Massimo Nunzi

Music:

Member Since: 6/3/2007
Band Website: massimonunzi.com
Band Members: Jazzman Massimo Nunzi Talks Chiara Di Pietro“The jazzman is like a samurai, he’s naked onstage and his sole weapon is his musical instrument”Jazz composer, arranger and trumpeter Massimo Nunzi talks to TRF about his life and approach to music.“When I was four I came up with a notation system of my own based on the squares in my maths homework book; I hadn’t a clue as to what music was all about, but I still had a burning desire to write something down and represent things visually. It worked, allowing me to keep a note of the short tunes that would pop into my head.” Massimo Nunzi, composer, arranger and trumpet player, tells of his love of music – born of a passion shared with his grandfather, an amateur musician –, its “resonance” deep within him, of the emotional “whirlwind” which accompanied his musical entertainment as an only child. “Solitude – Massimo admits – was at the heart of my love of music”, and “music provided an opening into the world”. Getting the swing His gift for music coupled with a penchant for improvisation, especially jazz, led to a stint in formal musical education, which “his clash with teachers ” – on account of their hatred of jazz – conspired to bring to an end, until he was “saved by Armstrong”. “When I stopped my music college studies – he says – I came across something: I was strolling along in a supermarket when suddenly, in the distance, I saw a bright light, I was about 11-12 years old at the time. It was a dazzling shade of white and as I drew closer it turned into something discernible. It was Louis Armstrong’s teeth; he was smiling at me from a cassette tape cover. I bought it straight away and started listening repeatedly to the first track: Swing that music. That song changed my life, and ever since I have wanted to play music”. That is precisely what Massimo did: he started playing professionally at the age of 14 – after quitting formal musical tuition – and by the time he was 20 he was a well known trumpet player. He played with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Don Cherry, to name but a few. As an early composer his output included anything from commercial jingles to more ambitious symphonic and classical works, earning him awards such as the Beaumarchais classical composer prize and the Gilson prize for a radio opera aired by France Culture and Radio France.Eclectic tastes None of which, however, on a basis of pure method. “I have always tried to bring distant stylistic worlds together, that I would say is a defining feature of my style: it’s about having different languages interact”. The end results on such an experimental front were varied, offering some very high quality material coupled with some less fortunate creations. ‘Mistakes’, according to Musi, are part and parcel of the creative process. “That kind of experimenting just doesn’t exist any more”, Massimo says, and to him that is the root cause of what he defines as a generalised absence of creativity. “There just isn’t the opportunity for people to commit to major projects, to make mistakes to dare and, as Tiziano Terzani would put it, go for another ride on the merry-go-round”. As an artist Massimo strives to merge jazz and his passion for contemporary classical music and pop music. He loves Radiohead, Prince, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and, of course, Armstrong. Others include Ani di Franco and many unknowns which, he admits, are unlikely to have a following but which to him “are extremely relevant”.Travelling musician As a musician Massimo Nunzi belongs to the type that always pursues a challenge, a traveller in uncharted musical waters. His “intellectual curiosity” is a characteristic which he applies to everything he does. In his first symphonic composition, for example, he replaced opera singers with rappers. “It wasn’t easy – he admits –, but what ultimately came out of it was intense and emotional”. When that level of experimentation succeeds “it bears flavoursome fruits”. “The problem with Italy, however, is that we don’t have a tradition of investing time and funds in artists or towards producing the kind of work that would not stand on its own two legs commercially”. According to Massimo the mass media circuit lacks the capacity to spot new phenomena as they arise, partly