Michele Mazzola, Sicilian saxophone player and composer, is born in Palermo in October 1982. He graduated in classical Saxophone at conservatory “V.Bellini” in Palermo supervised by M. Gaetano Costa, with full marks. In the same conservatory he graduated as a Master in jazz biography1 saxophone supervised by M. Daniele Antinoro, with magna cum laude and permission to teach. He took part of “The Berkelee Summer School at Umbria Jazz 2004” and of 1°, 2°, 3° “Balarm Sax Festival” organised from the Conservatory V.Bellini of Palermo, supervised by great musicians such as Bob Mintzer, Ernie Watts, Dave Liebeman, Breedly Wheeler and Dan Moretti.
During the summer in 2011 he attended Saxophone's Master classes during the first “Castellammare Jazz Festival” arranged by Seamus Blake and Mark Turner. He was engaged as Sax Soprano in the ensemble at theatre Biondo, Palermo, taking part of the theatre play “Assassinio nella Cattedrale”, that was played in the following theatres: Biondo in Palermo, Carignano in Turin, Piccolo in Milan, Storchi in Modena, Argentina in Rome.
For the INDA foundation(Old drama national institution) of Siracusa, Michele played in the famous greek theatre in Siracusa for the XLIV cycle of classic shows, and he contributed to the success of the big trilogy of Eschilo: the Orestea.(Agamennone, Coefore and Eumenidi).
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With the theatre Biondo in Palermo Michele also exhibited in several shows such as:
“Appunti su Amleto”, W.Shakespeare; “Pasqua a New York”, Blaise Cendras; “A piedi nudi”, Dacia Maraini; “La città risorta”, part of Pasqua a New York, Blaise Cendras; “Gran teatro della poesia”, music and word show. He also belonged to the acting company “Fiori di carta”, directed by M.Salvatore Solida, and played in the show: “Fiori di carta”.
Michele has an intense live activity both as a soloist and as a performer within various ensembles, and he partecipated to several competions and festivals in Italy such as:
“Castelbuono jazz festival”; “World wind surf festival” in Mondello, (Palermo); “Sud rex festival”, “Jazz festival” in Brolo; “Sonica true vibes festival” in Priolo, “Blues festival” in Capo d'Orlando, “Summer jazz festival” in Gallipoli, “Summer Jamboree” in Senigallia , “Vintage Root Festival” in Inzago, “Fara Sabina jazz festival”. At the time being he belongs to several bands: “The Four Brains”; “That's All band”; “Filippo Cannino Band”; “Dixie Kings”; “Sottocosto”; “Madonie Jazz Orchestra”, “Tatum Orchestra”; “The Jumpin'Up”.
He also cooperated recording “My Golden Christmas”, Alessandra Salerno's album and also “Tre Terzi”, first album of the namesake band, taking care of the wind instrument section's arrangement.
With “The Ballroom kings”, he exhibited in the most important swing's and rhythm and blues's festivals. (— Palermo, Teatro Metropolitan — Catania, Teatro “Gatto blu” — Lipsia (Germania), “Mc cormacks ballroom” — Senigallia, “Nel Year’s eve Jamboree” — Parigi, “Cabaret Sauvage” — Modica, “Teatro Garibaldi” — Porto Cervo, “Ora d’ozio festival” — Padova , “Porshe live” — Vibo Valentia, “Teatro Moderno” — Bellinzona (CH), “Teatro Sociale” — Roma, “Villa Celimontana” — “Rhythm Riot” di Camber (UK), Rock That Swing (Germania). Furthermore, with this band, he went to a tournee in Greece in december 2010, playing for 10 days in the famous “Half Note Jazz Club” in Athens, nevertheless in lot of tournee, in Italy and overseas, being very appreciated from the public and critics. With the “Ballroom Kings” he played in tours, also in theatres with “The Ballroom Kings Show”, working for the big music agency “Parma Concerti”.
biography2 With “Filippo Cannino band” won the competition “Cous Cous Preview 2011” in S.Vito Lo Capo (TP) (2-5 June 2011).
Michele also cooperated as a soloist, with the “Orchestra Giovanile Mediterranea”, with the orchestra leader M. Alberto Maniaci and with the “Brass Group”, Palermo, where he worked mainly as a saxophone teacher.
He worked as sax teacher in the secondary school “A.Inveges”, Sciacca, and at the secondary school “Archimede Privitera” in Partinico and “Leonardo Sciascia” in Camporeale and at the Musical High School “Regina Margherita” in Palermo and “Carlo Rinaldini” in Ancona.
In January 2018 with the Orchestra Sinfonica Castelbuono Classica takes part in a successful tour in China, playing in the best theatres. Since 2018 he's part of the Jumpin'Up, famous sicilia swing band. With the Jumpin'Up Michele regularly plays in the best swing festival around Europe and in 2019 they record the album “Get The Bounce”. In the same year, Michele takes part to other album recording: “Lunar”, with the “Fabrizio Brusca Quartet”; and “Soyuz 10”, last album of the famous singer Mario Venuti. In December 2019 he records “Who Knows”, his first single, and “Petri Priziusi”, Madonie's hymn. To date is a saxophone teacher at the middle school “F. Minà Palumbo” and at Musical Academy “Primo Spazio” in Castelbuono (PA). Show less
