In 1991 a young man from Voghera, Italy, decided it was time to bring to life a dream that he had carried safely in his heart for most of his life. With that decision, CHICKEN MAMBO was born.
Fabrizio Poggi.....songwriter/lead singer, accordionist, harmonica player and front man extraordinaire began to draw from his musical inspiration...the music of the Southern United States. From the delta blues of Mississippi and the wonderful dance music of the Cajun people of Louisiana, to Texas swing and western ballads, the musical future of the band was easily decided. He would call his music AMERICANA.

Today the dream is not only alive and well but is being loved by audiences in Italy, Europe and America. CHICKEN MAMBO is a five piece band whose performances have been described as "dramatic", "totally captivating", "humorous", "engaging and completely entertaining". Using acoustic and electric guitars, electric bass, and Hammond B-3 organ, as well as Fabrizio Poggi's harmonica, accordion and great vocals, the band creates it's own sound. One that is authentic as well as truly unique.

CHICKEN MAMBO has played at the most prestigious clubs and festivals in Italy, Europe and Texas, USA, performing along side such legendary artists as James Cotton, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and Richard Thompson. They have opened for Charlie Musselwhite, Ponty Bone, Robben Ford, Bobby Boyd, Groundogs, Billy Cobham, Albion Band, John Renbourn, Marva Wright, Robin Brown, Kent Duchaine, Shay Jones, Bob Gaddy & Willie Bridges, Jono Manson, Brotherhood Gospel Singers, Mitch Woods, Mike Blakely, Gina Forsyth, Kate McDonnel and others.

CHICKEN MAMBO has recorded six cd's..."Mississippi Moon", "Under The Southern sky", "Heroes & Friends", "Nuther World" and the newest "SONG FOR ANGELINA: ten years on the road". Chicken Mambo is also one of the featured artists on the Sony Music Tribute to Bruce Springsteen "For You". Guest artists on their first three releases include cajun accordion great ZACHARY RICHARD, famous New Orleans guitarist BILLY GREGORY, and Texas swing master DON McCALISTER. "NUTHER WORLD", recorded in Austin, Texas in october 1998, features among others Texas tune smith JIMMY LAFAVE, legendary accordion player PONTY BONE, and in rare guest appearance "Mr. Bojangles" himself : JERRY JEFF WALKER. Produced by MEREL BREGANTE, (Loggins and Messina, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) "Nuther World" is already been called "...the best American music album ever recorded by an Italian Band...." The cd is distributed all over the world by "Miles of Music" and AMAZON.COM.

On 1999, Fabrizio Poggi & Chicken Mambo, toured Texas where they played in some of the most famous clubs, like "Jovita's", "Central Market", "Gabriel's" (Round Rock, Tx), "Saxon Pub", "Poodie's Hilltop" (Spicewood, Tx) and they had a lot of success.

They also went on TV to play at "What's the cover" the famous show of the musical TV "Austin Music Network" (video available). CHICKEN MAMBO has enjoyed tremendous critical acclaim: Blues Revue says: "Poggi is a terrific harp player and a good singer whose own songs match up well with the covers, and the band is tight and tasteful...". Easy Reeding (Official Hohner Magazine) says: " Heroes & Friends" it's a great CD that certainly crosses geographical and cultural boundaries...".

