Thank you everybody for the warm welcome!
Eric Garland said:
I have a question: With the emergence of Dario Deidda and Federico Malaman into the pantheon of bass gods, Italia seems to be getting on the map musically these days.
How long have the been stars in your country? And who else do you think could come out of the Italian scene to rock the bass world?
Eric, I'm a late comer to the bass world, so I'm not so well informed about today's panorama. However, both Deidda and Malaman have been well known tour musicians for many years, but have become popular in the latest years. Malaman has been in a TV orchestra (Paolo Belli), and this gave him public recognition. Deidda, who has played with notable jazz musicians for years, has become popular to a wider audience after playing with Tullio de Piscopo and appearing in some TV shows. (I'm proud to have hosted his jazz trio in my theatre, a few years ago).
Also popular bassists are Faso, of the band Elio e le Storie Tese, and Saturnino Farambola, player and composer for the pop celebrity Jovanotti (alias Lorenzo Cherubini). Still in the underground, because less 'pop', I would point your attention towards Maurizio Rolli, Pippo Matino and Dino Fiorenza.
There has been a wide and diffuse underground scene in Italy, with a great love for bass. Ares Tavolazzi is still playing around. Unfortunately, laws preventing public performances to 'non-professional' musicians, high tax to music clubs, and a weak music industry, has made the recent scene much poorer.
... Lake Como! It's so beautiful there that sometimes I daydream about selling everything we own and living in Northern Italia!)
47th Street, Milano has a very lively music scene. If you land to Italy, that might be a nice place to continue playing. Como is more calm, but very near to Milano.
Paolo
