Artist.......: Michael Occhipinti
Album........: The Sicilian Jazz Project
Label........: True North
Genre........: Jazz
Catnr........: TND516
source.......: CDDA
rip.date.....: Feb-07-2009
str.date.....: Jun-24-2008
quality......: VBR/44,1Hz/Joint-Stereo
Url..........: www.michaelocchipinti.com
track title time
01. The Almond Sorters 10:54
02. Ciuri Ciuri 06:04
03. Vitti 'Na Crozza 04:20
04. Jolla 06:07
05. Nun Ti Lassu 06:28
06. Cantu Rri Li Scugghitura 09:44
07. The Sulphur Miner 10:46
08. The Ribbon Dancers 05:52
09. Nnuena 03:27
Runtime 63:42 min
Size 87,4 MB
Release Notes:
The newest project put together by 2008 JUNO Award
nominee Michael Occhipinti, The ensemble features
some of Canada's finest musicians, including
Roberto Occhipinti on bass, Ernie Tollar on
flute/saxophones, Dominic Mancuso on vocals and
guitar, Kevin Turcotte on trumpet, Louis Simao on
accordion, Barry Romberg on drums, and Michael
Occhipinti on acoustic and electric guitars, with
vocalist Maryem Tollar, violinist Hugh Marsh and a
string quartet all featured on the group's new CD
as well. As with his Juno Award nominated CD
Creation Dream, which explored the songs of Bruce
Cockburn from a jazz musician's point of view, The
Sicilian Jazz Project has Michael reshaping the
traditional folk music of Sicily.
In 1954 ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax toured Sicily,
recording traditional folk music performed by
diverse individuals including sulfur miners, tuna
fishermen, a donkey cart driver, and assorted
peasants and folk entertainers. Many of these raw
field recordings form the basis of The Sicilian
Jazz Project's repertoire, along with traditional
dances 's cousins in Sicily. As the band's
arranger, Michael Occhipinti has reinvented the
music in imaginative ways that nevertheless capture
the original emotions behind the songs and the
result is a passionate instrumental and vocal
repertoire that makes reference to many genres and
resonates with listeners.
The talented individuals who make up the group have
experience in jazz, classical, Arabic, Cuban,
Brazilian, and Italian popular music. In inventing
new ways of experiencing the source music, Michael
uses the eclecticism of the ensemble as a great
asset and freely blends Sicilian music with global
rhythms and a variety of modern approaches to the
music. Michael also incorporates his own unabashed
love of electric guitar sounds.
Michael Occhipinti released The Sicilian Jazz
Project in Canada in June of 2008, and the group's
Canadian festival tour yielded many stellar
reviews. The CD will be released worldwide in early
2009, and Michael and the group have already been
invited to perform in Italy, Australia, Mexico, and
the United States.