Real blues says: "Fabrizio Poggi is a good harmonicist and a great vocalist as demonstrated on this album...And as for Chicken Mambo it is safe to say that it is one of the tightest little bands I've heard in a long time, very much in synch with vocals, rhythm , displaying all the class that a great backup band should... "Sweet cajun flower" is a really beautifully done ballad..." Harmonica World says: "A great band of traditional and original sounds...The sound of musicians having fun playing the music they love..." Blue Suede News says: "Good stuff..." Blues Access says: "Poggi's ecletic tastes grow on you with each listen ..." Soul bag (French musical magazine) says: "A joyful and interesting record...Fabrizio Poggi is a good harmonica player and singer..." Stand by me (English "stand by me" club newsletter) says: "...In this record we can find with pleasure a personal, extended and well arranged version of our beloved song... Fabrizio Poggi is a fine harmonica player and a really good singer...". Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records says: "These guys are really good! The musicianship is strong and the playing and arrangements are very tasteful... my very sincere compliments to the band for the fine CD and their originality of vision...and believe me when I say I am not usually generous with compliments like this..." David Goodman- Modern Twang says: "Texas sound, great music, great supporting cast, and fine accordion-what more could anyone ask for?". Jan Janssen - Real Roots Cafè- Holland says: "...an album absolutely extraordinary. European roots rock with a little Cajun and Tex-Mex influences, in brief, music with feeling...". "Roots Town Music Magazine - Belgium" says: "...A soundtrack for a road movie..."."Folk Roots" - England" says: "...Fabrizio and his Chicken Mambo men certainly have spirit for Texas music, call it grade A Chicken Mambo ..". Local Flavor, Austin Texas says: "This is a beautiful cd". Marc Bristol of "Blue Suede News Magazine" says: "...well-written songs performed nicely..." Claudio Giuliani - Buscadero (Italian musical magazine) says: "...14 tunes exuberant and sincere, that deserve to be listened..." Corriere Della Sera (Italian national pubblication) says: "The band provides fun with a strong taste of Tabasco and blues". La Repubblica (Italian national pubblication) says: " The dynamic Fabrizio Poggi gives us his original interpretation of Professor Longhair and Slim Harpo. " Richard Thompson says: "Great harmonica playing!!!". Zachary Richard says: " Fabrizio Poggi is my favorite Italian harmonica player!". George Bush (The President ot the United States of America) : "good music!"

Nati nel 1991 da un'idea del cantautore ed armonicista Fabrizio Poggi, i CHICKEN MAMBO propongono le storie che si raccontano in musica "sotto il cielo del sud" degli Stati Uniti: dalle canzoni dei Cajuns della Louisiana, alle ballate dei Cowboys del Texas, al Blues del Mississippi. La proposta del gruppo riecheggia sonorità e influssi della musica "tradizionale" americana, e raccoglie appassionati consensi di pubblico grazie alla capacità del loro leader Fabrizio Poggi di instaurare un rapporto immediato tra palco e platea.

Intensissima l'attività "live" di FABRIZIO POGGI & CHICKEN MAMBO culminata con la partecipazione del gruppo al "PISTOIA BLUES FESTIVAL", al "NAVE BLUES FESTIVAL", al "LUGANO BLUES TO BOP", all' "ARENZANO BLUES FESTIVAL" , al "SESTRI LEVANTE BLUES FESTIVAL", al "BORDIGHERA JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL", e al "NARCAO BLUES FESTIVAL" al fianco di artisti leggendari quali JAMES COTTON, ROBERT PLANT, BILLY COBHAM e ROBBEN FORD.

Va inoltre ricordato che Fabrizio Poggi ha prestato la sua armonica al servizio di numerosi artisti in Italia e all'estero, intervenendo ai concerti di personaggi quali: RICHARD THOMPSON, ZACHARY RICHARD, WILLIE NELSON, JERRY JEFF WALKER, BOBBY BOYD, DEBBI WALTON, RUSTY WIER, WLADIMIR DENISSENKOV, STEVE PICCOLO, ANGEL DARIO GONZALES, THE MARDI GRAS INDIANS, BOB GADDY & WILLIE BRIDGES, EDDIE BO, RECYCLED CAJUNS, BROTHERHOOD GOSPEL SINGERS, BIG DAWGS, DON McCALISTER, MITCH WOODS, WILLIE JAYE, MIKE BLAKELY, JONO MANSON, GEORGE BREAKFAST ...

La band si è esibita con grande successo in apertura ai concerti di: CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE, BILLY COBHAM, ROBERT PLANT, PONTY BONE, RICHARD THOMPSON, BOBBY BOYD, GROUNDOGS, ALBION BAND, JOHN RENBOURN, MARVA WRIGHT, ROBIN BROWN, KENT DUCHAINE, ROBERTO CIOTTI, EDOARDO BENNATO, SHAY JONES, GINA FORSYTH, KATE McDONNEL.... All'attivo il gruppo ha sei CD: "MISSISSIPPI MOON", "UNDER THE SOUTHERN SKY", "HEROES & FRIENDS". Questo disco è stato registrato in compagnia di prestigiosi ospiti internazionali tra i quali il famosissimo fisarmonicista cajun Zachary Richard, Billy Gregory (Professor Longhair Band, It's A Beautiful Day, Willy Deville, Dr John e John Lee Hooker Band) e Don McCalister. Il cd è stato recensito favorevolmente dai più prestigiosi giornali musicali nazionali ed internazionali (Buscadero, Jam, Musica e Dischi, Blues Revue, Blues Access, Real Blues, Harmonica World, Modern Twang, Real Roots Cafè, Roots Town, Folk Roots...).

