1) What is your name?
Bebo Baldan aka Bebo Best
2) Where were you born?
3) Where do you live?
All around the world. Currently alternating between Venice and Tenerife, Spain.
4) How did you become interested in music?
I began very early, entering in an amazing school of contemporary classical music, with teachers of the famous orchestra, La Fenice of Venice, as well as many, many trips and engagements on stages around the world.
5) How did you come to form Bebo Best & The Super Lounge Orchestra?
I picked my best musician friends with whom I have worked for years, and in a particular way, choosing also the quality of the person, not only his/her skill level. Together, we are really like a family!
6) In your music I hear many different influences of Brazilian music, of Indian music, American music, etc…from where do you find your inspiration? Are there specific artists or genres in general that inspire you?
I am interested in many different genres, very much into blues, and I believe that there is not a genre that I haven’t played in 35 years of my career..from jazz to metal… 🙂
I studied a lot of music, going full circle, with Naná Vasconcelos, Kenny Clarke, Dave Wekl, and many others….even the work of the great sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and that of his best American student, the accomplished Stephen James (RIP).
Then a lot of bossa nova and jazz, but not what one plays today. Too scholastic and boring.
My favorite artists – Frank Zappa, Weather Report, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Steve Reich, Bob Marley, James Brown and…….impossible to name all of them.
7) Is there a genre in particular that you like?
There exists good music and bad music. I like good music. That is my genre. 🙂
8) Bebo Best & The Super Lounge Orchestra has released six albums, but you also work on other projects, in collaboration with other artists like Brenda Boykin. Can you speak a little about the work you did with her on “All the Time In the World”?
Brenda and Bebo
I had already worked on around half the tracks of her first cd, writing, arranging and producing it. Chin Chin Records trusted me and asked me to do the same for her second album, persuading me to produce all. With Brenda, a beautiful friendship was born. There are many videos on the web, just search Brenda Boykin and Bebo Best on the web. But perhaps the most fun is the “Unplugged”, which was a most minimal sound. It’s on Radio Montecarlo (RMC) – Nick the Nightfly, famous broadcaster and singer of Scottish jazz.
Bebo Best & The Super Lounge Orchestra: Rocco’s Playlist
9) You recorded with Evelins, an “unplugged” tribute to the English group, Depeche Mode. Tell us a little about that. Depeche Mode was a big influence for you?
Truthfully no, never. It was a work of passion for Evelins and Mr. Lova, however, I got into it because I saw that the Depeche Mode tracks were well written, but perhaps the arrangements were a little too commercial and bland, which left me little to appreciate.
10) Food. What is your favorite dish?
Pizza and pasta and bread, if I could…but as you see, I have to stay on my diet. SAUCE ON ALL THE NOODLES.
11) Is there a favorite album of yours by the Super Lounge Orchestra?
If I really must….D’Jazzonga.
12) Rocco wants to know if you have a cat? If not, how come?
No, travelling often, it’s a little difficult.
Rocco: “whuzzat?”
13) Is there a genre of music today that you like?
Please refer to question 7…hehehehe. However, I hear very little good music, and really I am not nostalgic, neither retro. Just a few new tracks every so often I find compelling, but an entire new group I just don’t get into following.
14) Il calcio. Soccer. Who do you support? If you don’t like soccer, is there another sport?
Yes, I love soccer and Barcelona because there is always a good storyline, 80% of the players developed from nursery school, (Lionel) Messi included, and they support other sports as well. However, on another note, Baggio, if not for that missed penalty (in the 1994 World Cup), we would have 5 stars and Brasil (who I love) would have 4… 🙂
Poor Baggio. The Divine Ponytail. AFP PHOTO/OMAR TORRES/Getty Images
15) On the subject of soccer, you recorded a song dedicated to the 2014 world cup, “Soccer Time”. For me, it was a great celebration of the beautiful game. My compliments. How did you arrive to compose this tune?
Well, my love for Brasil is noted, as well as for soccer as I had just said, I put myself to work and I asked my 12 year old son to give me the names of his 10 favorite players from around the world.
16) “Quando” by Roberto Carlos. Rocco likes it. Do you?
“Quando” is a beautiful piece. But I am crazy for “Dettagli” by Carlos.
17) Are there any other projects in the future for Bebo Best? Perhaps a new disc? A tour?
Yes, we are preparing a new album and we will be performing concerts this year.
The most important projects (I believe around 20%) I think they will study for another 100 years. He has jazz fusion, rock, classical and contemporary music, in a way that few have understood. An absolute genius.
Great works over all: “One Size Fits All”, “The Grand Wazoo”, “The Yellow Shark”.
What’s more he’s never lowered his guard to ignorance nor to politicians if not by making fun with intelligence and great irony.
20) We have now reached our 20th question. Who is the woman who speaks “Spaghetti, Pizza and Cavaquinho” on your track of the same name?
Danielle Kastalski, a pure carioca. Not a singer, but a good friend. The piece was born during the tour in Brazil. As you know we Italians like to say we are “Spaghetti, pizza and mandolin”…Being lovers of Brazilian music, the change to cavaquinho was necessary!
