An unusual double bill, but one which worked surprisingly well. Cinemaattic provides a platform for Spanish language film across Scotland, and this free showing, under the auspices of the J&B Festival, was an interesting way to end off my JazzFest week.
Opening the show was blues band The Manolettes. Despite the name this is a one man band, the one nam being named Manolo. Guitar, basic drum kit, harmonica and voice. Playing a set of blues classics he displayed an impressive level of physical coordination, and a real feel for the music. His talent might not be on the level of the more 'official' festival acts, but he's a enjoyable performer, gets the feet tapping and provide some amusement in his between song patter. You can see some of his act - and hear his explanation of the band's curious nomenclature - in this YouTube video, posted by the man himself.
The main event was the screening of 2010 animated film Chico y Rita. A love story based around the latin jazz style of music made famous in recent years by The Buena Vista Social Club. In 2010 Chico is a shoe-shiner in Havana, living a solitary life. When the radio plays a song he remembers he once played his memory is taken back to when he first met Rita, the love of his life, back in the late 40s, and the tempestuous on-off romance that fires up between two complementary musical talents, singer and pianist. The moves through New York, Los Angeles and Paris, with jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker drawn in. But when the 2010 version of Chico gets his chance of a 'Buena Vista' revival, will it lead him back to Rita?
The animation paints sweeping pictures, light on details, but with a strong sense of music that matches the excellent soundtrack. And the storyline does bring in some historical context, showing the racism faced by latin artists in the US, and the negative affect the incoming Castro regime had on Cuban music.
Unashamedly romantic, Chico y Rita is an engaging story, visually enjoyable and musically superb. Well worth seeking out.
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