Technical requirements
BANDITALIANA in quartet
AUDIO REQUIREMENTS 2014
P.A.: a professional, high quality system, (EV series x array, xi, xlc, x-line; D&B; Meyer; Nexò; Vdosc,
d-V-Dosc..) according to the room size; should be actively crossovered ( 3 or 4 ways ) and
powered by matched, high quality amps .
Should be flown where possible; if not, stacked on risers out of stage. The system should be in
Stereo configuration; an indipendent output to feed the subs should be provided where possible; balcony,
frontfill and delayline speakers should be installed where necessary and precisely delayed.
F.O.H. MIXING DESK: high quality 24 inputs + stereo fx returns, 6 aux sends pre-post, 4 band eq fully
parametric (or with semiparametric mid + 2 shelving), adjustable lo cut, VCA groups (Crest century VX,
V12; Midas H.. ; Soundcraft five….). We prefere an anologue consolle; digital consolle only where monitors
are driven by a separate mon desk. NO 01, 03, Beheringer digital. F.O.H. position should be centrally located
– if possible not under balcony – no behind a window! Provide a talkback mic to stage monitors.
F.O.H. OUTBOARDS: 1 high quality 31 band graphic eq; 3 fx units (Spx 990, PCM 70, 80, 90…);
6 channels high quality compression ( Dbx, Bss, Drawmer…); 1 cd player.
Line delays and separate equalizers where front fill, delays and balconies are installed.
MONITORING: high quality 24 inputs, 4 band eq fully parametric or semiparametrics mid + 2 shelving,
adjustable lo cut. 2 channels of compression, 1 FX unit, 4 indipendent mixes available, 4 high quality 31
bands graphic eq inserted in outputs, 5 small sized, lo profile wedges, (5 on stage and 1 at monitor mixer
position) with 12” woofer (or Nexò PS 10), powered by high quality matched amps.
Where a monitor mixer is provided, an experienced monitor engineer should be available during stage set up,
sound check and show.
Where a monitor mix is not provided, f.o.h. desk must be capable of 4 equalized pre aux sends (monitors)
and 4 post aux sends (fx)
MICROPHONES / D.I.: check input list; this is the main choice; equivalent mics are acceptable.
STAGE: minimum 8×6 (meters) available for the band. Must be safely reachable. No unnecessary objects
should be on stage. We need 2 armless chairs .
SOUND CHECK: At least 1 hour and 15’
ch n. |
input |
mic/d.i. |
stand |
Insert |
Notes |
|
1 |
Kick low |
Beta91/SM57 |
no |
Comp |
Artigianal wood kick |
|
2 |
Kick High |
Beta91/SM57 |
no |
|
Artigianal wood kick |
|
3 |
Kalimba |
Countryman/AKG c519 |
clip |
Comp |
|
|
4 |
Darbuka |
EV408/SM57 |
Small |
|
|
|
5 |
Tom |
EV408/beta56 |
Small |
|
|
|
6 |
Djembè |
EV408/SM58 |
Tall |
|
|
|
7 |
Tabla |
Akc c414/EV408 |
Small |
comp |
|
|
8 |
Cajon rear |
Beta91/Sennh.421 |
Small |
Cajon rear |
|
|
9 |
O.H. |
Shure SM 81/cond |
Tall |
|
|
|
10 |
O.H. |
Shure SM 81/cond |
tall |
|
|
|
11 |
“Dupont” gtr |
Active d.i. box |
|
|
|
|
12 |
“Godin”gtr |
Active d.i. box |
|
|
|
|
13 |
Organetto r.hand |
Shure beta57/beyerd TG201 |
Small |
comp |
|
|
14 |
Organetto lo |
Xlr + 48 v. |
clip |
Mic provided by musician |
||
15 |
Sax soprano |
Xlr + 48 v. |
clip |
Mic provided by musician |
||
16 |
Sax alto |
Xlr + 48 v. |
clip |
Mic provided by musician |
||
17 |
Sax baritono |
Xlr *220 volt |
radio |
Mic provided by musician |
||
18 |
G.Biolcati vocal |
SM 58/Beta58a |
Tall |
Comp |
2th voice |
|
19 |
M.Geri vocal |
SM 58/Beta58a |
tall |
Comp |
Lead vocal |
|
20 |
R.Tesi vocal |
SM 58/Beta58a |
tall |
|
annoncement |
|
21 |
C.Carboni vocal |
SM 58/Beta58a |
Tall |
annoncement |
||
More informations about this technical rider:
Claudio Carboni +393356619638 info@claudiocarboni.com.com
STAGE PLAN
BACK LINE
1 Drumset with Cymbal Set, Hardware, Drumthrone, Carpet
1 Cajon
1 Djembe with Stand
1 Darbuka
1 Bariton sax (professional)
Riccardo Tesi
Riccardo Tesi myspace
A composer, an instrumentalist and a researcher; these are the aspects of the complex and multifaceted musical personality of Riccardo Tesi, a true pioneer of ethnic music in Italy.
