About Me: Lorenzo Mazzoni

Subbiano is a village of about 5.000 inhabitants in Arezzo province. It is placed into the beautiful Casentino valley, about 100Km from Florence. I was born here at the beginning of the 70es (an historical and musical period I am really involved with; most part of those songs we sing still today are date back to those years; moreover, who didn’t remember those “mythical” Italian movies of the 70es…!)

The first date coming back to my mind is when I bought my first organ (beginning of the 80es). I heard by my uncle about a priest living in Capolona (a village near mine) who retired. He had to move to another place, so he was intended to sell, at a good price, the organ with amplifier he used in church; of course I took the chance and made the deal. Maybe it should have begun with a more modern instrument, but…no matter. I spent hours and hours with my fingers over those black and white keys…

 I spent a short period also playing in the “ Filarmonica G: Verdi “ band. Because of my well-set physic, I was suggested to play trombone (the long one with three keys). Maybe just to appease my enthusiasm I was allowed to take part to the weekly practises even if my knowledge of music was poor at that time. I took part also to some musical events during which, to be honest, I tried to play notes as little as possible. I thought: “less notes less wrong notes”…

Then it comes the period when I had a passion for football, so I interrupted the musical interval spent with the folk band of my village and I start to see a person who become my reference point for my musical growth as “one show man” : Franco Donati, a well known accountant with a passion for music who is also the owner of the restaurant "La corte dell'oca " who lives in Subbiano. Those were the years of the piano bar and karaoke; I observed, listened, went out together with him trying to catch all the most important aspects of every performance of him.

Because I had not enough money to buy professional instruments, I start buying my first “Vocal equipment” (a mixer + keyboard and a microphone – used of course) piece by piece. It was of medium quality but enough good to let me sing songs with voice and keyboard. I remember the first song I start tickling was “ Sapore di sale” a classic simple arrangement. I was completely conquered by the potentialities of my new keyboards: I could sing accompanied on an orchestra…..it was really nice..

When you live in a small place, you know, everybody knows everybody, so it is difficult to hide your passion…especially because I was used to play at home and the music I played was booming outside. At that time I was living in the centre, so you can imagine how this was not left unobserved. In that period

I start having more familiarity with music by now. I remember those evenings spent in my country house where I practised before my first “public” performance that was the wedding of a friend of mine: Stefano from “Fontanino” who was living near my uncle’s home. He decide to make a party on the evening of his wedding day. When he asked me to play I was a little bit fearful…this time I was not asked to play in front of some friends.. this time I have had an audience of dozens of elegant people.

Finally I decided I had tried…even if I was not completely sure of myself and I knew few songs, my first performance was a success. From that moment I understood that animating parties and evening should have been my greatest passion. It was true!