his greatest hits like Diamante, Senza una donna, Il Volo, Diavolo in me, and many others, as famous songs from past albums were played besides new ones from La Sesión Cubana.

In fact, the L.A. concert was part of Zucchero’s Americana Tour to promote in North America his last record, released on Manhattan Records in February.  In California, the Grammy-nominated Italian singer also performed in San Francisco on April 1 and San Diego on April 5th. “I have been preparing this tour for several months, and you can definitely expect some big surprises!”, the artist had said. The L.A. show actually hosted two very special guests: American bassists Randy Jackson and Don Was, who is also one of the producers of the new album together with Zucchero himself.

La Sesión Cubana was recorded in Havana with the best local musicians, and it has been described as a “vibrant musical journey through the roots of America, from New Orleans to Cuba via Mexicali”, featuring Latin, Cuban, Tex-Mex and Salsa rhythms. Besides six newly arranged versions of the hits Baila, Un Kilo, Così Celeste, Cuba Libre, Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime, and L’Urlo, it includes original songs and covers, like Guantanamera (Guajira), Pana, and Ave Maria No Morro. The last two are duets respectively with Spanish singer Bebe and Brazilian artist Djavan.

Zucchero is one of Europe’s best-selling artists, known for his versatility and taste for researching new sounds that transcend cultural boundaries. Marked by prestigious collaborations with Eric Clapton, Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Miles Davis, and Sting – just to name a few -, his career as a singer started in the ‘70s and was influenced by American blues, soul, gospel, and rock.

Before the L.A. performance, L’Italo-Americano asked Zucchero a few questions about the album and his international success.

I like to experiment with different sounds, and this time I wanted to give my music a Cuban tone. The idea of rearranging some of my greatest hits in this tone had been in my mind since I visited Cuba for the first time in 2003.

Because I needed to enter that musical mood deeply. I wanted this album to be 100% Cuban, and I believe that if you are looking for a certain sound you must live it.  In the same way, I moved to Camargue for some time to record Miserere, and to New Orleans for Spirito DiVino. I need to live and feel the place.

In the U.S. I have made many friends, and the American public has always supported me. All of my albums were recorded in the United States. The American public is amazing and welcoming. In the beginning, I thought I had to sing in English to be accepted. On the contrary, I have found out that they prefer when I sing in Italian. And this makes me very proud.

My path has always been marked by a true passion: I like playing music. I can’t tell what I will do next, as I always try to do something different, something new. I don’t like to repeat myself, I think it is boring and I try not to do it. In my opinion, a new album must always be a new musical experience, the occasion to explore sounds that intrigue me.

All of the collaborations included in my albums are based on the friendship and mutual esteem between me and the other artists. Certainly, one of the most important to me was the duet with Miles Davis in the song Dune Mosse. I also have a few dreams left, such as a duet with Aretha Franklin or an album with Ennio Morricone. Collaborating with international music stars is what makes an artist really international.

Of course, I felt honored. Yet the greatest satisfaction is seeing the result of my work, like when Luciano Pavarotti, Bono, Vox and I were invited to the opening of a school in Bosnia that had been built with the proceeds from the charity gala concert Pavarotti & Friends (1995).