Continua a sorprenderci e a farci enorme piacere il consenso entusiastico dei nostri eroi musicali. Il grande Vincent Montana Jr, ci ringrazia perché, ci dice, “voi di VRS mantenete viva la grande musica”.
Il 12 febbraio, Vincent soffia su un bel numero di candeline e festeggia un altro anno di una vita in musica, di una carriera cominciata negli anni ‘50 nel mondo del jazz. Mezzo secolo di grande musica con tanti fantastici ricordi alcuni dei quali, VMJ, ha voluto condividere con noi in questa breve intervista.
SEE BELOW THE FULL INTERVIEW IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Conducting Montana Orchestra at The Academy of Music, Philadelphia - All rights reserved
VRS. Durante gli anni tra il 1975 e il 1980, musicalmente i più “ricchi” della pop-era, una tua grande intuizione ha dapprima messo le ali alla MFSB, la mitica orchestra del Philly Sound e poi, con la tua creatura, la Salsoul Orchestra, ha addirittura dato il “la” ad un genere passato alla storia come “Disco Orchestrale”. In pratica, una grande orchestra i cui archi si fondevano con una sontuosa sezioni fiati, percussioni latineggianti e ritmo funk. Raccontaci un po’ come andò.
VMJ. Ho studiato i compositori classici e suonato il jazz, e ho anche fatto parte di un gruppo latino, poi sono diventato uno dei membri principali dei Mother Father Sister and Brother, la “house band” della Philadelphia International Records. Nell’ambito di queste esperienze mi è maturata la “visione” di una mia orchestra, dove lussureggianti archi convivessero con suoni Jazz e Latini, ma anche con elementi classici e persino un po’ rock; infine una “ass kicking” sezione fiati, doveva rendere il tutto travolgente. Con la Salsoul Orchestra sono davvero riuscito ad esprimere me stesso e tutto quello che ho imparato e amo della musica.
Salsoul Orchestra in Concert at The Academy of Music, Philadelphia - All rights reserved
VRS. Negli anni ‘50 eri un apprezzato vibrafonista e hai suonato con grandi star del Jazz come Charlie “Bird” Parker, Stan Getz e Sarah Vaughan; negli anni ‘70 sei stato con la MFSB e hai creato la Salsoul Orchestra e la Vincent Montana Orchestra e poi ancora tanta musica, fino ad arrivare, quasi 50 anni dopo i tuoi esordi, al numero uno della US Hot Dance Club Party con il brano “New York City Boy” dei Pet Shop Boys. Una longevità musicale straordinaria che ci induce a paragonarti al maestro Quincy Jones.
VMJ. Durante tutta la mia carriera, mi sono sempre confrontato con il trend musicale del momento ma, cosa più importante, sono sempre rimasto fedele a me stesso e a ciò in cui musicalmente credo e sono fiero della qualità della musica che ho sempre creato. E se dopo tutti questi anni esiste ancora una richiesta per il Philly Sound, è perché è buona musica, musica davvero ricca di “soul”. E se qualcuno vuole ancora un tocco di Vince Montana Jr nelle proprie produzioni, io dico sempre “Si!”.
VRS. C’è qualcosa nella tua straordinaria carriera musicale di cui senti la mancanza e che ti piacerebbe ancora fare?
VMJ. Mi sarebbe piaciuto fare più esibizioni dal vivo. Essere sul palco con le orchestre Salsoul e Montana era incredibile, totalmente differente dalla sala di incisione. Le stesse canzoni, suonate dal vivo in versioni estese, con assoli che si alimentano della tensione dell’ evento e dell’ atmosfera del “live”, prendono un’energia tutta speciale. Anni fa ho preparato arrangiamenti per esecuzioni live di brani come Sexy (MFSB) e Backstabbers (O’Jays). E’ tutto nel mio pc, tutto pronto per l’uso.
L’altra cosa che mi piacerebbe fare, sarebbe una colonna sonora. Mi piacerebbe scrivere brani da abbinare a scene particolari di un film, e mettermi alla prova in un simile contesto.
VRS. Quali sono i musicisti che hai maggiormente ammirato negli anni ’70 e ’80?
VMJ. Tutti quelli con cui ho lavorato a Philadephia. Specie, Norman Harris, Ronnie Baker, Bobby Eli, Earl Young, Larry Washington erano speciali; suonavamo insieme ogni giorno e ci completavamo a vicenda. Poi naturalmente tutti i grandi con cui ho lavorato allora, come Delfonics, Blue Magic, O’Jays e Intruders, giusto per citarne alcuni.
Playing the Vibes in his Music Room - All rights reserved
VRS. Da italiani quali siamo, non possiamo dimenticarci di chiederti delle tue origini italiane e dei tuoi sentimenti verso l’Italia. Ti senti un po’ italiano?
