The Orobians

The Orobians are a ska band founded during 1997 in Bergamo, Italy and still based in Bergamo. They play ska and rocksteady standards (mostly instrumental) with a modern jazz twist.

The name comes from the Orobian Alps, a mountain range located between the provinces of Bergamo and Sondrio.

History
From their start in 1997 the band modeled themselves on The Skatalites.

They released their first album in November 2000 and in December 2000 they reached number one in the Popolare Network chart, the most important independent radio chart in Italy.

They perform regularly in Italy, France and Eastern Europe and have opened for The Trojans, The Skatalites and Manu Chao.

Their recordings have been used as theme tunes for programs on both Rai 2 and Rai 3.

In 2001 they became a nonprofit cultural association whose aim is to spread Jamaican music.

Personnel
The line-up has varied over the years but is usually nine members playing five brass instruments, piano, guitar, contrabass and drums. There is sometimes a singer.

Roberto Ambrosioni – Keyboards Stefano Bosio – Trumpet Riccardo Capelli – Baritone Sax Rudy Corbetta – Guitar Gabriele Cortinovis – Bass Giuseppe Generoso – Alto Sax Stefano "Bunny" Marciali – Drums Erik Peverelli – Tenor Sax Ugo Crescini – Vocals

Former members
Riccardo Capelli, “Tubo di stufa” – Baritone Sax Tommaso Chiarolini - Double bass Mirko Decaro – Piano/Organ Arnaldo Ferrari Nasi, "Il Conte" – Guitar Roberto Giussani - Trombone Matteo Lucarelli – Trumpet Stefano Marciali, "Bunny" – Drums Erik Peverelli – Tenor Sax Tiziano Rossi - Euphomium
 * On "Introducing the Orobians’ Jamaican Tunes" (2000):

Riccardo Capelli, “Tubo di stufa” – Baritone Sax Tommaso Chiarolini - Double bass Ugo Crescini - Vocals Arnaldo Ferrari Nasi, "Il Conte" – Guitar Roberto Giussani - Trombone Matteo Lucarelli – Trumpet Stefano Marciali, "Bunny" – Drums Erik Peverelli – Tenor Sax Ennio Ravasio, "Jubba" – Organ/Piano Tiziano Rossi - Euphomium
 * On "9 Ska mads plus 1" (2002):

Riccardo Capelli, “Tubo di stufa” – Baritone Sax Simone Cavalli – Guitar Ugo Crescini - Vocals Roberto Giussani - Trombone Matteo Lorito - Double bass Matteo Lucarelli – Trumpet Stefano Marciali, "Bunny" – Drums Erik Peverelli – Tenor Sax Ennio Ravasio, "Jubba" – Organ/Piano Tiziano Rossi - Euphomium
 * On "Jamaica-Italia Connection" (2004):

Stefano Bosio – Trumpet Riccardo Capelli, “Tubo di stufa” – Baritone Sax Simone Cavalli – Guitar Arnaldo Ferrari Nasi, "Il Conte" - Bass Stefano Marciali, "Bunny" – Drums Fabio Paganoni - Alto Sax Erik Peverelli – Tenor Sax Ennio Ravasio, "Jubba" – Organ/Piano Tiziano Rossi - Euphomium Luca Vezzoli - Vocals
 * On "Come and party with the Orobians’ Anniversary Album" (2008):

Roberto Ambrosioni – Keyboards Stefano Bosio – Trumpet Riccardo Capelli, “Tubo di stufa” – Baritone Sax Simone Chiarolini – Guitar Gabriele Cortinovis - Bass Arnaldo Ferrari Nasi, "Il Conte" - Guitar Giuseppe Generoso - Alto Sax Stefano Marciali, "Bunny" – Drums Erik Peverelli – Tenor Sax Luca Vezzoli - Vocals
 * On "Slave to the riddim" (2011):

Discography
1. Tema principale da "Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto" [Ennio Morricone] 2. Theme from "From Russia With Love" [Lionel Bart] 3. Sentenza [Kontea] 4. The Mooche [Ellington-Mills] 5. Love Theme from "The Godfather" [Nino Rota] 6. Lillah [Khaled] 7. Also Spracht Zarathustra [Richard Strauss] 8. Prelude n°4 [Frederic Chopin] 9. Chez Tante Elise [Legrand] 10. Summertime [Gershwin&Gershwin] 11. Christine Keeler [Tuker-Dorough] 12. The Chicken (La Poia) [Ellis] 13. Guaglione [Nisa-Fanciulli]
 * Introducing the Orobians’ Jamaican Tunes (Gridalo Forte Records, 2000)

1. Napoleon solo [Taitt] 2. Pugni chiusi [Beretta/Gianco] 3. Money can't buy life [Campbell] 4. Ciao amore ciao [Tenco] 5. South China Sea [Skatalites] 6. Montefiori Skank (Lazy busy) [Montefiori]
 * 9 Ska mads plus 1 (Gridalo Forte Records, 2002)

1. Locomotivaintro [the Orobians] 2. Bop Train (Bebop) [Dizzy Gillespie] 3. Old Rocking Chair [Jakie Opel] 4. Exotica [Richards] 5. Under My Thumb [Jagger/Richards] 6. I Remember Treviglio [The Orobians] 7. This is the Day [Matt Johnson] 8. They Call Me Mr. Tibbs [Quincy Jones] 9. Comes Love [Brown/Stept/Tobias] 10. J'irai Cracher sur vos Tombes [Alain Goraguer] 11. A mi Manera [Marcelino Guerra] 12. Somethings are better left unsaid [W.Weeks] 13. La Ragazza con la Pistola [Nino Rota] 14. Bike Baba [The Orobians] 15. Li Vidi Tornare [Luigi Tenco]
 * Jamaica - Italia Connection (Gridalo Forte, 2004)

1. Also Spracht Zarathustra [Richard Strauss] 2. Money can't buy life [Campbell] 3. Lazy busy (Montefiori Skank) [Montefiori] 4. This is the Day [Matt Johnson] 5. Napoleon solo [Taitt] 6. Somethings are better left unsaid [W.Weeks] 7. Bike Baba [The Orobians] 8. Christine Keeler [Tuker-Dorough] 9. Tema principale da "Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto" [Ennio Morricone] 10. Bop Train (Bebop) [Dizzy Gillespie] 11. A mi Manera [Marcelino Guerra ] 12. Love Theme from "The Godfather" [Nino Rota] 13. Pugni chiusi [Beretta/Gianco] 14. Chez Tante Elise [Legrand] 15. J'irai Cracher sur vos Tombes [Alain Goraguer] 16. Old Rocking Chair [Jakie Opel] 17. I Remember Treviglio [The Orobians] 18. Li Vidi Tornare [Luigi Tenco] 19.Guaglione [Nisa-Fanciulli] 20. Prelude n°4 [Frederic Chopin]
 * Orobians' Anniversary Album (Mad Butcher Records, 2008)

Sweet dreams (are made of this)	[Lennox/Stewart] Johnny come home [Gift/Steele] Kiss [Prince] Smalltown boy [Somerville/Bronski/Steinbachek] Whose side are you on? [Reilly] Who can it be now? [Hay] Centro di gravità permanente [Battiato] Don't go [Moyet/Clarke] Thriller [Temperton] Close to me [Smith] Di black petty booshwah [Johnson]
 * Slave to The Riddim (Maninalto! Record, 2011)