12/28/2021
KON TIKI is the title of the new album by the multi awarded guitarist and composer Roberto Tola.
This new musical project comes with 9 new songs, most of which include some of the finest and world class musicians and
artists as Billy Cobham (drums), Eric Marienthal (alto sax), Scott Wilkie (piano and keys), Andrea Tofanelli (flugelhorn) and
many more…
Building on the success of the previous albums, Bein’ Green (2017) and Colors (2020), positively welcomed by international
critics and hundreds of radio stations all over the world, in addition to countless international awards and prestigious
recognitions, this new album, promises Roberto himself, will not fail to arouse the attention and appreciation of radio stations
and the press of the genre, as well as fans, followers and music lovers around the globe.
As in the previous albums, also KON TIKI offers a kaleidoscope of melodies and harmonies, which make each song
different from the other, in terms of sounds, rhythms, harmonies and arrangements.Inspired by the legendary Kon Tiki, the raft that Thor Heyerdahl, the bold Norwegian explorer and writer, together with a
small team, constructed out of balsa logs and other local materials in an indigenous style as recorded in illustrations by
Spanish conquistadores, and they navigate across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesia (Raroia Islands), in
Tuamotu Archipelago, with the solely aim to demonstrate how the people from South America could have reached Polynesia
during pre-Columbian times and so populated all Polynesia area.
Heyerdahl argued they were incidental to the purpose of proving that the raft itself could make the journey.
Roberto got inspiration by this exploring experience by Thor Heyerdahl and his team, imaging a travel across the sea of music
with his only raft, his inseparable guitar. A music journey to some unknown destination beyond the horizon.
The album includes the song “Tiàna” (track 2), featuring Eric Marienthal on Alto Sax, a sweets and melancholic ballad
written by Roberto Tola to honor his beloved sister, the famous 7 times Judo National Championship Tiàna Tola, recently
died in hospital during her recovery in an Italian hospital for a degenerative illness.
The album includes some unpublished songs that Roberto composed at a young age and totally arranged for this new project,
as “American Dream” (tr 1), “Fly to Sardinia” (tr 5), “Life Is A Sigh” (tr 6) the album also features the song “Cafè
Astoria” (track 7) featuring the legendary Billy Cobham on Drums.
This is a Latin Jazz composition of sure impact, where
Roberto again shows his versatility as a guitarist in Latin genre, but also as orchestral composer and arranger. The track is
indeed totally composed and arranged by Roberto for a full big band, formed by international talented musicians (Argentina,
Colombia, Cuba, Italy, Peru, Poland, Ukraine, USA)
Three tracks of the album are covers as “Amandote” (tr. 4), a pop salsa song originally composed by Jamie Roos; “Rabo de
Nube” (tr 8), a traditional Cuban song composed by Silvio Rodriguez, and featuring Andrea Tofanelli on Flugelhorn, both
songs totally arranged by Roberto in an instrumental Bossa Nova style, and finally “Better Days Are Gone” (tr 3), another
intimate and inspired song featuring the world class and talented American pianist Scott Wilkie
TRACKS
1. American Dream – ISRC: ?
2. Tiana (feat. Eric Marienthal) – ISRC: ?
3. Better Days Are Gone (feat. Scott Wilkie) –
ISRC: ?
4. Amandote – ISRC: ?
5. Fly To Sardinia – ISRC: ?
6. Life Is A Sigh – ISRC: ?
7. Cafè Astoria (feat. Billy Cobham) ISRC: ?
8. Rabo De Nube (feat. Andrea Tofanelli) –
ISRC: ?
9. Arthur’s Theme – ISRC: ?
All songs Composed and Arranged by Roberto Tola, except:
1. “Amandote”, originally composed by Jamie Roos and arranged by Roberto Tola;
2. “Arthur’s Theme”, composed by Christopher Cross, and arranged by Roberto Tola;
3. “Rabo De Nube”, composed by Silvio Rodriguez, and arranged by Roberto Tola
MUSICIANS AND TECNICIANS
Roberto Tola – Primary Artist, Guitars, Percussions, Composer, Arranger, Artwork Graphic and Designer, Producer,
Soloist;
Agustin Salguero – Piano (tr 4, 8)
Adrian Solano Estrada – Piano (tr 7)
Andrea Tofanelli – Flugelhorn (tr 8)
Billy Cobham – Drums (tr. 7)
Cristian Gabiva – Drums (tr 3)
Carlos Otárola – Oboe (tr 6)
Dmytro Startsev – Piano (tr 1)
Enzo De Rosa – Piano (tr 2, 6)
Eric Marienthal – Alto Sax (tr 2)
Esteban Rotunno – Drums (tr 5,9)
Frank Coppola Bove – Drums (tr 2)
Gherardo Dacquati – Trumpet (tr 7)
Ignacio Long – Piano (tr 4)
Kiril Yazikov – Saxes (tr 1, 7)
Konstantin Zakabluk – Trumpet (tr 1)
Roberto Tola – Bass (tr 4)
Jacobo Garces – Piano (tr 7)
Isabelle Menegasse Silva – French Horn (tr 2, 3, 4, 6)
Joni Strugo – Clave, Shaker, Guiro, Bongos, Floor
Tom, Cowbells, Tumbadora, Triangle, Congas (tr. 7)
Joni Strugo – Drums (tr 4, 7 & 8)
Lorenzo Poliandri – Drums (tr 1)
Maciek Szczyciński – Bass (tr 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Marcus Ketola – Drums (tr 6)
Marco Rasa – Piano (tr 5)
Maria Lamas – Flute (tr 5, 9)
Matteo Spolveri – Trumpet, Flugelhorn (tr 5, 9)
Michele Fortunato – Trombone (tr 9)
Moises Quiroz – (tr 2 & 7)
Morgan Walbridge – Vibraphone (tr 7)
Oscar Bravo – Oboe (tr 3)
Sashko Temelkoski – Clarinet (tr 6)
Scott Wilkie – Piano (tr 3)
Uriy Semykopenko – Trombone (tr 1)
Chris West: Mixing – The Lake Studio, London, Unit Kingdom
Roberto Tola – Mastering – EBM Studio (Italia)
Email: [email protected]
Available for purchase (digital) by connecting to the website www.robertotola.com
Available for streaming or downloading on all music platforms, or wherever the Music is sold, such as: Spotify, Apple
Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, starting from November, 2021.
Production Info:
Roberto Tola: Executive Producer, Artwork, Designer, Photos