Summer: 2012

Sting remembers Gil Evans and a distant Umbria Jazz - The Newcastle artist closed Umbria Jazz 2012 with a great concert...

They tried to remain seated in the numbered seats as required by the organizers, but when Sting launched into "Roxanne," after about an hour of concert, the audience rose to their feet and rushed to the stage like a wave that stopped at the English musician's feet. The Santa Giuliana Arena was sold out for the final event of Umbria Jazz 2012, which celebrated, on Sunday, July 15th, the closing of its thirty-ninth edition with the Newcastle artist's return to Perugia. Sting remembered Perugia, the city that had hosted him in 1987, along with pianist and composer Gil Evans, also at Umbria Jazz, dedicating last night's concert to him, "a master of music," as he described him in his Italian, accented with a typically English accent.

The songs. The British artist opened the concert with "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," a song from 1993 (from the album "Ten Summoner's Tales"), and immediately followed with one of his best-known songs, "Englishmen in New York," a classic that the audience sang along with. Sting alternated songs from his solo career ("Seven Days," "Desert Rose," "Demolition Man") with Police classics ("Next To You," "Every Breath You Take"), even covering Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing." It was interesting to see two of his biggest hits back to back: "Field of Gold," one of his best-known solo songs, and, immediately following, "Message in a Bottle," undoubtedly the Police's most famous song. By then, there was already reason to be satisfied, but the English artist held nothing back in a concert that lasted nearly two hours. Peter Tickell's electric violin solos were beautiful, but the band's performance overall was excellent (Dominic Miller on guitar, David Sancious on keyboards, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, Peter Tickell on electric violin, and Jo Lawry on vocals). Sting bid farewell to Perugia with "Fragile," hoping this was just a goodbye, while he awaits another Umbria Jazz.

(c) Qui Perugia by Marco Lovisco