Ilaria Pilar Patassini in concert, with Michael Occhipinti (guitar), Roberto Occhipinti (bass), Louis Simao (accordion), and Mark Kelso (drums).
Michael Occhipinti is a versatile, sound-scultping guitarist and composer/arranger, who has spent decades freely moving between jazz, chamber music, world music, r&b/funk, and anything involving modern guitar sounds. A nine-time JUNO Award nominee, Michael leads several acclaimed groups including The Sicilian Project, Shine On: The Universe of John Lennon, The Triodes, and the 16-piece group NOJO (Neufeld-Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra). Michael’s creative guitar playing has made him the ideal compliment to a diverse range of groups, including modern jazz singer Elizabeth Shepherd, Indian fusion group Avataar, classical ensemble Group of 27, Psychedelic Turkish group Minor Empire, pop and soul singer Lester McLean, improvising electronic group Junik, and chamber group The Gryphon Trio. He’s as happy playing clean rhythm guitar with his funk band Grooveyard as he is creating stunning ambient sounds behind vocalists such as Italy’s Pilar. The range of Michael’s musical experience is best illustrated in the many celebrated musicians Michael has performed with, including Tony Allen, Andrea Bocelli, The Cecilia String Quartet, Divine Brown, Don Byron, Bruce Cockburn, Jeff Coffin, Joe Lovano, The Toronto Symphony, Dominic Mancuso, Laila Biali, Ray Anderson, Dave Douglas, Michelle Willis, Sam Rivers, and Kenny Wheeler. Michael Occhipinti’s touring resume includes The Umbria Jazz Festival (Italy), the Festival Cultural de Zacatecas (Mexico), the Jazz Yatra (India), The Ubuntu Project (Netherlands), Musikfest (USA), and the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival (Canada).
Pilar is an Italian singer and songwriter. Pilar’s talent combines the vocal interpretation with the instrumental use of the voice: the result is a peculiar blend of folk and roots singer-songwriter style with a contemporary and original soundscape. Her references range from Lhasa de Sela to Dulce Pontes, from Antony and the Johnsons to Ivano Fossati. Pilar has released his first album in 2007 “Femminile Singolare” (VCM/01), while in 2009 participated at the release of the album “Spartenza” (Incipit Records / Egea) in collaboration with the ensemble Sinenomine, acoustic ethno jazz group that proposes contemporary repertoire from the folk tradition of Southern Italy. In February 2010 Pilar released the single Meduse, (lyrics: Pilar, music: Tony Bungaro), which has been nominated for the NME Awards by the UK music magazine NME; the video clip of Meduse, as well, has been chosen by the director Luciano Melchionna for the opening of his successful play “Dignità Autonome di Prostituzione / Autonomous Dignity of Prostitution”, currently still on tour in theatres. From April 2010 to October 2010 Pilar has been touring with her live show “Corde” with guitarist Francesco Valente and, later on, with Tony Canto. Pilar has been finalist and won many music competitions and awards including “L’artista che non c’era” (2005), Musicultura Festival (First prize and Critics Poll Award 2007) Premio Tenco (finalist for Best Debut Release 2007), Premio Lunezia (2008), Premio Bindi (2008), Bianca d’Aponte Award (Best Artist 2008) Eurovision Song of Mediterranean – Pjesma Mediterana (Best Composition Award 2009 and Best Performer Awards 2010). Her versatility led Pilar participating as singer / actress in several theatrical performances in Italy and abroad (under the direction of Giancarlo Nanni, Marco Mattolini, Laura de Strobel, Aurelio Gatti) and working for soundtracks for film and television (with Louis Siciliano, Paolo Vivaldi, Alessandro Molinari). Pilar graduated at Conservatory in Singing and Chamber Music Repertoire. “Sartoria Italiana Fuori Catalogo” (Up Art Records/Egea Distribution) is her last album. The production and artistic direction is signed by Pilar herself with Bungaro (Daniela Mercury, Youssou N’Dour, Tinkara, Kay McCarthy, Ornella Vanoni, Omar Sosa, Paula Morelenbaum, Guinga …) and the arrangements and musical direction is led by Tony Canto. From 2014 she collaborates with the composer Michael Occhipinti and the clarinetist Don Byron in the italo-canadian Sicilian Jazz Project. She loves Autumn, the fruits of the season, the forests of Burgundy, the bow of the sailing boats and words chasing her. Her new album will be released in autumn 2015 for Esordisco.