Gongs have been part of my life since 1970, when as Jazz Swiss School student in Bern (Switzerland), I had the lucky opportunity to visit the Paiste, Cymbal and Gongs factory.
I was immediately fascinated by the sonic world of the gong and related metal percussion and I started dreaming a future that could possibly
include those marvelous instruments.
Few years later, while in New York on my first US trip, I found few Albums of Balinese Music in a small record store in the Greenwich Village.
That music and the gongs inspired since my artistic career.
In 1975 another unique chance: UFIP, the Italian cymbal company hired me as gong and metal percussion designer.
With UFIP I designed and produced a line of gongs, bells and metal sounding objects under the name of Ictus 75. The Icebell that I invented
was later copied by all manufactures and became a popular instrument.
Thanks to my collaboration with UFIP, I was one of the first drummers to integrate in the set a large array of gongs and metal percussion.
In 1984 I signed as top endorser with Paiste and I've be playing their wonderful gongs and cymbals since then.
While integrating gongs in my solo performances and in my composer work, strangely enough, I never recorded and produced an album totally based on gongs.
It took me 47 years, but finally after extensively traveling the Far East (and generally the World) and absorbing sounds and traditions, my gong music album is here.
Andrea Centazzo, Long Beach, CA April 19th 2017
Instruments:
1 Echoes from a Japanese Garden (Balinese Gongs, Paiste Gongs & Cymbals, AC Custom Made Gongs, Hubback Bells, Icebells, Temple
Bells, Shakuhachi) This compositions is dedicated to Aiko Nishijima.
2 Meditating in a Kyoto Temple (Chinese Gongs, Thai Gongs, Paiste Gongs & Cymbals, AC Custom Made Small Bells, Analog Keyboard,
Nature Sounds)
6 Echoes from a Japanese Garden (reprise) (Balinese Gongs, Paiste Gongs & Cymbals, AC Custom Made Gongs, Hubback Bells, Icebells,
Temple Bells, Shakuhachi)
credits
released May 2, 2020
All music composed and performed by Andrea Centazzo
(Andrea Centazzo Music ASCAP) April 2017
Recorded, mixed and produced by Andrea Centazzo
at Ictus Studio, Long Beach , CA
Cover art and photos by Andrea Centazzo
Steve Lacy, Alvin Curran, John Zorn, Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Perry Robinson, Henry Kaiser, Elliott Sharp and many more
are the musicians that recorded with Andrea Centazzo for ICTUS.
In 2012, his Alma Mater, the University of Bologna Italy honored him by establishing the “Fondo e Archivio Andrea Centazzo” part of the University Library, where all his scores & recordings are housed & available....more
Pop sensibility, vintage effects, and a sophisticated ear for tonal development make this jazz foray truly charming. Bandcamp Album of the Day Sep 1, 2017