Untitled - Roberto Testini

CAFFE’ ESPRESSO – blues latino made in Italy
Caffè Espresso
BLUES LATINO made in Italy
A cocktail of blues, latin and rock with the flavour of the music of afro-american fathers, the
sweetened by New Orleans atmosphere: here you have the CAFFE’ ESPRESSO served in a hot cup
at now a-days rhythm.
This project, began in 2002 from the marriage of two great musical passions the blues and the rock
latino, brought them to earn the SIAE award in 2004 for “the best musical Project of the year”
“This award has been given to acknowledge the economic and cultural contribution that has been
made to Italy and has promoted the italian artistic culture abroad” and, in 2007, the
MEDITERRANEAN AWARD for “Caffè Espresso – blues latino made in Italy”. “This award has been
given to acknowledge the economic and cultural contribution that has been made to Italy and
has promoted the italian artistic culture abroad”.
The sound of Caffè Espresso is enriched by New Orleans and cuban rhythms, flamenco and electric
guitar all blended together.
The legend says that the evergreen latin rocker Carlos Santana, while sipping an Italian coffee in
Italy with Roberto Testini in a rehearsal pause, exclaimed: “Caffè Espresso, could be the name
Roberto”.
… absolutely italiano
hot and generous … like mediterranean people
black and full of mistery … like Africa the mother of all the music we listen to
CAFFE’ ESPRESSO
Roberto Testini (guitar, lead vocal) / Emanuele Esposti (keyboards, vocals) / Francesco Licitra (tenor sax)
Siro Burchiani (bass) / Marco Renna (Percussions, vocals) / Enrico ferraresi (drums)
www.robertotestini.com
CAFFE’ ESPRESSO – blues latino made in Italy
PREMIO SIAE 2004
MIGLIORE PROGETTO JAZZ&BLUES DELL’ANNO
CAFFE’ ESPRESSO – blues latino made in Italy
OSCAR DEL MEDITERRANEO 2007
JAM SESSION con SISTER SLEDGE 2004
CURRICULA
ROBERTO TESTINI (guitar and vocal)
Roberto Testini was born in Milano Italy in 1962, he was given his first guitar at the age of 15 by his father and he
already played pro by the end of the 70s.
He attended a jazz laboratory directed by Ivo Meletti and achieved a graduation in Jazz Orchestra Direction
with the supervision of Maestro Filippo Daccò.
Guitarist and singer, he has always followed his great musical passion for blues and rock latino.
He has been performing up and down Italy and Europe, first as side-man and later as the band leader of Caffè
Espresso. In the middle of the 80s he started his collaborations, on tour and as a recording artist, with American
artists such as: Jan Paice, Luther Allison, Oliver Sain, Walter Liniger, Teddy Riley, Willie Little Littlefield, Jimmy
Witherspoon, Barbara Carr, Buddy Miles, Walter Wolfman Washington, Janice Harrington, Earl Conway, Lillian
Bouttè, Ronnie Jones, Arthur Miles, Nathaniel Peterson …
Also worth mentioning are the collaborations with the following Italian artists: Fabio Treves, Aida Cooper, Paolo
Rossi, Vince Tempera …
He has also had jam sessions with famous musicians like: Jeff Healy, Slash, Alex Britti, Carlos Santana, Sister Sledge,
Romano Mussolini, Bernardo Lanzetti …
He hosted “Non Blues Ultra”, the first Italian television programme entirely dedicated to the blues, created and
produced by himself together with the director Dario Barezzi. Actor in a sit-com for a commercial spot
broadcasted on RAI. He also took part in the production of the musical “Dance Train” and he has written and
produced his own musical entitled “Last Call”. Author of commercial jingles, documentary sound tracks, theatre
acts and movies; worth mentioning is the long form footage “the man on the moon”, produced by Mondadori,
realized in collaboration with the drummer Enrico Ferraresi.
Director and manager of the first Italian “Blues University” in collaboration with Blues House, the Milanese blues
club, where Roberto Testini was art director from the year It was founded 1992 to 2002.
Since 2007 He has been teaching blues and jazz at the C.E.M.B. (educational music centre) blues and jazz with
the supervision of Maestro Giordano Bianchi.
www.robertotestini.com
EMANUELE ESPOSTI (keyboards, vocals)
In 1984 first appearance as keyboard and singer in a band called “Antologia", with the recording of a 45 rpm. In
1986 keyboard, singer and composer of a new coloured band, “Ashantis”. The group plays funky and rhythm'n
blues of the 70s and 80s. In 1991 in Switzerland recording of an album called "Keep goin' on ", including original
songs with ethnic taste, sung both in italian and in english. In 1992 tour with the band in Norway, Sweden,
Germany, Finland. In 1998 vocalist of an italian-french artist, Daniela Simmons. With Daniela Simmons tours in
Switzerland, Germany and Turkey. Since 2000 he’s been teaching at the School of Rock in Milan.
