Ghigo Agosti

Ghigo Agosti (born Arrigo Riccardo Agosti on July 10, 1936 in Milan) is also known as the Italian white negro. He is an Italian singer, musician and composer. He debuted in the early 1950s, becoming one of the first artists in Italy to experiment with American and British-originated music like rhythm&blues and rock, always stressing the components of African-American music. He then dedicated himself to multiple different musical genres, producing an immense discography, both as a soloist and along with other musical groups he started. He is now recognized as a founder of Italian rock, an inspiration for other Italian rock artists. But he is rarely appreciated in Italy because of the conservative mentality of the media. He began recording in 1954.

Roots

In Italy and Europe, he's pioneer jazz, blues and rhythm and blues, ballad, rock and roll, twist, shake, soul, funk, dixieland, beat and progressive rock.

He know the big band's American sound thank his cousin Paolo Tosi, in Italy director of "Decca London", importer of 78rpm-records from United States. His first virtual teachers were Lionel Hampton, Stan Kenton, Louis Jordan and other black people artists.

The white negro

During 50s, 60s and 90s (and in his live album) Ghigo sing in concert for to tribute: James Brown, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Nat King Cole, Dizzie Gillespie, Hoagy Carmichael, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Isley Brothers, Cab Calloway, Barry White, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave and others.During 50's, his voice remembered styles of Little Richard, Louis Jordan and Dizzy Gillespie, was revolutionary and undesired for media, radio and TV. During 60s was called white negro for his black timbre, from 1965 to 1971 he succeeded to hide who he was truly, and frequently was taken for an American singer.

Early 1950s

Very young, in 1951 the first composition, the rhyth'm blues "Stazione del blues" (the blues station), therefore a sequel of shows in music parties with the friends, and in 1953 some concerts recreative circles in Milan and Varese.

First debut in 1952 at Hebrew Center of Milan with a Jazz Quintet formed by Ghigo (voice-piano), Mister Shlomo (drum), Paolo Tomelleri (saxophone), more two black American musician: Roger Hawk (double bass) and Andy Coleman (trumpet).

During 1954 one radio 78rpm, a cover of "Georgia on My Mind", ballad by Hoagy Carmichael; born the rhythm 'n' blues band Ghigo e gli Arrabbiati (Ghigo and the Angries, ancient Italian rock band having the guitarist Giorgio Gaber).

New debut to the jazz festival in Milan with new recording of"Stazione del Rock" (Rock Station).

Rock'n roll explosion in Italy

1957, in Milan, at the first Italian rock and roll festival (Milan), Ghigo sing "Caldonia" (by Louis Jordan) and others future inedit hits; during the year, recorded the famous rock and roll "Coccinella"; his producer Gianbattista Ansoldi denied the publication for fear of censorship by RAI Commission, for the lyrics had provocative content, dedicated to the famous Madame Coccinelle of Paris, (the first publicized French transsexual woman in 1958).

The discographic-freezing, puts Ghigo in rage condition on live events, sometimes interrupted by local police; energy, vocal power, crazy movements, tearing dresses, tempt the fun beyond any limit.

Coccinella

The song "Coccinella" is published in March 1959, and in December it's in jukebox (on 45rpm side B "Stazione del rock").

In 1960 success of "Coccinella", but Ghigo is equally condemned by censorship-RAI Commission. Success too in 2° rock'n roll "Allocco tra gli angeli" (rapacious-volture with the angels), in side B the first Italian cha cha "Banana frutto di moda" (banana fruit of fashion), sexual song allusive to organ genital male, contest that involves the second censorship; for Ghigo the radio and television are not more accessible.

uccess and censorship

1961, lucky for Ghigo in juke-boxe and concerts with new local police incursions. New 3° rock'n roll "No! al Demonio" (no! to the devil) and the blues "Scalogna e carcere" (misfortune and prison); in summer win the rock and roll festival in Rome, historic event one more time interrupted by local police.

A 45rpm twist in 1962, "Baby twist me" and "Peppermint Twist"; in the year other 45rpm, "Tredici vermi col filtro" (thirteen worms with the filter) and "Si titubi Tu titubi" (Yes hesitate, you hesitate).
During 1963 an EP containing the ballad "Solo con me" and two censured songs: the swing "Bella ragazzina di Verona" (beauty little girl of Verona), censured because allusive to under-age girl, and the shake "Dai fà la brava" (come on, be good girl), censured because th lyrics are an invitation to have sex in a bathing-cabin.

New sound and new band for Ghigo, called Ghigo e i Goghi (ghigo and goghi).
1964: Ep containing "Ciao" (beat, adulterated version of "shout" by Isley Brothers), "Conosco Jenny" (I know Jenny - rhythm 'n' blues) and "Non avrei mai creduto" (I would have never believed), first tango-rock in the world.

