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Interviews
Giuseppe Continenza: Italian Bop Guitarist
Phil DiPietro
Phil wishes he was a musician (well, he is one, but he wishes he were a good one) but he's not frustrated by it. He's frustrated with a lot of other aspects of the so-called biz. Therefore, he's excited by independently released jazz.AAJ: Are you planning to establish any kind of a presence in the US, or are you focusing on Europe for now?
GC: So far I'm focused on Europe but I'd love to come in US and do some playing live soon.
AAJ: How do you feel about the effects of the Internet on the music scene?
GC:In my opinion, the good thing about free music downloading is that many artists get a lot of exposure. On the other hand, the record companies won't be able to support the production of new records because of the decreasing sales. If the price of a CD can be kept from 10 to 12 dollars or euros, perhaps people would be more inclined to buy more download less for free.
AAJ: Do you ever consider marketing recordings totally independently, via Internet?
GC: It's much better to get a serious record company because they take care of the promoting of the records much better than the individual. It's very important that the owner of the record label is really involved in the project and really pushes the promotion side. On the other hand, I've had my own home page for many years. So many contacts have happened though that—it's really helpful for a professional musician.
AAJ: What are you listening to these days? Name five modern guitarists or other instrumentalists you love.
GC:I'm listening to Dave Liebman's The Unknown Jobim with Vic Juris on guitar, a great album with a lot of interplay.
My fave five guitarists are Joe Diorio, Vic Juris, Bireli Lagrene, Jack Wilkins & Jimmy Bruno.
AAJ: To wrap up, please tell us your musical plans, or projects in the pipeline, for 2005 and beyond.
GC:I'm going to be playing concerts in duo setting with many guitarists like Jimmy Bruno, Vic Juris, Jack Wilkins, and Howard Alden and do some touring with my jazz quartet with Dominique DiPiazza on bass. I'm also looking forward to recording a new album in the US with Jimmy Bruno and Vic Juris.
Visit Giuseppe Continenza on the web.
