M.E.T.E. - Music enlightens the Earth (2023)

The project was born in 2022 from the meeting between Riccardo Di Gianni (guitars, sitar), Elias Farina (drums, doundoun) and Ludovico d'Apollo (double bass, electric bass). Indian scales, African rhythms, jazz, funk and prog merge into a single sound language, where ancient musical traditions combine with contemporaneity, giving life to a refined stylistic syncretism. Their music is reflective but at the same time energetic and propulsive, with experimental and suggestive settings that leave ample space for collective improvisation. The six original compositions – “Saraswati in Bamako”, “Almost 9 beats”, “At the end of June”, “Charukeshi” and “Shivranjani” by Riccardo Di Gianni and “Scarabeo” by Ludovico d'Apollo – contain melodic elements deriving from the Raga of Indian classical music. Ragas are the colors of the Soul, the expression in Sound of an emotion. The official presentation will be held at the ARCI Jigeenyi Club in Turin on Saturday 16 September at 7pm (bookings on EventBrite – urly.it/3x2jv).

«Music is Art and as such offers the possibility of accessing an immense space in which to immerse oneself with the senses and beyond them: the sounds fused in the unity of the musical work allow the limits of the ego to be broken down, eliminating places and time", explain the three musicians in the liner notes. «Because Music is something universal and transversal that transcends categories and genres, overcomes barriers and diversities allowing us to exist without distinctions. As artists we have a very specific task, to have the courage to seek new sounds that expand the musical universe in a sort of "liquid silence" from which it is possible to perceive an infinite number of sounds".

Riccardo Di Gianni, who graduated in jazz guitar at the Turin Conservatory, went to India in 2009 where he began studying sitar and Indian classical music. Having become a student of Pt. Amar Nath Mishra (Benares sitar legend), he dedicated more than ten years to this thousand-year-old musical tradition of which he is currently one of the few representatives in Europe. This path inevitably changes his way of thinking about the guitar, music and sound. In parallel to his concert activity he works for theater and contemporary dance as a composer and sound designer.

Elias Farina, graduated in classical percussion at the Turin Conservatory, undertook in 2010 a journey of exploration of African polyrhythms with maestro Bruno Genero, a symbol of African culture in Europe. In 2013 he approached the drums at the Academy of Modern Music in Turin under the guidance of Furio Chirico. Subsequently he started studying Sabar, to deepen which he went to Senegal in 2022, following private courses with the griot Mbar Ndiaye. There are many musical and theatrical collaborations that see him perform throughout Italy, Canada, Senegal and Switzerland. The different educational and artistic experiences will lead him to develop an innovative musical and performing style, which expertly combines different languages.

Ludovico D'Apollo, graduated in classical double bass, also dedicates himself to the study of jazz and electric bass techniques. He participates in several masterclasses including Hiroyuki Yamazaki (double bass), Ares Tavolazzi (double bass and electric bass), Dario Deidda (electric bass), Michael Manring (electric bass). It is precisely thanks to the experience with Manring that his style begins to take shape and soon the different musical languages begin to merge into a personal style that ranges from baroque to contemporary music, leading him to collaborate with several internationally renowned artists. In addition to his concert activity, he has carried out an intense teaching activity for many years.