Hippie Tendencies

Artist Information

Biography

These award winning four Italian musicians and their American Co-author/singer Lisa are writing music with a message and having a laugh while doing it.

We met in 2005 when Lisa called Marco on the advice of a friend to deepen her understanding of the piano. We decided that same day that we needed to form a band despite our very different musical backgrounds. Lisa has written and recorded Pop and Dance tunes topping dance charts with Bacon Popper in 1998 and has been performing live throughout Europe for years while Marco is a consummate Jazz pianist with extensive live and recording experience as well. The affinity was instantaneous .. within 2 weeks we met up with Massimo ,The Mountain Man, (http://www.myspace.com/massimosaviola) a bassist with a Folk/Latin background then there's Cesare (http://www.myspace.com/cesarevalbusa) mythic drummer with a principally Bossa Nova background but varying from Pop to Jazz, both long experienced in the Italian music scene..as session players and in other projects that brought them all over Europe and America as well , within another couple weeks we wrote our first Hippie Tendencies tune Feel No Pain . Christan Codenotti was the sound engineer who recorded the first c.d. and the energy , as well as his outrageous vocal and playing skills , between all the members begged that he be included as the new band member. An effortless bonding musically has kept us at it and we’ve been gigging regularly around Europe ever since, singing our original tunes and revisiting covers with our own vision. In September 2010 we made it across the pond and toured Colorado in the States . Our chemistry is palpable on stage and transmits whether we’re crooning or rocking. Impossible to miss that we are inspired by artists like b.dylan, j.mitchell and w.guthrie , j.taylor, as well as a. difranco, h.hancock , d.matthews band and on and on ..

Hippie Tendencies nevertheless have achieved a groove unique to themselves, with a back to basics, natural sound produced by talented inspired musicians which blends seamlessly with the poignant, passionate lyrics.

Though each of these multifaceted musicians have previously recorded and released their music independently and on major labels with other projects their self titled debut as a group was released February 14 2010 on the new independent label Penthar. Guest musicians are rife throughout the album including Simone Boffa (Granny says Band) and Simone Guiducci on electric and acoustic guitar respectively as well as Fillipo De Paoli (Plan de Fuga) on Acoustc Guitar, Zsuzsanna Czinki on cello, Betty Vittori and Cristian Codenotti on background vocals among others.
They perform as a duo trio quartet quintet sextet or seven piece band depending on venue and budget. We recommend the sextet for Festvals or large venues.

In 2011 we were very busy indeed with 65 gigs last summer from June to July throughout Italy including for the Veneto Jazz Festival. Dicembre 10 - 2011 we were honored with the award "PREMI SPECIALI TERRITORIO E CULTURA
SEZIONE"ARTE , MUSICA E SPETTACOLO" presented by the mayor of Sirmione and the province of Brescia . We’ve just returned from gigs in Rome and Florence (we are on Lago di Garda in Italia) – among others at the famous AlexanderPlatz in Rome (the oldest Jazz club in Italy) and at the equally renowned fantasticly eclectic Teatro del Sale in Firenze, a theater that has hosted many great Italian performers and others, including Elvis Costello and the wonderful Patty Smith. We've finished writing the new c.d. and are currently recording with hopes for a release before the end of 2012 and we have already incorporated the new songs into our show. If you check our websites you'll see that we keep growing and the numbers reflect it.
Please do send inquires as regards booking to andrea@andrearomano.it or or to agnese lavorgna at pentharmusicht@gmail.com .

Check out the fanpage on Facebook with pics and video from their February 2012 Tour in Rome and Florence .

Instrumentation

Christian Codenotti - Acoustic Guitar., and background vocals.
Lisa Simmons - lyrics, Lead Vocals, co-composer
Marco Cremaschini - Piano, keys, organ, Piano / Keys; Organ., Arrangements Co Composer.
Massimo Saviola - Double Bass, Electric Bass, co-composer, Electric Bass and Co-Composer.
Cesare Valbusa - Drums, Co-Composer.

