At the end of José's most successful tours ever I have drawn together the following comments on thes various concerts.
From Marie Rose about the concert in Belgium:-
Although everything was planned and settled to go to Londen, To see Jose.Things turned out to be different. My husband got in to the hospital and nearly died. He is not allowed to fly for more than 6 months, so I had to cancel everything with regrets. But the life of my husband was far more important than some gigs. So with regrets in my heart , unfortunately for me but no gigs of Jose this year, but all of a sudden ?????? I thought is there not a gig quite close to my house , in Belguim, Turnhout YES.!!!!!!!YES. So Me and Gerard went of on a really, stormy afternoon to Belguim to see Jose, hoping that the Weather would be better by the evening, and it did...... After we took place in front of the stage, and listened to some other musicians, Jose came around the clock of 21.30 h . He started the show with the song Chico and the man, and gave us a medley of songs such as affirmation, que Sara , She is in my blood,Por Ella, Light my fire,knock knock on heavens door ect...... The longer the show went on, the more enthusiastic the people became.
By the time Jose went off the stage and people were clapping in there hands and wanted more and more. So Jose came back on stage and gave us his great rendition of the song baby that's all right from the Great Ray Charles. Even later on people where calling on Jose"s dressing room to come outside to see him, and to give him his honors. We had as always's the time of our life. I wanna Thank God in the first place for saving my husband, and making this gig for us possible. Also I wanna say thanks to everybody, the band Jose and His managers for a great gig and evening. Thanks, muchas gracias. Marie-rose&Gerard
From Fil about the Milan gig:-
I saw Jose last Saturday night at Latino Festival, the same one he was at 5 years ago; it is the most important latino festival in Italy: so again this is full of Latin people now living in Italy. The audience was 80% latins and 20% italians. Jose is a symbol or a God, when he play any spanish song and especially those old bolero songs-medley, really then (i think) 5000 or more people there start to sing with Jose any song: it was a similar situation like a recent “Vina del Mar” festival in Chile.
Anyway Jose was is in a good form, has a good voice. He spoke about his english album Soundtrax. He did some english and classics songs like “Chico”, “Rain”, “California Dreamin”, “Light My Fire” and also “If You don’t want me by now” and Sunshine of Your love with electric. But how I say when He has plays”Paso La Vida Pensando”, Bolero Medley, Me Has Echado al Olvido, “Seria Facil”, Lo que yo tuve contigo y especially “Che Sara” (in the new arrangement of “JF y Amigos”. Also, he was very very loved when he play “Billy Jean”: many people know this... I think for the incredible success has the video on YouTube, where, with “Zorba”, “Malaguena” and the incredible “Flight of the Bumble bee” has more than 100.000 viewers (flight is a more than 300.000!.)
From me:-
25th July 2007:Some people will laugh if I say this but....In May I was on a small boat in the Corinth Canal in Greece when "Concierto De Aranjuez" came on their piped music; in that second I knew I would see José soon :) Eleven weeks later I arrived at Ronnie Scott's for the second of the three nights he was appearing there. While waiting to be seated I met Jim Durkin who told me that the first night was sold out as was this one. I asked him to say hello to José for me.
Once seated (a story in itself as they wanted to put me in a corner in case I was a fire hazard) I had the chance to talk to most of the band (especially Bob and Greg) but realised another prediction had come true and there was no one I knew there that night. People I knew had been there the night before and were coming the next day. It was a very different experience from Jazz Cafe.
So to the show....José opened with "Oye Guitarra Mia" "She's in My Blood" and "I Faced the Music", from "Soundtax", "Affirmation", the new arrangement of "Rain", all followed with impressions of Nat King Cole, Julio Iglesias and Enrique Iglesias. These numbers led into an electric set including "Purple Haze" "Knocking on Heaven's Door" and "The Sunshine of your Love". The second acoustic set included "Bamboleo", "Mule Skinner Blues", "California Dreaming" and "Light My Fire". José closed with "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". I had wanted something from the "Genius" CD and I got it. As he closed the show José mentioned a number of people including ME!
At Jazz Cafe I have always met José because he has always been prepared to come down stairs to me after most people have left the venue. I knew this could not happen at Ronnnie Scott's because there is another set after the main act so I ad reconciled myself to not speaking to José.......however Griselle brought him over to me as he came off stage and I had a couple of minutes to say hello and thank you which made the whole night very special........except a Feliciano concert is always special and I want to thank Jim (who seems to remember fans the world over) Greg, Bob and Griselle for making this one so for me and José for being JOSÉ
Bejarne had this to say about Monday at Ronnie Scott's:-
"And Jose`gave all that he had
at the concert...probably the best performence I`ve ever seen. And He
played La Bamba for Anders, and The First time ever I saw Your face for
Jette, and for Me Lay Down Sally.
Alan sent me this play list from Wednesday night at Ronnie Scott's Ain’t no Sunshine,
Don’t let the sun catch you crying,
Billie Jean,
Como Fue,
Rain,
Bamboleo,
Jealous Guy,
The thrill has gone,
Soul sacrifice,
Purple Haze,
Por Ella (?),
Mystery Train,
Malaguena,
Don’t think twice ( in the voices of Bob Dylan, Walter Brennan, & Louis Armstrong)
I faced the music,
Califonia dreamin’
Light my fire,
She’s in my blood,
You’re beautiful.
