Il Mago del Gelato - Funk is a matter of style

Il Mago del Gelato is a must-listen. From their debut “Maledetta quella notte” (EP, 2023) to their brand-new Who is Nicola Felpieri?, their taste, songwriting and performing skills, already remarkable, have grown even further. Collaborations with artists like Venerus, Melanie Chédeville and Le Feste Antonacci further enrich an album that is the product of many souls, sounds and visions. Live, the Milanese band shows a powerful, polished stage presence, without losing the summer-night freshness that does justice to their self-mocking name. Here's what they told us.

The composite identity of Il Mago del Gelato

We're not exactly children of NoLo, but rather of the different experiences that intersect along Via Padova, a street that runs through various neighborhoods like Cimiano and Crescenzago. This area is culturally diverse, full of exchanges and crossings, which are reflected in our music. Most of us live there and have moved in multicultural circles that foster sharing and cross-contamination. Our music arises spontaneously from interaction and mutual influences, and this also carries over into how we approach the stage, in the sense that it lets us adapt to very different contexts and audiences, whether tied to jazz or rock.

Your sound is in fact marked by remarkable impact and sonic charisma. Have you developed particular strategies to recreate in the studio the interplay and energy you've built up over years of live experience?

Yes, definitely. Over time we've developed a precise method, thanks in part to working with our producer Marquis. We work very differently in the studio compared to live shows. In the studio we write arrangements so that they work for the recording. Live, from the very beginning we've always played as a seven-piece, with our fixed lineup that has by now become a proper extended band: Martina Campi on flute and trombone, Alessio Dal Checco on sax and Elia Pozzi on percussion. Although the two dimensions influence each other, they have different creative approaches.

The secret weave of Nicola Felpieri

Who is Nicola Felpieri?

A fictional character, the protagonist of a film that doesn't exist. There isn't a single answer as to who he really is: we like to leave room for imagination, so that everyone can make their own film while listening to the tracks.

How did the collaboration with Venerus come about?

We met in person at various concerts. We noticed some common ground, both in our approach to music and on the live performance side. Deciding to collaborate came naturally, Venerus is truly an extraordinary musician. He joined us in the studio and we started building "Controtempo" together.

And how did it go with Melanie Chédeville instead?

We discovered Melanie by listening to her album for Comet with Tony Allen, "Cri D'Amour". We were captivated by her vocal style and started writing things with her in mind, thinking of the sensuality of her timbre. We wrote to her and, to our great joy, she said yes right away. When she sent us the track we were thrilled. The result was exactly as we had imagined it.

Was the collaboration with Le Feste Antonacci also a long-distance one?

Half and half. We met them in person at concerts. After getting to know each other, the idea came up to collaborate on a specific track, working remotely since they live in Paris.

Numero Uno, without labels

You record for the label Numero Uno, historically linked to Italian singer-songwriters of the 1970s. Do you have influences or connections with that musical period?

Yes, many of us love Italian singer-songwriter music and progressive rock from the 1970s. Bands like Perigeo, Area, or musicians like Ivan Graziani and Lucio Battisti, to stay within the Numero Uno roster, have influenced our sound. Italian film music of the 1960s and 70s is also an important reference for us, and then the great Piero Umiliani, who's fundamental too.

Some of Battisti's Numero Uno albums also have a lot of Brazil in them.

We really like Brazil of the 1970s, especially artists like Os Novos Baianos, Azymuth, or Marcos Valle. Among the albums that inspire us most there's definitely "Amazonas" by João Donato. The Far Out Recordings catalogue, which reissues both classic 70s and contemporary Brazilian music, is also among the important references we listen to and share frequently.

And what about hip-hop, which is closer to you from a generational point of view and which draws heavily on the musical worlds you mention, both rhythmically and in terms of sampling?

We have a lot of respect for hip-hop, even if it's not our main reference genre. But what you're saying about the rhythmic aspect is true. We're still indirectly influenced by the Afrocentric traits of the genre, which brought many innovative elements into contemporary music.

So it all leads to afrobeat?

Our musical project stems from the afrobeat of Fela Kuti and Ebo Taylor, and then of course from funk, including its contaminated, 80s strain from the Japanese band Casiopea, whom we love enormously.

Live it's a whole different story

Live you're very communicative and theatrical, despite the fact that what you play is extremely demanding to perform. How did you work on that aspect?We're constantly trying to evolve, both technically and aesthetically. Playing well isn't enough for us: we want the audience to feel the energy, passion and vitality we put into our music. That's why, when we're on stage, we look for a balance between precision and spontaneity. We work hard to fully master the songs, so we can move naturally and freely during live shows. That allows us to have fun and, above all, to draw the listener in. Each of us has different influences, both musical and in terms of stage presence, and bringing them all together into a cohesive show is very stimulating.

What will the tour be like?

We'll be taking the new album on the road with an engaging show full of surprises, touring all over Italy. We can't wait to play, but we also love life on tour, the van rides spent sharing music. Each of us with our own listening habits, our current obsessions, which always end up becoming the soundtrack of the tour. That's also where our imagery takes shape.

(3 April 2025)

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