{"id":35980,"date":"2018-05-19T12:43:37","date_gmt":"2018-05-19T11:43:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=35980"},"modified":"2018-05-20T07:45:49","modified_gmt":"2018-05-20T06:45:49","slug":"zucchero-speaks-to-ep-during-wanted-world-tour-including-cornbury-festival-appearance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2018\/05\/zucchero-speaks-to-ep-during-wanted-world-tour-including-cornbury-festival-appearance\/","title":{"rendered":"Zucchero Speaks To EP During ‘Wanted’ World Tour Including Cornbury Festival Appearance"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Steve Holley has been a fan of Adelmo Fornaciari Cavaliere di Gran Croce<\/span>, aka Zucchero, for many years, and recently had the honour of speaking to him, in the midst of his ‘Wanted’ World tour, which commences June 30. Zucchero will also be performing at the Cornbury Festival, in Oxfordshire, on July 13.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

EP: Hi Mr Fornaciari, Zucchero, how are you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z: Good and you?<\/p>\n

EP: Is it ok if I ask you some questions about your new album and tour. After the critical acclaim for your last studio album ‘Black Cat’, what made you think it was time for a retrospective like ‘Wanted’?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z: ‘Black Cat’ was my sixteenth album produced by three different producers, Don Was, Brendan O\u2019Brien and T Bone Burnett. We recorded in Los Angeles, Nashville and New Orleans. It came out 2016, was very well received from the critics and I think it is my most blues album in terms of sound, of songs. Its been released worldwide and then we started a long tour of one year and a half. Saying that, the record company decided to release last Christmas a big box set of thirty years of my career, with 10 CDs, 2 DVDs, different rarities and duets, different versions with more than 150 songs. That was last Christmas. We finished this long tour the end of March and we will do the last leg in July with festivals across Europe including Hyde Park with Eric Clapton and Cornbury. I will finish this tour and then…<\/p>\n

EP: Take a rest maybe?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z: (laughing) start to write again for the next album.<\/p>\n

EP: Speaking of ‘Black Cat’ and working with T Bone Burnett and recording in Nashville, have you ever considered moving towards Country music. The honesty of it would suit you I think?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z: I love country music, I love Nashville. There are great musicians there and I like the vibe of the City. Who knows? Maybe not the country like the cowboy songs (laughing)!<\/p>\n

EP: I was thinking more because you started writing music very acoustically…<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z: I was, I\u2019m still a big fan of Johnny Cash, especially the last work with Rick Rubin, the American recordings.<\/p>\n

EP: That\u2019s more what I was thinking because ‘Black Cat’ was recorded in a more traditional, more stripped back production.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z: Exactly!<\/p>\n

EP: It really reminded me of the American recordings in that you can really hear your voice, you can feel the emotion in those records.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z: I like the records because the production is very minimalist and the voice is amazing.<\/p>\n

EP: I agree. Your voice is amazing on ‘Black Cat’. Listening to ‘Wanted’, it\u2019s incredible to see how diverse, how timeless your songs are. Have you enjoyed touring with such a huge amount of material to choose from?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z: Yeah! As I say, we were on tour for almost 1 year and a half all round the world. More than 160 concerts and now we\u2019ll do the last leg in July, another 20 shows or so. I love touring, especially on this ‘Black Cat’ and ‘Wanted’ tour. I have a great band, probably one of the best bands I\u2019ve ever had. Thirteen musicians. They have played with Prince, Beyonc\u00e9, Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler. We have the living legend on organ with us that is Brian Auger. I\u2019m enjoying it, we keep going until July and then I have to write a new album.<\/p>\n

EP: Fantastic, I can\u2019t wait! Over the last 30 years of music you\u2019ve collaborated with some of the greatest musicians from all sorts of genres. Will we get some special guests on your UK dates?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z: As I say, Hyde Park there is a big bill with Eric Clapton headlining. Santana, Steve Winwood and Gary Clarke Jr. will be there. It\u2019s a great bill. For the others, why not. I\u2019m not planning anything but sometimes on the road I have guests as a surprise. A last minute thing.<\/p>\n

EP: Spontaneity is the best way…<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z: Exactly!<\/p>\n