Current Projects
Johnny on the Rise
Johnny on the Rise is Salvatore Benintende and Nick Youmans. Salva is a 28-year-old Sicilian raised in Germany; a linguist and graphic designer. Nick is American, 27, from Atlanta, Georgia; student of philosophy and music enthusiast.
Johnny on the Rise’s debut, Down South, is an amalgam of sound, ranging from the early roots of country to classic and modern rock. An unlikely pair, these two young men crossed paths in Rome, Italy – one, an Italian raised in Germany and the other hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. The two share lead on their debut album, providing a range of vocal sounds. In addition to vocal diversity, JOTR utilizes harmonica and mandolin alongside the more typical guitar arrangements. The first track from JOTR’s debut, “Pretty Baby Blues” has a rhythm driven primarily by harmonica and is a wonderful homage to the importance and influence of the blues on what would later become honky-tonk, while “Poor Man’s Soul” has qualities reminiscent of The Doors and even Pearl Jam. Down South is as much a biography as it is an album; the telling of both individual and shared experiences from the duo. Just like any biography, it is the past that shapes the identity: Down South is born from musical and experiential impressions, and its identity is a celebration of such influences. While it is impossible to limit Johnny on the Rise and their debut album to a specific style or genre, their passion for music is evident with the voicing of every lyric and with the pluck of every string. If you enjoy music, you should enjoy Down South.
At the moment the band consists of:
Salvatore Benintende (aka Johnny Savalange) - vocals, guitar
Nicholas Youmans - vocals, guitar
Paul Den Arend - guitar
Giacomo Melillo - drums
Nat Leoni - saxophone
Carlo Caponi - bass
Alessandro Perilli - guitar
Website: www.myspace.com/johnnyontherise
E-Mail:johnnyontherise@gmail.com
iTunes: iTunes.com/johnnyontherise
Facebook: www.facebook.com/johnnyontherise
Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/johnnyontherise
Traumerei
Traumerei has been created by Alessia Forganni (voice, piano), Salvatore Benintende (guitar) and Paolo Scafetti (guitar). Each of these people come from a totally different musical background. Together they take these different influences in order to create new, interesting, sometimes experimental music. Traumerei has its origins in the German word "Träumerei", which is similar to the English word "dreaming"...
Website: www.myspace.com/traumereiproject
E-Mail: traumereiroma@gmail.com
Past Projects
Love me on Friday
After Love me on Friday was founded, they started a long series of exhibitions and performances in various clubs, pubs and bars in Rome. Every event has been adapted to the special needs of every venue, starting from very quiet, evocative atmospheres to very authentic and powerful sessions of blues and rock with strong acoustic impact. For about a year, Love me on Friday had a weekly show at the venues CAFFè DELLA SCALA and CAFFE' VICOLO DEL CINQUE, both situated in the heart of Trastevere.
