The
Band
Daniele Spadavecchia & Sicilian
Swing is a true Italian band from New Orleans. It’s
the only occasion outside the opera where you can listen to Italian
melodies sung by an Italian in their original language.
The music is happy and romantic, and incorporates well known classics,
Italian songs from the 50’s and also hits from famous Italian
crooners like Dean Martin and Louis Prima.
The band performs also New Orleanians classic songs in the traditional
jazz style of Louis Armstrong, Dukes of Dixieland, Sidney Bechet, Pete
Fountain, Al Hirt, etc., creating a happy and old time atmosphere,
taking the listener through a soulful imaginary trip to the Crescent
City.
The virtual journey continues then with the Parisian music of the '30
and '40s, through the music of Django Reinhardt in the style of gypsy
jazz.
Daniele Spadavecchia & Sicilian Swing plays solo, duo, trio and
quartet performances.
The Story
Daniele Spadavecchia came to New Orleans
in the summer of 2002 to perfect his blues and funk skills and to
record a CD in that style. During his early performances in the Big
Easy, people liked what he was doing, but kept asking for Italian
music.
As a joke he started playing some of the old tunes he used to
listen to during his family gatherings, when he was a kid, and people
forgot about his blues and kept asking for more.
For this reason, he put together a full Italian repertoire and started to
perform regularly at the Neutral Ground Coffee House by himself.
After a few months Errol Di Bona saw him showing and decided to give his full effort: it was a big
surprise being Italian-American and getting in touch with his roots!
Later on, they had the chance to perform for the inauguration
of Piazza D’Italia, and for the occasion John Lutz, a
passionate tango bass player and band leader joined the ensemble.
Since April 2004 the band performed in New Orleans for:
public and private events:
-Re-inauguration of Piazza
d’Italia, corner Poydras and S. Peters street
-Ferrari cars gathering at Long Vue
Gardens
-Words and Music at Napoleon House
-The Italian-American Sport’s
Hall of Fame in the presence of Mayor
Nagin and Governor Blanco
-Italian-American Club Meeting at
Covington Country Club
-Grand Opening Speak Easy Center in
Mandeville
-Festa Italiana in Washington, DC
-The New Orleans Jazz Historical Park
-American Cancer Society fund raiser in
Covington
venues:
-O’Flaherthy’s Irish Channel Pub
-Hookah
Bar
-Fritzel’s Jazz Pub
-Ristorante Carmelo
-Cafe Giovanni
-Luciano’s Ristorante
-the Columns Hotel
-Dos Jefes
Recordings and Radio appearances
During July 2004 the band recorded a CD
entitled NOTTE ITALIANA.
They performed live on WWOZ radio, various times, where also songs from
their CD are often broadcasted.
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