Enzo Avitabile

Italy
“Every so often in world music a sound comes along that knocks you sideways […] a sensation”.
THE TIMES

Artist information

ENZO AVITABILE brings musical worlds together. The Saxophone player combines Jazz sounds with the threatening beats of the “Bottari” – traditional South-Italian drummers who’s first historical appearance date back to the14th century, using empty wine barrels as percussion instruments. These sometimes enormous barrels create a unique, highly energetic and driving pulse, impressively supporting Enzo’s Blues and Jazz compositions – without the use of synthesisers or the like.

With this project, the Neapolitan has created a musical adventure second to none. The first album “Save The World” (2004) instantly sprang to number two of the World Music charts, featuring special performances by World Music stars such as KHALED, MANU DIBANGO, AMINA, or HUGH MASELA, adding an extra Arabic and African flair to the record.

He continued his impressive run by releasing his spectacular second album “Fest Farina & Forca” which had a lock on the World Music Charts for months. Not only critics, promoters and visitors are completely excited by him, but also the WOMEX jury who invited him to an official WOMEX SHOWCASE 2008!

ENZO AVITABILE, who already released his first solo album in 1982, has a remarkable fan base. Cooperation with world stars such as Tina Turner, James Brown or Randy Crawford and numerous awards and international acknowledgements such as 3 nominations for the BBC WORLD MUSIC AWARD in the last few years are proof though, that ENZO’s fame goes well beyond the borders of Italy.

European audiences were able to witness this project’s enormous live qualities between 2005 and 2008 at renowned festivals like Rosklide, Sziget, Colours of Ostrava, Musicas Do Mundo, Stimmen Lörrach and many others. In Summer 2007 a row of terrific festival appearances in Germany / Austria such as Kulturzelt (Kassel), Zeltival (Karlsruhe), Kultursommer (Oldenburg) and the Wiesen-Jazz Festival (Vienna) followed. On Sziget Festival Enzo even performed 3 times between 2006 and 2008, 2006 with a special project featuring MANU DIBANGO.

Watch Enzo Avitabile on Youtube