Late summer ’19 has seen KING SIZE SLIM perform a number of exclusive private parties, a ‘breakfast’ session on board a pleasure craft in Bournemouth harbour and a bizarre session in a converted storm drain in deepest Sussex. Recording , mixing and mastering continues for an imminent release of new material to coincide with the upcoming KING SIZE SLIM 2nd Sundays Autumn residency at the much lauded Albion in Old Town Hastings.
Una autèntica guitarra Jacobi del 1943?
Back in February ’17 Toby Barelli visited Catalonia residing for a few days in the ancient Gracia part of the City. Hidden amongst the alleyways, piazzas and lanes of this most ancient annex Toby found a guitar store , in the back of the store sat a beautiful but peculiar Manouche style arch-top guitar, something about the instrument called to Toby and he ‘couldn’t leave it there’.
The Guitar was hand-built in 1943 by the 26 year old Jose Jacopi, just a few months before he won the Concurso Provincial de Artesanía establishing himself a fine reputation as an instrument builder. Later in his life Jacopi became world renowned for his Argentinian style Flamenco guitars, some of which now sell for 10s of thousands of Dollars. This example however represents the young Jacopi’ experimentation with Steel-strung Jazz guitars, there never were many of these, and this is the only known example, its marked number 13. Its had a chequered history since the mid- forties, abandoned by Jacopi in Barcelona as he escaped Francos’ Spain for Argentina , stored in damp cellar in Gracia,forgotten and then found and rebuilt quite poorly.
Nearing the end of a full restoration with Luthier Nigel Martin of Truenotes music ,a genuine excitement builds in the KSS camp to see and hear this genuine piece of history restored to it former glory.
The Sun is over the yard Arm!
Heres a some footage of Toby Barelli and interviewer Nick Bloomfield imbibing a cheeky early beer with some chat and a song entitled ‘ A Gracia ‘ inspired by the political troubles in Catalonia and particularly in Gracia de Barcelona
https://youtu.be/C0sw_IHip10
