Gaudi biography
Recently nominated for the “World Music Awards” with his chart topping album ‘Dub Qawwali’, Gaudi’s eclectic style and versatility has kept him at the forefront of his field throughout a notable and prolific career; this latest accolade confirms the London-based Italian-born music producer/solo artist’s credentials as a force to be reckoned with in the international music scene.
There is a natural sensitivity to Gaudi’s music which enables him to unify different forms of sound from around the world and represent them in his own personal style, while at the same time, most importantly, keeping the heart, integrity and significance of the cultural roots. His music, which is an organic fusion of Dub, Electronica and Worldbeat is rarely off the playlists and regularly being performed live in the UK and internationally.
No newcomer, Gaudi has been stretching the boundaries of music since the start of his career in 1980 and since then he has cultivated his obsession with music by constantly searching and experimenting with new forms of sounds and grooves. A classically trained pianist and Theremin player with a fascination for anything that could produce sound distortion, Gaudi began his career as composer and producer experimenting with analogue synthesizers, filtered vocals and tape echoes; Even back then he created a sound that was very much his own: a sort of crossover between Roots reggae-dub and the early 80’s “no-wave” movement. (see cult labels "Ralph Records” and "99 Records").
After been featured on many records as keyboard player, producer and songwriter, in 1986 Gaudi began his first solo reggae project as a singer and signed his first major record deal with Polygram/Mercury for his first 2 solo albums "Basta Poco" and "Gaudium Magnum". After several years of massive national media exposure, promotion and intense touring (alongside reggae legends such as The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, Third World, Ziggy Marley, Michael Rose, Yellowman, Sister Carol, Mutabaruka, I-Three, Freddy Mc Gregor, Maxi Priest), Gaudi, with his need for constant artistic evolution left Italy and moved to London, where access to a growing international and more groundbreaking music industry would allow him to continue to develop both artistically and professionally.
After reaching no.1 in the UK charts in 1996 with his remix of Cool Jack’s “Jus’ Come”, Gaudi confirmed his credentials as a top remixer and since then has remixed some of the most important names in the business, most notably: Bob Marley, Desmond Dekker, Zion Train, The Upsetters, Africa Bambaataa, Apache Indian, General Levy, Simple Minds, Fatboy Slim, Scissor Sisters, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, 1 Giant Leap, Lamb, Trilok Gurtu, Ojos de Brujo, Artful Dodger, The Orb, Shpongle, among others… (see “remix” page on www.gaudimusic.com for a full list). Studio works with reggae legends such as Lee Scratch Perry, Horace Andy and Dennis Bovell, and "hip-hop pioneer" Grandmaster Flash, have further confirmed the talent of this fearless electronic producer.
With 12 solo albums to date, 250 music productions, 90 remixes and more than 100 compilations featuring his tracks, Gaudi has been pretty regularly present in the UK and USA iTunes Charts with his last 4 albums all gaining respectable chart postitions: “Bass, Sweat & Tears” (Interchill Records) reached no.2 Europe & no.31 USA , “gaudi:testa-CONTINVVM” (Em:t Records) no.3 Europe, “Re:sonate” (Fax Records) - done in collaboration with ‘ambient legend’ Pete Namlook - no.14 Europe and no.48 USA, “Dub Qawwali” (Six Degrees Records) –featuring “Pakistan’s Premier Ambassador of Qawwali Music” Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan reached no.2 in USA, no.4 in the UK, no.1 on Amazon’s Electronic Music section.
Besides his studio work, Gaudi is regularly touring, with his live performances captivating an ever growing fan base around the world with his original formula of “Dub n’ Breakz” - fusing the roots of Reggae music with cutting edge new electronic beats. Over the last few years he has put in memorable performances at many of the major music festivals worldwide, most notably: Glastonbury, Glade, The Big Chill, Gatecrasher (England), Vancouver Jazz Festival, Shambhala, Eclipse (Canada), Earthcore (Australia), Harmony, Earthdance, Joshua Tree, Beloved (USA), Skol Beat, Universo Paralello (Brazil), Roskilde (Denmark), Reggae Sunsplash, Sonica (Italy), Boom (Portugal), Aurora (Greece), Arcadia (France), Hexistence, Harmonia, Omni (Spain), No Man’s Land (Hungary), Electric Picnic (Ireland) to name a few…. from the mainstream to the more underground it is evident from his global appeal that his fan base is as diverse as his music and influences.
Recent international press described Gaudi as “...one of the freshest and most innovative sounds around at the moment!”. Gaudi’s 2008 album “Dub Qawwali” not only earned him a nomination in the “World Music Awards 2008” but also high praise from listeners and music press around the globe. Dub Qawwali is a unique work which blends organic and digital dub stylings with original vocals of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
In early 2008 Gaudi lent out his talents in a studio session with the legendary “hip hop pioneer” Grandmaster Flash, for his single “What if no more hip hop”. Alongside a busy tour schedule, Gaudi started his involvement with the hit TV series X Factor in Italy, in the role of Vocal Coach. It was a role that he undertook for the first 3 series with multiple successes including the coaching a winning group, the winners of the critics prize and also obtaining his fifth Gold Disc for his production work on one of the groups subsequent albums. Since 2008, when not filming for X Factor, Gaudi has been touring more and more extensively in America and Canada in response to an ever growing and very appreciative fan-base on that side of the Atlantic.
Gaudi’s 12th album 'NO PRISONERS' (feat. Michael Franti, Dub Gabriel, Elisa, Dr. Israel) was released in March 2010 by Six Degrees Records and since then he has been rocking venues and taking No Prisoners on dance floors around the world in his busy tour schedule.. His latest summer tour, which was based mostly in the USA and Canada, was hugely successful with practically all of the 68 performances sold-out to very enthusiastic maximum capacity crowds!
His return to London is a return to the studio with a heavyweight line-up of production projects to be done; he returns to an ongoing collaboration with The Orb’s Dr Alex Paterson with whom he is remixing classic tunes from Trojan Records catalogue including tracks by Desmond Dekker, The Upsetters and Bob & Marcia among others. Another production in progress is his remix work on the project Metallic Spheres (the chart-topping collaboration between The Orb and Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour). If that wasn’t enough he is also set to start a production and collaboration with legendary Simple Minds front man Jim Kerr.
Touring doesn’t stop here however and the autumn winter months will see Gaudi performing in London, Paris, Los Angeles, Bern and San Francisco!
