MASSIMO URBANI. Born in Monte Mario, Rome (Italy), 8th May 1957, the son of Ugo Urbani and Maria Teresa Tamantini, Massimo was the older brother of Maurizio, Gianni, Marco and Barbara. In a family album photo taken in 1963, hes pictured with a trumpet in his hands. His love for music came from playing in bands from around the area and Camerata Nuova. In 1968 with his first instrument, a clarinet, he joined the Monte Mario band under the guidance of Prof. Gino Tomassetti who encouraged him to switch to alto sax the following year. He played in a small rhythm n blues band in 1971. His uncle Luciano played on drums. Massimo also played in soft music bands with drummer Sandro Montani. During this time, Tony Formichella the saxophonist, invited him to the first jam session at Folkstudio in Via Garibaldi where he was noticed by Mario Schiano. In 1972 he studied Jazz under Giorgio Gaslini at the S. Cecilia conservatory. His fellow students included Tony Formichella, Maurizio Giammarco, Tommaso Vittorini, Bruno Tommaso, Roberto Della Grotta and Patrizia Scascitelli. Gaslini asked Massimo to join his quartet the following year. They played at the Bergamo festival where Massimo became widely recognised. He recorded Sud with Mario Schiano, Message and Favola Pop with Gaslini. In September he moved to Parma to collaborate with the jazz-rock group Area. Unfortunately there are no recordings from this period. Massimo left Area in February 1974. He joined Enrico Rava and together they recorded Jazz a Confronto Vol. N°14. Massimo had previously contributed to this series recording with percussionist Nestor Astarita and Calvin Hill on double bass with Massimo himself as leader. With Rava he went to New York to play for two weeks in a club which also included an appearance on television. In 1977 his mother died and his paternal grandmother Fernanda raised the family. Massimo moved to Milan. The following year he played alongside Larry Nocella, Luigi Bonafede and Furio Di Castri. Paolo Pellegatti or Tullio De Piscopo played on drums. Massimo recorded 360° Aeutopia which would be the second recording in his name. He was accompanied by an American rhythm section and praised by Italian critics. He appeared in the Jazz Jamboree festival in Varsavia and played with Chet Baker and Nicola Stilo. 1980 saw him with Enrico Pieranunzi and Art Farmer. Together they recorded Isis. He returned to the studio to record Dedications to A.A and J.C with pianist Luigi Bonafede. He revisited great ballads from Trane such as Soul Eyes and Naima. Listening to the original compositions LAmore and Maxs Mood, his profound spiritual playing, for which he would be renowned, can be heard in all its glory. He received the Top Jazz award in 1983 and in 1984 he joined Bonafede again on Five for Jazz and Pieranunzi on Autumn Song in a concert in Berlin which was recorded. In 1985 he received the Charlie Parker award which had also been given to Phil Woods that same year. The evening of the award ceremony, his rendition of Round Midnight resulted in a thunderous standing ovation. With the G. Tommaso Quintet he recorded Via G.T in 1986 with Paolo Fresu on the trumpet. The following year they toured North Carolina. He was again in the studio during 1987 recording Easy to Love and Duet Improvisations for Yardbird. In 1988 he met Valentina Amadori. They would have a son together in 1993. He performed with Paul Motian, Enrico Rava, Furio Di Castri and Augusto Mancinelli in a wonderful tribute to George Gershwin which was held in the Teatro Olimpico in Rome. Massimo stopped playing for a few months because of a broken arm he sustained in a car accident. In 1989 his grandmother Fernanda died. He recorded Out of Nowhere in 1990 and in 1991 he recorded Round about... Max with strings backed by a string quartet and rhythm section. A concert to commemorate Charlie Parker was given in Paris 1992 where Massimo performed and also introduced saxophonists Jackie McLean, Frank Morgan and Clarence Sharp. His performance with Danish double bassist Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen received enthusiastic reviews from French journalists. Massimos father died. The documentary film Massimo Urbani nella fabbrica abbandonata began shooting in which he was interviewed by Paolo Colangeli. In 1993 Massimo played for one week in Rome with Red Rodney on trumpet, already a member of the Charlie Parker Quintet. He recorded The Blessing. The afternoon of June 23rd Massimo collapsed following a heroin overdose. The emergency services arrived too late to save him
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:55:04 +0000
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