“I never questioned why I had to play the blues; I just felt it. I think my life path has been very close to this type of music, even from a human perspective. Let me explain it: I think that in a certain sense, the blues chooses you; you don't choose it. I lost my mother at twenty-one, and life has never spared me some pretty tough times so I think the music I play is also a reflection of my experiences.”

Roberto Formignani: The Blues Journeys

Italian musician Roberto Formignani at twelve, he bought his first guitar and spent his afternoons learning to play, trying to reproduce the sounds coming from the record player right next to him. His chance meeting with harmonica player Antonio D'Adamo marked a turning point: the two became close friends and founded the Mannish Blues Band. From then on, the group ramped up their live performances, playing on some major stages, opening for B.B. King in Pistoia, and making a name for themselves in some of Italy's main venues. From there, the band intensified its live activity, performing on increasingly important stages, opening for B.B. King in Pistoiaand establishing itself on major Italian stages. Over the years, things change, but Formignani's love for the guitar and blues stays strong. He plays all over Italy with artists like Dirk Hamiltonand Andy J. Forest, puts out records with the Bluesmen, and in 2000, he's appointed president of the Ferrara Musicians Association, a job he still holds today. Roberto Formignani is back with the new album “202”, an intimate, mature work that touches on memory, identity, and blues, the result of a long, deeply-felt creative process in which personal stories and historical references are woven together throughout his musical journey.                                                      (Photo: Roberto Formignani)

Melodic patterns, guitar riffs ans snippets were often recorded instinctively, sometimes just on a phone, and then expanded in the studio, where the basic tracks were laid down. The album moves through stories, images, and feelings that span time, memory, and Roberto Formignani's personal experience. The album was recorded in Sermide (MN), at Marco Malavasi's Sonic Design studio with the help of Roberto Morsiani (drums) and Alessandro Lapia (bass).

Interview by Michael Limnios

Special Thanks: Davide Grandi & Lorenz Zadro (A-Z Blues)

How has the music influenced your views of the world? What does the blues mean to you?

Music began to be part of my life at a very early age because my father Sergio was a huge jazz enthusiast, so every evening at my house we listened mainly to swing music. He'd put on records by Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Glen Miller, and my living room was the first place where a few jazz enthusiasts laid the foundation for the Ferrara Jazz Club. My brother, on the other hand, who was five years older than me, listened to rock with his friends, and I joined them. Then came the years of protest music, which truly gave the impression that its notes could change the world. Growing up in an environment so full of music, I began to discover the blues, which captivated me completely from the first moment; I immediately understood that many of the rock songs I listened to came from there, and I began to appreciate it very much.

I never questioned why I had to play the blues; I just felt it. I think my life path has been very close to this type of music, even from a human perspective. Let me explain it: I think that in a certain sense, the blues chooses you; you don't choose it. I lost my mother at twenty-one, and life has never spared me some pretty tough times so I think the music I play is also a reflection of my experiences.

How do you describe your sound and songbook? What musicians have continued to inspire you and your music in new album “202”?

The music I play is the result of a very long (by now) personal journey that has brought me so much emotion and satisfaction. I started playing at 12, I’m self-taught, and have never stopped, always full of enthusiasm for anything that caught my interest.

Besides blues, I've always been interested in country, swing, rock, and rockabilly, and so I believe this naturally flows through to my music. I've been enormously influenced by Roy Buchanan, Muddy Waters, Dickey Betts, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Duane Allman, Freddie King, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Gary Moore, Albert Lee, Vince Gill, Mark Knopfler, Kenny Burrell, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and who knows how many more I've forgotten.                      (Photo: Roberto Formignani / Album’s cover by Guido Harari)

“Growing up in an environment so full of music, I began to discover the blues, which captivated me completely from the first moment; I immediately understood that many of the rock songs I listened to came from there, and I began to appreciate it very much.”

How did your relationship with the blues come about? Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues?

