Giorgio Occhipinti

Pianist and composer, was born in Ragusa in June 1969. Since he was a little child he devoted himself to the study of the piano and he played the drum and the transverse flute in a band. He also played togheter with his father (a trumpet player). In October 1989 he took part in the Festival Jazz of Paris within the “International competition for Piano jazz” dedicated to Martial Solal. He worked togheter with the actress Lidya Alfonsi, and he composed the sound basis of some of her recitals. He took part in one of the historical sicilian jazz groups: the December Thirty Jazz Trio, founded in 1989 togheter with the double bass player Giuseppe Guarrella and the drummer Francesco Branciamore. Since Juanary 1992 he has been a member of one of the most important italian groups: the Pino Minafra Sud Ensemble, many times voted in referendum from the Italian and international critics in the first places of the classifications like the best group and recording on Cd (Top Jazz “Musica Jazz”Magazine and in France the CD “Sudori” in the 1996 best CD of the year). In 1993 is a inventor togheter with Giuseppe Guarrella of the Festival Ibleo del Jazz “...a kind of general states a of the music jazz of vanguard seen from the South”. Today he is the art director of this festival. In the same year he founded the Giorgio Occhipinti Hereo Nonetto /Nonet (also octet, orchestra, ensemble). In 1994 he took part in one special group togheter with saxophonist Eugenio Colombo and Giuseppe Guarrella: the Triple project. In the 1995 he found with Joelle Leandre the EUROPEAN DUO. In the May 1998 he found with Olivia Bignardi the DUETSEQUENCES. In the March 2000 he took part of a new important group “BANLIEUES BLEUES QUARTET” created from a great festival of Paris (Banlieues Bleues) with Pino Minafra, Sandro Satta and Vincenzo Mazzone. In 1995 he has been voted by Italian critics in the referendum “Top Jazz” organised by Musica Jazz magazine as the second New and Best Talent of the year. In March 2000 he founded the GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI HEREO TENTETTO. The CD “Global Music & Circular Thought” (Giorgio Occhipinti Hereo Nonetto plus Cellos Sequences - Jazz Hale Tonesetters) for the UK's Magazine “JAZZ REWIEWS” is the best CD of the 2001. He wrote music for orchestra and quintet of strings “I Muri a secco” edited by an important Swiss publishing house (T.G.E. edizioni musicali) after the same composition was duly pointed out in an important competition dedicated to E.Bloch. In the 1999 the ENCICLOPEDIA OF ITALIAN COMPOSERS inserts his name together to biggest names of the contemporary music. In September 1999 He found with Miriam Palma, Maurizio Maiorana, Domenico Sciajno and Giuseppe Guarrella the FAUST GROUP. From June 2001 he has been a member of the “Concerto Dantesco” with the actors Galatea Ranzi and Marco Andriolo. He wrote also sequences for cellos duo and for strings quartet (1999/2000) and he wrote also music for strings sextet plus alto sax commissioned from the Noci Europa Jazz Festival: “DODICI MOTTETTI”. He record also a double CD of this compositions with a GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI DODICI MOTTETTI. In October 2001 he found in Wien (with the collaboration of the label BEETWEN THE LINES and the festival MUSIC ON MUSIC of Wiener Musik Galerie) the group GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI GLOBAL MUSIC NONETTO and write the suite REVOLUTION (five compositions for strings quintet, two clarinets, piano, drums & kettledrums: 3 dances, 1 cantata, 1 sequence). In the June 2002 he found LESS OF FIVE with Olivia Bignardi, Giuseppe Guarrella, Antonio Moncada.

Collaborations with:

Evan Parker, Joelle Leandre, Ernst Reijseger, Paul Rutherford, Barre Phillips, Peter Brotzmann, Vinny Golia, Gianluigi Trovesi, Michel Godard, Giancarlo Schiaffini, Antonello Salis, Giuseppe Guarrella, Francesco Branciamore, Jean-Marc Montere, Arkady Schilkloper, Hein Van der Geyn, Andre Ceccarelli, Lee Konitz, Flavio Boltro, Paolo Fresu, Pino Minafra, Carlo Actis Dato, Bruno Tommaso, Vincenzo Mazzone, Ellen Christi, Stefano Maltese, Gianni Gebbia, Vittorio Villa, Enrico Fazio, Gioconda Cilio, Miriam Palma, Alberto Mandarini, Lauro Rossi, Eugenio Colombo, Renato Geremia, Giovanni Macciocu, Daniele Patumi, Antonio Moncada, Sandro Satta, Rudy Migliardi, Roberto Ottaviano, Paolo Damiani, Pasquale Innarella, Maurizio Martuscello, Gianni Coscia, Carlo Rizzo, Tscho Theissing, Ekkehard Jost, Reiner Winterschladen, Manfred Becker, Dieter Manderscheid, Joe Bonica, Roy Paci, Paolo Botti, Maurizio Maiorana, Domenico Scjaino, Filippo Portera, Carlo Cattano, Sandro Sciarratta, Vito Amatulli, Luca Calbrese, Banda Roncati, , Beppe Caruso, Lelio Giannetto, Olivia Bignardi, Tiziana Cavaleri, Galatea Ranzi, Marco Andriolo, Vittorino Curci, Giuseppe Amatulli, Domenico Mastro, Nico Ciricugno, Sonia Slany, Joanna Lewis, Matteo Gallini.

