Fabrizio Poggi

Biography

Poggi has recorded 20 albums, six of which are recorded in the United States. Poggi has played with many artists from the world of blues, rock and songwriting, including The Blind Boys of Alabama, Garth Hudson of The Band and Bob Dylan, Marcia Ball, Jerry Jeff Walker, Zachary Richard, Flaco Jimenez, Charlie Musselwhite, Ronnie Earl, Little Feat, John P. Hammond, Eric Bibb, Guy Davis (with whom he recorded "Juba Dance"), Ruthie Foster, Mike Zito, Carolyn Wonderland, Steve Cropper, The Blues Brothers Band, Richard Thompson, Sonny Landreth, Billy Joe Shaver, Augie Meyers, Ponty Bone, Otis Taylor and many others.

The first recordings of Fabrizio Poggi in the United States date back to 1997 in Texas with "Nuther World".

He was among the first Italian artists to do a long tour in the States. Between 1998 and 2002 he toured in Texas and Louisiana. Among the areas that hosted his performances were The House of Blues in New Orleans; Threadgill's; Antone's; Doctor Rockit's in Corpus Christi; Gruene Hall Gruene Hall; and Luckenbach.

In 2006, he performed at the Center for Southern Folklore, Memphis. On that occasion he played at Ground Zero- the Red's Lounge Clarksdale, the Walnut Street Blues Bar Greenville as well as Greenwood at the Blue Parrot. In the same year, he participated at the CBS television show "Live at 9" from Memphis, and hosted the legendary radio program "King Biscuit Time".

In 2010, Poggi released "Spirit & Freedom", recorded mostly in the United States. Among the guests are The Blind Boys of Alabama; Flaco Jimenez; Garth Hudson (The Band); Charlie Musselwhite; Augie Meyers; Eric Bibb; Guy Davis; Billy Joe Shaver; Tish Hinojosa; Mickey Raphael; Kevin Welch; Kelley Mickwee; Debbi Walton; and Nora Guthrie (Woody Guthrie's daughter).

In 2011 Poggi released "Live in Texas", an album recorded entirely live in Texas. Among the guest musicians on the disc: Flaco Jimenez; Marcia Ball; Floyd Domino; Ponty Bone; Debbi Walton; and Tommy Elskes.

He has published two books: "Il soffio dell’anima" - blues harmonica and blues harmonica players - published by Ricordi in 2005, and "Angeli Perduti del Mississippi”- stories and legends of the blues, published by Meridiano Zero in 2010, with the cover designed by Robert Crumb.

In 2011 and 2012, the US magazine, Blues Revue, chose excerpts from records of Poggi for the insert CD attached to the magazine, along with North Mississippi All Stars, Mavis Staples, Ruthie Foster and Bob Margolin.

May 2012 saw the release of "Harpway 61", an instrumental record dedicated to the harmonica. All proceeds from the sale of the album are donated to the Blues Foundation in Memphis.

In February 2013, "Spirit of Mercy" was released- a collection of blues and spiritual songs from the albums "Mercy" and "Spirit & Freedom".

Actor and musician Dan Aykroyd, the Elwood Blues of the Blues Brothers, called Poggi "an extraordinary harmonica player" in his radio broadcast "TheBluesMobile".

In September 2013, Poggi appears both as a musician and as producer for Guy Davis' "Juba Dance" which premiered at the BBC in London. The disc came in first place in the ranking of most broadcasts by American Radio, and the disc was nominated for the Blues Music Awards 2014 for Best Acoustic Album.

In 2014, Poggi releases "Spaghetti Juke Joint" and features Ronnie Earl, Bob Margolin and Sonny Landreth.

2015 found him in Texas again to record "Texas Blues Voices" with such esteemed guests as Ruthie Foster; Miss Lavelle White; W.C. Clark; Carolyn Wonderland; Shelley King; Mike Zito; Bobby Mack; Donnie Price, and Dony Winn.

In February 2016, he played at the Carnegie Hall with Guy Davis, Eric Burdon and Buddy Guy.

Collaborations