“Music is energy. It plays a very important role in communicating ideas and emotions, and it is a very powerful medium, sometimes even too powerful. Personally, I don’t think music should manipulate or influence people in a direct way. Instead, I would like it to bring back strong and, above all, healthy emotions.”

Marco Bartoccioni: Bartok Plays The Blues

Marco Bartoccioni, alias “BARTOK”, an Italian professional Lap Steeler, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. Over 25 years in activity. Played with artists like Teresa De Sio (ITA), Mike Greene (USA), Millie McLane (USA), Chad Cromwel (USA) , Adam Nitti (USA) Dave Bechtel (USA), Lecia Louise (AUS), Leszek Cichonski (PL) and more . Performed all over Europe, USA and Russia. The new, original sound of The Marco Bartoccioni Band blends distinctive blues, southern rock and soul from the US! This creative collaboration between Rome, Italy and Nashville, Tennessee produces a timeless, enveloping musical sound with its own special harmony. Marco Bartoccioni, a master of many instruments, expresses the feel for his Italian roots combined with his love for the music of the American South on acousIc guitar, steel guitar, mandolin, dobro and banjo. Marco's unique style comes not only from his warm sounds and tones, but also because he actually makes some of his own instruments by hand! Marco has recorded his music in both Europe and the US.                                                  (Photo: Marco Bartoccioni)

Italian Lap Steeler, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, Marco says: “I’ve always just listened to what I liked, without worrying too much about whether it was blues, pop, or rock. As an artist, I simply try to create music that I genuinely enjoy. I compose in a very spontaneous way, without overthinking music theory, if something feels right to me, I play it, whether it’s technically right or wrong, and then I see if it connects with others. This is my philosophy, both in life and in music.” Marco Bartoccioni will be part of Thrill Blues Festival’s line up in Trilj, Croatia (July 24-25).

Interview by Michael Limnios   

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

I firmly believe that human existence could not exist without sound. Sound is the essence of communication among living beings, sometimes in a direct way, through words, but just as often through the emotions those sounds are able to evoke. Over time, these sounds have evolved into what we call music, shaping themselves into a powerful language capable of transmitting deep and complex feelings.

To me, the blues embodies exactly this transformation. It was born from the cries and laments of enslaved people, who needed a way to express and release their pain, their longing, and their humanity. Those raw sounds carried emotion before they carried structure, and that emotional truth is what still defines the blues today.

It is the purest expression of feeling, a reminder that music is not just something we listen to, but something we live through.

This is also why it is so fundamental to me: my entire life is shaped by emotion. I don’t listen to music just to pass the time or for background noise, I immerse myself in it, always with an almost involuntarily attentive ear. And to connect back to your question, I don’t think music has “influenced” the way I see life in a direct sense. Rather, the countless hours of listening I’ve experienced, and continue to experience, give me material to reflect on. They spark a process of thought, especially when it comes to understanding and questioning the society we live in.

How do you describe your sound and music philosophy? What touched you from the sound of lap steel guitar?

I’ve always been a very practical person in life, and I’ve never paid much attention to “refinements.” It’s been the same with music. I’ve always just listened to what I liked, without worrying too much about whether it was blues, pop, or rock. As an artist, I simply try to create music that I genuinely enjoy. I compose in a very spontaneous way, without overthinking music theory, if something feels right to me, I play it, whether it’s technically right or wrong, and then I see if it connects with others. This is my philosophy, both in life and in music.

That’s also why my approach to the lap steel guitar is quite unusual. For me, it’s the instrument I truly have the most fun playing. Conceptually, using the slide allows for “infinite” notes, and that creates a sense of freedom in my mind,it breaks down boundaries. I feel like I can wander through open landscapes, playing whatever notes I feel, whether they’re perfectly in tune or slightly off, rising or falling. I’ve never felt comfortable with strict boundaries; when they’re there, I feel a bit suffocated. The lap steel, instead, gives me space to breathe and express myself freely.

“To me, the blues embodies exactly this transformation. It was born from the cries and laments of enslaved people, who needed a way to express and release their pain, their longing, and their humanity. Those raw sounds carried emotion before they carried structure, and that emotional truth is what still defines the blues today.” (Photo: Marco Bartoccioni)

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

Honestly, I don’t think Italy has a large number of truly devoted blues fans, especially when it comes to the general audience,but I do think it has many devoted blues musicians. Italy is a wonderful country, with an incredible history and culture, but it hasn’t always been a place where expression is completely direct or transparent.

Yes, there are many blues festivals that attract big crowds, with people fascinated by that culture. But in my opinion, the real “devotion” comes from the musicians,those who feel the need to make music in a direct, honest way, and who are drawn to the philosophy of the blues, which aims to reach straight into the soul of the listener.

I see it as a kind of escape,a way to break free from the more superficial structures that modern times often create.

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

In life, we make choices and go through different experiences. Life is short, but also long enough to allow us to grow, especially when it comes to a professional path shaped by important decisions.

One of the most defining moments for me was when I decided to record my first album in Nashville. It was a unique experience that allowed me to grow exponentially as a musician. Recording an entire album in a city that represents such a central hub for music, surrounded by incredible musicians, pushed me to a new level. It opened my eyes and ears to things in music that I hadn’t been able to fully see or feel before. It was truly enlightening, both in terms of the creative process and my emotional connection to music. From that moment on, my musical vision changed, and it helped me make important decisions about my path.

