adminArts Correspondent
INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed jazz outfit Piero Delle Monache Quartet will tonight light up the October World Music Festival at the Italian Club in the capital. The group comes to Zimbabwe for the first time courtesy of the Italian Embassy in Harare. Piero Delle Monache, who is the leader of the group, is an accomplished saxophonist, composer, artistic director and teacher from Abruzzi, Italy.
Piero performs contemporary international jazz that is a blend of classical jazz and his own strikingly melodic personal style.
The Italian Club performance is part of the group’s African tour whose itinerary includes South Africa and Ethiopia. His set tonight will feature original compositions from his latest project entitled “Thunupa”.
Piero has toured extensively worldwide and he has played at prestigious clubs and festivals. These include Pescara Jazz, Young Jazz in Town, Umbria Jazz, Odio L’estate, Moody Jazz Café, Cantina Bentivoglio, Sound Jazz Club in Brussels and Jacques Pelzer in Liege.
The jazz master leads a dynamic quartet that comprises acclaimed musicians Giovanni Ceccarelli (piano), Tito Mangialajo Rantzer (double bass) and Alessandro Marzi (drums).
He has also collaborated with internationally esteemed musicians such as Flavio Boltro (a major exponent of international contemporary jazz) and Francesco Bearzatti, who was recently nominated best European musician.
Performing alongside the Piero Delle Monache Quartet is Zimboita, an extraordinary music collaboration project that brings together the talents of Zimbabwean drummer Blessing Chimanga in a unique artistic partnership with Italian musicians Max Covini and Matteo Boldini.
Speaking on the festival in an interview recently, Italian Ambassador Stefano Moscatelli said: “The focus of the October World Music Festival is to promote the freedom of creative expression and cultural diversity.
“This will enhance cultural exchange amongst artistes and audiences while creating new platforms for further artistic opportunities.”
Zimboita symbolises the realisation of this vision as the group combines traditional influences and folk music from the two countries to create a fresh new sound that transcends cultural boundaries. The celebrated project has extensively toured Italy and Zimbabwe over the past two years.
A part of the Italian Embassy’s culture exchange programme, the festival showcases the very best of local, regional and international arts and culture. It focuses on creating new platforms for artistic collaborations, interaction and cross-fertilisation of creative ideas.
The music festival also facilitates the development of innovative styles and among artistes who dare to break barriers to create fresh artistic products.
Meikles Hotel, FBC Bank, Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust, Freight World, Mediterranean Shipping Company, Pamberi Trust, Ethiopian Airlines, Progressive Insurance Brokers, Sontine Travel, Societa’ Dante Alighieri and the Italian Club are some of the organisations whose sponsorship made this year’s edition of the festival possible.
Online Reporter