Discography

Hippie Tendecies 2010 Executive Producer Andrea Romano for Penthar

Official Website

http://www.hippietendencies.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace
• Label and Management
• ReverbNation
• Official Site
• New video on our You Tube Channel
• IM Radio

Audio

• Feel No Pain
  Listen  
• Poppy Rock
  Listen  
• Time is of the Essence
  Listen  
• Song Bites From Forthcoming H.T. Debut Side A. 1.Hippie Tendencies 2.Feel No Pain 3.Open Letter 4. Shame On You 5. Impossible 6. Skyline
  Listen  
• Song Bites From Forthcoming H.T. Debut Side B. 1. Time is of the Essence 2. The Trees 3. Push 4. Color (Serendipity) 5. Poppy Rock 6. Someday
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Hippie Tendencies
• Time is of the Essence
• Poppy Rock

Video

Video Poppy Rock

Photo Gallery

Press

• Hippie Tendencies e Tablo, l'ora della svolta [+ Show ]
  

  "The band put their heads together and they came up with their first single “Feel no Pain”, pure sou..."The band put their heads together and they came up with their first single “Feel no Pain”, pure soul-rock with a vague touch of Joan Armatrading’s style and that is exactly where the band intends to venture: a mix of soul, funk and soft jazz, that automatically reminds us of the ‘Cool Generation’ of the 80’s, to Working Week and Sade….especially in tracks like the refined,mellow jazz-ballad “Open Letter". " "La band si mette al lavoro, e dopo poche settimane nasce il primo brano «Feel no pain», un pezzo soul-rock vagamente alla Joan Armatrading che definisce uno dei paletti dello stile nel quale la band intende muoversi: una miscela di soul, funk e soft-jazz, incorniciata in un contesto che non può non rimandare la memoria alle movenze della «cool generation» anni '80 di Working Week e Sade, specie in brani come la dolce e raffinata jazz-ballad «Open letter». ""
  - Claudio Andrizzi , Bresciaoggi.it (Jun 03, 2010)
  

• Intervista con gli Hippie Tendencies [+ Show ]
  

  Intervista con gli Hippie Tendencies Di Andrea Turetta Tre prestigiosi musicisti italiani ed u...Intervista con gli Hippie Tendencies
  
  Di Andrea Turetta
  
  Tre prestigiosi musicisti italiani ed una cantante e co-autrice americana piena di energia. Ecco gli Hippie Tendencies: Lisa Marie Simmons (voce), Marco Cremaschini (piano, tastiere), Massimo Saviola (basso, voce) e Cesare Valbusa (batteria, percussioni). Dopo alcune precedenti esperienze di autoproduzione ed incisioni soliste, ecco il loro debutto ufficiale sulla lunga distanza con “Hippie Tendencies” (etichetta Penthar Music), tredici brani realizzati con il supporto di numerosi ospiti. Ecco l’intervista rilasciata nell’occasione…
  
  
  Domanda d’obbligo: come sono nati gli Hippie Tendencies?
  Dalla comune voglia di fare musica, nel senso di scrivere e comporre senza preconcetti stilistici, e dall’amicizia.
  
  C’è voluto molto tempo per preparare il vostro lavoro primo album?
  Almeno un anno di “duro” lavoro! abbiamo registrato alcune cose a casa, col fido mac, provando i vari arrangiamenti. Alcune batterie le ha fatte Cesare, nel suo “personal studio”. Poi abbiamo mixato e rifatto le cose che non ci piacevano. Alcuni brani, come “Feel No Pain” li abbiamo registrati interamente live in studio, usando per primi il nuovo (vecchio) mixer SSL analogico del Ritmo&Blu studio. Un mixer fantastico arrivato da un prestigioso studio londinese, capitato nel bel mezzo dei nostri lavori. Abbiamo pensato di testarlo subito rifacendo un brano che non ci convinceva. Ora è uno dei nostri brani migliori
  
  Quali sono le esperienze che maggiormente vi sono rimaste nel cuore fino ad oggi?
  L’esperienza di quasi un mese in studio di registrazione, è stato un momento di crescita notevole. Più si lavora a stretto contatto con gli ambienti musicali dove si produce musica e più impari cose per produrre buoni dischi. Lavorare con altri professionisti è sempre motivo di crescita.
  
  Quanto di innovativo pensate possa esserci nella musica che proponete?
  Il fatto che sia stata fatta completamente con entusiasmo e sincerità è la cosa più importante per noi, se c’è qualcosa di innovativo lo dicano gli altri! Non vogliamo essere considerati dei maestri, noi con la musica ci divertiamo e vogliamo far divertire, un concetto che cerchiamo di trasmettere ad ogni nostro concerto.
  
