Other effects of the lockdown are the same the world over. A few weeks ago, posters for a recent campaign against alcohol abuse started reappearing and new posters against domestic abuse have gone up.
On the bright side, some hidden talents have emerged. The Munich Fire Brigade has made a music video : „Minga (=Munich), bleib happy“, and the well-known catchy tune with lyrics in Bavarian dialect has become a viral hit. In case you wonder, the guy with the lovely voice on the cherry picker high above the roofs of Munich is a genuine local fireman.
One of the city’s newspapers has begun a series on local artists to raise awareness of their plight. The first article was on the Monaco Swing Ensemble, who play Gypsy Swing. Munich has a sizable Roma and Sinti community with a long musical tradition. Here the ensemble plays with guitarist Diknu Schneeberger and saxophone player Mulo Francel who are both well-known in their own right.
(If you like gypsy swing/jazz, take the time to listen to Gismo Graf! He is a superb guitar player. Alas, he is not from Munich but from Stuttgart, but you can’t have everything... Here Graf is introduced by cellist Sol Gabetta and talks about his roots and style of playing.)
Saxphonist Mulo Francel is a founding member of Quadro Nuevo who have been around for more than 25 years now. The members of Quadro Nuevo are born entertainers as well as excellent musicians. They often tour both in Germany and worldwide. Back here in Munich, the band not only plays concerts for adults but also for small children. The tickets for the latter are really cheap and the children have a whale of a time. In this video shot in Cairo, Quadro Nuevo are playing with the Egyptian group Cairo Steps.
We’ve already had some snow here and will apparently get a lot more at the weekend. Christmas is coming up fast…
I wish you a merry and relaxed Christmas with a good dose of mulled wine.
A Happy and Healthy 2021!!