Paolo Angeli

Guitarist, composer, ethnomusicologist, and instrument builder Paolo Angeli is associated with traditional Sardinian music, but nobody performs it quite like he does. Paolo composes multilayered music for his unique prepared guitar: a hybrid instrument with strings going in all directions, foot-pedal-controlled motorized propellers, and hammers. He creates shimmering drones and bass lines as he bows, strikes, plucks, and strums the strings. Rhythmic atmospherics abound by treading on a plastic bag and adjusting tunings on the fly. Electronic effects are utilized, but Paolo uses no loops. With his singular instrument, Paolo improvises and composes unclassifiable music, suspended between traditional music of Sardinia, free jazz, flamenco, Arabic, and postfolk.

Paolo has played concerts with his modified guitar all over the world at some of the most important festivals and theaters of Europe, Japan, Australia, North and South America, Russia, and Africa. He has also recorded more than 50 records. He has collaborated with Pat Metheny (who uses Paolo’s guitar in Orchestrion), Fred Frith, Hamid Drake, Iva Bittová, Butch Morris, Ned Rothenberg, Jon Rose, Derek Gripper, Antonello Salis, Evan Parker, Takumi Fukushima, Louis Sclavis, and Paolo Fresu, among others.

For this concert, Paolo is performing songs from his latest albums, including Níjar, Rade, Jar’a, and 22.22 Free Radiohead.

More information about Paolo Angeli can be found on his website.

This concert is presented in collaboration with the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Chicago.

The views expressed by performers during this event are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Cleveland Museum of Art.