The mystery of Mister Anima

1965, born Mister Anima, strangest, mysterious personage that hides his identity under a particularly red-frock with cowl, thick beard-moustache, with a voice very similar to American black-singers.

1966: 45rpm "Non voglio pietà" (I do not want mercy - first Italian soul) and "Solitude time" (rhyth'm blues); in 1967, 45rpm "Attrazione" (attraction, soul-rhythm 'n' blues) and "La mia passeggiata" (my walk - classic Italian rock).

Mysterious identities

Two pseudonyms during 1968, Probus Harlem, having one cover Procol Harum: "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and the soul "Hold on I'm coming" (Dave Porter). Other Procol Harum's cover : "Homburg" and the theatrical "Love drug and sex" (first funk form in Italy). From Mister Anima to "Probus Harlem", his vocal emission find rewiews on magazine where's defined the "white-negro".

During 1968 third production with the pseudonym Rico Agosti, therefore "l'Orsacchiotto nero" (beat) and "La boutique" (first Italian dixieland), too published in United States and United Kingdom as "Small black bear" and "The Boutique"; the beat was too published in France as "Ourson Noire".

1969, Ghigo returned to his real identity as "Ghigo Agosti" with a slow theatrical progressive soul called "James Brown dice...io dico !!!" (James Brown says...I' say !!! - an adulterated version of protest by "It's a Man's World" of James Brown), a version of 9 min. very different respect the original.

First 70s

1970, year that characterizes psychedelic prog-experimentation on live events, with Probus Harlem band.In 1971, last pseudonym as Black Sunday Flowers, a band trio: Ghigo lead vocal on electric organ, electric bass the black Paul White and the black drummer John Fitgerald Bennet. New 45rpm, "Hot Rock" (soul) and "Madness" (mix of jazz rock and soul, motion picture in the Italian movie "Madness, gli occhi della luna" (American version "Madness", Uk version "The eyes of the moon" by Cesare Rau).

From 1967 to 1971 Ghigo's band characterizes black musicians as: Paul White (bass), John Fitgerald Bennet (drum), Henry Granfuck (drum) and Francis Plasheye (saxophone) and others artists.

From 1966 to 1974, during some concerts, Ghigo was live supporter of Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, Isaac Hayes, Max Roach, Gong and others.

Photo and journalistic career

Ghigo abandons the music in 1974 after experimentations and theatrical vanguard at the Woodstock tributes and some live in London with Black Sunday Flowers trio.From 1974 to 1990 he becomes a journalist-photoreporter and discographic music reviews with private agency that accommodates big artists from all world, in collaboration with important international major labels, creating interesting images for records.

During 80s he realized in U.S. one seminary with black artists friends, and has composed songs for various singers.

Ghigo come back

In 1990 his return in the music, with new interesting productions: amusing songs, innovative experimentation in the religion music, progressive and jazz.

Discography

78rpm

Ghigo and orchestra

* 1954 Georgia on My Mind autoproduction-Decca (radio edition USA-UK)

45 rpm

Ghigo e gli arrabbiati

* 1958 Coccinella/Stazione del rock (limited edition Coca Cola USA - CCPR 01)
* 1959 Coccinella/Stazione del Rock (Primary CRA 91782 USA-Uk-Italy-France-Spain)
* 1960 Allocco tra gli angeli/Banana (frutto di moda) (Primary CRA 91797)

Ghigo

* 1961 Si titubi, Tu titubi / Tredici vermi col filtro (Primary CRA 91812)
* 1961 Banana (frutto di moda) /Coccinella/Stazione del rock/Allocco tra gli angeli (EP President AK308 France).
* 1961 Coccinella/Why wait (Coca Cola - CCPR 02)
* 1961 No! Al demonio/Scalogna e carcere (lettera a giuseppe) - (Primary CRA 91797)
* 1962 Tredici vermi col filtro/Si titubi, Tu titubi/Allocco tra gli angeli/Banana (frutto di moda) - (EP Primary 5005).
* 1962 Babe twist me/Peppermint Twist - (Ri-Fi Italy-Uk-France)
* 1963 Bella ragazzina di Verona/Solo con me/Dai fà la brava - (EP Primary CRA 91913)
* 1963 Georgia on my mind - (RiFi Italy-USA-Uk-France)

Ghigo e i Goghi

* 1964 Ciao/Conosco Jenny/Non avrei mai creduto - (EP Fantasy FS 1007)
* 1965 Sunny Afternoon/I'Got you -(inedit on 33rpm 1995 Musicando Italy-Japan)
* 1966 Memphis Tennessee/Day dream - (inedit on 33rpm 1995 Musicando Italy-Japan)
* 1967 In the midnight hour/Out side - (inedit on 33rpm 1995 Musicando Italy-Japan)