1 Official Discography:

1. THE STREET ONE YEAR AFTER – DECEMBER THIRTY JAZZ TRIO recorded in Catania at Rodberg Studio, August 1990 produced DTJ for Splasc(h) Records (Italia) Giorgio Occhipinti (p.) Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass) Francesco Branciamore (drums) 2. CONCERT FOR IBLA – PINO MINAFRA & DECEMBER THIRTY JAZZ TRIO Recorded at Checco Durante's public theatre, Ragusa Ibla January 10, 1991 produced by Associazione Culturale for Splasc(h) Record (Italia) Pino Minafra (tr.flug.) Giorgio Occhipinti (p.) Giuseppe Guarrella (db.) Francesco Branciamore (dr.) 3. SICILIAN JAZZ COLLECTION VOLUME 1 – DECEMBER THIRTY JAZZ TRIO recorded in Pozzallo Studio produced by AMJ Sicilia for Splasc(h) Records (Italia) Giorgio Occhipinti (p.) Giuseppe Guarrella (db.) Francesco Branciamore (dr.) 4. THE NEW STREET IN OLD CITY – DECEMBER THIRTY JAZZ TRIO recorded in Milano Barigozzi Studio 1992 Produced by Enrico Fazio & Carlo Actis Dato for CMC Records (Italia) Giorgio Occhipinti (p.) Giuseppe Guarrella (db.) Francesco Branciamore (dr.) 5. THE KAOS LEGEND – GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI HEREO NONETTO music by Giorgio Occhipinti recorded 1993/1994 at Festival Ibleo del Jazz produced by Leo Fegin & John Rottiers for Leo Recods Lab (England) Giorgio Occhipinti (p.) Alberto Mandarini (tr. flug.) Lauro Rossi (trom.ne) Gianni Gebbia (as & ss.) Carlo Actis Dato (bass cl. & bar.sax) Renato Geremia (vio) Giovanni Macciocu (cello) Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass) Vincenzo Mazzone (drums) also Eugenio Colombo as & ss,) 6. LIVE AT FESTIVAL IBLEO DEL JAZZ – GIUSEPPE GUARRELLA PROJECTS produced by Enrico Fazio & Carlo Acris Dato for CMC Records - recorded at Festival Ibleo del Jazz 1993/1994 Siciilian 4tet Gianni Gebbia (as &ss) Giorgio Occhipinti (p. perc. pipes) Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass) Vittorio Villa (drums, perc. didjeridoo, live elettr.) Progetto Ibleo Gioconda Cilio (v.) Pino Minafra (tr.) Alberto Mandarini (flug.) Lauro Rossi (trom.ne) Eugenio Colombo (fl. sicilian perc.) Stefano Maltese (ss.) Carlo Actis Dato (bass cl.) Renato Geremia (vio) Giovanni Macciocu (cello) Giuseppe Guarrella & Enrico Fazio (double bass) Giorgio Occhipinti (p.) Francesco Branciamore (perc. live elettr.) Vincenzo Mazzone (drums & perc.) 7. SUDORI – PINO MINAFRA SUD ENSEMBLE recorded at Barigozzi Studio, Milano Produced by Victo (Canada) Pino Minafra (tr. flug. didjeridoo) Giorgio Occhipinti (p.) Lauro Rossi (trom.ne) Carlo Actis Dato (ten.sax, bar.sax) Daniele Patumi (db.) Vincenzo Mazzone (dr. kettledrums) 8. PING PONG – VINCENZO MAZZONE Produced by Victo Recods (Canada) feauturing Pino Minafra Sud Ensemble recorded at Sorriso Studio, Bari 1998 Produced by Leo Feigin for Leo Lab (England) Pino Minafra (tr. flug. didjeridoo) Giorgio Occhipinti (p.) Lauro Rossi (trom.ne) Carlo Actis Dato (ten.sax, bar.sax) Daniele Patumi (db.) Vincenzo Mazzone (dr. kettledrums) 9. INCANDESCENCES – THE EUROPEAN DUO (Jazz Halò Records – Belgio/Belgium 1999) Produced by Jos De Mol & Emile Clemens. Giorgio Occhipinti (piano) - Joelle Léandre (double bass - voice). All compositions by Giorgio Occhipinti & Joelle Léandre Recorded at “Wijnendale Castle”, Torhout, on May 25, 1997 - Sound Engineer Jos De Mol, Danny Willemyns Editing by Jean-Marc Foussat, Giorgio Occhipinti and Jos De Mol in Paris (France) 10. GLOBAL MUSIC AND CIRCULAR THOUGHT – GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI HEREO NONETTO PLUS CELLOS