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Arti & Mestieri, most commonly known as arti&mestieri or Arti e Mestieri, is an Italian progressive rock, jazz rock, fusion band formed in 1974 by drummer Furio Chirico and guitarist Gigi Venegoni. They are considered one of the most important historic Italian bands in progressive and jazz rock of the blooming 1970s Italian progressive rock scene, performing a unique, original, intense and delicate sound, in which jazz, progressive rock and Mediterranean sounds blend together to create a language of great expressiveness and communication, for which they are internationally acclaimed as one of the best Italian historic group still active in the world.

Birth of the band (1973 – 1974)
The original core members of Arti & Mestieri were Gigi Venegoni (guitars), Furio Chirico (drums, percussions), Giovanni Vigliar (violin, vocals), Arturo Vitale (sax, flute), Marco Gallesi (bass), Beppe Crovella (keyboards). They came together in the early seventies, while Gigi Venegoni, Giovanni Vigliar, Arturo Vitale, Marco Gallesi were playing in a band called "Il Sogno Di Archimede", and they met Furio Chirico already playing in the Italian-English progressive rock band The Trip. At that time Chirico was already having a great success as a drummer of The Trip, especially with the album ‘Atlantide’ out for RCA Records.

Cramps Records’ years (1974 – 1979)
Arti & Mestieri was officially formed in Turin in 1974. The band began their career thanks to the support of two key figures of that period: Franco Mamone as manager and promoter and Gianni Sassi (the founder of Cramps Records as well as the record producer). In 1974, arti&mestieri performed at the Parco Lambro Festival in Milan in front of a 45,000 people audience, and later on, touring with Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM) and Area. In 1974, the band also released “Tilt (immagini per un orecchio)” with Cramps Records, produced by the band’s guitarist Gigi Venegoni and Paolo Tofani of Area, composed by Gigi Venegoni, Furio Chirico and Beppe Crovella.

Jazz fusion years (1983 – 1985)
In 1983, after more than four years in silence, arti&mestieri reappeared in a completely revolutionary form featuring Furio Chirico (drums and percussions), Antonino Salerno (keyboards), Umberto Mari(bass), Luigi Tessarollo (guitars), Guido Scategni (wi) and Sirio Merlo (sax), with the album Acquario directed by Furio Chirico. The production was entirely instrumental, fully jazz rock essence with frequent pure jazz interplays

First reunion (1998 – 2002)
During 1990, arti&mestieri formed again with five of the original members: Furio Chirico on drums, Gigi Venegoni on guitars, Beppe Crovella on keyboards, Marco Gallesi on bass, Arturo Vitale on sax, and Marco Cimino on keyboards. After a few concerts together, Arturo Vitale left the band and a new violinist Corrado Trabuio took his place.

Italy and International success (2002 – 2010)
In 2002, Marco Gallesi left the band and Roberto Cassetta (who toured with Carl Palmer, Ian Pace, and worked with Don Airey, Steve Morse) joined the band on bass and vocal, then an Italian guitarist Slep (who worked with Mr Heckstall Smith and De Gregori in Germany and USA) entered the band, replacing Gigi Venegoni.

Reforge (2011 – present)
In 2011, Gigi Venegoni permanently returned to the band, as well as Marco Roagna also on guitars, and arti&mestieri made their second coming to Japan on the 5th of November for their live performance at the "Italian Progressive Rock Festival Vol.I" performing live at the historical concert hall ClubCitta’ in Kawasaki Japan.

Current members

 * Furio Chirico – drums, percussion, gong (1974–present)
 * Gigi Venegoni – electric guitar (1974–1979, 2000–2002, 2004, 2011-present)
 * Roberto Puggioni – bass (2006–present)
 * Lautaro Acosta – violin (2005–present)
 * Piero Mortara – keyboards, accordion (2014–present)
 * Marco Roagna – guitars (2004 – present)
 * Iano Nicolò – vocal (2005–present)

Former members

 * Beppe Crovella – keyboards, hammond organ, mellotron (1974 – 1975, 2000 – 2013)
 * Arturo Vitale – sax, flute, clarinets, vibraphone (1974 – 1979, 2002, 2015)
 * Giovanni Vigliar – violin, vocal (1974 – 1975)
 * Marco Gallesi – bass (1974 – 1979, 2000 - 2002)
 * Gian Franco Gaza – vocals (1975, died in 1984)
 * Marco Cimino – piano, synthesizers (1979, 2000 - 2002)
 * Gino Torni – backing vocals (1979)
 * Gigi Fregapane (1979)
 * Claudio Montafia – guitar, flute, vocals (1975)
 * Rudi Passuello – vocals, bassoon (1975)
 * Flavio Boltro – trumpet (1979, 1985)
 * Antonio Salerno – keyboards (1983 - 1985)
 * Umberto Mari – bass (1983 - 1985)
 * Guido Scategni – sax (1983)
 * Willy Fugazza – guitar (1983)
 * Guido Scategni – sax (1983)
 * Sirio Merlo – sax (1985)
 * Mario Petracca – guitars (1985)
 * Claudio Bonade – sax (1985)
 * Gigi Mucciolo – tromba, flicorno (1985)
 * Johnny Capriuolo – trombone (1985)
 * Tony Palmieri – congas (1985)
 * Roberto Cassetta – bass (2003 – 2006)
 * Corrado Trabuio – violin (2000 - 2002)
 * Slep – guitars, vocals (2003)
 * Alfredo Ponissi – sax (2005 – 2006, 2015, 2018)

Collaborators

 * Franco Mammone – manager, promoter (1972 – 1979; died 1998)
 * Gianni Sassi – producer, art director, lyricist (1972 – 1977; died 1993)
 * Raffaello Palma – sound engineer, graphic designer (1972 – 1975)
 * Amy Ida – producer, manager (2011 – present)
 * Mel Collins – sax, flute (live and album guest 2011 – present)
 * David Cross – violin (live and album guest 2011 – 2012)
 * Mattia Garimanno – sound engineer (2010 – present)
 * Lino Vairetti – vocals (live and album guest 2015 – 2016)
 * Marco Zatterin – journalist (2009 – present)

Studio albums

 * Tilt - immagini per un orecchio (1974)
 * Giro di Valzer per Domani (1975)
 * Quinto Stato (1979)
 * Acquario (1983)
 * Children's Blues (1985)
 * Murales (2000)
 * Universi Paralleli (2015)

Live albums

 * Live 1974/2000 (2003)
 * Prog Day (2003)
 * First Live in Japan (2006)

Compilations

 * Articollezione (2002)
 * Estrazioni (2004)

Singles

 * Trema (2012)

EP

 * Il Grande Belzoni (2009)

Boxsets

 * 33 (2008)
 * The Live (2013)
 * Live In Japan – THE BEST OF ITALIAN ROCK (2017)

Reissued

 * Tilt - immagini per un orecchio (2014)
 * Giro Di Valzer Per Domani (2014)
 * Quinto Stato (2014)