Sicilian singer-songwriter Pippo Pollina (53) has long since broken many boundaries. He has lived and worked in Zurich for 25 years because he got into trouble with the mafia in his native Sicily.
Now, in the thirteen songs on his new album, Pollina demonstrates a wide range of expressive possibilities to clothe the theme of hope in song. He collaborated with many fellow musicians for this. In "Divertimento latino", he sings on the basis of a chacarera rhythm together with the Argentinian Machado, whose voice is reminiscent of Mercedes Sosa and who has been Argentina's cultural ambassador since 2003. In a duet, the two sing of their love for all Latin American poets and musicians who give hope.
With the Norwegian jazz singer Rebekka Bakken, who has already won the German Jazz Award three times for her albums in Germany, Pollina sings a hymn to the sea, which has strongly influenced both him as a Sicilian and Bakken.
A song for Muhammad Ali
In "A mani basse", Pollina tells the story and the fight of a boxer; this song is dedicated to the boxer Muhammad Ali, who died in June.
A male choir, the Palermo Acoustic Quartet and the lyrical soprano Odilia Vandercruysse are further allies of the passionate songwriter Pollina, who wants to set an example: that there is hope, but that it is now time for artists to help spread this hope, as politicians are unfortunately not doing this sufficiently.
PIPPO POLLINA & PALERMO ACOUSTIC QUINTET
13.1.17, Volkshaus Zurich
16.3.17, Kammgarn Schaffhausen
17.3.17, Kultur Casino Bern
18.3.17, Tonhalle St. Gallen
5.5.17, Volkshaus Basel
8.5.17, Theater Winterthur
9.5.17, KKL Lucerne
10.5.17, Theatre Alhambra Genève
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