Manduria, Karima apre Acustica 2025 al Museo del Primitivo

"Wonderful, as soft as the folds of velvet, as clear as a Bohemian crystal, as powerful as a rumble of thunder, as passionate as the boldest of kisses, as delicate as a mother's caress, as warm as an unexpected yet heartfelt embrace." This is how the specialized portal "All Music Italia" describes the voice of Karima, the refined Italian-Algerian singer who will be in Manduria at the Museo della Civiltà del Vino Primitivo on Saturday, March 15, for the first seasonal date of Acustica | Pure Emotions, a music festival now in its ninth edition, under the artistic direction of Salvatore Moscogiuri for Artilibrio and the organizational partnership of Produttori di Manduria.

The performer, who placed third at Sanremo 2009 with the song "Come in ogni ora", will bring to the Messapian city her personal artistic journey, gathered and told in the concert entitled "Lifetime". A musical journey that moves through soul, jazz, blues, and refined pop, with Whitney Houston as her muse and Burt Bacharach as her guiding thread.

It is to Bacharach—who wrote hits for many music legends—that Karima owes the production of the first of her five albums, as well as the honor of being the only Italian female performer for whom the author of "I Say a Little Prayer" wrote songs. And in "Lifetime", his presence is felt, especially through the songs once performed by Dionne Warwick, alternating with those of Billie Holiday, Lou Reed, and the Beatles. The journey continues through the works of Italian artists such as Pino Daniele and Umberto Bindi—almost a preview of Karima’s upcoming album, Karima "Canta Autori", set for release in May and dedicated to Italian music. The entire program delivers thrilling renditions, further enriched by the jazz piano interpretation of Piero Frassi, who will be on stage alongside the Livorno-born singer.

Already the vocal soul of TV shows such as "Crozza Alive", "Pintus@Arena", and "I migliori anni", as well as the voice behind the Italian soundtrack of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, Karima was the lead actress in the 2017 musical "The Bodyguard", playing Rachel—the role made famous by Whitney Houston in the film of the same name. She had previously opened for Houston during the Italian leg of her 2010 world tour.

Under the banner of Umbria Jazz, Karima has also represented Italy at several international festivals, achieving significant success, particularly in China, where she performed at the prestigious Beijing Opera House.

Among her notable jazz collaborations are those with Dado Moroni, Riccardo Fioravanti, and Stefano Bagnoli. Equally explosive was her collaboration with Funkoff, Italy’s most famous street band, with whom she set the Blue Note in Milan on fire.

On the Acustica stage, Karima will be accompanied by the sophisticated piano artistry of Piero Frassi. A graduate in piano and jazz, the Lucca-born musician boasts extensive live and studio experience, including collaborations with Lee Konitz, Stefano Bollani, Tullio De Piscopo, Ares Tavolazzi, and Massimo Moriconi.

The concert on March 15, with free admission, will begin at 8:00 PM. The entrance doors will open at 7:45 PM.
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