due to inertia. “Jazz, for example, is currently providing a great show of success, which cannot be said for rock. But it lacks access to mass media, whose focus is mostly on minor celebrities and showgirls. A jazzman is like a samurai: he is naked on the stage, and his sole weapon is his musical instrument. That is why listening to live concert music is often far more effective than listening to recorded music. Jazz performances and audiences are inextricably linked, each needing the other.”The history of Jazz Massimo Nunzi has, in his own way, succeeded in proving that it is possible to merge culture and entertainment without jeopardising either, without falling into kitsch traps, delivering highly spectacular, quality performances. His latest performance “I Grandi del Jazz – Istruzioni per l’uso” (Jazz Greats – a User Manual) was hosted by Rome’s Teatro Sistina, with Pietro Garinei’s backing, and topped paying audiences of 1300 for 14 nights. This jazz production covers the history of jazz, from its early days to present times. “This production is based on my understanding that music and its mechanisms are best understood if first broken down into its smallest constituent elements and by then displaying subsequent developments. Orchestras are a perfect showcase for musical clockworks, in that they comprise every musically descriptive element”. His best music include Tempesta (The Tempest) – which Massimo describes as “the best thing I’ve ever written”. His work has been paid tribute to by leading jazz musicians such as Trovesi, Damiani, Petrella, Ada Montellanico, Frenchman Médéric Collignon, as well as songwriters Niccolò Fabi and electronic music ‘demiurge’ Gaudi.As an artist Max places a strong emphasis on younger generations of musicians, by inviting myspace users to post their mp3 productions (on www.myspace.com/massimonunzimusic), samples of which are aired on Teleradiostereo radio during the ‘Jazz a Nota Libera’ show. Thanks to this show Musi has been able to promote up-and-coming talent: “I have always had a desire to share things; I have always sought to provide talent with a deserved showcase. I love talent, I am moved by it: to me, it proves God’s existence, it bears witness to a higher spirituality. That’s what I live for.”- “Jazz a User Manual” published by Laterza. Book and DVD (in Italian only), interviews with the Italy’s Jazz Who’s Who, from Rava to Fresu to Pieranunzi with live recordings of the Nunzi Orchestra at Rome’s Sistina Theatre; release April 2008. Massimo Nunzi explains his theory on the birth of jazz in America as the merger between Europe’s band playing tradition – especially Italy’s opera – and African rhythms brought over by slaves, later naturalised Americans. – Anecdote “When I was on tour with my ‘Trombe Rosse’ orchestra back in ‘94, I was lucky enough to meet the player later described by Miles Davis as his successor: Lester Bowie. Lester was great fun and was full of verve; he always wore a waistcoat, a devilish goatee, and a yellow straw hat. He’d immediately hooked up with all the greengrocers down at my place. One day he came to me and said “I got the blues, I got the food blues”. He’d developed a longing for New Orleans style cooking and that made him feel out of sorts. What was the answer to that? I took him to Ariccia to have a taste of traditional pork and crackling. He went nuts, he wanted to start up an export business with New Orleans!”“Jazz a Nota Libera” is Rome’s longest Jazz show on air: three hours of live jazz entertainment, every Wednesday on Teleradistereo, 92.7 FM and www.teleradiostero.it streaming, between 21.00 and 24.00 The Rome based radio channel provides an essential showcase for experimental music. On top of its standard programme fixtures, Teleradiostereo, thanks to its editorial vision and farsightedness, has launched a number of culture-focused shows. Through his successful ‘Jazz a Nota Libera’ show, host Massimo Nuzi has afforded airtime to top jazz figures as well as showcasing a wealth of new talent.Great Jazz joints in Rome “Rome has this unique place, the “Casa del Jazz” (the Home of Jazz). It caters for contemporary inclinations and jazz masterpieces, showcasing the best performances of jazz classics as well as of more experimental stuff. Americans envy this place we have. Artistic director Luciano Linzi has proven a wise manager.”