SEQUENCES (Jazz Halò Records – Belgio/Belgium 2000) Produced by Jos De Mol & Emile Clemens Recorded at “G.C.C.R. Studio”, Rosolini (SR), on March 15, 16, 24, 25, 2000 - Sound Engineer Marcello Prati Editing by Jean-Marc Foussat in Paris. Giorgio Occhipinti (piano) - Tiziana Cavaleri (cello) - Vito Amatulli (cello) - Paolo Botti (viola) - Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass), Lauro Rossi (trombone), Luca Calaberse (trumpet & flugehorn), Carlo Actis Dato (bass clarinet), Maurizio Maiorana (voice and clarinet), Francesco Branciamore (drums and kettledrums) All compositions by Giorgio Occhipinti and text by Ermelinda Simona Buccheri 11. SIBILLA – GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI HEREO NONETTO (Produced by MARGEN MAGAZINE - Spagna 2001) Giorgio Occhipinti (piano) - Tiziana Cavaleri (cello) - Paolo Botti (viola) - Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass), Lauro Rossi (trombone), Luca Calaberse (trumpet & flugehorn), Carlo Actis Dato (bass clarinet), Maurizio Maiorana (voice and clarinet), Francesco Branciamore (drums and kettledrums) Composition by Giorgio Occhipinti and text by Ermelinda Simona Buccheri 12. CANTO LIBERO – BANLIEUES BLEUES QUARTET Recorded in Paris live au Festival Banlieues Bleues – 2000 produced by Baliueues Bleues Festival for Victo Records (Canada) Pino Minafra (trumpet & flugehorn), Giorgio Occhipinti (piano), Sandro Satta (alto sax), Vincenzo Mazzone (drums, perc.) 13. FREE FOR 3 – DECEMBER THIRTY JAZZ TRIO (Jazz Halò Records – Belgio/Belgium 2003). All compositions by December Thirty Jazz Trio except tracks 3, 5 by Giorgio Occhipinti, track 8 by Giuseppe Guarrella and track 9 by Francesco Branciamore. Recorded live in Belgium tour 2001. Produced by Jos De Mol & Emile Clemens. Giorgio Occhipinti (piano) - Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass) - Francesco Branciamore (drums) 14. HISTOIRE - GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI GLOBAL MUSIC NONETTO (Between The Lines - Germania/Germany 2003) Produced by Franz Koglmann. All compositions by Giorgio Occhipinti - Recorded at 4tune Studios, Vienna, October 12 and 14, 2001 - Mixing October 15 and 16, 2001- Sound Engineers: Martin Klebahn and David Petermann. Giorgio Occhipinti (piano, direction, compositions), Sonia Slany (violin), Joanna Lewis (violin), Nico Ciricugno (viola), Tiziana Cavaleri (cello), Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass), Matteo Gallini (soprano and bass clarinet), Olivia Bignardi (soprano and bass clarinet), Antonio Moncada (drums, kettledrums) 15. ACROBATI FOLLI E INNAMORATI - LESS OF FIVE (NINE WINDS - Stati Uniti d'America/USA 2004) Recorded at Sonora Studio Recording, Scordia(Catania), June, 2002 . Produced by Vinny Golia. Compositions 2,6,7,9,11,12 by Giorgio Occhipinti - 3,4,8,10,by Olivia Bignardi - 1,5,13 by Giuseppe Guarrella - 14,15 by Antonio Moncada Giorgio Occhipinti (piano, preparated piano, percussions, compositions),Olivia Bignardi (alto sax, soprano clarinet, nacchere) Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass), Antonio Moncada (drums). 