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Variations
on Gould
- CBC Radio "I have an extra ticket and you have to come!!!"
My mind was racing like a Guinea pig in an annoying spinner.
Everything I ever thought about the CBC would soon become clearer
to me. We arrived at the Glen Gould Studio, in the heart of Toronto
. A fair portion of this lustrous real-estate is dedicated to
a man, a musician, a genius, that played piano. I can hear them
all in unison, PLAYED PIANO.And while the kind folks of the great
white north continue to invest their tax dollars in support of
the arts programs in Canada , the CBC was looking pretty good.
The reception for this monumental celebration convinced me that
class still finds its way around town. Had it not been for that
annoying buzzer that begins way too soon like a last call for
snooting....this would have been a perfect cultural evening,
well at least for me. I forgot to mention that this Mardi gras
was a ten-day affair. I was thrust into the pits of fortune for
but one of these tux and (more)
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 Jimi
Bertucci has been announced almost a decade. His original band
Abraham's Children who had three albums released but shortly
after the third album in 1975 the band dismembered. Since then
he has been traveling around, continuing to write and produce
until last year when he returned to Toronto to sign with A&M.
His debut album features some good Canadian artists; bassist
Prakash John, guitarists BB Gabor and Peter Follett, and keyboardist
Jody Colero. Best cuts - Shake, Touch Me, Strange Feeling, Unit
No.1980. Jimi B is on his way be sure to get a listen to the
new sounds and new songs of Jimi B. Kathie Evenson - Wallaceburg
News Weekender
Los Angeles Times The opening act local
rocker Jimi B. was as obtuse and impenetrable as the Rankins'
set was direct and accessible. A long time Toronto resident who
said he has been living in Orange County for about 10 years,
Jimi B. (Bertucci) led his four cohorts through a handful of
meandering original songs that included traces of 70s' rock a
la Steely Dan or Todd Rundgren with neither the sophisticated
chops of the former nor the pop catchiness of the latter.
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 Toronto, Canada
- JIMI RECEIVES CERTOSA AWARD!!! Jimi was recently presented
with the Certosa Award for his exceptional contribution to the
Arts by the Serra San Bruno Association, an ssociation representing
his home town in Italy. The black-tie event saw 700 turn out
to the lavish awards dinner... (more)
Canadian Cold Cuts - Jimi B (A&M)
Jimi Bertucci's first album since leaving Abraham's Children
and Angel is worthy of his potential as a solo artist, but it's
variety has left his style to vague to establish a focal point.
The two-sided-split concept he attempts here is emphasized by
the cover photography -- wave experiments and sweet rock. Side
one is fast and trendy, but falters at Shake and Touch Me when
he mixes the wrong ingredients, starting with the basic riffs.
Honourable mention goes to O'Dee an account of Jimi's experience
with a hermaphrodite that is as weird as it's unique. The flip
side belongs to AM and FM respectively with ballads Wickless
Dynamite and Strange Feeling displaying a strong point inhis
writing and AOP anthem. All American Boy flashing his his capability
for an honest rocker. He penned all the songs except Red White
and Blue and Shake which was co-written with BB Gabor. This album
will probably receive lukewarm reception from the consumers but
with radio support it is the type to catch on quickly into a
brush fire. Although Jimi offers us nothing revolutionary, he
has battered freshness into his form of today's music trends.
His next step is either to patent himself as a musician of impressive
variety or solitude into a style to receive recognition be is
worth, as is apparent in this album. Rating Good (By Lola)
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JIMI B: JIMI B ( A & M ) - A good
effort form Jimi Bertucci, who wrote and produced all but one
song on the album. The exception is a forgettable bit of noise
called Shake that was co-written with B.B. Gabor. That one's
for certified head bashers only. Side one of the album contained
Shake, the worst of the bunch, along with rhythmically interesting
Red, White and Blueand Touch Me, which is not a remake of The
Doors classic. The short, energetic songs on Side one are, I
hope, Bertucci's attempts to be accepted by the previously mentioned
purple-hair, safety-pin-through-the-eyeball crowd. Side two contains
credible pieces of music, some of which should make it to the
charts. Excellent harmony, some jazz, guitar work, lush string
section and good, basic rock predominance all combine to make
this the best side. It all depends on your taste, or lack of
it, But Jimi B. should not be ignored. Gord Malcolm
By Nick Krewen For NightLife: Now here's
a real balst from the past--- remember the hits Goodbye Farewell
and Gypsy? If you replied Abraham's Children, go to the head
of the class. Better yet, if you answered Abraham's Children,
why not just go see them instead tonight at the Lil Big Horn.
