Giancarlo

This is one of my earliest and favorite compositions. It can be played in many straight-eighth feels, but my preference is for a light sort of march with maybe something of the pomp that comes with tango. The title is an homage to Italian actor Giancarlo Giannini.

I wrote the tune the night I was let go as a musician at an Italian restaurant in my hometown of Utica, NY. I think that the mischief and bravado displayed by the actor in his most famous films “Swept Away,” “Seven Beauties,” and “Seduction of Mimi” is manifest in the wafting and sometimes jagged intervals of the melody.

I wrote this before learning much traditional Italian music, but as I would later realize the practice of an “A” section in minor and “B” in the parallel major is time honored format. This can be seen clearly in the famous Neapolitan tune, “Maria Marì.”

The recording is from my first album, “When You Were Small.” It features some incredible musicians.

Christian Ravaglioli, English Horn

Liz Kosack, Electric Piano

John Lenis, Bass

I’m performing on my 1920’s parlor guitar. The album is available on BandCamp