Davide Rossi

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Davide Rossi

Background information
Born 7 August 1970 (1970-08-07) (age 37)
Turin, Italy
Genre(s) Alternative rock, Classical
Occupation(s) Violinist, String Arranger, Composer, Record Producer, Musician
Instrument(s) Violin, Electric Violin, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Years active 1985-present
Associated acts Goldfrapp, Coldplay, Royksopp, The Verve
Notable instrument(s)
Violectra[1]

Davide Francesco Rossi[2] (born 7 August 1970 in Turin, Italy), is a violinist, string arranger, composer and a record producer, perhaps best known for being the violinist, guitar and keytar-player for, and most constant member together with the lead singer Alison Goldfrapp, of the British electronic music group Goldfrapp, and for his large contribution of electric violin parts and for all the string arrangements of Coldplay's new album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends[3].

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early career - Italy

Rossi began playing music at the age of four and, under the encouragement of his mother, started to study violin at the age of ten. He entered the Conservatory Giuseppe Verdi of Torino in 1981 and began studying under the guidance of Maestro Ivan Krivensky, who remained his violin teacher until today. Rossi achieved his Diploma in 1992 at the omonimous school in Milano.

Along with his formal classical studies, he started to work with bands since the age of fifteen, mainly in the Turin's area. After his Diploma in 1992 he fully joined Mau Mau[4][5][6][7], a folk-rock Turin's band, with whom he recorded many albums and toured most of Europe and the Middle-East. Other Italian bands that featured his work are Casino Royale, Afterhours[8][9][10], La Crus[11], Cristina Donà[12][13], Bluvertigo[14][15] and the singer song-writer Vinicio Capossela.

[edit] Robert Fripp - Guitar Craft

In 1990 he became a student of legendary guitarist Robert Fripp and followed intensively his Guitar Craft courses all over the world for a period of nearly four years. At the end of these four years he moved to England, to follow his Spiritual Teacher John Wilkinson, whom he met together with Fripp, during his seminar in Wiltshire, England, in October 1994. In 1995 Rossi moved for good to the UK and began an intensive period of studying, practicing and preparing for the following six years, where he also achieved a BA in Composition at Bath Spa University College, in Newton Park, Bath and a MSC in Digital Music Technology at Keele University. In 1999 he attended a music course by German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen in Kuerten, near Cologne, Germany. The two weeks period, however short in time, represented for Rossi one of the most important experiences, together with Guitar Craft, for his future musical career.

[edit] Goldfrapp

In 2000 Rossi was invited by musician Will Gregory, whom he met two years previously, to join his new band Goldfrapp. Since then Rossi has been part of all the live incarnations of the band, touring most of the world during the Felt Mountain Tour (2000-2002)[16][17], Black Cherry Tour (2003-2004)[18][19][20]. and Supernature Tour (2005-2006)[21][22]. Although he has never played on any of the Goldfrapp's studio albums, he has recorded several b-sides, acoustic and live recordings of the band and a live DVD to which Rossi gave the name Wonderful Electric in 2004[23]. He is at present engaged on tour for the new album Seventh Tree, which began early this year 2008.

[edit] Collaborations

[edit] Coldplay

During the last two years, Rossi's career focussed mainly on studio work and string arranging. He uses his acoustic violins, violas and electric violins (which range goes down to the cello and even to the double bass lowest note) to re-create a whole orchestra. His work is featured in seven songs of the new Coldplay's studio album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, produced by Brian Eno and Markus Dravs. Violet Hill, first single released by the band on iTunes, features a soundscapes intro-like, which originally was an improvisation that Rossi and keyboard player Jon Hopkins did together during an early session with the band at their studio in London. Others songs where Rossi's electric violin can be heard are: Life In Technicolor, Lovers In Japan, Cemeteries Of London, 42, Yes and Strawberry Swing (the chunky bass groove, didgeridoo's like that comes a little while after the beginning of the song, is one of the many examples of the sound of his Violectra)[24]. In Yes, the electric violin takes shape as a John Cale-ish riff almost monotonically throughout the verses, while full and sometimes Arabic string arrangements are heavily featured at the beginning and during the song's brakes. Viva La Vida however, is the tune where Rossi's work is featured in its fullest, his strings being the main driving force throughout the whole song, with a strong beginning loop which supports Martin's voice, until the choruses where the symphonic power of the orchestra takes its fullest shape.

[edit] Siouxie

In late 2007, Rossi also contributed to the arranging and the performing of two songs from the album Mantaray by Siouxie Sioux[25][26][27][28], produced by Steve Evans and Charlie Jones. Mantaray, the debut solo album from renowned British artist Siouxsie, is her first solo recording without Siouxie & The Banshees or The Creatures. Rossi's work is featured in the tracks If It Doesn't Kill You and Sea of Tranquillity. The album, which was released on October 2007, has received many great reviews worldwide.

[edit] Discography

[edit] References

  1. ^ Violectra - Electric Violins - Electric Strings Violas Cellos Double Bass Custom Made
  2. ^ http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davide_Rossi
  3. ^ The Q Daily / Hidden / Coldplay: Viva La Vida
  4. ^ Mau Mau - e-mail, 29-07-2001
  5. ^ laScena :: recensioni ::
  6. ^ http://194.244.39.48/pub/p.php?f=%2Fcache%2Frecensioni%2F1319
  7. ^ Mau Mau - Marasma general (live)
  8. ^ Dadauno - Articoli & Recensioni
  9. ^ I testi di "Germi" degli Afterhours
  10. ^ Germi - Afterhours - Opinione - siete proprio dei pulcini
  11. ^ Newsic.It
  12. ^ SiNews
  13. ^ Dove sei tu - Cultura Spettacolo Venezia
  14. ^ Lo Spazio Musica di Spaghetti Italiani - Biografia dei Bluvertigo
  15. ^ http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-ovvero_la_famosa_nevicata_delll'85
  16. ^ Goldfrapp - PopMatters Concert Review
  17. ^ Montreux Sounds official website
  18. ^ Goldfrapp - PopMatters Concert Review
  19. ^ Goldfrapp, ULU, London | | guardian.co.uk Arts
  20. ^ Concert Review: Goldfrapp - Concerts & Live Music Shows
  21. ^ The Big Takeover: Goldfrapp - Nokia Theatre (New York) - Monday, December 5, 2005 :
  22. ^ Dark Romance - Dark Romantic: Alison Goldfrapp
  23. ^ Splendid: Departments: &: Goldfrapp: Wonderful Electric (Live in London)
  24. ^ The Q Daily / Hidden / Coldplay: Viva La Vida
  25. ^ Mantaray by Siouxsie Sioux on MSN Music
  26. ^ POTQ.cl - http://www.potq.cl/: Siouxsie - Mantaray (2007)
  27. ^ ::Siouxsie : Mantaray : 2007 : AZ / Universal Chronique www.obskure.com:::
  28. ^ Guts Of Darkness › Siouxsie › Mantaray

[edit] External links