  Nelle vostre canzoni, nasce prima la musica o il testo?
  Il processo creativo degli HT non ha regole precise, tutto può partire anche da una battuta lanciata durante una cena insieme, o da un riff musicale scaturito durante un noiosissimo concerto in un albergo sul lago. Tuttavia all’interno degli HT si possono identificare due anime compositive, un filone più “Soul Blues” e uno più “Pop Folk” una varietà che garantisce una certa freschezza di repertorio.
  
  Quanto contano per chi compone delle canzoni degli stimoli culturali? (leggere libri, vedere vari films ecc. )
  Moltissimo, come nella vita di tutti i giorni. Lisa si occupa principalmente dei testi e delle melodie, e trova ispirazione dalle sue esperienze di vita, che ovviamente è ricca di stimoli culturali con i quali si confronta.
  
  Come vedete l’attuale scena canora italiana?
  Nel “mainstream” c’è qualche cantautore valido, non concentrato solo sul business, ma pochi.
  Nell’area “underground” come al solito ci sono un milione di cose, alcune molto interessanti, ma che nessuno avrà occasione di ascoltare.
  
  E a livello nazionale ed internazionale… stiamo uscendo dal periodo di crisi (o secondo alcuni, di profonda trasformazione) discografica?
  Chi lo sa… La musica non morirà mai, questo è una certezza, perchè è una espressione di vita, come il disegnare, lo scrivere, il recitare o il praticare competizioni sportive. Il trarre profitto da questa arte invece è seriamente in discussione. Possiamo dire che il mercato discografico tradizionale, così come lo hanno concepito le major, è sostanzialmente alla canna del gas, per non dire già morto, aggiungerei per loro stessa mano.
  
  
  
  Quando preparate una canzone cosa vi fa decidere se è quella giusta per entrare a far parte di un disco?
  Proviamo a suonarla in giro, la forza di una buona canzone la si percepisce quasi fin da subito.
  
  Quando il gruppo entra in sala prove e lavora ad un nuovo disco presumo ci sia un grande coinvolgimento in quello che sta per nascere o sbaglio?
  E’ la condizione “sine qua non”! L’entusiasmo non ci manca, quello che manca è il tempo e le sale prova!
  
  Oggi, quanto è difficile riuscire a realizzare un album? Sia dal punto pratico che progettuale?
  Alcune migliaia di euro Poi c’è il tempo, la concentrazione, le telefonate tra di noi e i musicisti ospiti, lo scambio di files e partiture tra computers, e… le innumerevoli cene che Marco e Lisa organizzano a casa loro.
  
  Ci vogliono tante stesure prima che una canzone vi convinca appieno?
  A volte funziona subito ma più spesso è un lavoro di ricerca infinito… Ognuno di noi ha magari in testa come dovrebbe suonare un brano, ma le diverse idee non sempre collimano. Tenendo quindi conto del parere di ogni uno di noi, si cerca di “accontentare” il più possibile l’autore della canzone, cercando di sposare la sua idea di arrangiamento. Lisa poi affina il testo sulle nuove strutture musicali. Se non funziona… si riparte da capo!
  
  Nel mondo odierno, conta sempre più l’immagine. E’ importante per chi si occupa di musica?
  E’ sempre importante come ci si presenta al mondo, tuttavia non siamo dei ragazzini e il nostro ambiente non è prettamente quello del “fashion pop”.
  
  E, a proposito di musica, cosa vi piace e cosa meno, di questo ambiente?
  Ci piacciono i Musicisti e le persone che amano la Musica e che ci danno forza con il loro entusiasmo. Non ci piacciono regole e regolamenti che ci impongono. Al giorno d’oggi per suonare in Italia, ti devi preparare e girare con tutta una serie di documenti come se nel baule della macchina portassi nitroglicerina anzichè una chitarra. Istituzioni ormai obsolete, nate per proteggere gli artisti, spesso sono solo d’intralcio alla diffusione musicale e quindi culturale.
  
  Poesia e musica: quali i punti in comune?
  Sono due forme d’arte dove sono importanti il ritmo e il suono prima ancora che il significato, e il testo di una canzone è spesso una poesia no?
  
  Il momento Live è per molti, un momento di divertimento puro ed improvvisazione. Vale anche per voi?
  Assolutamente si! Noi non siamo un gruppo convenzionalmente “pop” e il nostro modo di interpretare la musica e gli arrangiamenti può cambiare di volta in volta, a seconda dello spirito della serata. Certo, una canzone non viene stravolta ma può assumere sfumature diverse.
  