From his debut in 1978 alongside Caterina Bueno, strongly rooted in the folk tradition, to his present-day partnerships, the musical curriculum of Tesi, born in Pistoia is characterized by a precious continuity based on eager passion and curiosity that have led him to compare his Tuscan heritage to the Italian, Basque, English, French and Madagascar traditions, as well as to jazz, liscio (Italian popular dance music) and songwriting.
His instrument, the diatonic accordion (melodeon), is an example of perfect symbiosis with his conception of memory. For the first time in Italy, he even dedicated a whole record to this instrument, a forerunner of the accordion, entitled “Il ballo della lepre” (1981).
What is amazing about Tesi is his easily recognizable style, through which he allows his accordion to speak both an archaic and modern language, widening the vocabulary and the technique of an instrument which has long been preserved as part of a traditional heritage.
A “brilliantly outdated” choice that places Tesi, thanks to his lyricism and virtuosity among those who at all latitudes, have restored dignity to the accordion and its affinities.
His musical experience with Sardinian-Tuscan group Ritmia, his duo with Patrick Vaillant, the Occitan song show “Anita, Anita” with Vaillant e Jean Marie Carlotti, the diatonic accordion trio, Trans Europe Diatonique with John Kirkpatrick, Marc Perrone, Kepa Junkera, the jazz trio with Nicois mandolin player, Gianluigi Trovesi, have broadened his geographic borders and musical frontiers as well as other highly prestigious partnerships with Madagascar-born Justin Valì, with Sardinian singer Elena Ledda, with Umbrian singer Lucilla Galeazzi, with the Sicilian group Dounia, with Portuguese Amelia Muge, the Sicilian Rita Botto, the harp player Vincenzo Zitello, clarinetist Gabriele Mirabassi, the tambourine players Carlo Rizzo and Alfio Antico, with pianist Rocco de Rosa, with the flutist Rao Kyao, the Portuguese guitar virtuoso Custodio Castelo, with the Neapolitan jazz of Maria Pia de Vito, with guitar player Beppe Gambetta, Reno Brandoni and Peppino D’Agostino, with the ethnic jazz of Daniele Sepe, with the humour of Banda Osiris, with artists from the rock area such as Francesco Magnelli, Ginevra di Marco (ex CSI e PGR), Piero Pelù and Skiantos, with DJ Ominostanco and the great Italian singer song-writers Ivano Fossati, Fabrizio De Andrè, Ornella Vanoni, Gianmaria Testa, Giorgio Gaber, Carmen Consoli, Carlo Muratori, Tosca, Cisco, Cristina Donà, Nada, Giua (Maria Pierantoni Giua), Peppe Voltarelli, Ermanno Giovanardi.
In 1992 he founded Banditaliana, at present rated as one of the most important groups in the international world music scene with who he has recorded a total of 6 albums, celebrating 25 years of activity.
