Biography

From 1973 to 1975 plays as "stooge" for famous groups at italian pop festivals (Parco Lambro, Villa Borghese, ecc.)
In 1974 is published the 1st album "Angelo Branduardi '74" (Ed. RCA), in collaboration with Paul Buckmaster (orchestra direction/arranged by).
With his 2nd Album in 1975 "La luna" begins a collaboratione with Maurizio Fabrizio.
Real success comes with the 3rd Album, "Alla fiera dell'Est" (Ed. Musiza - Roma) that wins the special prize as Absolute Best Italian album of the year.
During the following year come the 4th album, "La pulce d'acqua" (Ed. Musiza - Roma) and the 1st compilation, "Incontro con Angelo Branduardi" (Ed. RCA). Angelo is the Guest Star in an Italian TV production ("Strix") where, alone with his violin, he sings some track of the new album.

In 1978 Angelo publishes the 1st albums in foreign languages, "Highdown Fair" (Ed. Polydor/Polygram, English version of "Alla fiera dell'Est") con testi di Peter Sinfield,
"A la foire de l'Est" e "La Demoiselle", French versions of "Alla fiera dell'Est" and "La pulce d'acqua" (lyrics translated by Etienne Roda-Gil).
In the same yeart he joins the "Carovana del Mediterraneo" tour, first European tour of Angelo Branduardi.

He joins the 2nd tour "Carovana del Mediterraneo" in 1980 with Graham Nash, Stephen Stills e Richie Havens. This European Tour whose climax was the concert in Paris, "Fête de l'Humanité", in front of 200.000 people is the basis for the 1st Live recording, "Concerto" (Ed. Musiza - Roma),3 LPs; in the meantime a Video tape with the same name is released in Italy.
"Va ou le vent te mène", French version of "Cogli la prima mela" wins the Golden Europe Award and a prize in France as the best LP of the year in French language. An English version called "Life is the only teacher" is also released in 1980.

In 1981 a new album, "Branduardi '81" (Ed. Musiza - Roma), is realized again in collaboration with Paul Buckmaster. Angelo explores for the first time new sounds and rythmics, seeking inspiration in African patterns, as you can see in the wonderful "La collina del sonno", based on pentatonal music, quite unusual for our standards!
Other songs have instead the same flavour of Branduardi that his fans has already showed to love.

A new prize in Germany in 1982 claims Angelo Best Artist of the Year, the French TV offers him its most important show "Le Grand Echiquier", 3 hours live playing.

A brand new activity starts in 1983; Angelo Branduardi starts writing movies soundtracks. First work is "State buoni se potete" by Luigi Magni, TV Movie for Italian Television RAI (Ed. Musiza - Roma/Bixio Cemsa - Roma). Angelo is also acting as guest star playing tho role of a teacher in S.Filippo Neri's school. The cover of the Album is a frame of the movie where Angelo plays the violin while children dance.
Angelo is awarded of 2 important Italian prizes, "David di Donatello" and "Nastro d'Argento". He publishes the album "Cercando l'oro" (Ed. Musiza - Roma) and "Tour l'or du monde (French version). In this album there are many famous international artists playing, in particular Alan Stivell plays celtic harp and bagpipes.
A new European tour (50 concert) leads Angelo in Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, France and Louxemburg.

In 1984 Angelo plays for "Festa per la vita", a series of street concerts whose incomes are given to UNICEF.
A new compilation, "Canzoni d'Amore" (Ed. Musiza - Roma/Bixio Cemsa - Roma), is published and its revenues are given to UNICEF too. A French version, "Chansons d'amour", is released in 1985.

A second soundtrack for the movie "Momo" (Ed. Musiza - Roma/Bixio Cemsa - Roma) in 1986, is released in German too.

In 1987 many compilations are released: the French edition of "Confessioni di un malandrino" ("Confessions d'un malandrin") and "Collezione" (in French as "Toujours" and in English as "Collection").

