Pasta Nera Jazz Project

Antonio Cicoria was born in Foggia in 1987. He graduated with 110 cum laude in the Jazz Drum and Composition class under the guidance of Luigi Giannatempo at the “U. Giordano” of Rodi Garganico, presenting pieces entirely writtem by him as a thesis. In 2010 he recorded his first CD with the rock band Nahima entitled "Carta Riciclata" and after a few years he becomes the drummer of the CD "Libere Antifonie" by Piernicola Della Zeta. In 2014 he recorded "Elladan Jazz" by Fernando D’Anelli, who was presented for the first time at the Jazzit Fest. In 2017 he becomes one of the protagonists of the album "Albert Camus" by Giovanni Mastrangelo, with the artistic production of Marco Maffei and the label of RadioSpia.

Antonio Pizzarelli was born in San Giovanni Rotondo in 1987. Saxophonist and clarinetist, he began his musical career as a clarinetist at the age of eight. Graduated in clarinet, Didactics of Music and Biennium of II level in Saxophone Jazz at the “U. Giordano” of Foggia, he took part in numerous national and international music competitions achieving excellent results. He has played with a lot of artists such as Vinicio Capossela, David Riondino, Teo Ciavarella, Guglielmo Pagnozzi and Voodoo Sound Club, Antonello Paliotti, Antonio Marotta Ensemble, Gianluca Petrella, Rosapaeda, Tony Esposito, Achille Succi, Nicky Nicolai and Stefano Di Battista. He has also been a Band Director and founder of several musical projects such as Largo Criminale, CollettivoMusicaleCarpinese, Gargano Urbano and Pasta Nera Jazz Project. He performs in important music festivals such as the Carpino Folk Festival, La Notte della Taranta, Festambiente Sud, Palazzo Barone in Jazz, Terravecchia Festival, Peschici Jazz, Medimex and Festival of Monti Dauni. As a saxophonist and clarinetist, he recorded the record works of Matteo Marolla & Zumpinaria Banda, Coquette Band, Gargano Urbano and Pasta Nera Jazz Project.

Felice Lionetti, born in Foggia in 1972, is a pianist, composer, arranger and music educator. He began studying piano as a child and developed an early interest in composing and arranging. His studies include piano, jazz, music education and music therapy.

His teaching embraces piano, composition, improvisation and jazz and blues piano. He founded the Fovea Jazz Project, Pasta Nera Jazz Project and Groove Jazz Machine, and has performed and recorded with jazz ensembles. His composition Sulla Torre won first prize in the international Suoniamo il Sax Porta d’Oriente competition, organised in collaboration with the Locomotive Jazz Festival and judged by a panel chaired by Paolo Fresu.

Giovanni Mastrangelo was born in Foggia. Bassist and double bass player, he began his musical activity collaborating with various groups in his hometown. Since 2001 he has been collaborating with the Calixtinus ensemble with which he participates in various reviews of ancient music and various projects, including "Castel Del Monte II" by the French musician Michel Godard. Since 2006 he is the official bass player for the Favonio. He obtained, with full marks, the First Level Diploma in jazz at the “U. Giordano” in Foggia. In 2009 he joined the world premiere of the opera "Giove a Pompei", written and directed by Giancarlo Schiaffini on texts by Silvia Fanfani Schiavoni. In 2012 he participated with the Jazz Ensemble of the Conservatory of Foggia, directed by Bruno Tommaso, at the concert "Sciamboli and songs at the swing". Also, in 2012 he was a guest, with Favonio, of the Club Tenco at the Teatro dell'Opera del Casinò of Sanremo (IM). In 2014 he founded, together with the singer Mary Grace (Mariagrazia Poliseno) the Eau de jazz project with which, in 2015, he won the Contursi award. In 2016, he took part in the Monopoli jazz festival.

Felice Lionetti, born in Foggia in 1972, is a pianist, composer, arranger and music educator. He began studying piano as a child and developed an early interest in composing and arranging. His studies include piano, jazz, music education and music therapy.

His teaching embraces piano, composition, improvisation and jazz and blues piano. He founded the Fovea Jazz Project, Pasta Nera Jazz Project and Groove Jazz Machine, and has performed and recorded with jazz ensembles. His composition Sulla Torre won first prize in the international Suoniamo il Sax Porta d’Oriente competition, organised in collaboration with the Locomotive Jazz Festival and judged by a panel chaired by Paolo Fresu.

Matteo Salvatore (1925–2005) was an Italian singer, guitarist and songwriter from Apricena in Puglia. Drawing on the language and musical traditions of the Gargano, he created ballads about poverty, migration, labour and the lives of people on the margins of society. His distinctive high voice and direct storytelling gave these songs an individual dramatic force.

His recording career began in the 1950s with the encouragement of Claudio Villa. He later became a prominent figure in Italy’s folk revival, appearing in concerts and Rai programmes devoted to popular culture. His recordings include Il lamento dei mendicanti and Le quattro stagioni del Gargano. He received the Premio Tenco in 1978 and died in Foggia in 2005.