Antonio Forcione Projects

Antonio Forcione Solo

QUOTES:

"One of the great acoustic guitarists" (The Guardian)

"Forcione has a freedom of expression that should never be stifled by a label; so go into the record store and look under Jazz world music, acoustic music, or maybe just - genius. (The Observer)

"Thrilling voyage around the world - passion, grace and fire" (THE TIMES)

"Forcione plays unstringed parts of the guitar other players can't hope to reach" (THE INDEPENDENT)

"Unique, unpredictable" (SUNDAY TIMES)

"A one-off musical sensation. Unmissable" (THE SCOTSMAN)

"brings more sounds from an acoustic guitar than you've ever dreamed of - superb" DAILY MAIL

AKA Trio

Antonio Forcione - Guitar
Seckou Keita - Chora
Adriano Adewale - Percussion

Five star review Threeweeks 10.09.2011

There are no words to describe the greatness of this show. In the most epic trio of musical perfection I have ever come across, acoustic guitarist Antonio Forcione is joined by Seckou Keita on the kora and percussionist Adriano Adewale. Not only are the performers’ musical abilities mind-blowing, but the passion and genuine joy of playing for others brilliantly shines on their faces and temporarily blinds you, so that, in the extremely rare occurrence that they make a mistake, you’ll be none the wiser. Every single audience member was mesmerised by this performance; it is easily one of the best shows I have ever seen, in and out of the Fringe. It would be tragic to miss this.

Four star review ( The Scotsman) 18.8.11

ANTONIO Forcione, long a favourite of the discerning musical Fringe-goer, can be an extrovert showman when in solo mode, dominating the stage with his presence and his often visceral amplified acoustic guitar attack.
Here in his latest collaboration, the Aka Trio, with Brazilian percussionist Adriano Adewale and Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita, each a virtuoso in his own right, things were more laid back, and occasionally tentative as the three players gelled, but with a palpable sense of rapport and delight in their music-making.
It was the crystalline chiming of Keita's kora - the West African harp-lute - which opened proceedings, percussion and guitar joining stealthily before building up in intensity then fading away, setting the tone for a performance which had much light and shade. Forcione's tune for his daughter, Maya's Song, was lazily hypnotic, his guitar singing out at intervals and making use of some real-time sampling to build over a riff, while the kora rang out a gentle ostinato.
Each musician had a solo spot, Adewale leaving his gantry of percussion to take the floor armed with a miked-up tambourine, with which he worked up compelling rhythms, and Keita proving himself a fine singer, delivering Souaressi over an intricate kora accompaniment. Forcione switched to his unique ouadann, a fretless guitar with additional sympathetic strings, for a dark-toned solo full of sighs and echoes.
Drawing things to a close, the trio really built up a head of steam, percussion driving things on insistently while guitar and kora flowed in twin torrents of string sound, leaving the audience clearly exhilarated and anxious for more.

Antonio & Sarah J Morris Duo

ANTONIO FORCIONE - guitar

SARAH J MORRIS - voice

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Sarah Jane Morris

‘Leave your preconceptions at home,’ begins one London critic’s assessment of sensual singer-songwriter Sarah Jane Morris, who straddles rock, blues, jazz and soul with a goosebump-raising four octave range that rumbles from the heels of her size eight shoes to the tips of her flame-red mane. “Those in-the-know rate her as one of the world's great jazz-soul vocalists of the past twenty years and more.” (Vogue Italia)

Famed for her association with the ‘Communards’ in the mid-80s (the fabulous hit “Don’t leave me this way” is still requested at every party!) and infamous for a banned rendition of the classic ‘Me and Mrs Jones’, Sarah Jane Morris has always attracted as much attention for her politics as for her soul-driven voice. Numerous solo albums later, pop stardom on the continent, and a diverse set of musical collaborations on record, film and stage, Morris continues to steer her unorthodox career to greater heights

ANTONIO FORCIONE

Forcione’s rise to recognition is a tale of talent, passion, and a relentless ferocity in his determination to wring every possible sound and emotion from the guitar. The result? A cocktail of dazzling virtuosity, ferocious rhythms and a burning spiritual aspiration coupled with a touch of natural humour. His 16 albums and numerous awards not to mention his charity concerts have made him a much loved performer who never fails to capture his audience’s imagination and hearts. It is no wonder he is considered the ‘Jimi Hendrix of the acoustic guitar'

International tours have brought high critical acclaim from as far as Australia and Hong Kong to Russia, the Caribbean, USA and all over Europe. Artistic, intense, and formidably inventive, Antonio is a performer of genuine distinction. Ever unpredictable, his is a celebration of the unexpected elements in life, a music of rare delicacy, humour and, not least, passion.

"Forcione plays unstringed parts of the guitar other players can’t hope to reach" (The Independent)

"Forcione brings more sounds from an acoustic guitar than you’ve ever dreamed of … superb" (Daily Mail)

"One of the great acoustic guitarists" (The Guardian)

Antonio Forcione Trio

Anselmo Netto - Percussion

Matheus Nova - Acoustic Bass

Antonio Forcione - Guitar



Quotes:

"Most impressive of all, the passion of the three performers is infectious.

This technical marvel is matched by stunning music and Forcione proves himself to be a world-class guitarist. Sublime." (Five star Broadwaybaby 2012)

"All good fun, and very much in keeping with the party mood" ( The Scotsman )

Forcione’s rise to international recognition is a tale of talent, determination, passion and a great deal of adventures along the way. The result? A cocktail of dazzling virtuosity, ferocious rhythms and burning spiritual aspiration with a touch of humour. His charismatic stage personality and his ability to wring emotion out of every note, to cross all cultural barriers, have made him one of Europe’s most sought after performers, constantly evolving and finding new spiritual heights.

“One of the world’s most highly regarded guitarists … this is John Martyn for a new generation who, when he isn’t using his guitar as a percussive instrument, is literally reinventing it. The guy is brilliant” Edinburgh Evening News”

The pieces performed by the trio are predominantly Forcione’s own compositions “with enough technical wizardry to satisfy even the most demanding virtuosity junkie, but his across the board appeal is reflected in a broad-ranging (and often hilarious) mix which takes in jazz, folk, flamenco, ethnic music, pop, rock, classical, and just about everything that comes to mind” (The List).

Theirs is an imaginative and joyful synthesis, a world-class band with spectacular technique, who have developed a unique, powerful and exotic sound. “Guitar heroics, yes, but with a touch of class” (THE TIMES)


BIOS:

Anselmo Netto was born in Salvador and toured and recorded with samba group De Boca In Boca, hugely popular in Bahia and the Northeast of Brazil. On moving to the UK he rapidly became one of the most sought-after musicians in London, collaborating with Antonio Forcione as well as other musicians. Anselmo plays percussion and the Bandolim (Brazilian)

Matheus Nova - ( Electric & acoustic Bass ) is very popular in the Latin and London music circles and is recognised for his ability to ‘design’ astonishing bass lines. It has been said of him that he has the ability to “transform folkloric into “funkloric”.” Matheus has performed with many groups, including the Brazilian Samba Divas Elza Soares and Alcione.