Looking at the back covers of the vinyl records I listened to as a kid, I noticed that many rock songs were covers of blues songs, and this piqued my curiosity, and I began searching for blues records. I then came across many country blues and delta blues records, which I honestly struggled to understand at the time, because they were so different from what I had listened to up until that point with my father and brother. But I was so drawn to them. I didn't understand the lyrics or what the hell they sounded like, but I loved them instinctively.

I realized it all came from that music, which had such a strong emotional charge, and I fell madly in love with it. Ever since I've been teaching music (37 years), I've been constantly explaining the importance of the blues and its forms. I try in every way to help people get that in order to understand any other type of music.

Why do you think that Italian Blues Scene continues to generate such a devoted following?

To be honest it’s been a while since the blues scene has scaled down. When I started traveling in the early '80s, there was a much greater excitement around this music, it had a much wider following. Now it's smaller circle, the festivals are fewer and fewer, and it's increasingly difficult to find places where the blues is at home. It's very different for jazz, which has even become academic with conservatory programs and is a form of music recognized by the Ministry of Culture. The blues, however, is not, and I don't understand why.

What do you miss most nowadays from the blues of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

I miss all those artists who made us feel like the grandchildren of a great generation that will never return. I was fortunate enough to see, meet, and open for artists who made the history of modern African-American music, and the fact that most of those people are no longer with us saddens me greatly, because I know those unforgettable moments will never be the same again.

The hope is that more and more modern artists will take the Blues and its tradition and try to take it into new music, breathing new life into it and engaging new generations who, with new technologies and media, will be able to learn about and discover its roots and tradition. Another great hope is that the Ministry of Culture will understand the importance of the Blues and finally do something to support and promote it.

“What many don't do is take the blues and immerse it in compositional phases that seem to have nothing to do with this music, managing to convey the blues soul even if it's not necessarily just 12 bars.” (Photo: Roberto Formignani, his love for the guitar and blues stays strong)

What moment changed your music life the most? What´s been the highlights in your life and career so far?

There was a moment, after appearing on the TV show "Quelli della Notte" in 1985, when everyone thought I was a minor prodigy. I was a fast guitarist, I played various styles, including slide guitar, I used effects like echo, in short, I attracted the curiosity of many. It made me feel good, but I never tired of researching and studying. Then, a few years later, when I heard Danny Gatton, I felt incredibly small, I couldn't believe my ears. It inspired me to dig deeper, and I began to try to understand how he did certain things. It was a moment of significant change in terms of instrumental technique and was very formative and stimulating.

As for my career experiences, the long journey with my band alongside Dirk Hamilton was very formative, both in terms of composition and in terms of musical life, considering the more than ten years of touring together on some pretty important stages. Moments I will never forget are opening for the Mississippi Delta Blues Band in Imola in 1982, for B.B. King in Pistoia in 1985, for the Blues Band in Milan in 1988, for Bob Dylan again in Pistoia in 2006, and, last but not least, the tour with Phil Manzanera with a project called The Liberation Project in 2019.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

You should never think that something in music is useless, and let me explain it: as a guitar teacher, there were times when students wanted to learn certain pyrotechnics that were very popular in the '80s and '90s, and I had to deal with styles that I was not familiar. I never held back and always challenged myself with anything that could enhance my musical knowledge; let's not forget that I'm self-taught.

I also studied neoclassical music à Yngwie Malmsteen, which at the time I thought were self-indulgent but later helped me to play swing jazz, and I still use them today. So never disdain anything; music shapes you in every way and if you have any imagination, you can use it to your advantage for whatever purpose you feel is most appropriate.

How can a band/musician truly turn the blues into a commercial and popular genre of music for the today's audience?

What many don't do is take the blues and immerse it in compositional phases that seem to have nothing to do with this music, managing to convey the blues soul even if it's not necessarily just 12 bars. Of course, to do something like this, you need to have a significant background in blues music and the desire to take risks in composing your own songs, trying not to fall into the obvious. It's not an easy thing to do, but I truly hope that more musicians and composers take this path to share these deep musical feelings that only the blues can provide.

Roberto Formignani - Home

(Roberto Formignani / Photo by Marco Sambri)