"When I started playing, the theater was empty, like it was a soundcheck. They told me to play nonstop. I never imagined an orchestra had arranged my piece and would appear on stage to accompany me." Alessio Zucca, 32, a pianist and composer from Dolianova, recalls his victory at the Grand Hybrid Experience, a competition organized by Casio Music Italia in 2017. "I entered with a song I wrote called 'Lidia.' It brought me luck."
Victory at the Grand Hybrid Experience in Milan
Together with the other two winners, Alessio Zucca was invited to Milan to play the Grand Hybrid, the flagship of the Casio digital piano range., where a surprise awaited him. In addition to the 12-piece ensemble, an audience of music enthusiasts and professionals also appeared in the theater: Boosta, Irene Veneziano, and Max Tempia. "We managed to play without interruptions. When I finished, I turned around and there was an audience applauding. It was a magnificent experience."
Alessio Zucca: A Life to the Rhythm of Music
The diploma in jazz piano earned at the Cagliari Conservatory in 2013 is just the first milestone for Alessio Zucca, who has been immersed in music since childhood. "I was nine years old when my father brought home a keyboard. I started practicing and learning melodies by ear. Then one evening, a friend of my father's visited us. When he played "Child in Time," a Deep Purple song, I knew I wanted to replicate those sounds. From that moment on, music was my lifesaver."
Alessio Zucca: the first musical interpretations
While metal dominated his career from the ages of 14 to 17, with live concerts and participation in numerous bands, in later years the Sardinian musician opened up to other styles, aided by the versatility and expressive potential of the keyboard. "My biggest influence was progressive music, so Genesis, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Deep Purple. There was a time when I listened to Dream Theater a lot. Then, when I started studying jazz, I became very drawn to Michel Petrucciani and Brad Mehldau."
The first album: The Tree of Timeless
These influences proved crucial when Alessio Zucca decided to compose his first solo album. It was 2014 and the Sardinian musician had moved to Bologna to continue his studies. jazzAn idea that became even more concrete in Krakow where he spent the following year, participating in the Erasmus project. The album The Tree of Timeless It was released in April 2016 under the name Faces of Alex. "The album is a mix of progressive, sound track, and modern jazz. Some songs are influenced by what I studied, but I remain a romantic and visionary who searches for melody."
The second disc: A Raft to Cross the Sea
The second album was released in 2018. A Raft to Cross the Sea, a raft to cross the sea as a metaphor for the human condition. "The title of this album refers to man's struggle against life's difficulties. It's the result of a period in which I rehearsed with just one drummer, and it was recorded primarily as a trio. It's a more aggressive album than the first. More improvisational, more jazzy, and influenced by heavier music."
Life in Poland and future plans
At that time Alessio Zucca lived in Cagliari, but the pandemic, and the consequent closure of Italy for the feasts, could keep the musician in Poland for a long time. There are many difficulties at the moment, and the music industry has been hit hard by the crisis triggered by Covid-19. And p, "I have so many ideas and I hope this album will be released in 2021. A few years ago, I chose to compose, but it's an activity that completely captivates you. In those times, I see nothing else."