Mister Anima

* 1966 Non voglio pietà/Solitude time - (Bluebell BB 3174)
* 1967 La mia passeggiata/L'attrazione - (Bluebell BB 3185)

Probus Harlem

* 1968 A whiter shade of pale/Hold on I'm coming - (Bluebell BB 3182 Italy-USA-Uk)
* 1968 Homburg/Love, drug and sex - (Bluebell BB 3191 Italy-USA-Uk)

Rico Agosti

* 1968 L'orsacchiotto nero/La Boutique - (Melody MD 603)
* 1968 The boutique/Small black bear - (Melody MD 603/A - USA e Uk)
* 1968 Ourson noire/La Boutique - (Melody MD 603/B - France)

Ghigo Agosti

* 1969 James Brown dice...io dico!!!/io dico!!! - (Belldisc BD 8027)

Black Sunday Flowers

* 1971 Madness/Hot rock - (Bla-Bla BBR 1308) (USA-UK-Italy)

33 rpm

* 1995 "Coccinelle, Banane e altre storie" (Musicando Italy-Japan)
* 1995 "La Cosa" (experimental) (Crotalo Italy-Japan)
* 1995 "Ghigo e i Goghi" (inedit 1965-67) (Musicando Italy-Japan)

CD

* 1993 "Gli avanzi di Ghigo" Peer Southern Music
* 1996 "Frammenti di preghiera" Musicando
* 1998 "Ghigo Coccinella" Dv More Record
* 2001 "Preghiere semplici" Hap (Spain)
* 2003 "Risveglio in preghiera" Hap
* 2006 "May Gaar" Hap
* 2007 "Pallino blu" Hap
* 2007 "Space sarah" Hap

Ghigo Story Box Cd

* 2007 "Ghigo, gli Arrabbiati e i Goghi (anthology 1954-1964) Hap
* 2007 "Goghi, Mister Anima, Rico & Black Sunday Flowers (anthology 1965-1971) Hap
* 2007 "La Ghigonda ancestrale" (anthology 1993-2007) Hap
* 2007 "Super Live" (live anthology 1994-2000) Cocodrilo Records
* 2007 "L'esperimento (experimental anthology 1993-2007) Hap

Inedit song

* 1951 La stazione del blues
* 1955 Bocciato (agli esami di riparazione)
* 1956 Pallino blu
* 1957 La Gufa
* 1958 Jenny Jenny Jenny ("jenny take a ride")
* 1959 I nanetti delle favole col cappuccio rosso fragola
* 1960 Carnevale celestiale
* 1972 Whole lotta love
* 1973 Cantina jam
* 1974 Il grillo e la formica

Labels and Producers

* Decca (1954) - Paolo Tosi
* Primary (1957-1963) - Gianbattista Ansoldi
* Southern Music (1960-1963) - Alberto Carisch
* Fantasy (1964) - Micky Del Prete
* Bluebell (1966-1967) - Tony Casetta
* Melody (1968) - Federico Monti Arduini
* Bluebell (1968) - Tony Casetta
* Belldisc (1969) - Tony Casetta
* Bla Bla (1971) - Pino Massara
* Toast Records (1988) - Giulio Tedeschi
* Bla Bla (1992) - Pino Massara
* Panarecord (1993) - Peer Southern Music
* Musicando (1995-1996) - Paolo Bertelli
* Dv More records (1998) - John Toso
* Hap (1999-2007) - Tom Cooper
* On sale music - Italo Gnocchi
* Cocodrilo Records (1999-2007) - Luìs Alvàrez

About movies

* 1961 Allocco tra gli Angeli - starring
* 1964 I tre volti - soundtrack arrangement
* 1964 Anthar l'invicibile - soundtrack arrangement
* 1971 Madness, vacanze per un massacro - motion picures
* 1972 Il caso Mattei - numerary, soundtrack arrangement

Notes

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/ghigoagosti] - (official web site)
* [http://terrantica.blog.espresso.repubblica.it/ Gli anni 50 di Ghigo] - Articolo su espresso blog
* [http://www.musicaememoria.com/ghigo_agosti_intervista.htm Intervista a Ghigo Agosti]
* [http://www.atuttokanto.com/GHIGO/INDEX.HTM Approfondimenti sulla carriera di Ghigo Agosti]
* [http://digilander.iol.it/radiotorregenova/documenti/Ghigo_s%20Story.rtf Ghigo's Story] - File .rtf
* [http://www.pianacci.it/Ghigo.htm]