Another key turning point was when, after many years as a guitarist, I decided to shift almost completely to the lap steel guitar. I felt the need for something new,I was tired of playing the same things in the same way. Focusing on a new instrument gave me a fresh goal and new motivation. It was essential not only to keep going, but to take a real step forward in my musical journey.

I’ve learned that constantly searching for new inspiration is the hardest part, but also the most important one. It’s what allows you to keep evolving and moving forward, and that’s probably the biggest lesson I’ve taken from all my experiences so far.

“My intention is to offer the new generations who listen to my music something that connects the past, the roots of blues, with the sound world of today. The sounds of the past and the present are different, but I don’t believe that what was appreciated in the past cannot be appreciated today, and vice versa. In fact, I strongly believe that if something is truly beautiful, it remains beautiful across time.” (Photo: Marco Bartoccioni)

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

I don’t really miss the blues of the past, because I still listen to it with deep passion and devotion. I listen to it a lot,I still put on records by Robert Johnson, Buddy Guy, and B.B. King. At the same time, I’m a very open-minded person when it comes to modernity, the kind of modernity that I believe is meaningful and authentic. I truly believe that music, like everything else, has to move forward, and I get excited when I hear new artists trying to approach blues in a contemporary way.

That’s exactly what I’m trying to do myself: take the roots of traditional blues, the ones that shaped my life and my musical journey, and combine them with modern influences, whether it’s electronic elements, new approaches to playing, or different sounds.

For me, this is the right path: not to forget the past, but to start from it. To honor what previous generations have passed down to us, to stay connected to those roots,but still move forward. Always with deep respect for the culture and the sacrifices that made this music what it is today.

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

As for the future, I truly hope that,regardless of how blues, or music in general, may evolve,the real challenge goes beyond music and art. I sincerely hope that society can regain a stronger sense of identity.

We are all becoming a bit too uniform, a bit flattened. It often feels like we’re losing a clear ethical and personal vision of things, constantly distracted by phones and multimedia, which can end up numbing our ability to think deeply and take responsibility for our own thoughts.

For me, everything starts from there. If we can address this issue, I believe cultural awareness could grow again, and as a consequence, everything would gain more value,including music. Not in a specific form, but in its essence: the important thing is to maintain and develop a true sense of identity.

What is the impact of music on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

I think music, on its own, struggles to create a strong socio-cultural background within people, today. It needs to be supported by something broader,by culture itself. That’s why I believe we need to start upstream: we need to cultivate culture in all its forms and expressions, so that music can truly reach people’s inner world and carry a message that is both social and cultural, and that can actually be heard and absorbed.

Music is energy. It plays a very important role in communicating ideas and emotions, and it is a very powerful medium, sometimes even too powerful. Personally, I don’t think music should manipulate or influence people in a direct way. Instead, I would like it to bring back strong and, above all, healthy emotions.

If music could awaken people from the kind of numbness we often live in today, if it could create a real emotional “shock” in a positive sense, that would be a great achievement. These emotions should bring people together, not divide them or generate hatred and distance.

“I don’t really miss the blues of the past, because I still listen to it with deep passion and devotion. I listen to it a lot,I still put on records by Robert Johnson, Buddy Guy, and B.B. King. At the same time, I’m a very open-minded person when it comes to modernity, the kind of modernity that I believe is meaningful and authentic.” (Photo: Marco Bartoccioni)

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

One lesson above all stands out as the most important, and it is actually very simple: you can learn something from anyone.

It may sound obvious, but sometimes we get caught up in our own ego, and we start believing we are better than others just because our project or our music feels more structured or developed. That can create a kind of unconscious protective shield that makes us feel “superior” without even realizing it.

The great lesson I’ve learned is that everyone has something to teach you. It doesn’t matter if it’s a band opening your show on stage, someone in the audience, or a member of the festival staff, every person can offer you a valuable insight.

If you stay open to that, with humility, life becomes much richer, and your musical journey as well.

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

I’m trying to approach this through a long and delicate process. As I mentioned before, I believe that life always moves forward,it’s like a train that never stops. If you catch it, you move with it; if you miss it, you risk being left isolated.

My intention is to offer the new generations who listen to my music something that connects the past, the roots of blues, with the sound world of today. The sounds of the past and the present are different, but I don’t believe that what was appreciated in the past cannot be appreciated today, and vice versa. In fact, I strongly believe that if something is truly beautiful, it remains beautiful across time.

What I am trying to do, with great effort, is to merge these elements: to combine the beauty of the past with the beauty of the present. It is a complex and delicate process, because there is always the risk of distorting important roots and cultures that have shaped entire generations.

In this sense, the use of electronics, together with traditional instruments such as the lap steel guitar, is for me the key and the practical attempt to achieve this balance,bridging two worlds in a natural way.

But if it is done with respect, with a positive attitude, and with sincere intentions, I believe the result can carry a unique value, something that can truly reach people on an emotional and deeper level.

Marco Bartoccioni - Home

(Photo: Marco Bartoccioni)