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 "the scene".
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, Jaco Pastorius),
Kim Plainfield (Jean Luc Ponty, Tania Maria, Pointer Sisters),
Robbie Gonzales (Al Di Meola, Dave Valentin),
Frankie Malabe (Word of Mouth Big Band, Bob Mintzer),
Steve Gadd (no need for "names"...),
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 partecipation 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 major 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 & samplers 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,
V. Selvaganesh,
Andrea Pozza,
and played in session with
Jaco Pastorius, Jonas Hellborg, Riccardo Zegna, Dado Moroni, Flavio Boltro, and Pippo Matino.
Since 1999 he teaches privately and has collaborated with Schola Musicae Don Bosco in Alassio - Italy.
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, at
Ottorino Respighi
School of Sanremo, and at
Ars Nova school in Albenga.
At the end of 2002 Andrea has put his thoughts together and "opened" a latin - bebop - hardbop
laboratory throwing all his experience in an ambitious project: the
Andrea Marchesini's JAZZ POT is here. Stay tuned!
2003: Andrea has completed a 3 week tour of
India
(Kolkata - Shillong - Aizawl - Delhi) with two of the greatest musicians on the planet:
Jonas Hellborg and
Shawn Lane.
Also completed in march - april - may: "
Jimi Hendrix Tribute" in concert in
northern Italy with
Alessio Menconi;
then a new collaboration with
CONGA BRAVA
latin-jazz sextet playing local clubs and festivals.
2004: New tour of India (8 concerts in the north-east) as
a leader of his "Dif-Fusion" trio with guitarist
Alessio Menconi and bassist
Pippo Matino,
and the release of the live CD "
Concert in Shillong".
Discography
2004:
"Canzoni di Natale" by Piergiorgio Marchesini (independent CD); drums and lead vocals with
DOC-G on 3 tracks.
2004:
"Concert in Shillong" by
Andrea Marchesini's Dif-Fusion (CD
Big Gear Records - Italy).
2004: "Tutto Ci Parla Di Te" by
Giovanni Lubino (CD
Elledici Multimedia - Italy); drums on all tracks.
1991: "Evening Fires" by
Matt Balitsaris (CD
Raven Records - USA) with Matt Balitsaris, Jeff Behrman, Paul Adamy, Mino Cinelu; vocals on "Evening Fires".
1990: "Time Takes You Back" by
All Tigers Bite (EP
Tohn Studios - Braunschweig - Germany); drums on all tracks.
1989: "Back To Europe" by
Andrea Marchesini (LP
Day Eight Music - Teldec; CD e MC
NOWO - New Sound Planet),
with Matt Balitsaris, Mark Gatz, Tom De Petris, Paul Adamy, Gerardo Velez, Mike Stern, Jonas Hellborg.
1986: "Abbreviated" by
S'GO (LP
Daisy Records - USA), with Steven Antonelli and Joe Martino; drums on all tracks.
Festivals
2004 "Roots Festival 2004" in Shillong - Meghalaya - India with with
Alessio Menconi and Pippo Matino
2004 "Repubblic Fest 2004" in Aizawl - Mizoram - India with
Alessio Menconi and Pippo Matino
2004
"Jazz, Blues & Beyond" festival in Kolkata - India with
Alessio Menconi and Pippo Matino
2003
1° Jazz Festival Cava D'Ispica Modica (RG) with
Jonas Hellborg (duo)
2003
"Levis Great Indian Rock" festival in New Delhi - India with
Jonas Hellborg - Shawn Lane
2003
"Jazz, Blues & Beyond" festival in Kolkata - India with
Jonas Hellborg - Shawn Lane - V. Selvaganesh
2002 "Jazz All' Anglicana", jazz concert with
Antonio Faraò, Alassio - Italy
2002 "Jazz Sotto Le Stelle",
Porto Alegre al
Soleluna Beach - Albisola Mare (SV) - Italy
2002 "Summertime in Sanremo",
DOC-G at Porto Vecchio, Sanremo - Italy
2002 "Cisano in Musica",
Quello in Mezzo in concert in Cisano sul Neva (SV) - Italy
2001 "Festa di S. Giovanni",
DOC-G in concert, Imperia - Italy
2000 "Jazz a Loano",
Latin Over in concert, Loano - Italy
1986 "New York New Rock Festival"
Gray Zone; New York - USA
1985 "Staten Island Rocks"
Gray Zone; Staten Island, New York - USA
Tours
2004 India tour, Andrea Marchesini Trio with
Alessio Menconi
and
Pippo Matino
2003
Jonas Hellborg and
Shawn Lane India Tour (february: Kolkata-Shillong-Aizawl-Delhi)
1999
Ben's Pizza (fusion quartet) on tour; Liguria - Italy
1987 Minus One (fusion quintet) on tour, New York State, Pennsilvania, Massachusets - USA
1985 "Red House", Off Broadway show by John Jesurun, with Steve Buscemi; drummer of S'GO; New York, London, Paris
TV & Radio
2004 Specials on India's national and local TV stations of the
Menconi-Matino-Marchesini Tour
2003 Specials on India's national and local TV stations of the
Hellborg - Lane Tour
2002 RAI3, short special on a concert with
Antonio Faraò
1986 WKCR-FM, live broadcasted concerts with
S'GO
1986 NY Cable TV, drummer on weekly show "Performance TV" with band-leader
Tom De Petris; NY - USA
Strumentazione - Equipment
“Concert” kit Yamaha 11000 30th anniversary sparkling/fading blue. Bass Drum 22"(x16"),
maple snare 14"(x4"), "semi-power" toms 10", 12", 14", 15". Alternative bass drum Pearl maple 20"
(jazz e fusion).
“Club” kit Tama Artstar cherry wine with 22" bass drum, Yamaha copper snare 14"(x3,5"),
power toms 10", 12", 14".
“Jazz + Unplugged" kit with Yamaha 16” floor tom / bass drum,
Pearl Custom Maple snare 14”x 5”, 10” e 14” toms.
Cimbals:
Ride Zildjian: Pre-Aged Dry Lite Ride 20”, Medium Ride 20”, Avedis Jazz Ride 20” with rivets, Heavy Ping 22”;
Hi-Hats Zildjian 14”, UFIP Natural 13”, UFIP Class da 13”;
Crash Zildjian: Thin Crash 15”, Paper Thin 16”, Z Heavy 18”;
Splash: Zildjian 12”, Ufip Natural 10”; Pang Tosco 20”.
Accessories: Latin Percussion mambo cowbell; Yamaha double bass drum pedal, Djembè, hand percussions
Reahearsal room - Drum studio: in Alassio (SV - Italy)
Telephone & Address:
Home telephone: (+39) 0182 640756
Cellular phone: 329 216 55 71
Fax number: 02 700 553 458
Home address in Italy: Via Leonardo Da Vinci, 254/2bis
Alassio (SV) 17021
