This part of my website is dedicated to music, a huge passion. I play the piano, and I have a fantastic Schulze-Pollmann piano on which I play. From year 2000 I sing (as a bass voice) in a wonderful ethnic/gospel choir, Springtime, composed by 45 elements. We perform many times a year, mostly in Livorno (were we are all from), but also in many other places in Toscana and outside.
Check the Springtime page on Youtube where you can see us: Springtime
Then, needless to say, I am a music listener (more or less 12 hours a day), and my music tastes span from rock (in particular progressive rock) to jazz.
If you are interested in my CD Collection (all originals, believe it or not!) click here.
What follows is a list of weblinks (mostly official webpages) where you can find information about my favourite bands/artists. ENJOY!
All Music Guide: Huge and useful database, comprehensive of biographies, discographies, reviews, samples of (almost) any artist!
Prog Archives: interesting site with many reviews about progressive rock albums.
Morow: web radio, playing progressive music 24 hours a day.
Marillion: official website of my favourite band (probably the most underrated band in the music business).
Dream Theater: official website of a the famous progressive-metal band.
Premiata Forneria Marconi: also called PFM, great italian prog-band of the 70s.
Porcupine Tree: "fresh" progressive band: great atmosphere and intensity.
Pink Floyd: no coments needed here.
Roger Waters: former singer and bass player (and the real soul, I would say) of Pink Floyd.
Peter Gabriel: former leader of Genesis and great artist.
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso: another great italian progressive band.
Morphine: incredible three men band; they only released 5 studio albums, before the loss of the leader, Mark Sandman. in 1999.
Genesis: world famous progressive band (worth to listen until 1977).
Jeff Buckley: voice and soul; his first (and actually only) album Grace is one of the best album of the last decades in the rock world.
Radiohead: world famous rock band; OK Computer is their masterpiece.
Spock's Beard: great progressive band.
Transatlantic: "hybrid" progressive band, with members of Marillion, Dream Theater, Spock's Beard and Flower Kings. Worth to listen to. They released only 2 studio albums.
Liquid Tension Experiment: same as above, with members of Dream Theater and Tony Levin.
Fish: former Marillion singer. With high and lows, his solo carreer is anyway interesting.
Ozric Tentacles: difficult to explain, just listen.
Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler: a classic in the rock music.
Bruce Springsteen: Woody Allen says: "one of his concerts is one of the few things it is worh to live for". He keeps delivering us albums of great music and lyrics. Together with Marillion, his music is the one I listen more often.
The Police and Sting: a fundamental band in the rock music.
The Cult: great dark-punk band from the 80s (link to their record label for many years)
Dave Matthews Band: American band, almost unknown in Italy.
Frank Zappa: one of the real genius in rock history.
Mike Oldfield: nowadays, in my opinion, he is running out of ideas, but his old records are milestones (check for example the first Tubular Bells, Ommadown and Amarok).
R.E.M.: no words needed here, another classic band.
Tori Amos: great singer, piano player and beautiful woman!
Elio e le storie tese: italian band composed by great musicians; Zappa is their main inspiration, both musical and lyrical.
Elisa: very good italian singer/writer. Probably one of the few italian artists having an international taste. She sings in english.
Franco Battiato: italian singer and writer. He has a very wide production: rock, pop, classical. Very interesting. He is often referred to as a progressive rock artist.
Vasco Rossi: italian rocker, he is the one who created the rockstar phenomenon in Italy; great songwriter and live performer.
ECM: Jazz record label. Just pick one of their records, you will surely get a good thing!
Keith Jarrett: Jazz/classical piano player. His solo concerts are a must-have, independently of music tastes.
Jan Garbarek: Norwegian saxophone player; intense and not ordinary music.
Terje Rypdal: Norwegian guitar player, same as above!
Pat Metheny: my favourite jazz artist. He is famous enough not to need any futher word.
Stefano di Battista: I just discovered this amazing italian saxophone player, well known in France and Germany.