It'll be their first show in this area since 1976. " I think
it was 1976," replies singer Jimi Bertucci 53, from Los
Angeles, who co-founded the Toronto pop band as a high schooler.
" That was probably our last tour of Canada." That
was also the year Bertucci left the band, which had signed to
United Artists Records and was operating under the name The Children,
to go solo. He released one album as Jimi B on A&M before
leaving dor Los Angeles and forming the bands Angel (not the
Gregg Guiffria-led unit) and Space Patrol before returning to
his solo career... and, as fate would have it a few decades later,
a refurbished Abraham's Children. To read (
more) on this story email us for a free copy
JIMI B A&M 9060 With his self-titled
album Jimi B has decided once again to venture out into the touchy
world of rock. Jimi Bertucci started out with Abraham's Children
in the early 70s and managed a couple of Canadian hits including,
Good-bye Farewell in 1972 and Gypsy in 1973. Jimi B hasn't recorded
since Goddess of Nature in 1975. For his first album, the Toronto
native has enlisted BB Gabor and other top session musicians.
Gabor is probably best remembered for capturing the publics imagination
a couple of years ago with Metropolitan Life and Soviet Jewellery.
Handling all the song writing and production Jimi B comes up
with a pleasant album of rockers that rely on catchy hooks, while
his singing strains to catch the sincerity of singerslike Springsteen
and John Cougar. Jimi B's preoccupation with the American Dream
makes Red White & Blue and All American Boy seem a bit contrived
for a Canadian kid. However Touch Me and Wickless Dynamite are
standouts on the positive side of the spectrum. MUSIC EXPRESS
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Jimi B. Jimi B A & M 9069 - Jimi (
Bertucci ) B's career has been incubating for 10 years since
he fronted " Abraham's Children, " a band which had
a lot of success in Canada. Through ups and downs he has been
writing material which documents a young man's odyssey through
the streets, his encounters with society's special cases, his
romantic dreams, and philosophical notations. A bassist primarily,
his music has a rhythmic attitude which is appealing. The lyrics
are catchy, poetic, topical. Jimi seems to be the kind of performer
we expect to be a star and sing to us about our vulnerability
whilst living in the grand style. He sounds more like a New Yorker
than a Torontonian- or maybe it 's just that now we've grown
up and can produce and recognize star qualities in ourselves.
Jimi B is a classy artist, and his debut album should be well
received, because it is all in the grooves - Keith Elshaw In
The Grooves - Q107 FM .
Jimi B's Schizo JIMI B (A&M) Rating:
NN Toronto's Jimi B. might have only one name but he's got two
musical personalities, on this his first A&M record. Side
one is a painful collection of music which Jimi and his buddies
B.B. Gabor and others sound like Cars-clones (and the Cars don't
even do good Cars these days). The first side is full of annoying
. vocal gimmicks and non melodic songs reminiscent of bad B.B.
Gabor. Gabor doesn't do Jimi any favors by bringing along a tedious
song Shake from his latest album. Toronto's hottest bassist,
Prakash John provides the only interesting moments here. On side
two Jimi does a complete turnaround and moves from doing used
Cars to classic Canuck-pop-rock in the Prism, Saga, Loverboy
mode. Lots of soaring vocals and "uplifting guitar breaks".
While not my cup of tea, it's pleasant stuff and All American
Boy should be the first single from the album. There's some nice
flashy guitar work, Jimi stops messing around with his vocals
and lets his pleasant voice shine through. Michael Hollett -
Now Magazine
JIMI B - Jimi B is actually Jimi Bertucci,
the active ingredient behind the defunct Abraham's Children,
a band that spent many an evening dodging fists at the illustrious
downtown Montebello Inn and Casualty Centre. Jimi's still pretty
face tells me he's held up his guard with some determination
over the years. This album is a reminder that Toronto has plenty
more good music to offer. - St. Catharines Star.
Just had a chance to listen to some of
your songs, actually all of them WOW they were great. You don't
often get songs of this caliber on the web, I'm very impressed.
Rudy - Brazil ( more )
Jimi B. (which is for Bertucci) is another
Canadian who is heading up the ladder of success. It has taken
Jimi 10 years to be called an overnight sensation, buthe is finally
attaining a certain amount of that elusive quantity know as stardom.
For anyone who feels he might be a trivia freak, it was Jimi
B. who started Abraham's Children, and yes it was their Goddess
Of Nature that was released on the Ubited Artists Records. Score
top marks for getting both those right. Anyway, Jimi's self titled
album 0n A&M Records should help introduce him to some new
fans. While there are some losers here (Shake) there are some
winners All American Boy and some good songs that areon the border
of good (Bodies In The River, Strange Feeling). The set will
not be a runnaway hit, but could garner a fair amount of interest.
