ABOUT ME

Let’s start from the very beginning: I was born in 1984, and I’m a fingerstyle guitarist from Bari. My story with the guitar and my passion for music started when I was nine, when my mother put a classical guitar underneath our Christmas tree. I was thunderstruck and spellbound by that wooden box with six strings.

I began playing it by ear, attempting to emulate Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler’s solos, but with a classical guitar! That, I’d say, was quite irresponsible. It took me three years to find the resolution to enroll in a music school, thus beginning a love affair with this amazing instrument.

I started to study following the strict rules that classical music imposes, rules that I still don’t disdain, as they shaped me through and through. However, my love for the guitar knew no bounds, and classical music alone was not enough for me.

As a teenager, being a huge fan of Knopfler, I approached the electric guitar. Then, by chance, I stumbled upon some “Blues Guitar Method” audio cassettes. That was my very first encounter with a real acoustic guitar, without overdubbing or tricks: sheer polyphony… thunderstruck again!

I completed my classical studies – yes, I kept playing the classical guitar – and graduated with honors from the “Niccolò Piccinni” music academy in Bari. During my time as a student, I had many experiences. Alongside classical music, I also played the electric and acoustic guitar, striving to be as versatile as possible. I had my first “rock” experiences with some underground bands in Bari: the first one was called Insomniae, and it played covers of rock classics. Later, I became a member of Astrea, with whom I recorded an EP titled “From Birth to Confusion,” in the New Metal style, which enjoyed moderate success, despite its limited audience. The peak of our success was our participation in several festivals, including the 2006 Sziget Sound Fest.

At the same time, I attended seminars and master classes in classical music with leading teachers such as Eduardo Isaac, Flavio Cucchi, Lorenzo Micheli, Matteo Mela, and Aniello Desiderio. Later, I became a member of the most important ensemble for classical guitars in the South of Italy: the Orchestra di chitarre De Falla, conducted by Maestro Pasquale Scarola.

With them, I performed at various festivals in many regions and TV shows, also as a soloist. It was a beautiful experience that still occurs every now and then. However, I must say that my real acoustic career began approximately when I attended master classes with worldwide famous musicians such as Don Ross, Preston Reed, Doyle Dykes, and Tommy Emmanuel. The latter, the first acoustic guitarist I had seen perform live back in 1997, was my role model.

Fingerpicking/Fingerstyle has been at the core of everything since then. I completely dedicated myself to studying these techniques, with which I also “defiled” the classical orchestra, presenting the repertoire of this style’s greatest pioneers, such as Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Merle Travis, and many more.

In the last fifteen years, I’ve both started teaching guitar in several music schools and academies and played in tribute bands of artists like Claudio Baglioni, Bon Jovi, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Michael Jackson – still performing – doing concerts all around Europe.

I’ve also founded the acoustic duo Cheek2Cheek with the extraordinary – please, let me say it – singer, friend, and colleague Lorella Falcone, with whom I revive ‘50s classics in a fingerstyle way.

I lent my guitar to the most diverse genres, becoming a recording session musician. Among my many collaborations, I’ve had the pleasure of opening concerts for esteemed musicians like Peter Cincotti, Fiordaliso, and Danilo Rea.

Music also brought me to Canada, a country rich in musical traditions and favorably disposed to listening to new proposals, where I honed my skills playing in pubs, bars, and private parties. Back in Italy, I continued to perform in competitions and festivals, but with an aim: to give my music a tangible form and leave a lasting mark. When I went overseas again, I found inspiration and, in what I call my second home, I composed many pieces.

Soon my work took shape and solidified on 20th February 2018, the day of my recording “birth” with “Two Homes,” my debut album. Entirely self-produced, this record is a long and incredible journey across two continents (America and Europe): a journey filled with personal feelings, memories, and emotions. Combining swing, folk, and blues influences with a range of emotions from joy to wistfulness, I translated the sweet-and-sour flavor of everyday experiences and the pleasure of facing and sharing life’s adventures into sounds.

The single “Waterfalls“, the opening track, was selected by Rob Poland, the founder of the illustrious record company Candyrat Records, and added to his YouTube channel, garnering thousands of views and likes.

In 2019, I was awarded the “2019 Emerging Guitarist” Prize at the XXVI Convention ADGPA and XIV Guitar International Rendez-vous, earning me participation in the prestigious “Festival de la Guitare” in Issoudun, France. Additionally, I was selected among the top 5 finalists worldwide in the “Acoustic Guitarist of The Year 2020” contest organized by the prestigious magazines “Guitar World” and “Guitar Player magazine“. Furthermore, I have participated in the NAMM Show from 2022 until now, with concerts and showcases. It was a magical experience that reinforced my belief in the dream that every musician pursues in their own way.

Performing for people stirs something within me because every time I step onto the stage, I strive to deliver my best performance. That’s what I want people to hear. They often say: “Give it your all because, even if you don’t achieve what you wish for, at least you’ll know you’ve done your best.”

One of the most beautiful things about music is that we are all so diverse that we are incomparable. Each of us must find happiness within ourselves and with what we do. I believe one of life’s secrets is to discover what you’re gifted at… and pursue it!

Forge your own path, unaffected by others’ opinions; if you play honestly and from the heart, the audience will appreciate it. If, even for a moment, I had believed that my audience was there only to judge me, my dream would have been shattered long ago. Instead, I feel that we are simply sharing something.

There is no secret but sharing!

Danny

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