Andrea Marchesini |
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Andrea Marchesini
(Italy)
[ website ]
Andrea Marchesini (Alassio, SV, august 5 - 1960) has nourished
his passion for music in Italy from 1974 to the early 80s listening to great records (LPs!), playing with local
musicians, and growing as a self-tought drummer. After a short time spent at Piccolo Conservatorio Nuova Milano
Musica (1983, with drummer Paolo Pellegatti), and been pushed by great drummers Andrew Cirylle and Tommy Campbell
(who stopped at his hometown for a Jazz Festival) and having red so much about the "New York" Scene on
"Modern Drummer" magazine, Andrea decides to leave for the States (1984) and be a (tiny) part of it.
In 4 intense years he gets a lot of work done: studies part time at Drummer's Collective with Kenwood Dennard (Sting,
Brand X, Manhattan Transfer), Kim Plainfield (Jean Luc Ponty, Tania Maria, Pointer Sisters), Robbie Gonzales (Al
Di Meola, Dave Valentin), Frankie Malabe (Jaco Pastorius, Bob Mintzer), plays in many different styles and settings
and works with dozens of bands in rock dives (CBGB's, Bitter End, Kenny's Castaways, The Dive, Kamikaze, The World;
with Grey Zone, Quinn & The Eskimos with Even Steven, Round Trip, Gennaro, S'go), jazz clubs (Mikell's, Village
Gate, Visiones, 55 Bar, Under Acme; with Microburst, Chris Joannou Quartet), theaters (La Mama, Limbo Lounge, Lincoln
Center Arena, Inroads; with Steven Antonelli e Perkin Barnes), radio (WKCR-FM) and TV shows. He goes on a european
tour (London and Paris) with Red House, an Off-Off Broadway theater piece by John Jesurun (with Steve Buscemi as
the main actor); works on demos, jingles, records, in many different recording studios (Sorcerer, New Breed, Noise
NY, Big Apple, Secret Sound, Lion's Den, Tom Anthony's Music House).
Many of his hopes are thrown into the pop-rock group Robert Secret, but after a few record-deal misses he plays
his jazz-fusion card: Andrea leads Minus One and plays his original compositions in New Jersey, Massachussets,
Pennsylvania, and NY State clubs.
In '88 the project ends on tape: Back To Europe (Album: Teldeck-Day Eight Music 1989; CD Nowo-New Sound Planet
1990) is released worldwide, with the participation of Hiram Bullock, Jonas Hellborg, Mike Stern, Gerardo Velez
(Spyro Gyra), and the great sounds of his long-time friends.
Record company problems and personal matters led him to a long pause, after having given a try to Germany (a rock
EP with All Tigers Bite) and once again New York in 1990 (latin-fusion concerts with Matt Balitsaris's and Billy
Martin's Loose Shoes; vocals sessions on a new age with Mino Cinelu; a second "solo" project).
Seven years (!) of silence end up with a phone call by italian local cover band Groove Machine (may '97): he remains
with'em until late '98, playing more than 60 high-energy gigs (often to a click track and doing lots of vocals
work) and also backing Luca e Paolo, two important italian comedians.
In '99 Andrea starts Ben's Pizza, acid funk & fusion quartet with Enrico Pinna (guitar), Gianni Serino (bass),
and Luca Giuffrida (percussion), and collaborates with guitar-wizard Alessio Menconi (Paolo Conte band) of
Genova.
Since 2000 he has worked actively with Latin Over ("low volume" latin-jazz trio with Sergio Barletta
on bass and Marco Moro on flute), and with the cover band DOC-G with guitarist-singer Mauro Vero. Among his other
recent experiences: jazz concerts in 2001-2002 with Alessandro Collina (piano) and Simone Monnanni (double bass)
in trio-quartet-quintet, some concerts with his own "brasilian - combo" called Porto Alegre (lead singing
but performing also with special guests like Barbara Raimondi), dozens of "unplugged" gigs with Quello
in Mezzo (Pippo Di Noto). Andrea has also worked with Antonio Faraò, Claudio Capurro, Stefano Guazzo, Bob
Bonisolo, Luca Pasqua, Stefano Calcagno, and played in session with Jaco Pastorius, Jonas Hellborg, Riccardo Zegna,
Dado Moroni. Since 1999 he teaches privately and has collaborated with Schola Musicae Don Bosco in Alassio - Italy.
NEWS 2002: The Alessio Menconi Rock-Blues Trio is back and playing gigs all over northern Italy, and again since
2002 Andrea teaches drumming at Pàntà Musicà of Imperia and at Ottorino Respighi School of
Sanremo. At the end of 2002 Andrea has put his thoughts together and "opened" a latin - bebop - hardbop
laboratory throwing all his experience in it and making it his most ambitious project: the Andrea Marchesini's
JAZZ POT is here.
Stay tuned! |
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