The Year 1988 begins with other 2 movies soundtracks (the 3rd and 4th). One is for an Italian TV production, the TV Movie "Secondo Ponzio Pilato" by Luigi Magni, then "Luci Lontane", for omonimous Aurelio Chiesa's movie.
A new album too comes in 1988, "Pane e Rose" (Ed. Sottosopra/Polygram Dischi),distributed all over Europe, and a french version "Du pain et des roses" is published too. This new album has a definite south-American Flavour, both in sounds and rythm, a really great leap compared to previous studio production. A giant Europena Tour with 110 dates is scheduled to promote this new work!

A new work is released in 1990, "Il Ladro" (Ed. Sottosopra), that as the previous one has a clear South American sonority.

A new compilation in 1991, "Il meglio di Angelo Branduardi - Confessioni di un malandrino" (Ed. Sottosopra/Musiza - Roma) is published in Italy, while the English version for European market "The best of Angelo Branduardi" (Ed. Sottosopra/EMI), is published only in 1992.

In 1993 Angelo publishes his 1st Spanish recording, "Confessiones de un Malandrin" (Ed. Sottosopra), a Spanish version of the 1991 compilation already released in Italian, French and English. Another French edition, "Ça se fait" (Ed. Sotto sopra), takes in france "Si può fare". One song, "Il Ladro" is included in the compilation recorded live in SanRemo during the 20th anniversary celebrations of "Club Luigi Tenco".
Another partecipation for a compilations is "Il volo di Volodja" (Ed. Ala Bianca), tribute to Russian poet Vladimir Vysotskij (Moscow 1938-Paris 1980); Angelo sings "L'ultimo poema" (Last Poem). He takes part to "Natale in Vaticano" (Ed. Videorai), an International Music Stars concert held in the presence of Pope John Paul the Second to collect funds for the construction of new churches. Branduardi sings "Gaudete" and "Personent Hodie" with the Orchestra and Chorus of National Academy of Santa Cecilia directed by Maestro Renato Serio.

In late 1994 a new album is released, "Domenica e lunedì" (Ed. Sottosopra), dedicated to Franco Fortini, his teacher, and "La Menace" (Ed. Sottosopra/Polygram Music) that is its French versione, is published with lyrics by Etienne Roda-Gil.

In 1995 Branduardi plays in a concert "Fatto per un Mondo Migliore - Ho bisogno di te", organized by UNO and held in Venice, Goldoni Theatre, to collect funds for the refugees of the Former-Yugoslavia. He also acts in a comedy, "Le Petit Arthur" by Alan Simon (Ed. Polygram Music/Les Editions de l'Enchanteur), playing the character of Branabé le Goeland, singing "La Rose de Vents".
During the 3rd Edition of "Natale in Vaticano" Branduardi plays and sings "A Coventry Carol", besides sings "Si può fare" in a recording dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Italian EMI, "Le voci del Padrone - Trent'anni di EMI Italiana" (Ed. EMI); the recording is a set of 2 CDs performed by 34 Italian artists. For "I grandi momenti della canzone Italiana 1945/1995", another compilation, (Ed. Ricordi) Branduardi sings "La pulce d'acqua".

After 16 years we have in 1996 the second live recording! "Camminando Camminando" (Ed Sottosopra), has been recorded during 1994 tour '94, but there are 2 previously unpublished tracks: "Piccolo canzone dei contrari" e "L'apprendista stregone", lyrics by Giorgio Faletti, known in Italy as comic actor but for sure not a rookie: he ranked 2nd in 1995 at "Festival di SanRemo", the most important song contest in Italy.
The 7th and 8th of july Angelo held 2 classical music concerts together with the Youngs of Saltzburg Mozarteum orchestra in Rome, directed by Ino Turturo.
In December is published "Futuro antico", medieval holy hymns and profane songs, recorded with "Chominciamento di Gioia", directed by Maestro Renato Serio ("La voce del Padrone" EMI). First time this CD was released in newspaper stands and only after a few months a new release was distributed in stores. The only difference between the 2 edition is the color of booklet cover (Red and Blue respectively).