VMJ. Mi sento molto italiano. Mio padre era napoletano anche se da bambino si era trasferito con la sua famiglia negli Stati Uniti. Mia madre era invece di famiglia abruzzese. Io sono nato e cresciuto a sud di Philadelphia, in una zona che veniva chiamata “Little Italy”. Era un grande quartiere dove vivevano Siciliani, Napoletani , Abruzzesi ed altre comunità di Italiani. La domenica si sentiva ovunque il profumo della cucina italiana. Era il modo di vivere più vicino all’Italia che ci potesse essere, pur trovandosi così lontani. Nel 2001, con la mia famiglia, ho visitato belle città come Como, Firenze, Venezia, tutti posti meravigliosi dove mi sono sentito completamente a casa mia. E anche se adesso è un po’ consunta, nel mio giardino sventola una grande bandiera tricolore a testimonianza delle mie origini italiane delle quali vado molto fiero.
At Philly International Records with all the Gold & Platinum he contributed to. - All rights reserved
VRS. Siamo deliziati dall’ascolto delle tue più recenti produzioni e di canzoni come “That’s What Love Does” e “You Are My Family”; questi brani hanno tutta quella meravigliosa atmosfera Philly/Salsoul che noi da sempre adoriamo. Stai lavorando a qualche nuovo progetto?
VMJ. Grazie! E’ il mio stile musicale. Sto lavorando a due progetti principali. Uno enorme di ben 64 tracce: un vero “lavoro d’amore” sul quale non posso entrare in dettagli, ma che certamente ha il mio marchio “Salsoul Sound”. Poi un altro che è leggermente differente da ciò cui mi si associa normalmente, è un bel “Island Feel” (senso caraibico) elaborato con archi e vibrafoni. Ho poi delle grandi tracce “dance” che intendo pubblicare nel prossimo futuro. La musica è tutto per me, ed amare il proprio lavoro è la più grande benedizione.
Grazie Vicenza Radio Star, perché tieni in vita la grande musica. E la musica è un bene per l’anima.
Siamo noi a ringraziare di cuore Vince Montana e ad augurargli un felicissimo compleanno; speriamo di ritrovarlo presto con l’entusiasmo di sempre e la solita grande vitalità che da 40 anni ce lo fa amare insieme alle sue geniali creazioni musicali, Salsoul e Vincent Montana Orchestra.
Facebook Link: www.facebook.com/VincentMontanaJr
Philly Sound Works: www.phillysoundworks.com
THE FULL INTERVIEW IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
We are always happily surprised while receiving the enthusiastic consensus of our musical heroes. The great Vincent Montana, Jr, thanks us, because, as he says we are “keeping the great music alive”. His birthday is on February 12 and he will celebrate a new year of life and music in his extraordinary career begun in the 50s playing Jazz. Half century of great music, with many fantastic things to remember, some of which he have shared with us in this interview.
Vincent Montana, Jr - All rights reserved
VRS. On Vicenza Radio Star we play all the best music of the 70s and 80s, but we are focused on the years 1975 to 1980 for the unbeatable “crescendo” which, in those years, distilled the best of such an unchallenged creative force in the story of pop music. It is in these years that, coming from Philly Sound and MFSB you have had the “great intuition”: a large orchestra sound that fused live strings and brass with Latin percussion and funk. The Salsoul Orchestra. Would you tell us something about it?
VMJ. My diverse musical background definitely influenced my future productions. During the 50s I played Jazz in nightclubs and toured America (mainly Las Vegas) and through this I learned over 3,000 songs. For some time I also worked with a Latin group playing all the Latin “standards”. In the late 60s, I recorded with Cameo-Parkway artists such as Chubby Checker, Frankie Avalon and Fabian, etc. From there I went on to become one of the main members of the MFSB rhythm section; the “house band” for Philly International Records and Sigma Sound. I then became interested in and began to study the works of many classical composers, which had a profound impact on me and would later reflect in my own music: Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Ravel, Respighi and Puccini for strings. Wagner for brass. Bach, Stravinsky and Verdi in general.
My vision was to create my own orchestra; to combine my experience, knowledge and love of all music into one. The result: A lush string based sound from Jazz to Latin, to classical and even a bit of rock – topped off with Kickin’ Ass Brass! To enhance the groove I added a Latin rhythm section, which complimented the African American players. Through the Salsoul Orchestra, I was able to express myself and share everything I learned and loved in music.
