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BIOGRAPHY

Maurizio Spista 

 Educator , Drummer  ,  Arranger , Composer  of appreciated versatility and experience.

​Over the years, in his  long professional career, he played and collaborated in  tour and studio with producers, musicians and reference artists. He has Performed in many  Concerts and Festivals in the world . His personal style recognized and appreciated by many Artists and   Professional Musicians  come  from a continuos  reserch of deepening, experimenting and practicing various genres of music.,from Rock ,Pop , funk, Soul , Blues Jazz, to  avant- gard Jazz , Jazz fusion , afro ...and many more 


MASTER'S  Degree in Music - Drums and Percussion Instruments  at the  State Conservatory of Music, G. Martucci, Salerno (Italy) and he majored in jazz studies at the Conservatory of Music, San Pietro a Majella, Naples (Italy). Berklee College of Music Certificated  and Graduate Educational Teacher Trainer 

He has been studying and collaborating with  Enrico Lucchini and attending various stage-seminars Master Class  held by  Dave Weckl, Steve Gadd, Chad Smith, Billy Cobham, Peter Erskine, Vinnie Colaiuta, Greg Bissonette, Steve Smith , Dom Famularo and John Riley.

From 1980 on wards he began his professional activity working and collaborating on tours and recording studios with various famous Italian national and artists including Fausto Leali,Little Tony , Riccardo Fogli, Francesco Calabrese, Dori Ghezzi, Tiziana Rivale, Lena Biolcati,  Anna Oxa , Mia Martini, Nuovi Angeli, Ricchi e Poveri , Rocky Roberts , Aleandro Baldi, Righeira, Loredana Bertè, Ivana Spain , Antonella Ruggiero of Matia Bazar ,Jenny B.. and International Artist including Tanya Houston, Norma Jordan, DeeDee Jackson , Cheryl Porter, Karl Potter , A. Johns ,and many more .
 
He has participated in various television shows among which "Sotto le stelle"(Rai Uno),"Grand Prize TV" (Rai Tre), "Fantastico 2 (Rai Uno with Pippo Baudo), "Saturday Market" (Rai Uno with Luisa Rivelli), "Beauty at the Beach " (Network 4 with G.Mastrota and Eather Parisi), "Piacere Rai Uno",  "Festival di Napoli". D.O.C. Music RAI 2

​He collaborated with "Tiger film company – Cecchi Gori production " for the movies soundtracks including "Perdiamoci di vista",   direct by
Carlo Verdone.


He has written music and soundtracks for "Over Travel" documentaries
and he is the author of music for theater works including the music 
"Ritorno ad Atlantide".

 

In 1996 he wrote and arranged the songs of the singer of Algerian origin "Hisabel Dhazir", welcomed by French critics as the best ethnic-european songwriter. 

In 1997 he performed with the orchestra TV Show, directed by M ° Martelli, accompanied by various artists including Renzo Albore and Marisa Laurito, Demis Roussous, Gloria Gaynor,  and others.

In 2000 he has participated in the Sound's Good Heineken Jazz Festival with George Evans's big band, where he had the opportunity to play with Tommy Hunt, Steve Grossman, Bill Thomas, Jay Clayton, Paul Orta, Tanika, Tikarham, Bill Laswell, , Jimmy Owens, Ray Barreto, Triloku Gurtu, etc.

In the same year he founded the project "Urban-Funky Jazz Project", beginning a long collaboration ,over 10 years , with Karl Potter, a well-known New Jersey percussionist,  icon of the etno-jazz groove international. and first  Percussionist of famous band Isle Brothers 
He has collaborated with various Productions and record labels such as "Dingo Music", "Sound Record", "Diddle Studios", "Baby Records ,Sony ,CBS ," Sugar " "Top Record", "Free Sound", "Milano Music",  MD record etc.

With the  Music Educational-cultural project "The Percussion : Djembè - Marimba - drum set " performs didactic activities by holding master Class  and concerts at  several  Publics  Schools,Hifgh schools and  Music Institutes.

He was involved in the Artistic and Educational direction of the Musical Cultural Association "Art Music Academy", where he is the president, Director  and Drum & Percussion Teacher of Music courses, also curating artistic and cultural projects, in particular with the "Sunu Art Spectacle Associations" and "Golf North Production" of Dakar - Senegal which includes in them the most important North Africans musicians and percussionists, direct descendants of the GRIOT caste, of the ancient and prestigious Sing Sing family.

From 2008 to 2011 he was Head teacher of Department Drums & Percussion and Artistic Director of MD Music Academy - Salerno (Italy)

​In 2012/2013, besides the various engagements and artistic projects, he interacts with the major exponents of the AFRO music of the "Mbalax" genre produced by  a famous afro International  Singer  "Youssou N'Dour".

From 2014 to 2016 he has been a Drum Teacher Specialist  at  International Music Institute , British International School and Aldar Academy  of Abu Dhabi and Dubai UAE 

Currently, he lives in New York where Teach  Music Band  & Drums  at  BCA College  & NY Music school ,  and continuing his carreer as musician playing  jazz, jazz  funk  fuion ,  avant garde ,  sharing  jazz projects and gigs live and studio recording  with various professional musicians of  NYC Jazz scene. Lately he started collaborating and promoting a new jazz fusion project "Evolution 4et"  a new CD relise recorded with  Vinny Valentino, John Benitez and Bob Franceschini. 

He is the author of drums and percussion books  "Drumming in Section" method for drums and the book of percussion instruments, Groove and fills  book of Drum Tecnique and snare drum rudiments
 

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