John Shand Posts

July 12, 2015 / Concert Reviews - Archive

The Baroque Room, July 4 Putting Napoleon, the Rainbow Warrior bombing and arrogant waiters to one side, the French have been better for the rest of the world than just about anyone else. Champagne, Moliere, Monet, Debussy, Malle, Burgundy, baguettes and brie alone would put them in hot contention, but…

July 11, 2015 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Concert Hall, July 2 This was an aural version of one of those chocolate assortments catering to all tastes. The paradox was that in the process taste was often discarded like a wrapper, and Chris Botti served up soft-centred goo more often than anything of substance. In fact he would…

July 9, 2015 / Album Reviews - Archive

Violinair (Violipiano) I like the way Luca Ciarla’s mind works. Music, the Italian seems to suggest, is a game in which one toys with idiom and mood, while appropriating whatever makes it more fun, whether that’s his own superlative facility on the violin, electronic gadgetry, compositional diversity or improvised interaction.…