Jazz

The other day I claimed that Rome is the most beautiful city in the world. This is what most Romans will tell you, anyway. I haven't been to every city in the world, of course, but I can confidently agree that, yes, Rome is the most beautiful city in the world.

It would take more than a blog post to explain why. Let this be Exhibit A.

The "Casa del Jazz" is a music venue created by the mayor (click here for an explanation in English), located near the Porta Ardeatina (Ardeatine Gate). On Sunday I went to see the Adam Kohler/John Abercrombie quartet. Great great stuff that I won't even try to describe. (You caught me, I'm not good a writing about music...)

And what awaits us after the show? A wonderful walk along an old Roman wall, right outside the Casa del Jazz (to see the walls in daylight, click here).

What does jazz have to do with old Roman walls? Well, nothing I suppose, aside from beauty, but it's just this type of contrast, this every-where-you-go-there's-beauty feeling, this every-where-you-turn-a-different-era-is-represented, that makes Rome a place of magic. But it's open, not closed in, so there's no Stendahl syndrome to be afraid of.

Or maybe we can say that Rome is like Jazz because it improvises on the past without destroying it, evoking soul and beauty.