ALBINO MONTISCI

The year 1996 marks a milestone in the musical journey of the Italian cantautore: a change to a new record company, his new CD "Dietro l'Anima" (Behind the Soul) recorded in Tuscany and finally, the new line-up of his live band that greatly influenced both the arrangements and musical colors of the album. All of this has released new dreams, energy and motivation in Montisci. A concert with the musician from Turin is to experience happiness and almost childlike vitality. Montisci's very personal Italian charm is quite evident on stage. With the "Dietro l'Anima" Tour he introduces a new style of songs. A celtic harp enriches the band and opens up new possibilities. Montisci developed his own characteristic style in hundreds of bigger and smaller concerts under the shadow of Angelo Branduardi and Andreas Vollenweider. The result is a mature and musically convincing, original stage presence. Poetic and mystic lyrics evoke dreams, playful melodies brimming with joy invite clapping and dancing along. Classical guitar runs blend with ethnic and rock elements giving unity.
Four virtuoso musicians contribute to the high musical level of the performances. The melodies are embedded in keyboard sounds, harmonized by Aldo Valente, whose creativity brings surprise and delight. Andrea Pozzoli's harp riffs set the music free along with his sometimes spherical, sometimes rhythmical passages, played on flute and various exotic instruments. The steady beat of bass player David Brian Srb, a studio musician from Florence, keeps the band moving with the help of drummer Gianpaolo Petrini who also tours with Adriano Celentano and Anna Oxa, plays in a Fusion band and has his own drum school. All the talent of David and Gianpaolo comes into play, putting the ballads and dance titles into the right groove. Thus the band creates a sensitive world music sound. Albino Montisci's brilliant guitar playing, his charismatic personality, his delightful way of communicating with his audience, thanks to this new line-up, can be experienced at its best.
Montisci's musical development began in a teenage rock-band in the seventies, followed by studies in classical guitar at the Conservatory, playing in classical Ensembles, teaching, and then his first solo concerts and recordings. Nine albums have been produced since 1979, enjoying a growing distribution throughout Europe.  The current "Dietro l'Anima" CD is a studio production with 11 new songs. As with the LIVE production (1994), the Swiss-American producer Ron Kurz was responsible for the recordings.
Albino Montisci is deeply rooted in his christian faith, which finds expression in many of the lyrics (mostly written by his wife Cinzia). Therefore, his first international performances were invitations to bigger events such as Christian Artist's Seminar Holland, Katholikentag Germany, Vindonissa Festival Switzerland. Then in 1987 he won the Gospel Music Award in the USA for the best non-English speaking artist. In the meantime his music has found response in an ever wider audience. Several recordings at the Italian TV network RAI, the Dutch radio and television network EO, a performance on Swiss television and on the German SDR complete his public performances. In Switzerland, as in Germany, Montisci has been touring constantly over the past few years, either with a band or unplugged on a smaller scale.
Together with Cinzia as his lyricist Albino started 1999 the project of a worship album. His goal was to write music and songs for the Italian churches to encourage and inspire them. In the spring of 2000 he started to record in Torino, including also other artists from his church. The result is a fresh and challanging album entitled "Semplicemente lode" (Simply worhsip), to be released in September of this year. The album not only contains a booklet with the lyrics of the songs but also includes a complete CD-ROM partition containing music sheets, texts for overhead projection and lead sheets for worship band musicians.