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Interview with Pietro Carbognani (Vinilemania.net)
many thanks to GIOVANNA PAONE for the translation
If the future of communication is on the Web, as it seems to be, it’s time to pay attention to the activities of broadcasting stations that transmit news, videos and above all music. Often more accurately than they do in the “normal” channels of traditional mass media. According to who writes, this is due to greater freedom of information because the users of the Internet - in search of both liberty of expression and creativity- strongly limit the influential political groups and centres of power exerted over them at this time. And so breaks out of those rules usually imposed on the traditional medium and for whom forms part of this. In this new outline, in an interesting way, Web Radio seems to answer the desire of “conversation” that careful-and-not listeners have been waiting for a long time. In addition to the offer of the thematic programmes, Web Radios often allow an immediate interaction with who takes care of sections and play lists, through chat or mail. This is the case of Vinilemania, a polyhydric broadcasting station listened to, and appreciated (as statistics reveal!), in five continents. Pietro Carbognani inaugurated this channel some time ago and has realised some great results. Latin Music, Jazz, Caribbean rhythms, videos, reviews, detailed information about hundreds of CDs, thousands of online musical excerpts, the chance for fans to receive quick and congruent answers to their questions. I have been collaborating with this site for more than a year. I currently occupy myself with Jazz in the “Nightjazzin’” section and I have been taking care of the programme named “Jazzflyin’”, sincerely speaking, much to my satisfaction, both on a human and business relationship level between Pietro and I, and for the active answers on behalf of listeners. But, let’s go and talk to him.
FC. How did the idea of Vinilemania come about?PC. It came around by chance five years ago, together with my passion for Salsa, a musical movement (as surely you know) that lived its magic moment in the United States from the mid 60s to the end of 70s.I began reading, inquiring about, and studying the history of music and naturally buying music. In that period (just five years ago) there was not much available on CD. So I began buying old vinyl from some DJ’s and various other fans. In little time I stored up and listened to more than 300 of these ones… a little collection I wanted to show and share among friends.Well, I can say Vinilemania comes into being an amateur site in order to help the exchange and the purchase of old vinyl among collectors.
FC. When did you realise that the right moment had arrived to tempt the experience of Web Radio? PC. I have tried listening to many Latin stations around the world but none of these were able to satisfy my musical tastes… so I said to myself: “Why don’t I create a personal station in order to listen to during my working-pauses or when I am at home?”. I had a look at what the market presented: the costs were acceptable and I launched out. I began digitalising music from my old vinyl but that was a system which was too long and complex. So I started buying CDs in order to transmit them. Vinilemania turned into Radiovinilemania about two years ago.
FC. What do you think of the future of the music on the Web?PC. It’s not easy to forecast because my experience in this market only consists in the capacity of a management amateur Web Radio station (not-for-profit). The only thing I can say is that the music on the Web is a real revolution for the Musical Word. Every day Radiovinilemania station is listened to in five continents (I’m saying this without advertising!), which can make us realise the potentiality of this instrument.
FC. How do you organise your work?PC. I have to make a preliminary statement. I am an administrative official for a Private Hospital. The radio station and the website are only my hobbies to which I dedicate many hours of my spare time, with great pleasure. So, now I’ll tell you about my “standard-day”. I get up at 6 am - an hour earlier than usual - in order to have a look and answer mails; from 8 am until 5 pm I am at work. When I come back home, I sit down in front of my computer till supper time. During the week end I have more spare time and calmly I can listen to new CDs arriving at the radio…the most pleasant thing of this adventure!
FC. What type of listeners do you think of when you organise the schedules?PC. Do you want the truth? When I select the music I want to broadcast it, I do it only following my musical taste. Often I receive requests from artists who ask me to play a certain song rather than another but, rarely I satisfy them if the song is not to my taste.
FC. Sure! This is worth for me and the other journalists or reviewers who animate Vinilemania… Why “Latin Jazz”? PC. Because it is the genre I love most. During the last five years I have had the opportunity to listen to so many genres… I realised my musical taste is oriented towards this direction – a direction maybe not so well-known and made aware of in Italy -, a generous sound of emotions… as I can say, a sound made by the charm of Jazz and with a pinch of “sabor”!
FC. Ok, I’ll let you off…only because I hold you in high esteem! So, let’s talk about programmes Vinilemania suggests… PC. Vinilemania has got three Latin channels (Latin Jazz, Salsa, Cuban traditional) and four channels reserved to Jazz (International, Italian, Smooth, Vocal) that in the best way represent and satisfy the demands of the visitors to my site.
FC. What are your plans for the future? PC. Surely continuing this way, trying to improve musical quality, and to enrich the content of my site. But I don’t make short or long-term plans, as a rule. I prefer living daily, letting events guide me. I have several ideas in mind but I have to verify many things before I can anticipate anything.
FC. What is the “strong point” of Vinilemania? PC. It’s the combination of a site of musical information combined with a web radio. Around the Web there are so many sites which are rich in information and there are so many interesting web radios still the combination of these two aspects –musical information and web radio- can only be found on Vinilemania. Each page contains the soul of the musician and much research work I (we) conduct. I like knowing all or almost all about the artists I present on the radio. I think Vinilemania is an instrument of musical broadcasting and promotion, one of a kind in the world.
FC. Why this name? PC. Who doesn’t know the hot sound deriving from the groove on an old vinyl, he or she will never be able to understand why those old musical supports are still in vogue - after almost thirty years from the arrival of digital music. Who loves music loves original music and, in my opinion, vinyl represents and supports this concept in the best way.
FC. So, wish us “Good Luck” and let’s hope to carry on like this! PC. ¡Qué viva la música!
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