16. UNOMAGGIO ALL'UTOPIA – ARTISTI VARI (Sicilia Libertaria - Italy 2004) Compositions by Giorgio Occhipinti Recorded at Sonora Studio Recording, Scordia(Catania) March 2004 Sound Engineer: Vincenzo Cavalli. Produced by Antonio Mainenti. Giorgio Occhipinti Strings Quartet, Giorgio Occhipinti (piano) Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass) 17. MONK KNOW - KNOW QUARTET (LABIRINTI SONORI RECORDS - ITALY 2006) Recorded at Sonora Studio Recording, Scordia(Catania), November & December, 2005. Giorgio Occhipinti (piano, preparated piano, percussions, compositions),Stefano Maltese (alto sax, bass clarinet) Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass), Emanuele Primavera (drums). Compositions by Thelonius Monk 18. KEEP UP THE DIALOGUE - FRANCESCO BRANCIAMORE PERFECT QUINTET Produced by Caligola Records. Recorded Sonoria Studio 2007. Compositions by Francesco Branciamore. Giorgio Occhipinti (piano) Francesco Branciamore (drums, xilophone), Gaetano Cristofaro (ance), Elio Amato (trombone), Giuseppe Guarrella (trombone) 19. RONDA DE MUSICA - GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI produced by Zimbalam ONLY ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY, CUBO MUSICA, DEEZER ... rcorded in Wien (Austria), Scordia (Italia), Rosolini (Italia) Paris (French) GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI GLOBAL MUSIC NONETTO Giorgio Occhipinti (piano, composizione, direzione) Sonia Slany (violino) Joanna Lewis (violino) Nico Ciricugno (viola) Tiziana Cavaleri (violoncello) Giuseppe Guarrella (contrabbasso) Olivia Bignardi (clarinetti) Matteo Gallini (clarinetti) Antonio Moncada (batteria, timpani) - Giorgio Occhipinti (piano, direction, composition), Antonio Mainenti (voice), Theresa Wong (cello) Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass), Filippo Portera (flute), Emanuele Primavera (drums), ignoto (ghironda) - CELLOS SEQUENCES Tiziana Cavaleri - Vito Amatulli (cellos) 20. MUSECA LUNDENE - VITTORINO CURCI - GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI MOTTETTI produced by Zimbalam ONLY ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY, CUBO MUSICA, DEEZER Recorded at Sorriso Studio Recording in Bari. all compositions by Giorgio Occhipinti all text by Vittorino Curci. Giorgio Occhipinti (composition and direction), Vittorino Curci (alto sax, reciting voice), Giuseppe Amatulli, Domenico Mastro (violini) Nico Ciricugno (viola) Tiziana Cavaleri, Vito Amatulli (violoncelli), Giuseppe Guarrella (contrabbasso) 21. SIX SEQUENCES - GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI – OLIVIA BIGNARDI For piano & clarinets produced by Zimbalam ONLY ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY, CUBO MUSICA, DEEZER recorded live at Noto Extra Moenia Festival. Giorgio Occhipinti (piano) Olivia Bignardi (clarinets). all compositions by Giorgio Occhipinti and Olivia Bignardi 22. MOTS REVELEES – GIORGIO OCCHIPINTI produced by Zimbalam ONLY ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY, CUBO MUSICA, DEEZER recorded at Sonoria Studio in Scordia by Vincenzo Cavalli. Giorgio Occhipinti (piano, voice), Antonio Mainenti (voice) Filippo Portera (alto sax, baritone sax, flute, voice), Theresa Wong (cello, voice), Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass, voice), Emanuele primavera (drums, voice) 23. CHAPTER TWO - LESS OF FIVE Produced by Claudio Donà for Caligola Records (Italia) – 2017 recorded at Sonoria Studio in Scordia by Vincenzo Cavalli. All compositions by Giorgio Occhipinti, Only one by Giuseppe Guarrella. Giorgio Occhipinti (piano), Gianpiero Fronte (alto & soprano sax), Giuseppe Guarrella (double bass), Emanuele Primavera (drums) 24. TEN SHORT STORIES Produced by Convivio Records (Italia) – 2017 recorded at Sonoria Studio in Scordia by Vincenzo Cavalli. All compositions by Luc Houtkamp & Giorgio Occhipinti. Luc Houtkamp (tenor sax, clarinet), Giorgio Occhipinti (piano)