Influences: My friend Marvin Stamm can describe my parabola from his point of view... Better than givin a list of personal points of view and descriptions.. Marvin is a great Artist and I love his Playing. He was and still his a deep inspiration for me. Massimo Nunzi ************************************************************ *************** a note from Marvin Stamm... ____________________ It is wonderful when you meet someone who you discover is a kindred spirit! A person with whom you share so many attributes, feelings and tastes. While it would seem more common for this to occur in one's earlier years, it rarely seems to happen in later years. Why am I pursuing this line? Enter Massimo Nunzi.Who is Massimo Nunzi? Well, Massimo, age 45, is an excellent composer and trumpet player living and working in Rome. He has studied the trumpet with Carmine Caruso, Charles Colin and Steve Huffsteter and composition with Franco Sbacco, Pete Rugolo and Clare Fisher. He has written many original works for the theatre and ballet among which are Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and "The Tempest". He has written two symphonies as well as having scored and recorded for both the cinema, television and recordings. In the field of Jazz, he has played and arranged for TV performances and concerts for Dizzy Gillespie, Don Cherry, Lester Bowie, Chet Baker, Jimmy Owens and Toshiko Akyoshi, among others.In February, 1999, Massimo won the unique prize, "Beaumarchais" in the section "Lyrique" for his opera, "Qui Donc Quidam". This most prestigious of prizes is organized by SACEM, the French equivalent to our ASCAP or BMI. As well, his friend and librettist, Yann Apperry, won the prize for the libretto to this opera. The above list, and only a partial one at that, is a quite impressive one for so young a person! Certainly, this is a testament to his talents and accomplishments to date.But what makes him so unique? And why do I feel him as a kindred spirit? Beyond Massimo's success, exemplified by his "curriclum vitae", lies a true concern about culture and the arts in his country and the world and feels great concern where all this may be headed. He, like myself, feels the tragedy that has taken hold of our societies in the form of ignorance, complacency and a lack of desire concerning those things that make us feel deeply, that add so much of a positive nature to our lives, in other words, The Arts!Massimo is an extremely sensitive human being who has a true regard for people and the world. It goes far beyond today's prevalent concept of "all for me and who gives a damn about you! Or anybody else for that matter!" While he, as am I, is absorbed with his own creative quest in life, he sees that there is a larger picture to be viewed, greater matters to be confronted than just one individual's own interests. We all are part of the bigger picture and must care about the whole!Sadly, Italy, like our country, has evolved into a place of declining culture where people choose to sit in front of their TVs watching awful game shows or sitcoms or hanging in coffee bars playing video games rather than indulge themselves in anything of any redeeming cultural value. Italy, you say? This is happening in Italy? Yes, unfortunately it is! In the home of Puccini, Rossini, La Scala and fine opera, we find orchestras dying, cultural venues falling into disuse, and great art dying for lack of popular interest. Sound familiar?But, like Massimo, there are many younger artists in the fields of music, theatre and the other arts who are very concerned about this situation and want to try to rectify this state of being by taking culture and cultural events to the people. Of course, problems with lack of funding and support are omnipresent as well the constant lack of care on the part of those in power or a deficiency of awareness on the part of the public. These "powers" care only for what is in it for themselves, and the public-- the public seems only too content to be lulled into a state of powerless apathy.This is nothing new; it has occurred before throughout history, usually signaling an end to an era of greatness. But there are those who wish to stem this decline, desiring to wake us up and make us aware of what is happening. Massimo is that kind of person one who cares greatly and feels as strongly about this situation confronting the Arts as he is about his own art! He truly wishes to bring about change as do others in his country, as do I in mine, and he is trying to work with those "others" to do just that.What I deeply respect in Massimo is his drive, his level of dedication in meeting this task just as he does in the creation his own art. Today, people who feel this deeply, who are not afraid of taking the risk to go against the tide in order to make a difference in the lives of all people, not just for themselves, are a true rarity! But those of us who feel this way know we have no choice. If not us, who? How grateful I am to know people such as Massimo, kindred spirits in the world of creative artistry, ones who do truly care!In closing, you would not be teaching music if there were not a burning desire to do so. Please keep in mind that you are looked upon as the resident musical expert by your students. Continue to grow and learn, and to be open to new musical ideas with your students.-----------------------------------a note from massimo on the music°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° °Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â°Â° in the player you could find different examples of my composing skills.=== Tanglewood 63 is performed during one of my live concerts with my orchestra. Roberto Gatto is on drums.Michael Gibbs, the author, has been a strong influence on my writing and I received this arrangement as a gift from himself...it has been rarely performed...a real rarity.@@@@@@ Then, Punto e Virgola, my most successfull tune, a dedication to nonsense with a sense, followed by a Ballett Suite intitled "Damsel Damn" and a song from my album Casa Moderna, inspired by the Art creator Pino Pascali.Thanks for coming...
Sounds Like: I have nurtured myself with music from all sources.
So my style is pretty original.
Record Label: Mp3 for my radioshow at [email protected]
Type of Label: None