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PIANIST AND PRODUCER OF THE INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE FESTIVAL
IN MANNO (SWITZERLAND).
In Manno (Switzerland) I have met him, a good looking young fellow, always making
jokes.Sometimes his hairdress in different ways, but a real good artist and also of course
a good boogie woogie pianist. On stage and also in real life he used to make jokes, but he
can also be seriously that's for sure. I'm still glad I have met him, because the music on
his CD's I am still listening to. Don't tell anybody, but I made copies of the CD's to use
them in my autocar. In April 2002 he organised and produced the
International Boogie Woogie Festival in Manno, near Lugano in Switzerland. Because the environment
was so beautiful, the city of Lugano, the Lake of Lugano, the mountains, I placed some photos, so
you can have a little feeling of that impression.
Back to Silvan Zingg. He presented his newest CD on that festival with a lot of boogie woogies and
of course the piano-music of Silvan Zingg himself. You can recoqnize it immediately! Well, let's here
what he has to say....!
This year you have had a wonderful festival in Manno. What do you think of the coming festival. Will it be better
than Manno 2002?
First THANK YOU Wim for the compliments!
Oh yes the Festival in Manno 2002 was absolutely a great event! I was really happy with
everything (and it has been absolutely my first show I produced). I also would like to thank all
the people who have helped me during that weekend! Now it’s easier for me to organise
2003, because the hard work of the first time has been done already.
I will change a few things: I don't want to present all the six pianists on both
two nights like in 2002, but spread over them over two nights (3 pianists on Friday and 3 pianists on Saturday).
So every pianist has more time to play and we have more time to do the jams. What we all have missed
in 2002 was also a sort of afterhours...so that will be also new in 2003:
after the concerts in the Concert Hall, people, who have a ticket, can go to a club
to talk and listen to the pianists.
 Can you tell us already which
pianists you are going to invite or have you invited already?
Also pianists from USA and when are you going to publish it?
I can’t tell you any names for the moment yet, I’m sorry....
(He can do it, but he doesn't want it, because he wants to be the first to use it. I
understand it and I forgive him, he is also a business-man. )
I will publish it in January. I will tell you as soon as I know! I will do everything what
is possible to offer the audience again top pianists from all different countries.
I have received many requests during the past months...I could invite more than 20....but I
have to make a selection.
(So, you see, he already knows the names!!!??)
What is the main reason you organise this festival; I mean
is this the only international festival in Switzerland?
I want to make Boogie Woogie more popular in Switzerland and I want to offer an
international show to the Swiss people. We have a lot of Jazz and Blues Festivals but not any
event dedicated entirely to this style.
Are you also going to present again a new made CD of yours? The last one was one
of your best, I think….. (by the way who is Fred Dee, of that blues
you know..?)
Thank you for those compliments! I also really like my CD ...hehe.... Fred Dee is a
funny word to say Freddie (the piece is an arrangement of my own from the classic blues
Mr. Freddie Blues so I called it Mr. Fred Dee) . When you say it, the sound it’s
almost the same.
I also like the cover very much...I made it myself. I took a picture of my grand piano with my
digital camera. You know after high school I have studied graphics, before I became a professional pianist.
You have played last year at several festivals in the world…. Which festival has
been the most wonderful you played on? Is that a festival in the USA or in Europe?
The nicest festival last year was the one in Manno....and then I liked very much the
Festival in Bellinzona ( a town 20 mintes from Lugano) where I performed with Kenny
Wayne. Look at this great place: (from stage you can see the nice illuminated castle).
Ticino is a wonderful place as you saw...you should put some pictures you made of
the lake of Lugano.
( Well I did so.....)
A great Festival is also the Ascona Jazz Festival, there are playing many stars from
New Orleans and all over Europe. I’ll play there with my trio again next July.
What do you think of the boogie woogie? Have you discovered any evolotion in playing
this music, according to technich or style?
Yes of course! I play it since I’m 8 years old, Boogie Woogie is a style which
never will die! People like it (young, old) everyone likes boogie woogie! Myself I try to
make it interesting when I play it. I like to mix boogie woogie style with different kind
of music grooves but I shall always hold that swing in my left hand. I have studied
slide trombone for six years. I also like to play Ragtimes and some older tunes.