In 2012 Riccardo Tesi created “Cameristico” where the diatonic accordion meets the classical sound of piano, clarinet and cello for a series of new compositions alongside a reinterpretation of some of the most significant pages of his repertoire.
Since 2010 he is a member of the “Samurai”, an international organ quintet with the Basque Kepa Junkera, the Finnish Markku Lepistö, the young Italian Simone Bottasso and the Irish David Munnelly with whom he has recorded two albums and played in major festivals throughout Europe.In 2014 he was responsible for the musical direction of the re-staging of the historical show BELLA CIAO on the occasion of the show’s fiftieth anniversary.
In 2018 he resumed his historic collaboration with the French mandolinist Patrick Vaillant together with the frame drum virtuoso Andrea Piccioni in the project "Capanne con vista", which on special occasions extends to a quartet with the jazz clarinetist Gianluigi Trovesi.
PRODUCTIONS
In 1996, on commission of the French Ministry of Culture and the Festival "Le Grand Soufflet", he composed the original music for "Viaggio in Italia" for an orchestra of eighty elements.
In 1997 he arranged and conducted, for the Festival Folkermesse in Vercelli, "Transitalia" with E.Ledda, L.Galeazzi, D.Sepe, C.Muratori, Tenores di Bitti etc. and directed by Moni Ovadia.
In 2001 he created, as composer in residence, the original creation "Flatus Calami" dedicated to bagpipes, for the festival of Scapoli (Isernia) documented by the homonymous CD.
In 2002 he composed the music for the opening ceremony of the Giro d'Italia in Croningen (Holland), arranged by Mirko Guerrini and performed by a band of 100 elements.
Separate chapters are the thematic works that Tesi has consecrated to the rereading of particular musical heritages: the first, in 1994, dedicated to the world of Italian dance music "Un ballo liscio" in which, with a multi-ethnic orchestra composed of folk, jazz, classical and dance musicians, proposes a "rigorous and unscrupulous" reinterpretation of the genre most mistreated of Italian music, the other in 2000, dedicated to the traditional music of the mountains of Pistoia "Acqua, foco e vento" with the partnership of Maurizio Geri and a tentet including some of the most important musicians of the Italian world scene. In 2006, together with Claudio Carboni, he produced the original production and the album "Crinali" in which he reinterpreted the traditional music of the Bolognese Apennines with a group including M. Geri, E. Bonafè and M. Fadda (Banditaliana ) and artists from other musical experiences such as Ginevra di Marco (pop-rock), Stefano and Roberto Melone (songwriter) and Nico Gori (jazz).Finally, in 2010, together with Maurizio Geri, he produced the original production and the album "Sopra i tetti di Firenze", a tribute to Caterina Bueno, singer and researcher of Tuscan folk music, but above all teacher of both musicians who, at different times, began their activities in the groups of Bueno.
In 2014 Franco Fabbri invited him to re-stage, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary, the historic show Bella Ciao that in 1964 gave rise to the Italian folk revival.
For the occasion Riccardo Tesi invites to the stage some of the most extraordinary female voices of Italian folk and beyond: Elena Ledda, Lucilla Galeazzi and Ginevra di Marco, followed by the male voice of Alessio Lega , the most important representative of social and political singing.
The instrumental accompaniment is entrusted to the guitar of Andrea Salvadori, the percussion of Gigi Biolcati and the accordion of Riccardo Tesi.
The debut takes place on June 14, 2014 at the “Camera di Lavoro” in Milan, obtaining an overwhelming success that in the following years will cross national borders with tours in the most important festivals throughout Europe.
