Paolo Angeli

Born in Sassari in 1960, Paolo Angeli is a central figure in Italian instrumental experimentation. With more than ten albums to his name since his solo debut in 1995, he has earned acclaim internationally too, thanks to his open and deeply personal artistic path.

At the heart of his musical research is a singular instrument, the guitar-orchestra, created by modifying the traditional Sardinian guitar of the Gallura region. By adding auxiliary strings and playing them both through ordinary percussive technique and with a bow, Angeli has expanded the sonic palette of the instrument, unlocking surprising timbral and harmonic possibilities. Drawing inspiration from the veteran guitar experimenter Fred Frith (founding member of Henry Cow), Angeli enriches his performances with electronic effects, creating an immediately recognizable synthesis capable of projecting tradition into the absolute present.

His collaborations are numerous: Fred Frith, leading figures of the Sardinian scene such as Antonello Salis and Gavino Murgia, Paolo Fresu, Iosonouncane, and major names from the international jazz, folk and experimental rock scenes (Hamid Drake, Iva Bittová, Takumi Fukushima). For those wishing to discover the artist, four albums stand out in particular within his multifaceted discography: "Nita l'angelo sul trapezio" (2005), "Tessuti" (2007, featuring covers of Fred Frith and Björk), "S'Û" (2015) and "Rade" (2022).