Live in Texas is the new amazing, moving and intense CD by Fabrizio Poggi & Chicken Mambo. Accompanying Fabrizio and his band on the project are a number of great musicians: Flaco Jimenez, Marcia Ball, Floyd Domino, Ponty Bone, Debbi Walton, Tommy Elskes, Donnie Price and many other heroes and friends.
Enclosed in the package is also the movie Columblues Days by Francesco Paolo Paladino.
Although Fabrizio did not start his tour in the best physical condition, he displayed such a force, when playing for hours on end, that could have struck down a bull.
An impeccable, touching and original way to play music that came across lively and spontaneous. You can call it a sort of miracle.
Concerts, meetings, the free and spontaneous sessions; the CD and the film capture all of this. But it is also a kind of ritual, as Fabrizio explains in the movie, in which the musicians of the present meet the spirits of the past that still linger in the Texan spaces. A crossover of the real and the spiritual, a music of the soul. And in fact, it is an album and a movie about the soul of the blues, which has no nationality. Italians musicians play on stage along with American ones as Fabrizio did many times in his long career. And this is taken for granted. Because music is the power of all and knows no borders.

These are the words that Francesco Paolo Paladino wrote about his movie:
“The film "assumes" what is not obvious, and thus - at least in its intention - creates an even greater surprise for the listener/spectator. It is not meant to be a lecture on the art (though sublime) of Poggi. That is also taken for granted, as if saying, “You do not know about it? Deal with it!”. Because in a world of more or less subliminal advertising messages, hidden or indirect, this film refuses an approach like that. This is NOT marketing material for Poggi's music, but the music of Poggi. Not a commercial but a chronicle. And if those who listen also have ears, as I hope, they cannot but appreciate and go listen to the record production of Fabrizio. This film has the presumption of being an art film, which assumes the artistic grandeur of the main character, Fabrizio Poggi, and tries to analyze the spirits that accompany it, the poetry of the gestures of the real America – the one whose heart is still beating, as in the opening scenes of part I and II. The narrative choice was to focus on a "journey", that actually made by Fabrizio and Chicken Mambo in a dreamlike Texas, in search of the protagonists’ dreams. Their spirit is coagulated to the blues, a blues that sounds true behind every breath of the film. And two lovers, the ones you see in the opening scene and in the presentation, join the music at the end of its cycle of evolution in the closing scene of the film and dance in total freedom – the one that I tried to capture and offer you in "COLUMBLUES DAYS".

The new cd + dvd

Ultra Sound Records
www.ultrasoundrecords.it

Distribuited by IRD
www.ird.it

Accompanying Fabrizio and his band on the amazing Spirit & Freedom are a large number of great, even legendary, musicians: The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Flaco Jimenez, Garth Hudson (The Band), Charlie Musselwhite, Augie Meyers (Texas Tornados, Sir Douglas Quintet, John Hammond, Bob Dylan), Eric Bibb, Guy Davis, Billy Joe Shaver, Tish Hinojosa, Maud Hudson, Mickey Raphael (Willie Nelson band), Kevin Welch, Debbi Walton, Nora Guthrie (Woody’s daughter), Mike Blakely, Donnie Price, Stefano Intelisano, Marco “Python” Fecchio, Erica Opizzi, Betti Verri, Ron Knuth, Brian Standefer, Melissa Weatherly, Mike Cross, Jimmy Davis, Bill Small, John M. Greenburg, Bryan Maldonado, BB Morse, Cindy Jon, Sally Brantley, Julie Sckittone, Tammy McPeters, Shawna "Bock" Riley, Kelley Mickwee, Annie Acton, Shan Kowert, Lavita Kerley Williams and Areasa Quinton.

Here’s what Fabrizio says about Spirit & Freedom:

Spirit and Freedom are not only two distinct words. If you put them together they are a place of soul. Indeed, there is no spirituality without freedom and there is no freedom without spirituality. Many are the songs that have these two words in their essence; I chose to sing those which, for reasons not easily explained in a few lines, have mostly affected my sensibilities. Songs that have marked the evolution of my musical journey from early experiences to these days, songs by the increasingly significant, songs in their simplicity essential to address fundamental issues such as free spirits could only sing. Images, feelings, memories, hopes and dreams. I also wanted to remind people who are no longer with us but whose message of spirituality and freedom continues, and will always continue to cherish our souls, to witness a more genuine, more sincere, a better way of living life. Spirit & Freedom is something that we really need, more than we know. A REAL freedom. Freedom in our mind, hearts, souls and relationship. Free like the Angels that help us in the darkest hours of our lives. My wife Angelina, my band Mambo Chicken and the special guests and friends who wanted to share in this experience are with us on the way to Spirit & Freedom. Welcome aboard. We're leaving.

Very good!
The Blind Boys of Alabama

What a beautiful work of art Spirit & Freedom is. I love the way sacred music and blues go together so nicely. This is a lovely album. Thank you for putting these sounds into this world!
Charlie Musselwhite

A fantastic album ... Lovely. Great arrangements.
It was an honour to participate and to share in a song with you.
It is always a thrill to work with you.
Garth and Maud Hudson

Spirit & Freedom is an awesome cd!
Well produced…every song just flowed and every sound was perfectly in place. I was very happy to come and play with you.
Flaco Jimenez

A great cd!
Guy Davis

Spirit & Freedom is a wonderful cd and I’m very happy to be a part of it!”
Eric Bibb

Spirit & Freedom is amazing, I mean it, you have a MASTERPIECE here!
Rob Paparozzi

Spirit & Freedom is a wonderful cd and the songs you chose and all the stories you tell in the cd book are so touching and thoughtful. Bravo!
Tish Hinojosa

Very well done!
Billy Joe Shaver

It is a very beautiful record of deep spirit.
Art Tipaldi (Blues Revue)

Sounds great!
Mickey Raphael

I am speechless…!!!! This record has surpassed all expectations... This is the perfect follow-up to Mercy- Bravo, bravo from the bottom of my heart!!!!
Donnie Price