THEATRE
In 2005 he composed the original music (performed by R.Tesi, M.Geri, D.Puliti) for the theatre show Leldorado, a project of the Compagnia del Teatro dell'Argine written by Mauro Boarelli and Nicola Bonazzi, interpreted by Micaela Casalboni, directed by Andrea Paolucci. In 2008 he composed the music for the show La fine di Shavuoth, a production of the Teatro Stabile di Bolzano directed by Cristina Pezzoli.In 2011 he set to music the children's show "for song, movement, images and objects" La Barca e la Luna, by Roberto Frabetti, staged at the Teatro Testoni in Bologna directed by Valeria Frabetti.In 2015, together with Daniele Biagini, he composed the soundtrack for Calendar Girls with Angela Finocchiaro , Laura Curino, Carlina Torta, Ariella Reggio, Matilde Facheris, Corinna Lo Castro etc., a box-office hit show touring for three years, directed by Cristina Pezzoli.
READINGS
From an idea of the writer Stefano Tassinari, he participated in the festival La parola immaginata (San Lazzaro di Savena, Bologna), playing with Banditaliana the reading of some works by writers Bruno Arpaia and Daniel Chavarria interpreted by Matteo Belli. With Gianmaria Testa and Piero Ponzo he composed the musical accompaniment for the reading of "Il racconto dell'isola sconosciuta" by Josè Saramago interpreted by Antonio Cederna, directed by Giorgio Gallione (2001, Teatro Modena in Genoa).For the review “Literary '05” in Pistoia he created the show entitled “Maledetta Benedizione”: an evening dedicated to Tiziano Terzani with the theatrical readings of Giovanni Fochi and music by Banditaliana.
PHILMOGRAPHY
In the film L’estate di Davide by Carlo Mazzacurati he played the musicComposed by Ivano Fossati; for the soundtrack of the film La Lingua del Santo (by C.Mazzacurati with F.Bentivoglio and A.Albanese) the director selected five tracks from the album "Un ballo liscio"; and for the film L'amore ritrovato (by C.Mazzacurati with S.Accorsi and M.Sansa) he composed a piece of the soundtrack and made a brief appearance in the film as a dance musician.In the same role he also appears in Michael Hoffmann's Midsummer Night's Dream (with M.Pfeiffer, K.Klein and R.Everett).In 2005 he composed the soundtrack for the film Liscio by Claudio Antonini (with L.Morante) appearing with members of his group Banditaliana.
AWARDS
*2002, The International Accordion Prize and Competition "Città di Castelfidardo", now in its 27th edition, has awarded Riccardo Tesi the "Voce d'oro" award for the activity of spreading and enhancing the image of the accordion in the international music scene. In past years the prize has been awarded to artists of the level of Richard Galliano, Astor Piazzolla, Gianni Coscia, Antonello Salis, etc..
*2004, "Gus Viseur" Award (Cité de la musique, Paris) to Riccardo Tesi as best world organist
*2004, Mantova Music Festival, first place Riccardo Tesi & Banditaliana for the best repertoire and the best interpretation in the category "Proposals of the festival".
*2004, Pistoia, "Traditions and beyond" Award to Riccardo Tesi with a presentation by Maurizio Agamennone
*2005, Premio Città di Loano per la musica tradizionale italiana awarded to Riccardo Tesi & Banditaliana's album "Lune" as best Italian album of world music
*2005, Florence, "Premio Aexequo per lo spettacolo" awarded by the Region of Tuscany to Riccardo Tesi
*2005, Florence, "Odoardo Spadaro" Award to Riccardo Tesi
*2005, Udine, Folkest, Lifetime Achievement Award "Una vita per la musica" assigned to Riccardo Tesi, first Italian artist to receive this award which has been won won in previous editions by Noa, Ian Anderson, Joan Baez, Carlos Nunez, Paddy Moloney, etc.
