“The role of music in today's society is fundamental. It's not just entertainment but a powerful tool for personal expression, for bringing people together, for communicating. Furthermore, as I've already mentioned, music—good music—instills in people an aesthetic sense, a critical sense, an artistic sensibility, a sense of humanity, which are then reflected in social life.”

Michele Papadia: The Key Master of Music

Michele Papadia is a pianist skilled in acoustic and electric piano, Hammond organ, clavinet, analog synths. After classical and mainly jazz studies, he specialized in afro-american music, in jazz, blues, gospel, funk, soul and pop, becoming one of the most requested italian pianist / keyboard players both in europe and in the united states. He performed in more than 80 recordings as a sideman. Among the various collaborations both live and in studio, Papadia counts on names like Ana Popovic, Susan Tedeschi, Etta James, Joe Bonamassa, Robben Ford, John Mayall, Rudy Rotta, Peter Green, Sugar Blue, and many others. Papadia has participated in the major festivals of jazz, rock, blues and gospel in Europe, US and Asia and took part as sideman to many recordings. Since the end of the 1990s he has been much in demand as a session musician in various American studios (for gospel, blues, funk, pop, jazz), in particular Nashville where he specializes in pop-gospel style and New Orleans in which he explored the eponymous style piano and where he performed in the historic club “Tipitina” in a piano solo performance. In New Orleans he learned the Clavinet, of which he is one of the leading international experts.

(Photo: Michele Papadia)

Papadia is also a teacher in some Italian musical institutions (CPM of Milan , Saint Louis and UM, La Sapienza University, Foundry of the Arts of Rome, Fiesole Music School), in the Netherlands and France. His lectures are focused on Hammond Organ, acoustic piano, electric pianos, clavinet and synth in the field of African American music and its influence in contemporary music. He has been didactic director of the Full Music of Florence. He is currently a permanent lecturer at the Saint Louis College of Music in Rome, where he teaches piano lessons, hammond organ, black music, analog synths, harmony and other workshops. He is the creator, director and arranger of the Soul Train Orchestra, composed of 20 elements arranging songs inspired by Black Music and formed within the Saint Louis College of Music in Rome.

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has the music influenced your views of the world? What moment changed your music life the most?

Music has radically influenced my worldview, in a long process that began in my childhood, when music, especially African-American music, already conveyed profound emotions. Blues and gospel enriched my sense of hope, faith, the importance of having a strong personality, but also a sense of empathy with others and sharing. Improvisation, a fundamental aspect of African-American music, which is the music I practice most, has enriched my sense of freedom and identity. So my worldview, despite this period filled with problems, hatred, and lack of communication between people, is a rather optimistic one, open to embracing any culture, ready to be enriched by dialogue with the people and musicians I meet. And this is also the vision of my music. There have been several moments that I consider important and that have influenced my musical life. These moments often correspond to encounters with other musicians and artists in general, and thus to the resulting musical and cultural enrichment. But I'd like to mention a couple. In 1996, after I had already been a professional musician for several years, I met an African-American pianist and gospel choir director with whom I began to collaborate regularly. From that moment on, I began to delve deeper into gospel music, which has continued to influence my musical style ever since.

Gospel music is a richness from a spiritual and feeling point of view as well as from a harmonic point of view, and it has greatly influenced every aspect of my music, whether I play blues or funk or soul or when I play jazz or pop music.

Another important moment was the beginning of my collaboration with Ana Popovic, 21 years ago, with whom I continue to play to this day and have also developed a beautiful friendship. Such a long-lasting collaboration, which has led me to perform all over the world, can change your life, even though I've continued to collaborate with many other artists, both American and European, including in the international pop scene, in addition to writing and performing my own music. Besides the pleasure of playing with Ana, I'm proud to have brought my own style to the band, a style I've also refined over the years by listening to and comparing myself with talented American colleagues.

“By nature, I'm not a huge nostalgic. Despite the fact that we're living through difficult times, even for music, I'm quite optimistic about the present and the future. I can't deny, however, that I miss many things from the past.” (Photo: Michele Papadia)

How do you describe your sound, music philosophy and songbook? What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?

