Beppe Gambetta likes to think of a smile as “the key for reading the musical universe.”
It’s a natural trait of his people-the Italian born musician still resides in Genova – and part of the disarming charm and irrepressible temperament he brings to his performances. Reading his biographical information – Gambetta and I are still to meet one another – you cannot help but admire and like someone so darned enthusiastic about life.
He’s an obvious wanderer – both in the metaphysical and geographic sense – who thrives on new experiences and meeting new people. Gambetta tours North America on an average of three times per year, playing what he refers to as his “musical mosaic” of sounds and flavors.
While distinctly Italian (a heritage he and I share) he is in love with American roots music as well as “the music of my native country.” Gambetta has travelled the world, performing in more than thirty countries (even playing behind what was once the Iron Curtain) and has, to date, recorded eleven CDs, a series of DVDs, and teaching books.
He is a master of the acoustic guitar (a quick check of You Tube confirmed that fact!) who frequently collaborates with other top flight musicians, including his own Beppe Gambetta trio.
Throughout the U.S. and Canada, Gambetta has performed at such prestigious festivals as the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas, Merlefest, Colorado’s Four Corners Festival, and Canadian Folk Festivals in Winnipeg and Edmonton. Gambetta has also played numerous radio shows including NPR’s “All Things Considered” and “E-Town.” If such credentials weren’t enough to grab your attention, how about his playing the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York?
Still not impressed? A list of the musicians Gambetta has shared stages with is a veritable who’s who of Americana including folk legends David Grisman, Gene Parsons, Doc Watson and Norman Blake. In an industry dominated by quickly passing trends and the “logic” of the market, Gambetta proudly prefers to let his music speak for itself, standing out for its “intimate emotions, communication, and research in tone, sobriety and humor.”
Fortunately for us Gambetta has included the Southeast as part of his upcoming North American tour, with stops in the Atlanta area, Carrboro, and right here in Black Mountain. So why not treat yourself to an artist whose music combines “the heart of Americana with the olive trees of the Mediterranean” in a venue known for its acoustics and listener friendly atmosphere? And, as my Grandmother Seraphina would have said, Ciao!
If You Go: Beppe Gambetta solo performance at the White Horse (105 Montreat Rd.) in Black Mountain on Friday, June 13. The show starts at 8 p.m. For ticket information visit www.whitehorseblackmountain.com.
