MARVI LA SPINA

MARVI LA SPINA 5T

FABRIZIO BRUSCA

Born on the 11th of February 1977 in Palermo, Sicily. At the early age of 4, he showed a strong attraction for the arts. He began creating his very own games by watching the television and replicating his favourite cartoon heroes with clay. At the age of 16, he began his studies at the High School of Art, E. Catalano, in Palermo and within the year, learned to play the electric guitar on his own. Not long after, he began performing at several clubs in Palermo and throughout Sicily, mostly in collaboration with 2 projects: Graffiti a cover band with their own innovative arrangements (Graffiti was awarded the 1st Prize as the Best Band at Chiostro d'Oro '97 in Monreale, Palermo); Aquarela do Brazil, a group performing in the Brazilian (i.e. Djavan, A.C. Jobim, Gilberto Gil) and Latin musical styles.

In late 1996, he continued his studies at the Fine Arts Academy in Palermo, achieving a Bachelor s Degree in Sculpture in 2001. During the last 2 academic years he joined a jazz combo playing his own earliest compositions, as a result of a long and deep period of listening to Jazz and various other forms of music. After his graduation, he decided to embark on a new life in Turin, where he followed a 3-month jazz course at the Centro Jazz with the guitar teacher, Pietro Ballestrero.

After a few years in Turin, he aspired towards developing a deeper knowledge and relationship with Jazz. he took a chance; he applied and was accepted into the Prins Claus Conservatoire in Groningen, The Netherlands. In doing so, he had the opportunity to study with European guitarists such as Anton Goudsmit and Frank Wingold. He also followed regular lessons with great musicians out of New York such as Conrad herwig, David Berkman, Brian Lynch, Ralph Peterson Jr. and many others.

Throughout these years, he led the Klee Quartet, a contemporary jazz band playing his very own compositions and arrangements. With Klee, he participated in festivals and events in the Netherlands and Italy. Within the Netherlands: Midnight Express Jazz Festival (2005 and 2006) in Groningen; the Trytone in Amsterdam; the Vini In Jazz Festival in Agrigento.

In Palermo, Sicily: Cinisi Tonnara Nuove Musiche Jazz Festival, 2005 and 2006, and in 2007, he led the Onda d'Urto Ensemble, an extension of the Klee Quartet in which he introduced his own compositions and Wayne Shorter's composition of "Ana Maria" with new arrangements for nonet. During his studies at the Academy he partecipated as sculptor to the making of the huge complex of sculptures made by the sicilian sculptor Antonello Gagini and family, and the consequent Exposition in 2007 called: The Antonello Gagini's Tribune in the Cathedral of Palermo. I Gagini e dintorni, with the supervision of Salvatore Rizzuti. Fabrizio also took part in other musical collaborations, such as the Owen Hart Jr. Quartet on 29 August 2006: Aquarius Jazz Night, Guardiola di Piraino (Italy), in 2007, the Tarek Yamani & Camel Shop Sextet in Groningen, the Genco Quartet in Agrigento and the Bitches Brew Project led by the Dutch pianist, Joost Swart (Midnight Express Jazz Festival).

In the year 2007/8 he taught guitar in 2 elementary/secondary school Institutes in Agrigento (Sicily): F. sco Giorgio in Licata and Dante Alighieri in Cammarata. he's also member of the Thing Trio and co-leader of Orazio Maugeri/Fabrizio Brusca Quartet, with whom he continues to compose his own music and playing gigs in Palermo and around Sicily.

He partecipates with other project as the O.I.D. In Palermo, with Luca Lo Bianco, Francesco Guaiana and other guests as Francesco Cusa, Tony Cattano and many others. In 2008 he partecipates to the Beatlesymphony, project of the Symphonic Orchestra of the Music Academy in Palermo. He joins a new quartet of the saxophone player Stefano D'Anna (Spazio Jazz a Palazzo Jung- Festival Festa della Provincia, 2008, Palermo).

In 2008/9 he teaches jazz, rock, fusion at the Modern Music Academy (AMM) in Palermo; he teaches also in the high school S.Gangitano in Canicattí (Siracuse). He's also a member of Manziluna, band presenting original compositions based on a mix of jazz, mediterranean melodies and total improvisation. They partecipate to the Vininjazz Feastival in Santa Margherita del Belice, Agrigento (Sicily). On July 2009 in Tuscia (VT) he studies with the jazz guitarist-composer Kurt Rosenwinkel.

Presently he continues his own career teaching and playing around Sicily and in the Netherlands; collaborates with Alberto e Loris Amato (of Amato Jazz Trio), Seby Burgio, Pietro Ciancaglini, Michael Rosen, Giuseppe Milici, Dario Carnovale, Mauro Schiavone. Since 2010 he is member of the Orchestra Macchina di Suoni led by pianist/conductor Marvi La Spina as well as the Flow Trio, with Dario Carnovale and Gabrio Bevilacqua, presenting a jazz standard and original compositions repertoire. On February 2011 the first cd of his project Manziluna has been published by Fitzcarraldo records and, on the same month as well the demo 2011 by his band Flow Quartet, with Mauro Schiavone, Gabrio Bevilacqua and Fabrizio Giambanco.