  C’è qualcuno che desiderate ringraziare per la riuscita del vostro album?
  Molti amici e professionisti ci hanno aiutato a realizzare questo album, dovrebbero essere tutti riportati nella sezione “thanks to” all’interno del CD, tuttavia vorremmo ringraziare d’ora in poi tutti quelli che se ne interessano e che amano ascoltarlo.
  
  Una canzone di altri che vi sarebbe piaciuto scrivere…
  Una per ciascuno della band: 1) ‘Round Midnight (T.Monk), 2)’Blackbird (Beatles) 3) metà della discografia di Joni Mitchell 4) Willow (J. Armatrading)
  
  Possiamo dire che la vostra musica nasce un po’ come in una bottega artigianale?
  Si, con il cartello “Torno Subito” appeso fuori.

• Wow! Hippie Tendencies Show Amazing [+ Show ]
  

  Wow! Hippie Tendencies Show Amazing Yep, I showed up 1000 miles from home for a show. How crazy is ...Wow! Hippie Tendencies Show Amazing
  Yep, I showed up 1000 miles from home for a show. How crazy is that?
  
  Now, I know there are plenty of folks following bands about, going to shows on a regular basis. I know some of you!
  
  Being a musician, I tend to save my money for my next album (yes! I am working on one. More later) rather than gallivanting off to exotic locales for shows. And, I know, Hippie Tendencies is not Rat Dog – Yet! I don’t think a swirl of folks are following them from town to town, yet.
  
  Still, there I was, Saturday night at the Soiled Dove, somewhere near Denver (I dunno) eager to see if the Hippie Tendencies show lives up to the recorded work.
  
  For me, studio recording is a different art form than a live show. These are consumed rather differently (even though both forms contain audio music). Maybe soon I’ll post about these differences? Let me just say that groups are sometimes better in one form than the other, agreed?
  
  Well, I want to tell you all: go see and hear Hippie Tendencies. It’s that simple.
  
  These folks are putting out a world class show. Period. End of story.
  
  Great musicianship, of course. (I’ve already written about their abilities.
  
  But you’ve just got to see these folks work together. The sum of the parts is far greater than the whole.
  
  Right up front, Lisa Marie Simmons gives focus to the work.
  
  She’s got that thing from which it’s very hard to look away – whatever that is. Charming, fully engaged, giving everything and a little more. When I worked with Bo Diddley, he had it. 15 seconds on stage and the crowd is glued to his every move, his every nuance. Chuck Berry’s** got it, yep – we all know that. Lisa, though certainly not playing early rock, has got it.
  
  I experienced her as a bit pixie-ish: having fun with us, with the music, with the band, us all being there together. There’s a lightness to her on stage presence, an ease that also works very well with the meanings in the songs. Even when delivering a strong message, I still have the sense of compassion coupled with her righteous anger (check out “Shame” or “Impossible”).
  
  And, she can sing, too, nuanced singing, wide expression to deliver the story behind the lyric. She has clearly worked to understand the corners of her particular instrument.
  
  But this wouldn’t be enough to get into Brook’s “world class” category. Lisa could be working us and the show could still not fully click. The musicians also deliver to the rich experience as a unit. While they work very hard, they also exude great pleasure in the work.
  
  Massimo Saviola knows the difference between a richly textured slap line, floating to let the mood work and deliver the lyric, walking along to let the song (and the drummer) open up. And he also has a little fun with us. One of his solos mostly consisted of nothing more than dropping his low string stepwise to a low fifth off the bottom of the typical bass tuning. Very clever, simple, effective, crowd pleasing. Great trick (can I steal it, Massimo?) It’s not that he has to rely on this sort of thing, by why over do it? I got a great sense of appropriateness and economy from his playing.
  
  Massimo leaves a lot of the complex density to drummer Cesare Valbusa. Dare I compare this aspect of his playing to the late Steve Gadd? There’s a density in Cesare’s playing that lends a bigness to the sound. But Cesare doesn’t over do it, because that wouldn’t allow the music to breathe. I especially liked the way he uses his hands rather than mallets on the cymbals, and of course, I’ll mention it again: the brushes work.
  
  Marco Cremaschini does a lot of the composition and arranging. But when I chatted with him, he told me that they all contribute and then he tries to put a unity into the work. That seems a great way of working both collectively and also detailing and polishing. However they’re composed, the melodies are clever, never static, singable, but also surprising, the chord changes interesting, the feels diverse while still maintaining some cohesion overall.
  
