orchestra spaziale

The Orchestra Spaziale is an Italian big band. They have played Frank Zappa compositions on several occasions, and they also did a "Zappa Project" on 2000/11/05 and on 2004/06/16.

In 2003, they contributed to "Frank You, Thank - Volume 2", an album that presents Italian bands performing the music of Frank Zappa.

Late 2013, A Simple Lunch released the "Orchestra Spaziale Meets Zappafrank" album. Available as a download, but also as a CDR.

http://www.orchestraspaziale.it/

notes by giorgio casadei

"Orchestra Spaziale meets Zappafrank"

     From: Giorgio Casadei (ge10449@iperbole.bologna.it)

The Orchestra Spaziale is like a small Big Band Jazz between nine or twelve musicians, but for this project was enlarged to fiftheen. This Orchestra exist from 1998 and usually plays original music (by Giorgio Casadei) or arranged tunes from Burt Bacharach, John Barry, Henry Mancini, Frank Zappa (obviously) and a lot of pieces that came from the musical traditions of Emilia Romagna (a country of Italy). Often the music that enters in the list of the Orchestra will be transformed and becomes something of totally new respect the originals.

The performance was the 5th november 2000 at the Theatre of Reggio Emilia for Its Festival 'Di Nuovo Musica'. For the project about Zappa I worked very hard to understand how was possible to arrange is beautiful (and perfect) music for this band in an interesting way. Because the music of Frank is the best when it¹s played by himself, or when he¹s present. I¹ve tried to find a character for any piece, exploring, as is possible for me, many possibilities of arrangement. Sometime we have tunes very close to the original version (like 'Regyptian Strut', 'Outside Now' or 'Black Page #2') but others goes in different directions  ('Pygmy Twylyte', 'The torture never stops', 'Orange County' for example). In the project we¹ve played also two original compositions and a bright version of the title track from the cartoon 'The Simpsons'. The performance was the 5th of november 2000 and until now is the only one. I hope we could repeat it.

concerts

Giorgio Casadei: arrangements, conduction, electric guitar
Massimo Semprini: alto sax, tenor sax, flute
Ivan Valentini: alto sax, tenor sax, soprano sax
Adriano Pancaldi: tenor sax, soprano sax
Marco Zanardi: baritone sax, tenor sax, clarinet
Daniele Giardina: trumpet
Manolo Nardi: trumpet
Mario Gigliotti: trumpet
Federico Tassani: trombone
Marina Ciccarelli: trombone
Alfredo Impullitti: piano, keyboards
Athos Bovi: percussions
Andrea Taravelli: electric bass
Claudio Trotta: drums
Vincenzo Vasi: voice, theremin

• 2000/11/05    concert 'theatre of reggio emilia', italy: "orchestra spaziale meets zappafrank"
  • setlist

    • regyptian strut * let's make the water turn black * torture never stops * pygmy twylyte (you can't do that mazurka on stage anymore) * how could i be such a fool * the simpsons (d. elfman) * lemme take you to the beach (lounge version) * the deathless horsie/right there variations * you are what you is * run home slow * la sfinge nella casa (g. casadei) * black page #2 * holiday in berlin * rdnzl * nebula (g. casadei) * uncle meat * outside now * oh no / orange county lumber truck * i come from nowhere

    • encores: anything * stick it out

Giorgio Casadei: arrangements, conduction, electric guitar
Massimo Semprini: alto sax, tenor sax, flute
Ivan Valentini: alto sax, tenor sax, soprano sax
Adriano Pancaldi: tenor sax, soprano sax
Marco Zanardi: baritone sax, tenor sax, clarinet
Daniele Giardina: trumpet
Mario Gigliotti: trumpet
Manolo Nardi: trumpet
Federico Tassani: trombone
Marina Ciccarelli: trombone
Marco Dal Pane: piano, keyboards
Alessandro Lamborghini: electric guitar
Andrea Taravelli: electric bass
Claudio Trotta: drums
Vincenzo Vasi: vocals, theremin

• 2003/12/06 concert "Orchestra Spaziale meets Zappafrank", auditorium RAI, rome, italy
  • setlist
    • regyptian strut * medley: let's make the water turn black / the torture never stops / pygmy twylyte * mexican intro * how could i be such a fool * holiday in berlin * run home slow * outside now (dedicated to alfredo impullitti) * uncle meat * rdnzl * oh no * stick it out * anything * you are what you is

  • broadcast on Rai Radio Tre

Giorgio Casadei : conductor, arrangements, guitar on Outside Now
Massimo Semprini: alto sax, tenor sax, flute
Ivan Valentini: alto sax, tenor sax, soprano sax
Adriano Pancaldi: tenor sax, soprano sax
Marco Zanardi: baritone sax, tenor sax, clarinet
Enrico Farneni: trumpet
Manolo Nardi: trumpet
Mario Gigliotti: trumpet
Federico Tassani: trombone
Marina Ciccarelli: trombone
Marco Dalpane: keyboards
Alessandro Lamborghini: guitar
Andrea Taravelli: bass
Claudio Trotta: drums
Vincenzo Vasi: vocals, theremin

• 2004/06/16 concert Piazza del Popolo (open air), S. Giovanni in Persiceto (Bologna), Italy

  • setlist: 

    • regyptian strut * let's make the water turn black * the torture never stops * pygmy twylyte (you can't do that mazurka on stage anymore) * holiday in berlin * come ho potuto essere cosi stupido (how could i be such a fool rap in italian - giampaolo gianese guest vocal) * how could i be such a fool * the simpsons (danny elfman) * uncle meat * run home slow * outside now * rdnzl * lemme take you to the beach (lazy lounge version) * oh no - the orange county lumber truck * stick it out

• 2010/07/29 concert "Nonsole Jazz Festival", Malè, Trentino, Italy  (http://www.nonsolejazz.altervista.org/)
  • line-up
    • Giorgio Casadei (direzione, chitarra elettrica, arrangiamenti) * Raffaella Berto (voce solista) * Massimo Semprini (sax contralto, sax tenore) * Marco Zanardi (sax baritono, clarinetto) * Ivan Valentini (sax soprano, sax contralto) * Alessio Alberghini (sax tenore, sax soprano, flauto) * Manolo Nardi (tromba) * Luca Marianini (tromba) * Simone Pederzoli (trombone) * Giordano Bruno Tedeschi (trombone) * Marco Belluzzi (tastiere, voce) * Luca Cotti (basso, voce) * Alessandro Lamborghini (chitarra elettrica) * Dencs Daniel Csaba (batteria)
  • the program: "All You Need is Zappa"
    • intro, Stick It Out, Let's Make the Water Turn Black, Taxman, I'm Only Sleeping, Holiday in Berlin, How Could Be Such a Fool, RDNZL, Let me Take You To the Beach, Got to Get You into my Life, Come Together, Oh No - Orange County Lumber Truck, Something, band intro, Tomorrows Never Knows
  • An audience recording of this concert got seeded at Zappateers
    • http://www.zappateers.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=19705