Aquarello
Encyclopedia
Aquarello was a musical group which blended ambient music
and jazz. The trio included keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, based in Austria
, and two Italian
musicians, multi-instrumentalist Fabio Capanni, and saxophonist
Nicola Alesini. They were active between 1991 and 1998, recording and releasing three albums.
, piano
, synthesizer
, marranzano
, and bouzuki. The trio were joined by Arlo Bigazzi on Friendly Game, who in addition to serving as producer, played recorder
and bass
. He also co-wrote the song "Fiori" with Roedelius and Capanni and share arranger credits with the three members of Aquarello. Friendly Game was released by the Italian
label Materiali Sonori in 1992.
Their second album To Cover the Dark, was their first release under the Aquarello name. It was released in 1993 on the British
Deep Wave label, the trio were joined by multi-instrumentalist Laszlo von Ramhorst and keyboardist Felix Jay. von Ramhorst played percussion, bass, keyboards, harmonica
, and flute
on the album.
Aquarello's third, eponymous album was released in 1998 on the U.K.-based All Saints label. It was the only album on which just the trio played with no additional musicians collaborating. 12 of the 14 tracks were recorded live at the Visual Music Festival VI in Lanzarote
and most of this material are live versions of pieces which appeared on the first two albums.
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
and jazz. The trio included keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, based in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and two Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
musicians, multi-instrumentalist Fabio Capanni, and saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
Nicola Alesini. They were active between 1991 and 1998, recording and releasing three albums.
Core Members
- Hans-Joachim Roedelius (1991–1998)
- Fabio Capanni (1991–1998)
- Nicola Alesini (1991–1998)
Collaborators
- Arlo Bigazzi - recorder, bass guitar, nature sounds, mixing. Producer. (1992)
- Laszlo von Ramhorst - percussion, bass, keyboards, harmonica, flute. (1993)
- Felix Jay - electric piano and keyboards. (1993)
History
The first Aquarello album, Friendly Game, was released under the three artists names but is listed as the debut Aquarello album in the discography on Roedelius' official website. Fabio Capanni played a wide variety of instruments on the album, including electric and acoustic guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, marranzano
Jew's harp
The Jew's harp, jaw harp, mouth harp, Ozark harp, trump or juice harp, is thought to be one of the oldest musical instruments in the world; a musician apparently playing it can be seen in a Chinese drawing from the 4th century BC...
, and bouzuki. The trio were joined by Arlo Bigazzi on Friendly Game, who in addition to serving as producer, played recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
and bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. He also co-wrote the song "Fiori" with Roedelius and Capanni and share arranger credits with the three members of Aquarello. Friendly Game was released by the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
label Materiali Sonori in 1992.
Their second album To Cover the Dark, was their first release under the Aquarello name. It was released in 1993 on the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Deep Wave label, the trio were joined by multi-instrumentalist Laszlo von Ramhorst and keyboardist Felix Jay. von Ramhorst played percussion, bass, keyboards, harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, and flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
on the album.
Aquarello's third, eponymous album was released in 1998 on the U.K.-based All Saints label. It was the only album on which just the trio played with no additional musicians collaborating. 12 of the 14 tracks were recorded live at the Visual Music Festival VI in Lanzarote
Lanzarote
Lanzarote , a Spanish island, is the easternmost of the autonomous Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 125 km off the coast of Africa and 1,000 km from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering 845.9 km2, it stands as the fourth largest of the islands...
and most of this material are live versions of pieces which appeared on the first two albums.
Discography
- 1992 : Friendly Game (studio album, as Roedelius, Capanni, Alesini)
- 1993 : To Cover The Dark (studio album)
- 1998 : Aquarello (live album)