"NUTHER WORLD" è il quarto album della band ed è stato pubblicato dal "Club de Musique" nell'aprile '99. Il cd è distribuito in Italia dalla I.R.D, ed è stato registrato a Austin, Texas. La musica dei Chicken Mambo è disponibile in tutto il mondo attraverso: "Miles of Music" e "AMAZON.COM". Il disco si avvale di un cast di musicisti assolutamente straordinario, tra i quali citiamo: MEREL BREGANTE, batterista, produttore, tecnico del suono, (Loggins e Messina, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jerry Jeff Walker, Fleetwood Mac, Poco, Greg Allman...), JERRY JEFF WALKER, JIMMY LAFAVE, PONTY BONE, JOHN INMON (chitarrista della "Lost Gonzo Band" di Jerry Jeff Walker) CASEY POLLOCK ( chitarrista dei Reckless Kelly ) , CHAMP HOOD (al violino, ha suonato con Lyle Lovett, Don Walser, Walter Hyatt, Willie Nelson, Jimmie Dale Gilmore) , KENNY GRIMES (chitarrista, ha suonato con Willie Nelson, Hank Thompson, Texas Tornados...), MIKE BLAKELY, (lo scrittore-cantante che molti di voi ricorderanno in tour nell'aprile '98 ), SARAH PIERCE, THAD BECKMAN, (chitarra National del 1932), JAMIE HILLBOLDT (B3 organ), DONNIE PRICE (al basso), DON RABY (al violino), DON McCALISTER e altri ancora...

La band è inoltre presente nel famoso tributo a Bruce Springsteen: "FOR YOU", edito dalla SONY nel 1995, accanto a Luca Barbarossa, Rossana Casale, Marco Conidi, Flor...nonché nel terzo disco del cantautore americano Don McCalister, "DOWN IN TEXAS" e nel nuovo disco del cowboy-singer Mike Blakely dal titolo "WEST OF YOU".

Applauditissime le esibizioni americane di Fabrizio Poggi & soci, che armati di genuinità e della credibilità conquistata sul campo, si sono trovati ad essere ingaggiati per una serie di concerti che li ha visti sui palchi di: "JOVITA's ", Austin, Texas, "SAXON PUB", Austin Texas, "GABRIEL'S", Round Rock, Texas, "POODIE'S HILLTOP" Spicewood, Texas, "CENTRAL MARKET", Austin Texas, "HOG'S BREATH", New Orleans, Louisiana, "HOUSE OF BLUES", New Orleans, Louisiana, "DOCTOR ROCKIT'S", Corpus Christi, Texas, "THREADGILL'S", Austin, Texas. Tra i musicisti coinvolti nei concerti vanno menzionati: il leggendario Ponty Bone alla fisarmonica, Donnie Price al basso e Merel Bregante alla batteria (Loggins e Messina Band), Thad Beckman, D'Jalma Garnier (violinista della cajun band "Filè"), Rusty Wier, Joe Morales, Monte Montgomery, Debbi Walton, John Arthur Martinez, Willie Jaye, "The Texas Hurricane", Marvin Denton (Tish Hinojosa Band) alla chitarra, Champ Hood alla chitarra e al violino (LYLE LOVETT Band, TONY PRICE Band, JIMMY LAFAVE...), Il V° cd del gruppo, è un'antologia dei pezzi più famosi della band e si intitola "SONGS FOR ANGELINA: ten years on the road…". Anche questo disco è stato molto apprezzato dalla critica musicale internazionale. "Songs for Angelina" contiene anche quattro brani inediti e due canzoni dal vivo.

Da non dimenticare la partecipazione dei Chicken Mambo alla famosissima trasmissione televisiva musicale texana "What's the cover" (alla quale hanno partecipato nello stesso mese artisti del calibro di Willie Nelson, Joe Ely, Tish Hinojosa, Kelly Willis, Flaco Jimenez, Robert Earl Keen, Charlie Robison, Billy Joe Shaver, Jack Ingram...) trasmessa dalla "Austin Music Network" (video disponibile). La musica dei Chicken Mambo viene trasmessa dalle radio di tutto il mondo: Stati Uniti, Australia, Irlanda, Polonia, Portogallo, Francia, Germania, Svizzera, Olanda, Paesi Scandinavi, Giappone, suscitando ovunque grande entusiasmo.