  Marco’s soloing is top notch jazz. I’m sure he can also work in any straight ahead or fusion setting as he chooses. Yes, he’s got “the chops”.
  
  The detail that stood out to me especially was the arranging. Ya gotta have good music to begin with, yes. On top of the music there must be an understanding about setting up a texture and then letting it develop over the course of the song. Hippie Tendencies as a unit are phenomenal in this regard – maybe their best attribute, that which takes the whole to a much greater sum?
  
  Christian Codenotti on acoustic guitar, is a sound engineer by profession. The textures Christian creates are a very important part of what’s happening. He doesn’t just strum (though he can when it’s called for) or finger pick the usual chords. Nope. It’s the major and minor seconds right in the middle of the instrument that create those to-die-for textures. That’s detailing. It’s the shared lines with bass or keyboards that fill in and complement the lyric and the mood. Marco clearly undestands the difference between padding and percussive keyboard parts. Each have their place. Often you want one or the other, only sometimes, both.
  
  The group was augmented by Lisa Bell’s lead guitarist, Bob Story. He’s a great player: jazz chops, blues chops, slide chops. Lots of fun there as well – he has a great sense of the difference between fills and solos. He never stepped on the arrangements, but took his time in the sun when it was appropriate.
  
  And, of quite a few tunes, local, Lisa Bell***, added some pleasing background vocal texture, as well.
  
  Oh, and during Marco’s extended keyboard solos, Cesare and Massimo were right there with him, finding the rhythms in his work, echoing or jumping in to augment. That’s “playing together”. To me, that’s the essence of great jazz (or any improvised music).
  
  Yep, this is a group to watch, I think. Go see them. I did. I love the show. I think you might too?
  
  And, once again, give the recording a listen.
  
  cheers
  
  /brook
  ** I mention these particular players because of course, I’ve played with them and know what happens in their presence.
  ***I hope to post later about Lisa Bell’s performance.
  Brook Scofield
  

• Hippie Tendencies [+ Show ]
  

  "Three expert Italian musicians and an American singer/songwriter. They are Hippie Tendencies.."..."Three expert Italian musicians and an American singer/songwriter. They are Hippie Tendencies.."
  "Tre esperti musicisti italiani ed una cantante (e co-autrice) americana. Sono gli Hippie Tendencies.."

• Spettacoli [+ Show ]
  

  Hippie Tendencies, with their sound which sweeps you away while drawing you in is rich with sonority...Hippie Tendencies, with their sound which sweeps you away while drawing you in is rich with sonority that passes freely between various genre from Jazz to RnB. Pop to Folk without losing a striking interpretive originality. This prestigious quartet represents the musical essence of Lisa Simmons, whose warm and vibrant vocals are able to express a very eclectic musicianship, and who is also author of the intense never banal lyrics . Hippie Tendencies have achieved a very unique sound produced by musicians of great talent whose music merges seamlessly with the passionate lyrics….
  
  Patrizia Dolfin
  Thursday 24 April 2008
  

Setlist

Set length and content depends on the venue we like to do 2 sets of 45 minutes or one long set of around 90 minutes mixing 3 or 4 covers among our songs. We also perform a set list of more covers than originals on request and those covers again depend on the venue.We are very flexible and open as regards duration of sets..
We perform as a duo (piano/voice) trio (piano, voice/bass (upright or electric) or guitar) Quartet quintet sextet or seven piece band depending on venue and budget.
Originals:
Hippie Tendencies
Feel No Pain
Open Letter
Shame On You
Color
Impossible
The Trees
Tiime Is Of The Essence
Skyline
Poppy Rock
Push
Someday
Summer Day
Come By
Future
Tryin
Tell Me

Covers
Too many to list here but here are a few we have arranged and enjoy performing listed below. A full list is available on demand.

Blowin In The Wind
B. Dylan
Buildings and Bridges A.DiFranco
First Of May J.Taylor
Caravan V.Morrison
Cherokee Louise J.Mitchell
Stay D.Matthews Band
Redemption Song B.Marley
Rehab A.Winehouse
Stitched Up H.Hancock/J.Mayer
Dont Explain
B. Holiday
Here Comes The Sun Beatles
Message In a Bottle Police
Wind Cries Mary
J. Hendrix

Basic Requirements

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