The Cinelli Brothers
Chicago and Texas Blues modern interpreted
The Cinelli Brothers have a passion for the music of the 1960s, a mix of blues, rock, and soul, adding a touch of contemporary style, making them an emerging force in the music scene. Their appeal crosses borders, attracting both a noticeably younger audience to their concerts and the ears of older fans, many of whom grew up with the kind of music that excites these brothers from Italy.
Drummer Alessandro was the first to arrive in London, soon joined by his older brother Marco. They formed the band in 2017 with Marco on guitar and vocals and another Italian friend, Enzo Strano on bass, playing sets that paid homage to Chicago and Texas blues as well as the soulful sounds of Stax and Motown. From the very beginning, the brothers wrote their own material, and soon after their first performances, they realized they needed an album, both to sell at concerts and to establish themselves more broadly. The album Babe Please Set Your Alarm, recorded in an analog studio, was released in 2018, reached an impressive number 2 in the IBBA charts (Independent Blues Broadcasters´ Association), and received a number of enthusiastic reviews in the press and on the radio.
With the addition of Tom Julian-Jones on guitar, harmonica, and vocals, the band became a quartet, and with a second guitarist in the band, Marco was able to alternate between guitar, piano, and Hammond, enriching the band's sound and allowing for a broader range of music to become part of the Cinelli sound. On the second album Villa Juke Joint, some tracks featured brass instrumentation, expanding the range of the material on the album. The album boasted fascinating artwork depicting the band members as cartoon characters brought to life in the songs! The album was recorded during the Covid pandemic with just one microphone and entirely at the brothers' home, and it was showcased in November 2021 at a sold-out show at London's famous 100 Club. The band gained more recognition. Bassist Stephen Giry joined the band in 2022 and also plays guitar, opening up further possibilities.
The Cinelli Brothers are experimental, and their next project involved recording an album with a guest musician on each track. They did not settle for just working with the guest; they wrote an original song or adapted it and recorded it immediately, bringing fresh energy to the performances. Having been part of the London scene for five years, the brothers knew many musicians and leveraged these connections to bring together a "Who's Who" of British talent for the recordings: established artists like Dana Gillespie, Ian Siegal, and Big Joe Louis, as well as a number of younger, rising stars of the British scene like Alice Armstrong, Connor Selby, and Tommy Hare. The resulting album No Country For Bluesmen further established the Cinelli Brothers as an emerging force in British blues and roots music. Just six months after Villa Juke Joint, another prestigious opening night took place in May 2022, this time at Nell’s Jazz and Blues, which continues to bring many outstanding musicians together on one night.
The brothers are enterprising musicians consistently seeking opportunities to hone their craft and expand their repertoire. They have a strong work ethic and are very diligent, as their concert schedule shows. In addition to regular performances in London, the band enjoys touring the United Kingdom but has also begun to make a name for themselves in Europe. The band has been received with unrestrained enthusiasm in Spain, Germany, and of course Italy, while other countries are waiting for them as they performed in 2022 in the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, and Holland. They have also become regulars in the annual nominations for titles like "Band Of The Year," having been nominated in this category at the UK Blues Awards for three consecutive years.
What can one expect at a Cinelli Brothers performance? The hallmarks of the Cinelli Brothers are high energy, great musical skill, showmanship, and fun, and it seems to work because the audience wants to see them again, making repeat performances the norm, not the exception. In December 2024, they will be touring with their new studio album Almost exactly…The Cinelli Brothers, which is set to be released on January 27, 2024.
Doors: 7:00 PM
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
