And here we are with one of my presentations, a kind of "Timeline," to try to tell you some interesting facts about my musical journey that I've experienced during these years spent in the company of a guitar and a microphone.
I was born in Bollate, a town in the province of Milan that today has over 30,000 inhabitants, on a Thursday like many others. A peaceful weekend was approaching when I decided to light up my parents' lives by being born on June 8, 1967.
I remember beautiful, serene moments from my childhood, playing in the courtyard with a soccer ball, lots of children, a few bicycles, and above all, many days filled with music coming from the radios always on in my mom's and grandmother's kitchens. But the real magic was created by a record player at my maternal grandmother's house, a device that, when I managed to turn it on, filled my days with small 45 or 33 RPM vinyl records, and where I could constantly listen to songs by artists like Adriano Celentano, Gianni Morandi, and many others from that era.
As I grew older, my curiosity about how to recreate those exciting melodies became stronger. I wanted to understand how to produce those captivating sounds using a keyboard or another instrument that I often saw on the covers of those wonderful vinyl records. It was during one of the many December 25th celebrations that, upon my request to Santa Claus, I received my first Bontempi toy keyboard among the many desired gifts.
I spent many days on that little keyboard, and there were other keyboards, increasingly beautiful and sophisticated, but what I remember most affectionately is the presence of my paternal grandfather, Pino. He would come to visit me daily and skillfully captivate me by playing songs from the time, imparting to me the instinctive ability to search for the right sounds and sequences among those keys to magically recreate anything I heard musically in the air.
As I continued to grow, my parents decided, in 1978, to invest their savings in music education for me. I began studying solfeggio and piano at the Centro Studi Musicali in Bollate, and later, classical guitar.
I still remember that day in 1981 when, after starting classical guitar studies under the guidance of Maestro Luigi Muraro, I confessed to that sweet and patient person that my dream was to move people by playing an acoustic guitar, and my strongest desire was to learn to play Country, folk, and Rock music.
Back then, the internet didn't exist, and everything I could learn had to be acquired through methods that came with cassette tapes containing specific guitar sheet music or tabs. So, sacrificing my weekly savings and small gifts from various relatives, I started my periodic visits to music shops, historic music stores, and even small markets in Milan, constantly searching for methods, books, or various types of recordings in an attempt to learn tricks and secrets to play the acoustic guitar decently.
After many days spent in the square with other music enthusiasts, singing at the top of our lungs as we tried to imitate the songs and sounds of the legendary Beatles, after numerous trials, doubts, fears, leg tremors, but also a strong desire for personal recognition, at the age of 14, I started performing in Lombardy as part of the "Hill Billy Boys" trio, participating in various local events that brought both satisfaction and occasionally harsh artistic criticisms.
After months of nurturing my musical passion and wearing out my fingers on the guitar's tough strings, the first rewards came quickly, and by 1983, a date I will remember for a lifetime, I began performing as a "One Man Band" in the most prominent venues of the "Brera Notturna" and the canals of Milan. From that moment on, the emotions kept coming, stronger and more constant.
In 1985, I ventured into the world of theater for the first time, collaborating with comedians Franco Francesco, Il Gomitolo, and Walter Valdi after intensive musical marathons, traveling all over Lombardy, and opening musical evenings for the iconic comedians of that time. This marked the need to improve my rhythm, perfect my English pronunciation, acquire my car, and dedicate more and more time to the musical energy that made time fly and brought beautiful and unforgettable emotions.
The big leap and the joy of performing the same songs with different colors and nuances at every performance came in 2003 when, collaborating with Carlo Tognoni, Max Gini, and Cisco Portone, the "Jeff Martin Band" was born, a quartet that I will always hold close to my heart. It was an ocean of experiences that came to life with ever-growing and diverse energies, expressing itself in pubs, theaters, concerts, and musical gatherings in both Italy and Switzerland.
The musical journey continued, and in 2005, I personally experienced the sacrifice and personal torment of locking myself in a rehearsal room with a 15-member big band. This was a practice that I had always avoided due to a lack of energy on the part of listeners, but after months of practice, it led me to animate events and festivals in Lombardy, including the "Sagra dei Crotti di Chiavenna." The project, created by drummer Pietro Stefanoni, was named "LaBo Band," and my role was as a lead singer and rhythm guitarist, presenting historic songs by Paul Simon from "Graceland" and his two most important concerts: "The Concert in Central Park" and "Concert in the Park."
Regarding the most important moments in my concert activity, I'd like to highlight 2010 with 90 concerts in Italy and Switzerland, and 2011 with 95 concerts.
Among my most important and significant ideas brought to venues and theaters, I recall almost accidentally creating the show "Itinerando...," a genuine journey through rock music from 1954 onward. It's a musical-cultural event that aims to revisit the most important and significant milestones in the history of Rock with its protagonists, while sharing some of their historical anecdotes between songs.
But I don't want to bore you. I'll simply mention some of the most cherished collaborations, including performances with Daniele Piombi, Pamela Prati, and Jo Squillo on the Antenna 3 TV show "Effetto Concerto," solo concert activities as a supporter for Fausto Leali, various radio broadcasts on Radio Meneghina and Rai 1 with comedians Franco Francesco and Carlo Bianchessi.
I've come to understand that with music, one is never at rest; it's a continuous and constant evolution. Strong friendships are formed, souls of all kinds are encountered, and in the meantime, time flies, days, weeks, and months pass like a simple breath of life. I will never stop thanking those who have accompanied me on this adventure: my parents, my entire family, friends, and acquaintances who have consistently encouraged me, sometimes rightfully criticized me for my imperfections, for my personal flaws at a time when lyrics and chords were often truly improvised, too instinctive and playful to become true art. With this page, I hope I've satisfied your curiosity about what time has given me through the world of musical notation. If anyone has specific needs, please use the contact form on the website to give me the opportunity to respond as soon as possible for various purposes.