It's not easy to answer this question, but I'll try. My sound is the result of a combination of complementary aspects: first and foremost, a mix of styles that blend into a balance I've developed and perfected over the years, with a strong blues foundation influenced by the harmonic and improvisational refinement of jazz, the spirituality and depth of gospel music, the groove of funk, the feel of soul, and the simplicity, precision, and clarity of pop. This multi- stylism is expressed through the instruments I specialize in; in addition to the piano, primarily the Hammond organ, but also electric pianos, the clavinet, and analog synths. These instruments are an integral part of my sound.

My repertoire is very broad, considering I'm a freelancer who works with many artists from different musical backgrounds, but I have a preference for genres related to black music, which have a lot of groove and feeling. Over the years, I've explored various genres of African-American music and prefer a repertoire that encompasses all the characteristics of these musical genres. My musical philosophy is very simple: play the music that I like, with musicians I feel comfortable with, musicians of high caliber both professionally and personally, try to transmit and receive emotions, tell stories while I play, always be curious and enthusiastic, grow both musically and personally.

The balance between technical skill and soul/emotion is a topic very dear to me, as a significant part of my musical life is linked to teaching. I have many students to whom I try to pass on my experience and a balance between technique and emotion. I believe that soul and emotion must always be very present, in any musical genre, especially in African-American music. Without soul, there is no music, in my opinion. But it's also very important to have good technical skills to best express these emotions. Furthermore, these days, young musicians need solid technical preparation to be able to work in different musical contexts; I believe it's a musicians' duty to always strive for improvement.

Why do you think that the Hammond organ continues to generate such a devoted following?

I'm convinced that the Hammond organ is a timeless instrument, capable of a thousand different colors, a thousand different dynamics, from the softest to the most powerful. It's a very expressive instrument, and people need to experience emotions and nourish their souls. The Hammond organ has a great tradition in various genres, from rock to blues, gospel, jazz, funk, and pop, and it's an instrument that still manages to be contemporary, not only in jazz but also in Nu Soul, contemporary gospel, and so on. I love the Hammond organ, playing it, and listening to it.

“My sound is the result of a combination of complementary aspects: first and foremost, a mix of styles that blend into a balance I've developed and perfected over the years, with a strong blues foundation influenced by the harmonic and improvisational refinement of jazz, the spirituality and depth of gospel music, the groove of funk, the feel of soul, and the simplicity, precision, and clarity of pop.” (Photo: Michele Papadia, a pianist skilled in acoustic and electric piano, Hammond organ, clavinet, analog synths)

Which meetings have been the most important experiences for you? What was the best advice anyone ever gave you? 

I've been fortunate (and continue to be fortunate) to meet many famous and lesser-known musicians and artists in my musical career, and many of them have been important to me. But among the most important encounters, I remember the great Brian Auger, with whom I was fortunate enough to play many times on four tours and to record a couple of albums. Playing and talking with him, for so many hours, about music and musicians, anecdotes, and so on, taught me so much and influenced my style. Two other encounters, which I've already mentioned, are with a pianist and gospel choir director with whom I've collaborated for years... a piece of advice from him: "He always plays like an orchestra, arranging the parts in real time, with all the notes in the right place, but also always trying to tell a story." The other important encounter, as I've already mentioned, was with Ana Popovic, with whom I've been playing for at least 21 years. Another piece of advice another great jazz musician gave me: "Always try to be yourself, with your own personality, but know and understand the tradition well."

Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

In 35 years of musical activity, I've accumulated many memories and anecdotes; I'll try to name a couple. My first concert with Brian Auger, guest on four long tours with a band featuring Italian guitarist Rudy Rotta, was an unforgettable experience! With two Hammond organs on stage, we decided with him how to divide the various organ parts of the songs. After that concert, he nicknamed me "Rev. Papas" because of my love of gospel music, which shone through in my music.

