Cesare Cremonini: David Bowie’s pianist in the new single

There is a special guest in Cesare Cremonini’s new single, “Ragazze facile”, out next Friday. Actually, two. One is Mike Garson, known to most for having been David Bowie’s trusted pianist at the beginning of the 1970s: born in 1945, Garson was enlisted by the late White Duke in 1972 for the “Ziggy Stardust” tour and contributed to the genesis of “Aladdin Sane”, the song that gave the title to the British rock star’s 1973 album of the same name. The other is an exceptional chorister, whose name is not credited alongside that of Cremonini as official “featuring”: it is Elisa.

“Ragazze facile” is the fifth extract from “Alaska Baby”, the latest album of unreleased songs by the Bolognese singer-songwriter, after “Ora che non hopiù te”, “San Luca”, “Nonostante tutto” and the title track “Alaska Baby”. The song was recorded by Cremonini in London in March 2024 at Mark Knopfler’s British Grove Studios in London, where the singer-songwriter also shot the video clip, also out this Friday, directed by Greg Williams.

Regarding the collaboration with Mike Garson, who also plays in “Dark Room” in “Alaska Baby”, Cremonini said: “There must be a danger, an adventure in making a record, especially in a moment like this in which technology allows the entire creative process to be speeded up. The meeting between great artistic personalities, different cultures and sensibilities that have built the world allows me to challenge the present. Mike is capable of taking music into mysterious and fascinating territories with his talent.”

Garson’s contribution to “Aladdin Sane” remains among the highlights of his collaboration with Bowie. Recounting the genesis of the piece, the pianist, who came from the world of the avant-garde, revealed:

There were only two chords, an A and a G, and the band played very simple English rock and roll. And Bowie said, “Play a solo on this.” I had just met him, so I played a blues solo, but then he said, “No, that’s not what I want.” And then I played a Latin solo. Again, Bowie said, “No, no, that’s not what I want.” Then he continued: “You told me you play that avant-garde music. Play that stuff!” And I said, “Are you sure? Because you might never work again!” So I did the solo that everyone knows today, in just one take. And to this day I still get emails about it. Everyday. I always tell people that Bowie is the best producer I’ve ever met, because he let me do what I want.

“Ragazze facile”, in addition to being present in “Alaska Baby”, is also included in its live version in the live album “Cremonini Live 25”, just released (Rockol’s review here). It will not be missing from the lineups of the four shows that will see the former Lunapop perform in Rome, Florence, Milan and Imola in the summer of 2026.