Acoustic roots singer, composer and guitarist Beppe Gambetta performs at Boulevard Music this week, so he told the News about what he has in store for Culver City…
When and how did you start playing, writing and performing?
I was 11 years old when I started playing guitar in Genoa, Italy. At 14, I discovered Led Zeppelin, and finally, at 17, I discovered Doc Watson and the beautiful American style of flatpicking. From that moment on, I began to learn and promote the music of American masters in Europe, writing books and playing in bands. After my first trip to the United States in 1985, I began my full-time professional career as a traveling artist.
I was 30 at the time, and in the years that followed, thanks to all my knowledge and experience, I felt ready to write music and songs.
Describe your sound…
I am a guitarist, singer, and composer inspired by acoustic roots music. Although I was born in Genoa, Italy, and now live in New Jersey, I have spent my life traveling the world, immersing myself in different cultures and integrating them all into my musical experience. I love preserving and reviving forgotten musical forms and artists by rearranging and transcribing their music, and I am dedicated to teaching and influencing new generations. I seek to promote understanding and inspire hope through my compositions, intimate live performances, and larger concert productions that include collaborations with many stellar guest artists. I guess you could say that my brand is to be an “ambassador of acoustic music” around the world.
In a live performance, artistic communication moves along a magical thread that connects you to the heart of your audience. You don’t know exactly where it comes from or how or why it starts, but one day you unexpectedly realize that the thread is there and that you are able to hold on to it. When this happened to me, it was a truly magical moment that made it clear what I wanted to do with my life.
What are your career highlights so far?
I am now 71 years old, and it is difficult to summarize everything in a few words: I have performed in all fifty states of the United States, in every European country, in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Singapore. I have played with Doc Watson, Pete Seeger, Tony Rice, David Grisman, and I have met Paco De Lucia, Wayne Shorter, and many others. In addition to my studies of traditional American guitar, the work I have done researching and studying the “Italian string virtuosos” and producing the albums Serenata and Traversata (produced with David Grisman) has left an important mark on the acoustic music scene. I am also particularly proud of the numerous musical productions of important shows that I have created over the years. In 2019, the mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci, awarded me the honorary title of “Ambassador of Genoa to the World.”
Do you have any recorded music available?
At this point in my career, I have recorded 17 albums and several DVDs, videos, and books.
Have you performed at Boulevard before? Any memories?
Over the years, I have performed at Boulevard Music at least seven times, and I have many memories of unexpected visits from great musicians and old friends, crazy Italian scientists, and fans of all kinds. The common thread in every concert is an audience with a deep knowledge of acoustic and traditional music. Many people know how to play instruments, and many follow my music and my career.
What can we expect from the set this time?
The concert will be a mix of the most interesting compositions from my latest works (“Terra Madre” and “Where The Wind Blows”) with some “old hits” from my previous repertoire.
Standing in front of an audience with a guitar, my voice, and a pick is definitely a big challenge. That’s why, over the years, I’ve worked to create a show that can transport the audience around the world and back in time. I try to speak to people’s hearts and maintain my authenticity, deciding to minimize the use of excessive volume, technology, and sound effects, avoiding grimaces and winks, and simply presenting myself for who I am, as if I were playing acoustically in a living room.
One artist who influenced me in this direction was John Hartford, for whom I opened a concert in Ohio many years ago and from whom I drew inspiration for his charisma in communicating with the audience on his own. Over the years, I have studied singing, learned to narrate and create special atmospheres with the use of open tunings and different languages, and also to joke with the audience with “old-fashioned” irony. Not to mention “Gino,” the name I gave to my pedal loop, which I always use sparingly and treat like an old cousin who travels with me and accompanies me with his guitar.
What else do you have coming up?
One of the reasons I continue to be active and innovative with so many projects is because I am fortunate enough not to have a pension plan! It’s a joke that tells the truth: the anxiety of having to continue working for a long time fuels my creativity and helps me to be determined to invent new music, new productions, new events, and embark on new journeys.
Fortunately, I have many future projects. I am halfway through recording a new album and have several tours planned in America and Europe to promote my latest CDs and my autobiographical book, Declarations of Love.
In addition to the tours, I can list several important events: on May 21-22-23, there will be the 26th edition of my Acoustic Nights, a series of themed concerts with international guests on stage at the Teatro Nazionale in Genoa, an event that my wife Federica and I created and have grown over the years. Acoustic Nights bring together a large audience of 3,000 people who will travel from far and wide to celebrate independent acoustic music.
Among the American projects, I would like to mention the show about Italian virtuosos of the early 20th century, a special program that I developed as a trio with Mike Guggino and Barrett Smith (members of the Steep Canyon Rangers, the band that regularly accompanies Steve Martin on his tours). I would also like to mention the “New Jersey Guitar Summit,” an annual full-immersion educational event with a final concert that I produce with the Folk Project in October in Morristown, New Jersey.
Beppe Gambetta performs at 8 p.m. on Saturday, February 21 at Boulevard Music. More info on the show at boulevardmusic.com.
Elsewhere this week
Culver City’s music venues have a full calendar of entertainment this week. For the Cinema Bar, that includes the Hot Club of Los Angeles (every Monday), Open Mic Night every Wednesday, Joy Riders, The Potential Suitors, Sons of the Engineers, Tom Gramlich, and more. For more information, go to thecinemabar.com.