Rumba de Bodas at the Jazz Fest No.7
The second and concluding night of Jazz Fest 7, organized by Hemingway Fan Club, had special guest Rumba de Bodas, a band from Bologna, Italy. Having been together for 11 years, the band has created its own brand of music which combines funky, jazz, soul, and electronic sounds, a sound which kept the crowd dancing ecstatically all night!
Photo by IntoAlbania.
Rumba de Bodas’ humble beginnings had them playing music in the streets of Bologna when the band members were still students. These days, however, they grace countless stages between Europe and Asia. The band’s name literally translates to “The Wedding Rumba” because the band’s aim is to create a similarly wild and celebratory atmosphere through its music.
We met Rachel, the band’s lead vocal, as she was prepping for the show along with her band members and other guests of Jazz Fest who were tuning their instruments. The melodic sounds of trombones and saxes echoed through the hallways of the University of Tirana creating that universally nostalgic atmosphere one so often longs for!
Jack, one of the members of Rumba de Bodas. Photo by IntoAlbania.
Rachel before the show, photo by IntoAlbania.
“I joined the band 4 years ago. Since then, we have traveled all over the place and each performance has been a party in its own right,” – confesses Rachel. Though she may not recall the details of each specific performance, we are still curious to find out which crowd has left the strongest impression on her. Without much hesitation, she answers “The Korean one. For them, if you are on stage, then you are indisputably a star. The German crowd, as well, is always supportive and ready to share their energy with us. We hope the same happens here! At the end of the day, the crowd’s energy is what feeds us, so that we can share our energy in return.”
Rachel has quickly warmed to Albania, jokingly telling us that we can call her “reçel”, referring to one of Albania’s favorite foods and local specialties: fruit jam. As we find out a bit later, the Albanian crowd quickly warms up to Rachel and the band, as well, dancing along and truly enjoying the festive atmosphere.
Rumba de Bodas on stage, photo by IntoAlbania.
Photo by IntoAlbania.
DJ duo Ghiaccioli e Branzini and Charles Ferris on the trombone were the closing acts of Jazz Fest 7, magically surrounded by gigantic icons of cinema projected on the university wall, like Marcello Mastroianni in “La Dolce Vita” or Grace Kelly in “To Catch a Thief,” just to name a few.
Photo by IntoAlbania.
Photo by IntoAlbania.
Events like Jazz Fest are wonderful reminders as to why Hemingway is one of the most popular bar/venues/culture centers of the capital. Like in few other places, there, you can really enjoy la dolce vita, share your passion for music, art, and culture with other likeminded folk, and savor some of the best rum in town. In a world where barriers rise and fall at the speed of light, Hemingway Bar reminds us that we should more often approach life like the celebration it truly is, much like the literature giant and namesake of this wonderful club.
Photo by IntoAlbania.
Rumba de Bodas’ humble beginnings had them playing music in the streets of Bologna when the band members were still students. These days, however, they grace countless stages between Europe and Asia. The band’s name literally translates to “The Wedding Rumba” because the band’s aim is to create a similarly wild and celebratory atmosphere through its music.
We met Rachel, the band’s lead vocal, as she was prepping for the show along with her band members and other guests of Jazz Fest who were tuning their instruments. The melodic sounds of trombones and saxes echoed through the hallways of the University of Tirana creating that universally nostalgic atmosphere one so often longs for!
Jack, one of the members of Rumba de Bodas. Photo by IntoAlbania.
Rachel before the show, photo by IntoAlbania.
“I joined the band 4 years ago. Since then, we have traveled all over the place and each performance has been a party in its own right,” – confesses Rachel. Though she may not recall the details of each specific performance, we are still curious to find out which crowd has left the strongest impression on her. Without much hesitation, she answers “The Korean one. For them, if you are on stage, then you are indisputably a star. The German crowd, as well, is always supportive and ready to share their energy with us. We hope the same happens here! At the end of the day, the crowd’s energy is what feeds us, so that we can share our energy in return.”
Rachel has quickly warmed to Albania, jokingly telling us that we can call her “reçel”, referring to one of Albania’s favorite foods and local specialties: fruit jam. As we find out a bit later, the Albanian crowd quickly warms up to Rachel and the band, as well, dancing along and truly enjoying the festive atmosphere.
Rumba de Bodas on stage, photo by IntoAlbania.
Photo by IntoAlbania.
DJ duo Ghiaccioli e Branzini and Charles Ferris on the trombone were the closing acts of Jazz Fest 7, magically surrounded by gigantic icons of cinema projected on the university wall, like Marcello Mastroianni in “La Dolce Vita” or Grace Kelly in “To Catch a Thief,” just to name a few.
Photo by IntoAlbania.
Photo by IntoAlbania.
Events like Jazz Fest are wonderful reminders as to why Hemingway is one of the most popular bar/venues/culture centers of the capital. Like in few other places, there, you can really enjoy la dolce vita, share your passion for music, art, and culture with other likeminded folk, and savor some of the best rum in town. In a world where barriers rise and fall at the speed of light, Hemingway Bar reminds us that we should more often approach life like the celebration it truly is, much like the literature giant and namesake of this wonderful club.