A mix of musical experiences, between electronic and folk through Irish ballads, tarantellas, pizzicas: this is the path that the Neapolitan artist Mario Fasciano proposed yesterday evening at the Donnaregina museum complex.
The concert 'Ballate d'oltremare' by Neapolitan musician Mario Fasciano at the Diocesan Museum of Naples was a public success and much appreciated.
It was also the occasion to launch the album with the same title, coming out before Christmas. The 71-year-old musician and singer, with half a century of rock behind him with projects that have often involved international artists, measures himself with Irish ballads steeped in eighteenth-century Neapolitan language.
“It is a continuous research – he explains – to try new ways of communicating through music and using different instruments”. The tour and the album “Ballate d'oltremare” represent a small turning point in Mario Fasciano's career. A folk-oriented sound for the composer and drummer with a series of songs written in tandem with lyricists such as Patrizio Trampetti and Vincenzo Incenzo.
The new piece of Fasciano's musical mosaic fits into a different key with the use of electronic keyboards and guitars. The live appointment on November 3 (directed by Fabio Mazzeo), sees Fasciano accompanied by a band with Gianni Aquilino on keyboards and sequencer, a musician who has played alongside Giorgia and Charlie Cannon of the Platters, as well as being a fulcrum of many Rai orchestras, and Roberto Valle, guitarist already with Eugenio Finardi, Angelo Branduardi and Ornella Vanoni.
The concert saw the presence of Patrizio Trampetti in three songs: “Che sogno sarà”, the classic “Un giorno credi” and a 500th century villanella, “Madonna tu mi fai”, one of the milestones of the Nccp repertoire, performed alone with acoustic guitar.
The Fasciano concert setlist includes some songs from the new album, such as “Il sogno di Pa”, dedicated to Pier Paolo Pasolini, or “Eterna tarantella”, a song divided into sections that jumps from prog to tarantella, passing through folk.
Then songs from previous albums such as “Solo goccia” with lyrics by Francesco Di Giacomo taken from “Stella bianca” (album recorded in duo with Rick Wakeman), “Ariel” with lyrics by Enzo Moscato, “Tarantella a dispietto”, or “Scorpione” taken from “Amicale”, an album from the early days with Irio De Paola. Roberto Valle will perform two songs for guitar only, including the famous “Mood for a day” by Steve Howe of Yes.
On stage a choreography of dancers (ticket price 12 euros, half will go to charity). The album will be released in December in vinyl format and in “liquid” format, a single package with a pen for digital listening. The album features Rob Townsend and Roger King of the Steve Hackett Band, Steve Morse (Deep Purple), Charlie Cannon (Platters), Tim Cainsfield, (Steve Winwood and Bee Gees), and Jonathan Noyce, (Jethro Tull).
“Ballads of Overseas” was recorded in London, at Roger King's studios where David Gilmour of Pink Floyd also recorded, and at the Forum Studio in Rome.
Article published on November 4, 2023 - 16:23
