DESCRIPTION:
SPIRITSONGS [Blumenkranz - Turra - Marsella - Quagliarella]
“Live at MASADA” (Setola Di Maiale 2016)

out June 7

Spiritsongs is a quartet, the result of an encounter between two of the most prominent talents from the New York's Jazz-Core-Avantgarde scene (a cultural environment that has its founder in John Zorn) Shanir Blumenkranz and Brian Marsella, with two of the most representative musicians from the Italian Jazz-Core scene: Alberto N. A. Turra and Sergio Quagliarella.

This union, that came up in sudden circumstances, immediately revealed an affinity of intentions that had no impediments to bring out a music inspired by the Coltrane of "Interstellar Space" or "A Love Supreme", and the Pharoah Sanders of "Tauhid", Sonny Sharrock. Tunes that find their greatest expression through the effort of creating ritualistic and invocational music, to transcendent spirits of unexpected origins (even interstellar).

Whatever the Great Spirit (as called by many indigenous tribes of the Americas) wanted to happen through this match, is documented by this live album. A testimony of the concert held at the Masada Club in Milan, on November 10th 2015, following the few yet really intense hours of rehearsal.
This debut release has been published by the legendary Italian label Setola di Maiale.

Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz: upright bass, oud.
Alberto N. A. Turra: electric guitar.
Brian Marsella: piano, keyboards.
Sergio Quagliarella: drums.


Live sound engineer: Raffaele Mezzanotte.
Mixing: Sergio Quagliarella.
Mastering: Diego Cattaneo.
Executive producer: Daniele Mamoli.
Cover concept: Stefano Giust.
Artistic producer: Shanir Blumenkranz & Spiritsongs.
Production Album-Movie coordinator: Alberto N. A. Turra



Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz
is an American bassist and oud player who has recorded and performed extensively with Cyro Baptista's Banquet of the Spirits, Daniel Zamir's Satlah, Rashanim, and Pharaoh's Daughter, and John Zorn. Blumenkranz studied at the Manhattan School of Music, the Rimon School of Music in Israel, and holds a B.A. in Performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 2012 he released the first album under his leadership Abraxas: Book of Angels Volume 19 featuring compositions by John Zorn.

Alberto N. A. Turra.
Guitarist, arranger, improviser, composer, Alberto N. A. Turra is a complete and multifaceted musician that moves on the Italian scene for over ten years, fusing the creative urge with the art of improvisation, jazz visionary, balkan soul, rock vitality, in a very personal and unconventional sound world.
For many years he has alternated his guitarist work with that of composer (for the cinema, theater and contemporary dance) together with being band leader with Kabikoff (math-core, Turbogolfer (jazz-avant-core), International Troubadours (jazz-free).
Constantly active on the front of the live / touring with numerous bands, artists and collaborations like Roy Paci-Corleone (jazz-core), Pierpaolo Capovilla, Mamud Band (jazz/afrobeat), Giovanni Venosta (contemporary-soundtracks), Sonata Island Kommandöh (homage to Christian Vander’s music), Diego Mancino, Sarah Stride, Nippon Eldorado kabarett.

Brian Marsella
Brian Marsella is a pianist, composer, band leader, and educator rising in the ranks of New York’s young music stars.
Marsella has been a member of Cyro Baptista’s band, Beat the Donkey, since 2004, and is a founding member of Baptista’s quartet Banquet of the Spirits. The long list of musicians who Marsella has recorded and/or performed with include Matisyahu, John Zorn, Marshall Allen, Hassan Hakmoun, Billy Martin, and Odean Pope.
In 2013, Marsella premiered his first project as a bandleader, iMAGiNARiUM, to a near sell-out crowd at The Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia. The group features his unique way of storytelling through dynamic compositions and some of the most talented musicians from New York and Philadelphia.

Sergio Quagliarella
He began play drums as a child, and after having studied classical percussion with the first Maestro Clara Perra and then at the Conservatory S. Pietro a Majella in Naples with the Maestro Antonio Buonomo, embarks on a period of intense study of the drums with the Maestro Walter Scotti (Grand Master of Life ).
At the age of 15 his professional activity began with the club ‘s first concerts in Naples
and he participated in various workshops of the great drums idols as : Billy Cobham, Steve Smith, Alfredo Golino, Simon Phillips, Gavin Harrison, Terry Bozzio.
He's a costitutive member of Mamud Band, Kabikoff, Turbogolfer, Sonata Island Kommandoh, Spiritsongs, Nippon Eldorado Kabarett.