CARLO MEZZANOTTE & SYNTAXIS

Carlo Mezzanotte & Syntaxis biography
CARLO MEZZANOTTE was born in Rome in 1959. After having studied piano at the Conservatory, he became interested in jazz, subsequently playing with groups and larger bands both in and outside Italy. From 1982 to 1986, MEZZANOTTE worked mainly on theatre productions with some of Italy's leading companies, in the role of composer, arranger and pianist. He has released a number of recordings independent of SYNTAXIS, under his own name and with other bands, e.g. INDACO.

CARLO MEZZANOTTE & SYNTAXIS started in 1994 as a contemporary electric jazz project, working with complex arrangements but with the intention usually of having some instant musical impact. The rest of the band?s personnel include MASSIMILIANO ROSATI (guitar), VALERIO SERANGELI (bass) and STEFANO PACIONI (drums). The group with musicians from strong jazz backgrounds, therefore play urban music seemingly charged with urgency and energy, a willingness to experiment, while employing warmth of tone in their sound. Their first album Visible was released early 1997. Cieli Diversi followed in 2000, expanding the musical territory heard on the first album. Here for instance, the band experimented with different starting points in tunes, while still trying to give a fine and very listenable balance between acoustic and electric music, all fused with the consistent ingredient of strong jazz playing and interpretation. Cieli Diversi in particular, highlights MEZZANOTTE's excellent keyboard playing. Some critics have suggested the band is Italy?s RETURN TO FOREVER, because for instance of the excellent guitar-work of MASSIMILIANO ROSATI suggesting the playing of AL DIMEOLA & and perhaps to a lesser extent, that of ALLAN HOLDSWORTH. The 2006 release La Linera might be considered a more main stream jazz recording.


Discography:
Visibile (1997)
Cieli Diversi (2000)
La Linea (2006)