VRS. In the 50s you were an appreciated jazz musician who played with Charlie Parker, Stan Getz and Sarah Vaughan; In the early 70s, you were with Gamble and Huff and MFSB, changing what Motown started in the 60s, in something new and wonderful like the Philly Sound. And then after the Salsoul Orchestra days, more and more music until, almost after half century from your beginnings, you have topped the US Hot Dance Club Party Chart with “New York City Boy” by the “Pet Shop Boys”. Only you and Quincy Jones have done something like that. How do you feel about it?
VMJ. I Love it! I’ve worked with quite a few very talented DJ / Producers over the years. As you mentioned, I arranged Strings & Horns for David Morales on the Pet Shop Boys. I worked with Louie Vega and Kenny Dope on a number of projects like “Nuyorican Soul”, The Braxtons “The Boss” and Incognito “Always There” Ft. Jocelyn Brown. Randy Crawford with Mousse T. Dimitri From Paris “The Way That You Love Me” was a great session. I arranged the Strings and played my vibes for him. Dimitri does much to keep the Philly Sound alive and shares his love of it with the younger generation.
Throughout my entire career I always moved with the music (trends). But most important, I always stayed true to myself and what I stand for regarding music. I am proud of the quality of the music I have worked on during my lengthy career. After all this time, they still want that “Philly Sound” because it’s good music and it has SOUL. If they want to add a bit of Vince Montana Jr. to their own productions…I say YES!
VMJ Salsoul T-shirt; All rights reserved
VRS. Is there anything you haven’t done in your extraordinary musical career which you regret and that you still would love to do?
VMJ. I would have loved to perform more live concerts. Being on stage with the Salsoul and Montana Orchestras was unbelievable; Radio City Music Hall and Roseland in New York and The Academy of Music a few times in Philadelphia. I even played in a stadium in the Philippines! Playing live is totally different than recording; the songs are the same, but yet they’re not the same. You have the energy from the crowd, extended versions of the songs and the solos being played at that moment. It’s all spontaneous and the musicians are feeding off the audience and vice versa. Over the years I have notated fully orchestrated arrangements into my computer of all my own songs and also many of the hits I played on such as “Backstabbers” and “Sexy”. Not only for my own pleasure but also, to perform in concert.
I never the opportunity, but I would really like to write a movie score. Writing music to fit various scenes in a movie would be a completely new experience for me. It would be interesting to see what I could come up with.
VRS. Who are the musicians you have admired the most during the 70s and 80s?
VMJ. All the musicians that I worked with in Philly: Norman Harris (Guitar), Ronnie Baker (Bass), Earl Young (Drums), Bobby Eli (Guitar), Larry Washington (Congas) just to mention a few. We played together every day, it was our “work”. We had chemistry and we complimented each other musically. Naturally, the Philly Artists as well. I had great respect for all of them, but I especially liked working with The Delfonics, Blue Magic, O’Jays, The Intruders and actually, too many others to mention.
VRS. Being Italian, we cannot avoid to ask you about your Italian origin and about your feeling for Italy. Do you feel a little Italian? And do you have any relationship with Italy?
VMJ. I feel VERY ITALIAN! My father was born in Naples but as a baby moved with his family to the USA; my mother’s family came from Abruzzo. I was born and raised in South Philadelphia, which was called “Little Italy”. It was a large “neighborhood” where Sicilians, Neapolitans, Abruzzese and many other communities of Italian culture were living together at the time. On Sundays you could smell the cooking everywhere! It was as close to Italy as we could get!
In 2001, my daughter, Eileen was living in Munich. She took my wife, Hilda, myself and my two sisters on a road trip from Germany throughout Italy. We spent time in Como, Florence / Tuscany and Venice, among other beautiful places. I was completely at home in Italy. I feel very strong and proud of my Italian roots and I even have a big Italian flag in my backyard, which I bought in Italy, but it’s a bit worn out now!
VRS. We were delighted by listening to your newer songs such as “That’s What Love Does” and You Are My Everything”. These songs keep that wonderful Philly / Salsoul atmosphere, which we still love very much. Are you working on any new project?
VMJ. Thank you, that is my style of music! I am working on two main projects at the moment. One is huge. 64 tracks. A real “Labor of Love”. I cannot get into details now, but it’s my trademark medley “Salsoul Sound”. The other is a little different than I am normally known for. It’s a nice “Island feel” topped with strings and vibes. We have great dance tracks I intend to release in the near future too. Music is everything to me and loving your work is the Greatest Blessing.
Thank you for keeping great music alive on Vicenza Radio Star!
Music is Good For The Soul!
Thank you very much Vince Montana, Jr, we wish you a happy birthday and we hope to find you again soon, with this same big enthusiasm that during the last 40 years made us love you and your amazing music made with Vincent Montana Orchestra and Salsoul Orchestra.
Facebook Link: www.facebook.com/VincentMontanaJr
Philly Sound Works: www.phillysoundworks.com
