Born: April 26, 1954 Primary Instrument: Flugelhorn
MARIO FRAGIACOMO, trumpetist, flugelhornist, composer was born in Triest (Italy). He started studying music privately when he was 9 years old. His father, a former band player, is the one who first turned his thoughts into studying wind instruments. At 12 he started playing in the “Ricreatorio G. Brunner” band of Triest.
In the sixties he attended at the same time both the Conservatory “G. Tartini” in Triest and the accountancy school. In 1971 he had the opportunity of playing with the Silvio Donati Jazz group at the Bayreuth Youth International Festival in Germany. Following a co-operation with various musical groups, in 1973 he formed the “Trieste Jazz Ensemble”, and with this group he performed several concerts of “Free jazz”. He devoted then himself to the study of contemporary music, going deeper into the study of jazz music. After moving to Milan, he improved his studies at “Nuova Milano Musica” with Sergio Fanni and Luciano Biasutti. In 1977 he took part of a study seminar with Evan Parker and Andrea Centazzo and the Course on Jazz Music held in Milan by Giorgio Gaslini at the “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatoire and subsequenthly entered his Big Band.
He has been playing for many years with other jazz big band as: New Group Big band by Sergio Meroni and Enos Patracchini Big band Studio and with these orchestras he held many concerts all over Italy.
In 1979 he formed the “Jazz Quatter Quartet”, a quartet whose aim was to find a common musical language deriving from the experience of jazz historical avantguard. With this group he has brought the music to a wider and younger public in alternative places such as schools, psychiatric hospitals, juvenile prisons, public libraries, thus starting a new musical trend. In 1988 he recorded the first project as leader: the LP “Trieste, ieri un secolo fa” entered the Top Ten Records of italian jazz - The best record of the year for the Referendum of “Musica Jazz” magazine. In 1990 he co-operated with Markus Stockhausen, one of the famous Karlheinz music sons, for the realization of his project of middle Europe music recording “Mitteleuropa” CD. Since 1991 to 1995 he co-operated with CRT Artificio in Milan for the multimedia show “Golem” of Moni Ovadia and Daniele Abbado. He entered the Orchestratheater of Moni Ovadia as soloist and played in the most important theaters all over Italy such as Petruzzelli Theater in Bari, Comunale Theater in Ferrara, Metropolitan Theater in Palermo, Filodrammatici Theater in Milano, etc. and abroad at Hebbel Theater in Berlin, at Stary Teatr of Cracow, at La Mama E.T.C. Theater in New York, at Renaud-Barrault Theater in Paris.
At present he is deeply involved in his composing and trumpet playing activities in the “Mitteleuropa Ensemble”, group that he formed in 1988 in Milan. The music of this new group is a blend of languages, ispired by balcan ethnic music (including also the Klezmer music heritage of Eastern Europe) and fits into a way which takes into account both the jazz and the popular music, and all the Mitteleuropean culture, literary and musical, therefore approaching to the “Total Music”.
As an essayist he wrote in some Italian music magazines.
Vocalist Sabrina Sparti’s wordless vocalise adds quite a bit of luster to this project on pieces such as “Ashkenazim Time” - where the band pursues stately choruses and military march progressions. They can swing hard or segue into a Slavic wedding ceremony. The group also propagates a West Coast (United States) kind of vibe amid breezy horns and Ms. Sparti’s airy scat singing on “Beograd.” It’s all about style, character and finesse. More importantly, the ensemble proclaims a wealth of sprightly themes throughout this generally melodious set. All concerned parties turn in thoughtful and at times, invigorating solo spots. However, the musicians’ teamwork and irrefutable sense of focus and determination provides the Midas touch! Recommended.” --GLENN ASTARITA, All About Jazz
Also playing in:
1984 LP Ali - Bull Records di Gaetano Liguori (Milan)
1987 LP S'ottu Miu - Madau Dischi (Milan)
1989 CD Top Jazz From Italy - Y.V.P Music (Senden-Germany)
1991 CD Oylem Goylem con la Klezmer Theaterorchestra di Moni Ovadia - Nuova Fonit Cetra (Milan)
1991 CD Su Cantadore Malaittu - Madau Dischi (Milan)
1994 CD Senza Pelle con la Klezmer TheaterOrchestra di Moni Ovadia - EMI General Music (Rome)
1994 FILM Senza Pelle (Cannes Filmfestival 1994 - Trumpet soloist in the soundtrack)
1999 CD Acque Chiare - M.A.P. Records (Milan)
2002 CD Trieste e Il Jazz - Cinquant'anni di Storia - Edizioni Fenice (Triest)
2004 CD Place Of Dance - M.A.P. Records (Milan) - LT CD 0158
2006 CD Oi Dialogoi - Splasc(h) Records (Arcisate-VA) - CD H990.2
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