Barry Sweeney
Jimi B - Jimi B A&m SP -9069 Jimi
Bertucci is a veteran songwriter on the Canadian scene, and when
he chooses to rock this album is first-rate - check Red White
& Blue, Shake and All American Boy, which is a string AM
grabber, Much of the rest, however meanders badly and has little
substance - if the artist could live up to the promise of the
three cuts mentioned, he's be a major star. Meanwhile, All American
Boy is one of the best rock songs of the last 1months.***THE
RECORD REVIEWS2
"Winning Side"--a WINNER! Great
tune! Love the Stones-influenced instrumental opening--insightful
lyrics--powerFULL vocals up front are a nice change from so much
of the rhythm driven stuff out there now. I gotta move to Canada!
Sammyboy DJ at WVKR New York
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Corremio Certosa 2005 Premiato insieme
a Cordiano, Simonetta e BarillariÈ arrivato in Canada
a 6 anni con una chitarra per bambini di plastica e ora è
uno dei più grandi interpreti della musica pop e rock
del Nordamerica. È Jimi (Vincenzo) Bertucci, nato a Serra
San Bruno in Calabria nel 1950. Sabato 22 ottobre è il
suo compleanno e domenica 23 gli viene assegnato il premio Certosa
2005 per il suo "eccezionale contributo all'arte" dall'Associazione
San Bruno. Insieme a lui, per il 2005 saranno premiati presso
il Renaissance Parque, al n? 2800 della Hwy 7 W., a Concord,
il ministro provinciale per lo Sviluppo Economico, Joseph Cordiano,
Michael Simonetta e Domenico Barillari.Bertucci, nell'intervista
rilasciata al Corriere, rivive con intensa commozione il suo
viaggio nel 1956 dalla Calabria verso il Canada e la sua successiva
affermazione."Il giorno prima suonavo la mia chitarra giocattolo
sul balcone di casa mia a Serra San Bruno e il giorno dopo ero
sulla nave La Roma diretto in Canada. Lassù mi sono anche
perso e mia madre dopo che io l'ho ritrovata, per la gioia mi
baciava, mi abbracciava ma mi dava anche qualche scapaccione".
"Abbiamo abitato a Grace Street - racconta - vicino la chiesa
di San Francesco, su College e lì ho affrontato il difficile
inserimento nella realtà canadese. Ho lottato a scuola
per superare le differenze che c'erano. Non parlavo inglese e
vestivo con i vestiti italiani che mia madre mi dava; finché
un giorno, per non sentirmi diverso ho chiesto ai miei di darmi
i jeans e le scarpe da ginnastica". Dal suo racconto, Bertucci
fa emergere il suo carattere forte e determinato. "Ascoltavo
la radio e ho detto: voglio anch'io "entrare in radio"".
E Vincenzo Bertucci ha realizzato il suo sogno grazie alla collaborazione
dei suoi genitori che lo hanno assecondato.
"La svolta è arrivata nel 1964. Vado al negozio
Julio music store - continua - vicino all'angolo dove ora c'è
il Diplomatico e il proprietario mi fa vedere una chitarra elettrica,
la Hofner, come quella dei Beatles e mi chiede se mi piaceva.
Mi brillavano gli occhi e dico di sì e quello, facendomi
quasi svenire mi dice: prendila è tua. I tuoi genitori
l'hanno prenotata per te tre mesi fa e finalmente è arrivata".
"A 15 anni poi decido di non andare a scuola e dedicarmi
completamente alla musica. I miei non si oppongono alla mia decisione".A
raggiungere il successo, a insegnargli la musica e a insegnargli
a suonare il mandolino, la chitarra e la fisarmonica ci ha pensato
suo zio Salvatore.Bertucci da allora ha sempre composto la sua
musica e ha scritto i suoi testi.Nel suo ultimo cd Passion &
Innocence, fatto col suo gruppo Abraham's Children racconta i
suoi ultimi 30 anni di vita professionale e racconta soprattutto
la vita a College e Grace Street. In questo cd, c'è anche
una canzone in italiano. "Si chiama Sempre - dice Bertucci
-è una canzone d'amore e l'ho scritta e dedicata a mia
nipote che si sposava. Era il mio regalo di nozze".Ma Bertucci,
con un'altra canzone ha fatto felice anche un'altra donna: sua
madre a cui nel 1972 dedicò la prima canzone in italiano:
Bye, bye bambina occhi blu. Uno dei tanti successi come Goodbye
Farewell, Gypsy, Thank you. Data pubblicazione: 2005-10-19Indirizzo
pagina originale: http://www.corriere.com/viewstory.php?storyid=44709
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