JAR’A FYC: GRAMMY Awards®

JAR’A FYC: GRAMMY Awards®

October 27, 2021
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JAR’A

Paolo Angeli: Prepared Sardinian Guitar, Vocals, electronics

Jar’a is a surprising album in which the prepared Sardinian guitar, without any overdubs, achieves the tonal range and sonic pressure of a post-rock ensemble. The suite in six movements brings together avant-garde and ancient traditional singing rituals, evoking wide open spaces, combining underground worlds and the most ancestral Sardinia. Jar’a is a concept album, with three-dimensional sound, in which Paolo Angeli expresses an innovative contemporary language, inlaying it with fragile, emotive vocals.

Special Guest : Omar Bandinu (Tenores di Bitti Mialinu Pira), bassu (Cantu a Tenore, Sardinian throat singing)

Listen JAR”A in:

“…Jar’a, a six-part suite for prepared guitar, will cause a headache for label merchants. For the open-minded, its rich sonic collage is quite the ride.The magic lies in the extraordinary architecture of his guitar, which incorporates foot pedals that trigger pianoforte-like hammers on the strings, motors that spur tiny bands against sympathetic strings causing high-pitched trills and an array of knobs that take the strings from their classical roots to rock distortion and back. (…) It takes an equally extraordinary musician, however, to pull it all together, as Angeli does handsomely on this evocative and immersive ode to the landscapes, soundscapes and spirit of his native Sardinia…” Ian Patterson – Allaboutjazz

“…A sound explorer and artistic orchestrator, Paolo Angeli is known for playing a prepared Sardinian Guitar, a crossbreed instrument provided with additional strings with are bowed or plucked, an added bridge, pedal operated hammers and pick ups. Visionary, multilayered and challenging, Angeli’s music really Sardinian traditional modes, ambient, free improvisation, post-rock and much more. Angeli weaves a unique aesthetic and Jar’a is a great achievement…” Ciro De Rosa – Songlines

“..His orchestral guitar, to give it a better name, is plugged in to many gadgets, so bear in mind that what you’re about to hear is just him. In the notes of the album Angeli is at pains to point out that there are no overdubs or loops. His album Jar’a is a suite in six movements, and I’m going to play you Futti ‘entu, the third movement. I saw Angeli perform at Rich Mix in London a few years ago and, frankly, I was astounded by and totally drawn to his utter artistry. Paolo Angeli and his guitar, what an extraordinary sound! “ Lopa Kothari BBC3

“…Hear Paolo Angeli’s prepared Sardinian guitar, a creation that he has fitted with extra drone strings, a cello headstock, and is run through an array of pedals. The sounds might be anywhere from strummy, lyre or zither-like, or a plucked guitar, scrapey-like a bowed cello, or drummy – struck like hammers on a piano – all coming from one instrument. Hear the title track from Jar’a (la Giara) which suggests wide open spaces, combining underground worlds and the most ancestral Sardinia…” John Schaefer New Sounds – WNYC