FRANCESCO LICITRA (tenor saxophone)
He learnt the musical rudiments when he was nine years old with alto saxophone, then clarinet, five years with
classical piano at the Conservatorium in Caltanissetta. From 1983 to 1987 he played with local dance bands as a
professionist for more than a thousand gigs and then he moved to Milan to meet jazz music and jazz musicians
that made Francesco's style grow day after day. In the 90’s he studied as a sound engineer and as an arranger,
producing a lot of commercial music CDs.
Francesco can play with nonchalance either piano or clarinet and saxophone, both jazz and rock, as well as
blues and funky.
SIRO BURCHIANI (bass)
Bassist active since mid 80’s. Session man in recording studios like Fonit Cetra, Dig It, Duck Records, for many
artists like Barbara Carr, Arthur Miles, Junior Robinson, Cheryl Nickerson, Massimo Priviero, Exilia, Laura Smiraglia,
Talentho, Vanadium, Trademark, CPM Big Band, Esperando (tribute to Carlos Santana), No One Else (modern
gospel), Blues Swingers. Teacher of theory, harmony of music and electric bass in some schools in Milan area,
Professional Music Center and Recording Music Center in Cinisello Balsamo. On tour with lots of artists and groups
and he has had lots of TV presences on national networks such as: Trenta Ore Per La Vita (Italia 1), Rete A (All
Music), Roxy Bar (TMC2 Videomusic), Segnali Di Fumo (TMC2 Videomusic), Match Music. An experience in a
Musical “La Piccola Bottega Degli Orrori” with
Rossana Casale and Manuel Frattini.
www.robertotestini.com
MARCO RENNA (percussions, vocals)
He started his approach with the world of drums studying snare rudiments and rhytmic with Walter Calloni (Italy),
latin percussions in Umbria Jazz Workshop with Ray Mantilla (Portorico) and at Professional Music Center of Milan
with Candelo Cabezas (Colombia) where he achieved the master in latin percussions. Later on, he moved to
Salzburg (Austria) attending workshops of musicology in O.R.F. Institute and teaching latin percussions in the
Kultur Gelande. He performed on shows and tours in Austria, Germany and Holland . During this period he also
studied with Tata Guines (Cuba) , Amos Afany (Ghana) and Dom Um Romao (Brazil). In 1992 Marco came back
to Italy where he was a founder of the following bands: Aguardiente, Corazon Latino and Sin Fronteras. He
travelled through South America visiting Costa Rica, Perù, Panama and playing with percussionist Gilson Silveira,
in Brazil, he has contact with artists like Margareth Menezes and Carlinhos Brown. In 1995 Marco performed in the
multimedial opera dedicated to Che Guevara “Saudade Che” participating in the theatrical show and to the
soundtrack of the video published by Mondadori. From 1996 he is an official member of the band Esperando
(tribute to Santana). Actually he teaches percussions and drums in the Music Recording Technologies School of
Bergamo.
ENRICO FERRARESI (drums)
Born in Milano, October 1960, he took a diploma at Piccola Accademia Nuova Milano Musica with Maestro Giancarlo Pillot
first and then with Maestro Carlo Sola. He attended many master classes and seminars with the most famous international
drummers. He also achieved a diploma with Dennis Chambers. In 1982 he started playing with many Italian artists such as
Garbo, Giuni Russo, Berger, Neesema, Fabio Berti, Pippo Esposito, Giada, Massimo Senzioni, Marcus Rock, Frank Vitaloni. In
1985 he went on a very long tour with Pierangelo Bertoli and still with him he took part in the video “Maria Teresa”. He took
part in many TV shows like “Italy for Italy", "Concerto per amore", and “Concerto per L’Eritrea One year later he started
collaborating with Gianni Togni, Ivano Fossati, I Vienna (oggi Delta V), Bengodia, Novecento, took part at "Festival di
Sanremo", recorded a long-playing with Santandrea and a video with Celeste Johnson. Since 1990 he played with many
international artists of the blues, R&B, soul, funk, rock scenario, in Italy, Russia, France and Switzerland. Among them: Barbara
Carr, Leonard Johnson, Jim Suhler, Criss Cobb, Jumpin' Johnny Sansone, Mz Dee, China Berri, Leona Laviscount, Sweetie,
Cheryll Nickerson, Oliver Sain, Bill Tohmas, James Tohmpson, Andy Just & Johnny Nitro Band, The Dunn-Paker Band, John Mc
Vey, Ronnie Jones, Artur Miles, Dave Baker, Kim & The Cadillacs, King Bees, Blues Swingers. In 1998 he performed in
important TV shows like Taratata', Nightexpress, Sonic, Montecarlonight, Roxy Bar, Sanremo Rock & Trend, playing with Alice,
Battiato, Paola Turci, Prefisso, Masoko, Rafael Didoni, Laura Smiraglia, Gisella Cozzo, Gianluca Grignani.
www.robertotestini.com
www.robertotestini.com