*2005, Forte dei Marmi, European Music Award to Riccardo Tesi & Banditaliana
*2007, Insound Award for Best Ethnic Musician
*2010, "PIMPI - Italian Independent Popular Music Award, instituted by Mei - Terra di Musiche, for the "Best ethno/folk revival production" for "Sopra i Tetti di Firenze" by R. Tesi and M. Geri
*2011, Città di Loano award for traditional Italian music awarded to the album "Sopra i tetti di Firenze" by R. Tesi and M. Geri as best album 2010
*2011, Paris, Grand Prix International du Disque de l'Academie Charles Cros awarded to the record Accordion of the Samurai group as best world music album of the year.
*2012, Belgium, Octave de la musique Award to the Samurai group.
*2013 Orpheus Award to “Cameristico” as best Italian album of World music.
*2014 City of Loano Award for Traditional Music with Maggio (Banditaliana) as best album of the year.
*2014 MEI BlogFolk Choice Award with Maggio (Banditaliana) as best album of the year.
*2015 Orpheus Award with Maggio (Bandtaliana) as best Italian album of World music.
*2018 Orpheus Award with Una vita a bottoni (Ed Squilibri) as best Italian album of World music.
ARTISTIC DIRECTION
From 2001 to 2014 he was the artistic director of the festival "Acoustic Paths" organized by the Culture Office of the Province of Pistoia, which took place in the most remote and picturesque spots of the mountains of Pistoia.In 2015, together with Claudio Carboni and Claudia Cappellini, he created the Quarrata Folk Festival, of which he is the current artistic director, which takes place in the picturesque setting of the Villa Medicea La Magia in Quarrata (Pistoia) nominated in 2013 UNESCO World Heritage Site.
PUBLICATIONS AND DIDACTICS
Since 1980 he has been teaching and researching a pedagogy suited to popular instruments and in particular to the diatonic accordion, for which he is the author, together with Roberto Tombesi, of the first Italian manual dedicated to this instrument, the method entitled "L'organetto diatonico" published by Berbèn. He is currently a permanent teacher at the Mabellini School of Music in Pistoia and also regularly holds workshops on accordion and ensemble music in Italy and abroad.In 2016 the biography written by the journalist Neri Pollastri "Riccardo Tesi: una vita a bottoni" and SQUILIBRI with an anthological CD attached was published.The photos of R.Tesi (top right) are by Alessandro Botticelli and Piero Ninfa respectively.
Main events
Port Fairy Folk festival, Brunswick Folk festival, Blue mountain folk festival (Australia)
Tokyo primavera italiana (Giappone)
Blues Fest OTTAWA (Canada)
Brosella Folk festival Bruxelles (Francia)
Musica sulle dolomiti – Belluno (Italia)
Festival de Vic (Spagna)
Pilar, Saragozza (Spagna)
Accordeon du mundo – Torres Vedra (Portogallo)
Celtic connection Glasgow (Scozia)
Nuit de l’Italie – Lione (Francia)
Controfestival Mantova (Italia)
Accordeon Gunleri – Istanbul (Turchia)
Wazemmes l’accordeon – Lille (Francia)
Sidmouth Folk festival (Inghilterra)
Hout festival (Olanda)
Folkwoods (Olanda)
Siena Citta aromatica (Italia)
Festival di Ravello (Italia)
Tradit Croningen (Olanda)
Vilanova Yla Geltru (Spagna)
Festival d’Etè QUEBEC (Canada)
Falun Folk Festival FALUN (Svezia)
Taiga Folk Festival HELSINKI (Finlandia)
Haapavesi Folk Festival HAAPAVESI (Finlandia)
Festival di Saint Chartier CHARTRE (France)
De Bouche a Oreille PARTHENAY (France)
Glatt&Verkehrt VIENNA (Austria)
Expo LISBONA (Portugal)
Urkult Folk Festival URKULT (Svezia)
Notte della Taranta SALENTO (Italia)
La Nuit du Jazz CAEN (France)
Festival “Sete Sois Sete Luas “ (Portogallo)
Mediterraneo Festival IZOLA (Slovenia)
Festival Jazz VENLO (Olanda)
Fabbrica Europa FIRENZE (Italia)
