“Gabri Flies to Italy” is the twenty-fourth album by Riccardo Zappa, experimenter and innovator artist since the ’70’s. Dedicated to his brother Gabriele, it opens with a suite of over 18 minutes. The author weaves the sound of 6 and 12 strings, proposing sometimes classical sound carpets, such as the use of a quartet of plectrums in “Harmonios”, or a choir in the pieces “Gabri Flies to Italy” and “Nimaster Ego”. The atmospheres present very reverberant, dilated environments, also strong with a remarkable dynamics. Riccardo Zappa‘s indisputable guitar technique does not appear to be an end in itself, but serves to expose the themes that arise as clearly as possible. These can coexist between mysticism and techno sequences, to open up to decidedly romantic phrasing, varying, from time to time, between numerous overlapping audio tracks, or proposed in a single guitar draft. Riccardo Zappa‘s art has spanned generations of music lovers, and also, of course, guitarists. To the latter he proposed to send a single note produced by his instrument, so that they would all be used, dozens of them, in the song “Suonami una nota” (“Play me a note“). This is an effective and irreverent way to move from one virtual contact to another, much more tangible, as it is destined to remain fixed in music and time.
The album looks as aesthetically as well as technically well-kept. Musicians and recording studios were involved, as well as OndemediE is the creative director of the image.
Biography:
Riccardo Zappa‘s activity began in 1977, with the release of an album, “Celestion”, destined to establish a new way of understanding the expressive potential of acoustic and classical guitars. This, starting from the recordings, which took place, for the first time, in the author’s home, as is the case today for all artists, of all musical genres. “Celestion”, and the albums that followed, throughout the eighties, were among the most appreciated and sold, relative to the acoustic instrumental genre.
In the referendums held among the readers of the magazines Chitarre and Guitar Club, Riccardo Zappa was the favorite guitarist for five consecutive years.
Riccardo Zappa has collaborated with Mina, Fiorella Mannoia, Mia Martini, Eros Ramazzotti, Fausto Leali, Eugenio Finardi, Carlo Marrale, Gino Paoli, Giorgio Gaber and has directed, for DDD/BMG ARIOLA, a series of acoustic instrumental music, producing, among others, two CDs by Rino Zurzolo and the debut albums of Franco Morone and Walter Lupi. In 1985 he composed the soundtrack of the film “Piccoli Fuochi”, with Valeria Golino.
Produced by Riccardo Zappa, realized by Vannuccio Zanella for M.P. & Records, the CD is distributed by G.T. Music Distribution di Antonino Destra.
Available also on the best digital stores.
Tracklist:
1) Gabri Flies to Italy (18:51)
2) Harmonios (4:32)
3) Sanvalentiniana (6:38)
4) Inno (4:34)
5) Suonami una Nota (4:41)
6) Nimaster Ego (3:18)
7) L’Attesa (2:28)