Also sometimes you play in one boogie woogie-numbers several different left hand
structures. Do you think it happens now more than the earlier thirties years?
Oh...yes, I like to let “talk” my left hand with the right one. Comparing to
the thirties we have an evolution, yes.
And I think this is also because now we have a lot of material to listen at. I listen to
other music styles and I try to combine it with boogie feeling. I like jazz, blues,
ragtime.
But also in the thirties and fourties they played Boogie Woogie combined with other
styles and melodies: folk tunes, jazz standards in boogie rhythm and so on.
Is it very difficult to play with another pianist together? Do you make
arrangements, appointments with that pianist or do you just play and feel..?
The two pianists must have rhythm feeling and listen to each other’s playing ....
With Martjn Schok for example, it’s absolutely a great feeling. For the two CD’s
we have recorded(“Double Up Boogie” 1999 in NL, and “Boogie Woogie
Duets Live” 2000 in Switzerland).
We have practiced a week for each one.
You have been in the States. Which pianist – you have met over there, is
astonishing or is wonderful and very good?
I have not any favourite player...every pianist has interesting tunes himself.
But to make you happy a with a few names: Bob Seeley, Charlie Booty, Axel Zwingenberger.
You have been in the Netherlands, when will you come again to Arnhem?
I do hope as soon as possible. I'm still waiting for Martijn’s call ....
Which place, theatre, country, city or hotel do you love to play most of
all?
My great love is the Ticino. I think one of the most beautiful place in the world.
But I love the public in America, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands ...
I love to play in Bellinzona at the Piazza Blues Festival.
Last summer I've played with Kenny Wayne. It’s a great festival! On the same stage
Chuck Berry, B.B. King, Gary Moore, Buddy Guy have played and many many more...
Which boogie woogie do you love to play most of all? And why?
I have many favourite tunes! I play more than 500 tunes actually...
At the moment I’m playing Maple Leaf Rag Boogie. It’s my favourite now...
Are you going next year also to the festival of Laroquebrou in France?
No. I was there in 2001. The organiser never takes a same pianist two times.
Only himself hehe... Laroquebrou is a nice festival too. It was an amazing travel to get
there!
The organiser booked a flight for me from Geneva to Paris and then the train from there to
Laroquebrou. So from Lugano I took the car to Geneva (5 hours)then a plane to Paris (2
hours) then a train to Laroquebrou (6 hours)....it was a very loooong travel.
On the Festival CD I played the Silvan’s Train Trip...
One more time back to the boogie woogie. I can read at your website the beginning of
your love for boogie woogie. What do you think of the future of boogie woogie? Do you think
it will be more populair also to younger people?
Yes, I do think so....
And what is the most difficult of playing boogie woogie? The left or the right hand, or both? Or
is the talent of the improvisation also very important..?
Yes that is true. Talent is very important in playing boogie woogie. I have heard some very virtuos
classical pianist trying to play it.
NO CHANCE for them...they don’t have the feeling for it...and no improvisation. I
think boogie woogie is the most funniest and nicest style for piano players.
Are there more bw-pianists in Switzerland?
We have some yes, but I think I’m the only professional one.
Playing piano is your profession; do you still study everyday at your home and how long per day? Your neighbours do still love you,
or are you using a haedphone?
Hehe nice question! I am living close to the woods, when I start playing the birds
starts to whistle with me. They love to hear me play! ( Do I have to believe that...?)
Hehe... I study every day 25 hours...no I’m joking! I should study more...but I will...one day...always
organising concerts...I’m my own manager so I have to do office work and
playing and and and...sometimes an interview..hehe.
What do you think of one more boogie woogie website? Do you think it will help to promote the
boogie woogie more?
Oh yes why not! Your site is great! I love it really! AmaZingggg...hihi
(Shal I call him
Mr. Sil(ly)van Ama(zingg)...???)
One last question. Are you married? You don’ have to answer….
No I’m not married. I’m not yet thinking about that...one day perhaps....
Silvan, thank you very much for this interview and I wish you a lot of success also for the coming
international festival!!!
Wim
webmaster@boogiewoogie.info
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