Mundus REGGIO EMILIA (Italia)
Le Grand Soufflet RENNES (France)
Festival d’Automne MAURIAC (France)
L’Europeenne PARIGI (France)
Cabaret sauvage PARIGI (France)
Festival Fisarmonica VIENNA (Austria)
Folkest SPILIMBERGO (UD) (Italia)
Printemps des bretelles STRASBOURG (France)
Festival delle Colline FIRENZE (Italia)
Itinerari Folk TRENTO (Italia)
Musicus Concentus FIRENZE (Italia)
Festival Villa Ada ROMA (Italia)
Jazz à Luz-Saint-Sauver LUZ-SAINT-SAUVER (France)
Festival Convivencia HOMPS (France)
Festival Garonne TOULOUSE (France)
Festival de Cornouailles QUIMPER (France)
Les traverséer de Tatihou ILE TATIHOU (France)
Festival “Sete Sois Sete Luas” VALENCIA (Espagne)
Les temps Chauds CHATILLON SUR SEINE (France)
Festival Internazionale della Fisarmonica CASTELFIDARDO (Italia)
Booking
ITALIA
booking & management:
Musiche Metropolitane
www.musichemetropolitane.it
info@musichemetropolitane.it
Luca Zannotti : +39 349 09 34 169
FRANCE
TROISQUATRE
6, place Camille Pelletan-33000 Bordeaux-FRANCE
e-mail info@troisquatre.com
DEUTSCHLAND – AUSTRIA – UNGHERIA – SVIZZERA
CultureWorks, Sabina Schebrak
Thaliastrasse 14/16, A-1160 Wien
Tel +43-1-4029133
mobil +43-664-5132367
e-mail: cultureworks@aon.at
ENGLAND
ADASTRA
Chriss Wade
2 Star Row, North Dalton, Driffield, East Yorkshire, England, YO25 9UX
e-mail: chris@adastra-music.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1377 217662 Fax: +44 (0)1377 217754
Gigi Biolcati
Gigi Biolcati, drums, born in 1965
Gigi Biolcati began playing drums at the age of 11. He started out playing with dance groups for seven years. Then he studied with Enrico Lucchini and for some years he played blues, funk, soul with Aida Cooper and pop music with Cristiano DeAndré. Then he did a stint with dancer Koffi Kokò from Benin, and it was here that Gigi Biolocati found his personal approach to music. He went to Africa to study music and to search for the original roots of rhythm. Thus he furthered his study of African rhythm and compared it with the European, Asian and American traditions.
Following this path helped him to clarify the relationship between the body, the unconscious and the energies of the individual. His final aim in music can be described as the basic essence of communication: control of sound, the interaction with other musicians, the trust and mutual awareness which are all necessary to recreate the power of a magic ritual of a concert.
CLAUDIO CARBONI
Requested image(s) could not be found.Photo by Alessandro Botticelli
Born in Bologna in 1966, Claudio Carboni began to study saxophone as a child and at the age of 11 he started playing in some liscio dance orchestras, acquiring great virtuoso skills along with a clean and accurate phrasing still characterising his style. After fulfilling his classical studies, he devoted himself to jazz under the guidance of Giorgio Baiocco.
In 1992 he took part in the high professional qualification courses at “Siena Jazz”, completing the third level. In the same year Riccardo Tesi called him to join Banditaliana together with Maurizio Geri and Ettore Bonafé, which would radically change his stylistic choices, making him an established ethnic music saxophonist.
In a few years Banditaliana reached the top in the field of the European world music, gaining wide recognition while touring Europe and North America and by taking part in the most important festivals, such as Parthenay, Lisbon Expo 98, Clusone, Cornwall, Saint Chartier, Folkest, Festival d’eté de Québec and so on. Moreover, Carboni has contributed to several musical projects ranging from the reworking of the folk tradition to appealing Mediterranean atmospheres and remarkable jazz influences.
