Gnola Blues Band - Roger Boogie
From the Greatest Hits album 20 Years on the Road Gnola Blues Band - 2010
- Good Company Records -
gnolabluesband.com
gcrecords.org
Maurizio Glielmo leader and founder, the Band's guitar and voice, comes from a long-lasting prestigious past on the Italian Blues scene. For years Glielmo toured alongside the legendary Fabio Treves in the most important Italian and International festivals.
He participated in the recording of two albums: Treves 3 in 1985 and Sunday's blues in 1988 along with known artists such as Chuck Leavell (Rolling Stones, Almann Brothers, Eric Clapton, and others), Dave Kelly (Blues Band) British Blues hero, Pick Withers (Dire Straits drummer).
Maurizio Glielmo creates Gnola Blues Band, officially born in 1989, with the initial aim of covering the most classic blues itineraries.
The band starts with standard interpretations (Elmore James, Muddy Waters) then moves towards the fusion of elements of tradition with interesting original compositions. GBB is sustained by the pulsating heart of the pair Bertagna/Pavin, drum and bass respectively:
a granitic rhythmic section underlying the space and light of the soloists with a special attention to the dynamics. Roger Mugnaini offers an irreplaceable piano contribution, which elegantly accompanies Glielmo
or proposes both piano and organ personal 'solos'.
The live activity soon becomes frantic, the musical credibility solid thanks to the Band's participation in various festivals which include International artists, as well as their first record production First Step in 1991 which receives flattering reviews from critics (Il Blues, Buscadero,
Fare Musica, Mucchio Selvaggio, ecc) and their second studio album Walking through the shadows of the blues which wins a prize as best Jazz&Blues record of the year 2000. The prize is handed by Ernesto de Pascale (Rai 2)
at the Blues festival in Bordighera.
Being a profound connoisseur and expert of the use of dobro and the slide technique in general, Glielmo expresses this technique with personality. This elevates him to the status of national specialist and allows him to be invited as a session-man to productions that are not solely blues. Glielmo's participation as a soloist in other productions continues with Goin' home Rava B.B., On the good foot Back in Blues Band, Vivo sulla luna Matteo Bassi, Grazie mille Max Pezzali, Madre terra Tazenda, E semm partii Davide van de sfross, in the Sestri Levante
Blues Festival compilation with Key to the highway.
During the summer of 2003 the encounter with Atlanta singer, Sandra Hall, gives birth to an intense collaboration which continues to the present day with a series of concerts in the greater festivals in Italy (of which Pistoia Blues 07)
and in Europe. In the cd Red Bone Woman(2007), nine tracks out of eleven are signed by Glielmo, Mugnanini and Sandra Hall.
In 2006 the album Gnola Blues Band live at Spazio Musica was recorded in two evenings at the historical club in Pavia. This piece of work also received excellent reviews from the main specialized magazines. During that same year Glielmo takes part in the studio session of three tracks of the Spazio Blues cd; a compilation of the best musicians which rotate around the mythical club in Pavia.
During the summer of 2009, Gnola Blues Band accompanies singer and guitarist Roy Roberts and tours participating in the most important Italian and European festivals.
In September 2009 Maurizio Glielmo starts recording with Jimmy Ragazzon; together, they collaborate to create Blues, ballads and songs, album produced by Fabrizio Scotti for GOOD COMPANY Records. Mostly acoustic,
this album re-explores traditional blues songs and presents personal readings of several cover songs.
In March 2010 the album 20 Years on the road (GOOD COMPANY Records) was produced to celebrate the Gnola Blues Band's 20th anniversary. The album contains pieces from previous CDs and five inedited songs.
We suggest you come to a G.B.B. concert.
Line-up: Maurizio Glielmo guitar, voice
Roger Mugnaini - Keyboards, voice
Massimo Pavin - bass
Massimo Bertagna - drums, percussions