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Detroit > Roma
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(420 Café, Amsterdam, September 19, 2006)-I finally escaped from the USA on Thursday evening, September 7th, on a flight from Detroit to Rome by way of Paris. What a trip! This tour of the US was so grueling that I wrote an entry from the first stop and then couldn't add anything for the next 11 weeks of the trip.
Now I've been back in Europe for a week and a half and just about ready to try to get caught up on my writing. I missed the deadline on a bunch of stories and reviews for Honest Tune and for my column in the Little Rock Free Press, not to mention the log for the entire trip called Summer 2006, but I'll try to write up the summer and fall at the same time and send them along to you as they're completed.
I had a ball in the States except for some family tragedies that continue to weigh heavily on my mind and heart, and I'll remember as much of the trip as I can in the appropriate entries coming under Summer 2006. But first off, let's catch up the first part of the European segment for the Fall of 2006.
After a very smooth flight from Detroit to Paris and a short layover for the flight to Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome, I arrived in the early afternoon and was greeted at the airport by the charming and very capable Monica, who would supervise, guide and literally steer the course of my visit to Italy as the delegate from my new publisher, Stampa Alternativa.
This trip is centered on the publication of my new book Va Tutto Bene / It's All Good, a collection of 10 poems and 10 writings from my vast personal writing archives, to be released on September 15th. The texts are presented in American on the left and in Italian on the right, in a translation by Alberto Prunetti, and with a cover design by my dear friend Matteo Guarnaccia.
The publication of my little book coincides with the 35th anniversary of Stampa Alternativa, founded in 1971 by Marcello Baraghini and based in the little Tuscany yown of Viterbo. Stampa has a bookstore in the village of Pitigliano where their 4th annual literary festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with nighttime events to take place in a former schoolyard a few kilometers down the road at the hamlet of Elmo.
The great New York poet, John Giorno, was due to arrive from Madrid in three hours, and Mark Ritsema, my comrade, guitarist & musical director in Europe, was to arrive from Rotterdam shortly thereafter, so Monica and I jumped in her car, smoked a quick home-grown Italian joint, and ducked into a little seaside café for something delicious to eat and drink during our time of waiting.
The poet and the guitarist arrived as scheduled, and Monica steered us north into Tuscany. Three hours later we were delivered to the bookstore in Pitigliano, warmly and robustly greeted by our hosts, treated to some sumptuous wines and appetizers from the immediate locality, and then taken out to dinner at a nearby trattoria where Matteo introduced us to the glories of wild boar and the best ravioli I've ever encountered.
After dinner and an expresso or two Monica spirited us out into the countryside past Elmo, turned into a small driveway illuminated by candlelight, and presented us with our lodgings for the next three days in the Pittolo Bread & Breakfast operation in the little house before us. After I pointed out to our host, Fabio, that Mark and I would not require the one king-size bed in our appointed room - "He's my guitar player, not my lover," I explained - we got the two beds we needed and crashed into sleep.
Latest Comments (6)
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John Coltrane's 80th B'day (reply)
Sep 24, 2006 09:45 EST by subliminalkid
JS-
Last night Jeff Jones, his son Jett and I listened to Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, ( my personal hero- because he went from playing bluegrass on his parents radio show to Ornette Coleman Country) Charlie Haden- and and Roy Haines at 81- Watching Roy's feet I turned to Jeff and said, 'this guy wears a drum kit like you and I wear a pair of shoes !'
Of Course in Hill Au... show all
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VA TUTTO BENE: IT'S ALL GOOD (reply)
Sep 23, 2006 21:51 EST by valentine
JOHN
IT WAS A THRILL TO TOUR WITH YOU FROM JUNE TILL SEPTEMBER IN YOUR USA SUMMER 2006 TOUR. YOUR PERFORMANCE AT THE DETROIT INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL WAS BEYOND WORDS. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME WORKING WITH THE DETROIT MOTOR CITY BLUES SCHOLARS.
IT WAS HEAVEN SINGING WITH PHIL HALE ON ORGAN, VICKI ALEXANDER ON ALTO SAX, JEFF BABY GRAND ON GUITAR, AND SO MANY MORE I HONOR WITH... show all
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Alive and apparently well (reply)
Sep 23, 2006 20:49 EST by mwoodwar
John, it's Mark Woodward from Nashville...I was the guitar player in the band here...Anyway, I missed you in Amsterdam last year, and glad to hear that you're alive and well.
I had an extended trip to Quebec City earlier this year...have just about given up on a residency permit in Switzerland.
Be well my brother,
Mark
http://mwoodwar.typepad.com/making_a_mark/quebec... show all
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: (reply)
Sep 23, 2006 13:45 EST by michaeldominici
John, so good to hear you are well and in ITALY! Sweet! Hope all is well and keep it coming.
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High in the Adirondacks (reply)
Sep 23, 2006 11:32 EST by petercavanaugh
High,John!
I'm in Utica, NY, for a 'Radio Reunion.' WTLB. Circa '66. Where I played 'Tomorrow Never Knows' off Revolver one solid hour. Extended several segments and dropped 'Nam War Reports into them.
It was terrific seeing you in Detroit at the Jazz Festival. A truly fine set!
Planning a California move before the end of October.
Oakhurst. Check wildwednesday.com.... show all
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Goodbye again (reply)
Sep 23, 2006 10:25 EST by bostonjoann
I just can't wait to read 'Va Tutto Bene' The title alone is too funny.You have an amazing gift.
I was disappointed you didn't play Boston this year. Can't blame you for wanting to return to Europe, tho'.
I hope you are healthy and it's 'all good' for you.
Joann Chelf McCracken
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