Some of the most impacting projects are:
Un ballo liscio by Riccardo Tesi featuring: Gabriele Mirabassi, Mauro Grossi, Piero Leveratto, Patrick Vaillant ecc. Thanks to his knowledge of liscio dance, Carboni had a fundamental role in this project, reflecting echoes of liscio dance and ethno-jazz sounds in a sort of prysm.
Transitalia directed by Moni Ovadia, conducted by R.Tesi,gathering the most important world musicians in Italy: Carlo Muratori, Tenores di Bitti, Claudio Fossati, Elena Ledda, Lucilla Galeazzi, Dodi Moscati, Daniele Sepe and others.
Acqua, foco e vento directed by Angelo Savelli, conducted by Riccardo tesi and Maurizio Geri with the contribution of Nando Citarella, Mauro Palmas, Damiano Puliti, Valerio Perla, Daniele Mencarelli, Anna Granata and Devis Longo.
Crinali by C.Carboni and R.Tesi (the authors) with the muscians Ginevra di Marco, Maurizio Geri, Stefano Melone, Nico Gori, Marco Fadda, Nico Gori, Roberto Melone, Ettore Bonafé.
Carboni is also collaborating with Brazilian songwriter Edinho Queiroz and Italian songwriter Marco Natali. He has directed the Giuseppe Verdi Band of Riola, near Bologna, since 1996, and is regularly teaching in several music schools. He is planning a reworking and composition project based on the music of the Tuscany and Emilia Apennines, together with Luca Troiani, Elide and Michele Melchioni from Riola.
MAURIZIO GERI
The first experience of guitarist and singer Maurizio Geri was related to the revival of the folk tradition from the Pistoia Apennines. In the early Eighties, during the “Cantar Maggio” festival, organized by the Town Council of San Marcello Pistoiese, Maurizio had the opportunity to meet three musicians who would decidedly mark his development as an artist: Caterina Bueno, Alberto Balia and Riccardo Tesi.
Maurizio played together with Caterina for about ten years, initially adopting concertina and then going back to guitar, his first love. Caterina’s repertoire was so extended, as well as were her knowledge of the whole national tradition and her personality as an artist. Among her collaborators was Alberto Balia, a greatly talented Sardinian guitarist.
Thanks to him Maurizio systematically resumed his guitar studies, getting more familiar with those techniques that would bring him to forge his present guitar style.
The Nurages trio, including Mimmo Epifani (a mandolin player from Puglia who later on collaborated with Eugenio Bennato), was formed at that time. After that group split up, the Maurizio Geri Swingtet came to life, drawing inspiration from the French Gipsy tradition (manouche) in order to revive the work of some Italian composers and offer original compositions. In this respect, it was the only Italian group featured in the prestigious “Django Reinhardt” jazz festival of Samois in June 2002. The group has released two Cds, namely Manouche e dintorni (Felmay, 1997) and A cielo aperto (Visage, 2001).
It was of utmost importance for Geri to meet concertina player Riccardo Tesi, who founded the Banditaliana quartet in 1994. This group, featuring Ettore Bonafé on percussion and vibraphone, and Claudio Carboni on saxophones, urged Geri to undertake a research on timbres and adopt new musical solutions halfway between tradition and experimentation, which is peculiar to Tesi’s personality. As a result, several recordings followed: “Un ballo liscio” (Silex, 1997), “Banditaliana (Il Manifesto, 1998), “Thapsos” (Il Manifesto, 2001) and the latest work on Tuscan traditional music, “Acqua, foco e vento”, co-arranged by Geri.
Geri has worked with several musicians from different stylistic areas, such as Nick Becattini, Mauro Palmas, Luca Di Volo and Daniele Sepe, playing at numerous festivals all over Europe. His guitar style merges elements drawn from the Mediterranean folk tradition with the swing-manouche improvisation.
Matteo
Magni | Studio ELIOCAPECCHI