From a recent Narragansett Times Review

“Hey, so many people.  That’s great,” exclaimed Italian acoustic guitar virtuoso Peppino D’Agostino to a captivated crowd of one hundred lucky fans at Wakefield Music On Sat. Apr. 14^th before playing the first notes off the title track of Nine White Kites, his first record of new compositions in a decade.  Plucking harmonics, a smile crept across Peppino’s face and then he was gone, lost in a sinister bluegrass riff that gently shifted into a peaceful melody full of space, bending highs, and ascending lows.  The tune was quick and slow at the same time and it seemed as if there were several instruments involved but alas it was just one man and his guitar.

It had been many years since D’Agostino’s last appearance at Wakefield Music but, “I remember some faces,” he said, “Chao Roberto, Chao Chris,” he scanned the audience for his Italian brethren.  Expressing his love for bluegrass, he played a quick banjo style riff and yelled, “Hee-haw,” briefly paused then followed up by stating, “I could never say that right,” then jumped into Cowboy Minestrone a lightning fast mix of bluegrass, country, and classical Italian music from his first album Bluerba recorded in Italy back in 1981.

“Close your eyes and picture yourself in Rio,” Peppino instructed the crowd to allow a tune to take them to a far off destination.  “That’s the great thing about music,” he said, “It’s also a cheaper way to travel.”    The sound of a street band playing on a cobblestone corner filled our ears, a warm gentle breeze blew, the sun was sinking, and the mood was set.  I stole a quick glance to make sure my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me.  It was D’Agostino alone on stage with his Sea Gull saddled high on his chest.  The sun was indeed setting outside the store, but inside spirits rose to the tune of the slow waltz Barefoot in Rio.

Peppino is primarily a guitarist, but the microphone in front of him was not just for speaking.  Singing Estate off his album Made In Italy the multi-talented musician shared a piece of his home country with this cover tune originally written in 1960 by jazz pianist Bruno Martino and Bruno Brighetti (lyrics).  His voice was warm and smooth like travelling via gondola through the canals of Venice. 

D’Agostino was joined onstage by special guest and Wakefield Music owner Dennis Costa who played La Partida, a Venezuelan waltz,  on nylon string guitar and Torna a Surriento, a heavily covered Italian song from the early 1900’s, on Ukulele.  It was obvious that Dennis did his homework as he took lead stretching his fingers across the fret board in a mind boggling manner.  The duet played together with an organic ease, exchanging smiles and glances during changes in the tunes. 

“You know you can play a bass line with one hand just by hammering on the frets and pulling off,” Peppino began his instructional showing the audience how to make the most out of a guitar.  “Next you can make the sound of the kick drum with your palm,” he continued the bass line as he pounded a loud thump with the palm of his right hand on the body of the guitar.  D’Agostino demonstrated how to add percussion in between notes with his right fingers also on the body all the while fingering away at the strings and then blasted off into his tune Street Pulse which incorporated all those techniques. 

Capturing the spirit of Soccer, Italy’s beloved pastime, Peppino punctuated triumphant chord arrangements with fiery licks during Running Wild, and evocative ensemble of emotions and physicality.  One audience member said, “It’s as if you can feel his heart beat through the song.”

The acclaimed guitarist truly showed the transcendence of music to the crowd this particular evening as we put another stamp on our passports during Costa Rica, a song inspired by its namesake, laden with Latin bass lines and sharp pitch bending notes.  “I’m not very creative with song titles,” he joked. 

D’Agostino shared the story of how his family was not always the most supportive of his career choice, “They wanted me to study law, so I did…I didn’t finish.”  Though his kin may now see a bit clearer of his choice, his mom is still a tough nut to crack, “This next one is the only song in my repertoire my mother likes,” he said with a grin as he sang Er Barcarolo Romano, a sad Italian song about a fisherman and a girl, “so sad,” Peppino said, “that I won’t translate it for you.”  

Aside from being one of the most well versed and capable guitar players of our time, D’Agostino is also a rather clever and observant fellow.  Before the show he told me, “I was impressed with your paper.  Driving by the building today I noticed the sign said ‘Founded in 1855.’  You know, Italy was founded in 1860, so your paper is older than my country.”  

Steeped in history, timeless in style, with the chops of any modern day shredder, Peppino D’Agostino is a class act.  He doesn’t just write music, he lives it.  When he moved to the states in 1985 he played the streets at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco then continued on to restaurants and clubs before gaining status as one of the world’s premier acoustic guitarists.  If you missed him this time check out his music and tour schedule online at www.peppinodagostino.com.  If you want to learn to play like him, start with a few lessons from Dennis www.wakefieldmusic.com and see where the music, takes you.