Stefano Bollani, all the colors of a post

«When we founded Novaradio in 1990 – he recalls Massimo Altomaresinger-songwriter and musicologist who collected the first testimonies of a budding Bollani — they advised me to bring this little boy on the air who struck me for his incredible knowledge of the music of the past. He was about to graduate from the Conservatory and loved Buscaglione and Carosone to whom he also wrote a letter, and Carosone replied by giving him some advice. Wanting to organize a concert on the 30s and 40s, I called him to play with me and we created a project that years later he developed into the album Lower your radio with Rava, Petrella and other famous jazz musicians. We played together until he became a star: our highest moment was Gnosi delle fanfole, the setting to music of the poems written in the language invented by Fosco Maraini». It was he who was among the first to notice that Bollani «had a great need of the stage, for his serenity: always sweet, I’ve never felt it sour towards someone». At the time «he didn’t even have a Beatles record, he was so attached to“ old ”music, and jazz purists considered him too“ entertainer ”to take him seriously. Oh yes, he has fun, of course, but sounds like a god». They have worked together for ten years. Stefano grew up, matured. He wasn’t famous yet. When on the street of him appeared David Riondino.

«The 2000s for us were marked by Doctor Djembé — Riondino recalls the radio program that revived the fortunes of the Rai headquarters in Florence, long left on the sidelines — Since I too played the same game with the quintessences of other people’s songs, with the comic effect enhanced by the music, we joined forces to create this fictional character who sent us his hit parades from Bora Bora and which we elaborated and commented on with various guests. Each time a different theme with a sumptuous title such as Le gazelles and classical music. For six years we have hosted the best of jazz, folk and pop as well as classical, and thus Bollani’s musical eclecticism has taken on an ever more complete form». The Djembé was the first show to end up on TV before the recent exploits. «He wasn’t very famous yet – continues Riondino – but his great quality and self-irony led him to comically put even cultured philosophy to music and to invent musicians who had composed the missing endings of Schubert’s unfinished or “painting for the ears” exercises. He has the demon of music perched on his shoulder, everything he produces becomes meaningful. And he inspires him even more ». There have been many Bollanis, all different, all brilliant, over the years. A continuous evolution. From the «Carioca» of almost twenty years ago, to the «Danish trio» of fifteen, the «Neapolitan» of ten, then the Gershwinian, Zappian phase. And again the sequence of colors, from the Blue Concert on Indian spirituality because «it is the color of the fifth chakra, of the throat and of creativity», to the Green one. Transform everything it touches into its image through the magic of an original interpretation that goes beyond the piano. The «blue» phase was born precisely by contrast: «Music is mathematics and the more you study it, the more you risk losing the joyfulness of the child». His words. And the problem with mathematics is that it has «too many rules and we musicians tend to give ourselves more than we actually need».

His philosophy of life is encapsulated in a simple «I sit down at the piano and start playing, but every now and then I stop to pick flowers – he said about his reinterpretation of Jesus Christ Superstar – In short, I wander, I get distracted. I play around with it. Every evening in a different way, to always have a different path to follow. Because every evening I pick the little flowers that are born on the spot, and they are always different flowers». Also for this, musically speaking, «I’d like to confront these famous housewives from Voghera. I’ve heard about them for years but I’ve never met them.’ But all this does not deceive you. The many free concerts for the children of Eritrea, for Meyer, tell of an artist who can also be very serious. «I have been carrying on a relationship with and for Meyer for many years. So many that I don’t even remember the number. A path that I continue with the Lions, almost as if we were a trio: me, them and Meyer».

Friends see it that way. We take Bobo Rondelli with whom he recorded that wonderful experiment called Desperati Intellectuali Ubriaconi. At the time Bollani played in a group called Il Titanic, made up of all Florentine jazz musicians. “I’m just a strummer, but when I’m with him I almost feel like I can play. I like his stepping aside to bring out the best in what you can do. You lean on it. If he tells me I’m good, then maybe that’s true. It’s called trust. Many musicians don’t have this generosity. Once we were at the same festival, he in the box below, I upstairs, and at a certain point I heard myself singing and I didn’t understand what was happening: it was he who was imitating me. Genius. If he drops a glass on the floor, he bangs it. If his cell phone rings while he’s playing a concert, he sticks it in the piano and plays it. He has always been witty, now he has reached a new sweetness, thanks to his new wife Valentina. Before perhaps he was more withdrawn into himself, now he is open ».

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