Another emotional experience was a recording session with Peter Green, perhaps in 2002. Peter wasn't in the best of health, but when he started singing "Black Magic Woman," which he wrote himself, I felt chills run through my body and was deeply moved. Then many other memories, playing two spirituals with Whytney Houston in May 2000 in Florence, Italy, on the occasion of the wedding of the president of Warner Bros, in front of Quincy Jones, or playing at the various editions of the Blues Cruise in the Caribbean with many artists, including in duo with Jon Cleary during the night jams, or in jams with Eric Gales and many other artists, or the concerts with Kirk Fletcher, a great emotion.

Or I also remember when, during a concert with Ana Popovic in Chicago at the Buddy Guy Legend, maybe in 2008, Buddy himself came on stage to play with us, incredibly, a feeling and a crazy vibe were immediately created, as if we had been playing together for years.

“Blues and gospel enriched my sense of hope, faith, the importance of having a strong personality, but also a sense of empathy with others and sharing. Improvisation, a fundamental aspect of African-American music, which is the music ” (Michele Papadia & Ana Popovic / Photo by Katia Paravati)

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

By nature, I'm not a huge nostalgic. Despite the fact that we're living through difficult times, even for music, I'm quite optimistic about the present and the future. I can't deny, however, that I miss many things from the past. Music lacks the ideas, motivation, and enthusiasm, the passion that drove musicians and artists in general in the past; and young people often miss the opportunity to delve deeper into tradition and musical roots; they seem to want to quickly establish themselves, to become famous on social media before they do in reality, to achieve virtual, fleeting fame, devoid of real, valid content. It must also be said that, compared to the past, the opportunities to play live have greatly diminished, as have the number of clubs with passionate managers, jam sessions, etc.... Records where the band plays together and everything is live are almost nonexistent anymore; now, recording is often done remotely, even for blues, soul, and jazz, and that interplay, that vibe, that cohesive sound that characterized records of the past is often missing. My hope for the future is that many young musicians will continue to be passionate, to experiment without forgetting tradition, to work hard to achieve a goal.

The hope is that in the future there will always be festival organizers passionate about good music, and club managers dedicated to live music who program fewer cover bands and more original projects. My fear for the future is directed at young people. A future with little quality music, where social media appearances are more important than being real musicians in real life, will significantly diminish musicians' pursuit of their own musical personality, artistic sensibility, and critical thinking; the fear that tradition and roots will be forgotten and there will be no longer any desire to experiment. As a music teacher at conservatories, I feel a responsibility to constantly motivate young musicians and hold them accountable in this regard.

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

Among the lessons I've learned along my musical journey:

1) Goals can only be achieved through hard work, study, dedication, and passion;

2) You must have respect for yourself and the other musicians you work with; therefore, it's important to be professional, knowledgeable about your repertoire, punctual, and able to listen critically and constructively to other musicians' opinions.

3) You must always be curious, open to listening to new music, constantly enrich your musical knowledge, and challenge yourself to grow musically and personally. There's always something to learn from the other musicians you meet.

4) Music has taught me that humanity is a fundamental value.

“The hope is that in the future there will always be festival organizers passionate about good music, and club managers dedicated to live music who program fewer cover bands and more original projects. ” (Photo: Michele Papadia)

Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues? What is the role of music in today’s society?

In my opinion, it's important to preserve and spread the blues and all African-American music because it's the soul of all modern music, because it speaks of dignity, of overcoming suffering, of freedom, of sharing; it tells and conveys something—all values that must be preserved in today's society. Furthermore, African-American music in general, and the blues in particular, gives music a color, a vibe, made of ghost notes, of grime and vitality, of passion that more commercial music lacks. And these characteristic elements of the blues make the music more alive, emotional, and spiritual. The "call and response" is the emblem of a constant dialogue between the individual and the community, who need each other.

The role of music in today's society is fundamental. It's not just entertainment but a powerful tool for personal expression, for bringing people together, for communicating. Furthermore, as I've already mentioned, music—good music—instills in people an aesthetic sense, a critical sense, an artistic sensibility, a sense of humanity, which are then reflected in social life.

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