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The "Oliver River Gess Band", born in Cuneo in 1990, it should be rightfully included among the oldest Italian formations serving New Orleans jazz of the early days.

Now in its fifth lustrum, the orchestra did not lose a gram of his enthusiasm and in each of his concerts – whether it's an international festival or a small intimate gathering – wield intact all the grit needed to deal with the more difficult of the myths of the city of Delta: that Joe "King" Oliver whose music , wild and full of pathos, remains a milestone so firm that no hurricane will ever break. But a concert by the Oliver River Gess Band can also transport you between the secrets of the Cotton Club in New York or Kansas City gambling dens, among the mellow blues as Billie Holiday or caresses the noise of the night lights of the Swing Era.

You can still excite in King Oliver in the 21st century? The Oliver River Gess Band you demonstrate eloquently.

In its first 25 years, the band has participated in many of the most important European jazz festivals (from the French Festival of Saint Raphaël, between 1993 and 2011 – where the group immediately qualifies among the finalists – the prestigious and renowned New Orleans Jazz Ascona in Switzerland in 1994 and from 1998 to 2003, as well as the Dixieland Festival in Tarragona and Italian festivals of Cagliari , Turin

and Brunico in 2000) attracting the attention of a veteran of the traditional jazz as the musician and showman Lino Patruno, who performed live with the band and invited her to play in the festival organized by him in the small Republic of San Marino (1999).

More recently, the orchestra has participated in the French festival of Chazelles-sur-Lyon (2012-2013), where she was awarded a major prize, and at 21° Megeve Jazz Festival in Savoy (2014); He played at the Roseraie Grace Kelly of Monaco in the presence of Prince Albert, and the Foundation Mirafiore di Fontanafredda where showman Renzo Arbore, he performed with the orchestra.

The Oliver River Gess Band has participated in music festivals, radio and theatrical performances with live music; Since 1996 is flanked by a cultural Association of the same name, which aims to increase the knowledge and dissemination of traditional jazz, gathering information material and listening to this genre.

 

The orchestra has recorded three CDs: the first "Band" of 1999 Oliver River was followed by "F. .. PEJ of Oliver "in 2003, while" Oliver River Gess Band ", live double cd released in 2010, the photographer active concert of the orchestra in the previous two years, with the energy and excitement at their peak in live performances that have captured the interest and friendship of an expert in jazz as Paolo Conte, manifested by the gift of his original drawings for the cover of the disc.

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