Feb. 25 – Emigration, work in the mines, the defense of one’s native language, Italy and its difficulties, brain drain, and disappointment are all elements of the real world told in Giacomo Lariccia’s songs. The musician and songwriter was born in 1975 in Rome, which he left 14 years ago. He moved to Brussels, where he found fame. His first album as a storyteller – published in late 2011 – is “Colpo di Sole”; the record won prestigious awards and has been praised by both critics and audiences alike. A few days ago, Lariccia released in Italy and Belgium “Sempre Avanti,” an all-new crowd-funded album containing 13 songs, each a mirror of contemporary Europe. Last night, the jazz guitarist presented at the Salone Margherita of Rome his new album. He was accompanied on stage by Marco Locurcio. “Sempre Avanti – explained Lariccia – tells the epic story of Italian immigrants in Belgium and their hard work in the coal mines,” an aspect covered in the songs “Dallo zolfo al carbone,” “Sessanta sacchi di carbone” and “Sotto terra”. “In my songs there are the stories of those who left a country exhausted by World War II in the hope of finding a better future in Belgium. In 1946, Italy and Belgium – said Lariccia – signed the Coal Covenant that I speak of in the song ‘Sessanta sacchi di carbone’. This agreement provided for an exchange between men (Italian job seekers) and coal (from the Belgian mines). And today in Belgium the Italians are also protagonists of the cultural, artistic and political scenes.” A skilled word master and attentive communicator, Lariccia continues the battle for “the defense of the Italian language”.” The song ‘Piuttosto’ – says the musician – is an ironic piece on the Italian language’s most recent trends. The song was inspired by the habit of saying ‘piuttosto’ in most sentences.” In light of the presentation of the album at the Italian Institute of Culture in Brussels and the affectionate applause of the Roman public, Lariccia is now preparing to bring his music to Cernusco (February 28) and Casale Monferrato (March 1). With “Sempre Avanti”, Lariccia continues to look to the future with good music and beautiful lyrics.
