Broaden Your Music Horizons With Paolo Angeli

Are you looking for an intro into the world of experimental jazz and classical instrumentation? Creative Music Works has the perfect artist for you. Established in 1989 and still connecting Denver to unique and world-renowned musicians, Creative Music Works is thrilled to showcase Paolo Angeli at Mighty Fine Productions on Tuesday, March 18.

For those who haven’t seen him on NPR’s Tiny Desk video series yet, Paolo Angeli is a guitarist, instrument builder and composer from the city of Olbia, in Sardinia Italy. Known for his compelling live performances and global influences, Angeli is a true innovator of sound and preserver of music’s past. Influences from Flamenco and traditional Sardinian music are essential to the Angeli sound and serve as the backbone from which he builds his modern compositions.

Born in 1970, Angeli has a wealth of experience making music and a family history of love for guitar.

“I started to play music around seven years old,” said Angeli, “My father was the start point. I remember very well the door of my room open and his music coming through. It is the easiest way for me to communicate with the world. It is a kind of USB for me to connect with the world.”

Each composition, bursting with a wide range of emotions, builds a bridge of communication between Angeli and the listener. The importance of this relationship is not lost on Angeli and neither is the importance of music itself.

“Right now [music] is my work, but many times I open the case and I start to play for me. I can’t live without music. When I’m not touring, everyday I wake up and I play for two or three hours. It’s a kind of meditation for me. It’s a really intimate way to share emotion,” said Angeli. Through this meditative practice, Angeli composes narratives like no other and experiments with his ability to discover new sounds.

Through his life, Angeli mentored with traditional Sardinian musicians and other guitar experts across the world. Constantly learning and exploring the global varieties of music, Angeli’s passion is undeniable and connects him to so many other music lovers and generations.

“We live in a very fragile world, always changing very fast. Everyday I try to discover some new music,” emphasized Angeli, in addition to his daily jazz listening. “There is always a moment where I spend my time discovering new musicians and find some inspiration.”

With the help of his expansive tastes, music of any intensity exists within Angeli’s creative wheelhouse. Delicate string lines build into fervent chanting with little warning or soothing Italian vocals disappear in a rush of instrumentation. This variety in his compositions also has much to do with the inspiration behind his art.

“What inspires me to make music? Well, life. You can’t have only beauty inside of music, because the world is not so beautiful. I love the world, I love people, but life can be very strong and very very uncomfortable for many people,” said Angeli.

Conveying these complexities of life through many futuristic sounds sets Angeli apart from more classical artists and into a truly modern genre. Compared to unique artists such as Sun Ra, this musical exploration is groundbreaking and would not be possible without Angeli’s dive into the realm of instrument making.

With twenty-five strings currently involved in his instrument, Angeli plays a one man show like no other. His guitar brings sounds of the cello, piano, sitar, kora and harp together while his drum pedals build any rhythm he desires simultaneously. Angeli continues to evolve his instrument as he has over the past thirty years and has an intimate connection with it.

“My instrument is an orchestra and I’m a conductor, but not like in classical music. My relationship with the instrument is to learn and let each sound free,” said Angeli. “I really enjoy performing live. I can’t think about staying home to compose music and not traveling. Sharing music live is something so unique and strong. Live music is live music because it’s that moment, in that place, with that intensity and emotion.”

Though Angeli hasn’t been to Denver in nearly fifteen years, he is excited to return and give a truly unique show in this intimate venue.

“Each night I go on the stage without deciding which music I’m going to play. I’m connecting all the music in real time, but I change it every night,” explained Angeli.

Check out his tiny desk to get a sneak peek into the live Angeli experience, though he will be the first to tell you there is nothing as impactful as attending a show.

“Don’t forget there is nothing better than seeing a musician play in a concert,” expressed Angeli. “To be in the same room, sharing emotion is a unique moment.”

Photography courtesy of Paolo Angeli.