“Blues music is the most resilient music in the world. It has been the soundtrack for the civil rights movements, and we know how important are nowadays civil rights. Which is the right music to talk about that? To talk about Martin Luther King or other heroes who gave their life for our freedom? Music is very important. Music is our soul food. To me is what make me breath.”

Fabrizio Poggi: The Blues is a Healer

Fabrizio Poggi is an Italian singer, harmonica player and writer. 26 albums to date, 4 books, and numerous appearances around the globe, he played at the most prestigious clubs and festivals in Europe and USA. He played with Blind Boys of Alabama, Charlie Musselwhite, Little Feat, Ronnie Earl, Kim Wilson, Marcia Ball, John Hammond, Sonny Landreth, Garth Hudson of THE BAND and Bob Dylan, Guy Davis, Eric Bibb, Ruthie Foster, Otis Taylor, Mike Zito, Bob Margolin, Flaco Jiménez, David Bromberg, Zachary Richard, Jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver, Bob Brozman, Eric Andersen, Sharon White (Eric Clapton), Richard Thompson, Tom Russell, Jimmy LaFave, Blues Brothers Band, Steve Cropper...and many others. Arcana Edizioni released "BELIEVE. Conversations with Fabrizio Poggi" (2024), a book written by Serena Simula (in italian). In June 2024 he was awarded the Honor of Knight of Merit of the Italian Republic.

(Fabrizio Poggi / Photo by Riccardo Piccirillo)

His new album “Healing Blues” (2024), an ideal following of Basement Blues, continues Fabrizio Poggi’s research in his archives, adding songs recorded for the occasion. Alongside archive material live and in studio with his blues brother Guy Davis, there are also some songs recorded for this album in which the absolute co-protagonists are Shar White’s vocals, who works alongside Eric Clapton for years, Enrico Polverari’s guitars and a Hubert Dorigatti great song. The album title’s spirit, is inside the words that, following the message of the great late John Lee Hooker, Fabrizio added to the original lyrics of the song “The Blues Is Alright”.

Interview by Michael Limnios                      Archive: Fabrizio Poggi, 2013 Interview

Special Thanks: Fabrizio & Angelina Poggi

How has the Blues and Roots music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

Blues and Roots music allowed me to understand what are the important values in life: courage, honesty, passion and freedom. When I first approached blues music I was a young laborer in a factory. I was full of rage and very frustrated. It seemed that the world had nothing to offer to me. Then I discovered those songs that african americans were singing on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. They touched me so much and I didn’t felt alone anymore.

How do you describe your sound and music philosophy? What's the balance in music between technique and soul?

When I started to play my harmonica, I tried to imitate my heroes: Sonny Terry, Sonny Boy Williamson, James Cotton and many others. Later when I learned the technique, I didn’t want to be a copy of someone else. In 2000 I suffered of a severe depression and I started to listen to spiritual and gospel music and this powerful music helped me to come out from a deep black hole. Since those years I tried to play my harmonica with my style, not too many notes, but the right ones that could touch people’s souls.

I thought that my harmonica could help people, could open those private doors that are in our heart that not often we open for someone else.

I have always thought that blues is healing so I tried to reach a way to play that let my harmonica enter in all souls.

”Blues and Roots music allowed me to understand what are the important values in life: courage, honesty, passion and freedom.” (Fabrizio Poggi & Guy Davis, 2012  / Photo by Thom Walke)

Currently you’ve one more release with Guy Davis. How did that relationship come about? Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album “Healing Blues”?

Actually I’ve two releases with Guy Davis: Juba Dance released in 2013 and Sonny and Brownie’s Last Train released in 2017. Sonny and Brownie’s Last Train was 2018 Grammy Awards nominee as Best Traditional Blues Album. When I met Guy Davis, my life changed forever. When I met him personally, I had the feeling of having met a soul mate. A man distant from me, in many ways, born and raised on the other side of the world, yet incredibly similar, someone who spoke exactly the same language as me. The language of the blues. Playing with him offered me a passe-partout to a world to which I had always dreamed of belonging. He told me that the first time he saw me on stage, he was deeply impressed by my playing. He told me something that pleased me enormously: he told me that the harmonica, in my hands, became an instrument of freedom.

The album, Healing Blues, an ideal following of Basement Blues, continues my research in my archives, adding songs recorded for the occasion. Alongside archive material live and in studio with my blues brother Guy Davis, there are also some songs recorded for this album in which the absolute co-protagonists are Shar White’s vocals, who works alongside Eric Clapton for years and  Enrico Polverari’s guitars. The album title’s spirit, is inside the words that, following the message of the great late John Lee Hooker, I added to the original lyrics of the song “The Blues Is Alright”: Blues is a miracle, blues is healing, blues is a medicine to soothe your soul, blues is the mother and blues is the root. It doesn’t matter where you were born, the language you speak, what color your skin is: the blues is for everybody.

Why do you think that the Blues music continues to generate such a devoted following in Italy?

The blues has become an international language; so nowadays you have great musicians playing  great music all over the world. It doesn’t really matter where that musician come from. The important thing is the vibe, the connection, to be honest and sincere.

If somebody show me the moon, I don’t look at the finger, I look at the moon.

”I try to spread the word all over the world. I go into the schools, I like to talk and play my harmonica to children who are always very interested. I like to teach them to dream.” (Fabrizio Poggi / Photo by Riccardo Piccirillo, an Italian singer, harmonica player and writer)

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

Probably I miss its semplicity and the acoustic way to play it. When the blues was born there were not big stage. Blues music was  simple but at the same time strong. It brought persons from slavery to freedom, we don’t have to forget that. Never. My hope is that more younger people will follow blues music, My fear is that it could slowly disappear.

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

Blues music is the most resilient music in the world. It has been the soundtrack for the civil rights movements, and we know how important are nowadays civil rights. Which is the right music to talk about that? To talk about Martin Luther King or other heroes who gave their life for our freedom? Music is very important. Music is our soul food. To me is what make me breath.

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

There are a lot. First is never stop to believe in our dreams. In the last months I released my biography, only in italian, written by Serena Simula (Arcana Edizioni) titled “Believe. Conversations with Fabrizio Poggi”. Believe always. Music, to me, is the best way to release our dreams. I learned a lot on the stages all over the world but I learned much more in the back stages following my heroes and listening to their stories and suggestions. I learned to be humble and help people.

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

I try to spread the word all over the world. I go into the schools, I like to talk and play my harmonica to children who are always very interested. I like to teach them to dream. Fortunately there are still people that love blues. I think that when people love music those people are always special. Blues gave me the privilege to meet beautiful persons as you Mike who always help me to keep my music relevant today and always.

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(Fabrizio Poggi / Photo by Riccardo Piccirillo)