Since tender age, music has been a great part of
his life. Banana Joker studied singing until the age
of 14 to then become a self-taught guitarist.
He developed a personal and unique technique
for the 12-strings guitar that, to this day, still
distinguishes him particularly for its sonority
and atmosphere.
He played in numerous rock bands between 1973
and 1974 to then, in 1975 with his brothers Alberto
and Maurizio, form his own first band called
"The Time Machine”.
A few more experiences with different bands
followed until Banana Joker founded “Collettivo
di Iniziativa Musicale” in 1977 in Milan.
With Emisfero Boreale
Banana Joker finally succeeded forming a new group "Emisfero Boreale" (for additional information
visit:
www.emisferoboreale.com).
Banana Joker kept “Emisfero Boreale” together for 15 years until 1993 when the band split.
"Emisfero Boreale" and "Collettivo di Iniziativa Musicale" had two indipendent but parallel lives.
At the same time Alberto “Pepè” Petrossi and guitarist Mattia Giorgetti
joined Emisfero Boreale;
the band became one of the most important and popular Milan’s underground group from 1979
to 1993. Throughout this period, a lot of musicians collaborated with this trio who performed major
shows in Northern Italy playing from typical seventies, jazz-rock and early eighties, to symphonic rock.
Banana Joker was the main composer of all Emisfero Boreale’s recorded material.
In the 15-year activity with the group, he played acoustic and electric guitars, percussions and
keyboards. The group broke up in 1993. During the eighties Banana Joker also studied piano at
the "Piccolo Conservatorio di Milano" as well as percussions. From 1978 to 1984, Emisfero Boreale
mainly performs live concerts to then become a resident guest band on local Italian TV shows till
the end of 1986.
Three Emisfero Boreale’s MC bootlegs were published in the eighties and then re-published in 2001,
self produced, in two separate CDs: “Belfast” and “Rumours from the sky”.
Banana Joker solo projects
In 1987, with the precious collaboration of guitarist and
producer William Marino, Banana Joker brings to life his
first solo project. His single “Future is Bright” becomes
the "demo-song" for Yamaha’s DX7 and QX1 musical
equipment presented for the first time at the International
Music Fair - SIM in Milan.
In 1999 “Eleven Eleven”, Banana Joker’s first solo CD was
released. “Eleven Eleven” was recorded at Clap Records
Studios (Geelong – Victoria, Australia). In the same year
the CD single “Andare Via / Cerco un mare lontano” was
recorded and published.
Also in 2000, Clap Records Australia published Banana
Joker’s second CD titled “2001”. Recorded in his own
home-studio and over a period of only six months,
Banana Joker mastered “2001” at “Magic
Studio” owned by good friend Piero Pallotta.
The collaboration between the artist and Clap Records Australia grew stronger and stronger as Banana
Joker composed music and lyrics for Italo-Australian artists participating in the Annual
Italian Original
Song Festival “E` Nata Una Stella” and managed by Clap Records Australia.
One of Banana Joker’s compositions “ Andare Via ”, produced by Claudio Parente and sung by
Italo-Australian
singer Rennie Ozzimo entered the first edition of the Italian song contest.
The song was awarded “Best Composition” by the media jury.
Again in 2003, produced and written by Banana Joker, Rennie Ozzimo sung “ Luci Trasparenti” at the
second edition of the Italian song contest gaining the 3rd place. In the same edition Banana Joker entered
a second composition titled “E’ già domani” and sung by brilliant
Italo-Australian vocalist Dona
Ciurleo.
Between 2003 and 2004 Banana Joker produced and realised his third CD “
Beyond the Silence”
published by Clap Records Australia. “Beyond the Silence”
is still Banana Joker’s bestseller.
Three of Banana Joker’s brand new compositions entered the 2004 edition of “E` Nata Una Stella
”:
“Siamo noi
”
sung by Franca Arena (winner of the 2003 edition), “ Prigioniera del mondo” sung by
Sonia Cuccinotta and also “Musica” sung by Rennie Ozzimo.
“Prigioniera del mondo” received enormous consent form critics and Rai International TV journalists.
By then Banana Joker had become a household name in Australia and could not disappoint fans by not
being part of the up coming 2005 edition of “E` Nata Una Stella”.
Two brand new compositions entered
the song contest: “
Il Buio Dentro Me ” written by Banana Joker and sung by Simona Santoli,
awarded "best composition" the special Media Jury ,
and "
Uno sguardo verso il mare” written by
Banana Joker and his
wife Sunay Martin Hernandez and sung by Angelique Mandarano.
“Sono Tante le Parole” was
the last Banana Joker’s original song entering the Italian Song Festival in
Australia in 2007 and gained the 2nd place.
“Sono Tante le Parole”, sung by Rennie Ozzimo, ended the five-year affair with Australian festival.
Composing 10 songs over this period, as a composer, Banana Joker has been extremely appreciated
and in continuous demand by Italo-Australian singers.
In 2007 Claudio Parente produced a new special edit
of “Cerco un Mare Lontano” composed in 1998 by
Banana Joker.
The new edit, arranged in a “pop-opera” style, is now
sung by emergent Italo–Australian tenor Mauro Soli,
“Cerco un mare Lontano” is also part of the “Soli” CD
published in 2007 by Clap Records & Promotions in
Australia and Canada. The video clip of the album truly
explains “Cerco un Mare Lontano”.
The long time friendship and professional collaboration
with Claudio Parente and Clap Records still continue.
Banana Joker is currently working on his fourth CD
“L’era della tecnologia” (The Age of Technology);
the publication, pre-viewed by Clap Records & Promotions
in 2008, has been postponed to 2011.
