Romina Di Gasbarro

“Il merito è tutto dell'amica Romina...soprano, cantautrice e chitarrista di origine italiana. Ha la classe, il fascino e la versatilità artistica di Joni Mitchell ma con una voce a mio avviso molto più ricca di sfumature, che si esprime anche nel repertorio lirico...Sarebbe bello se le radio italiane ne scoprissero il talento...”

(Translation: The merit goes all to friend Romina…soprano, singer-songwriter and guitarist of Italian origins. She has the class, appeal and artistic versatility of Joni Mitchell but with a voice in my view much richer in nuance, that expresses itself also in operatic repertoire…It would be nice if Italian rdio would discover this talent…)

“Una voce meravigliosa nella quale l'impostazione lirica si fonde alla perfezione con il 'groove' della migliore tradizione pop americana...”

(Translation: An amazing voice with which operatic placement is blended perfectly with the “groove” of the very best traditional American pop…)

Enzo Garofolo, writer and opera/classical music critic for Cannibali Italian Culture and Art Magazine.
- Facebook

Canadian songstress Romina Di Gasbarro is very enjoyable to listen to. It is her training in both voice and guitar that makes her music so magical. Like her English counterpart Sarah Brightman, Romina Di Gasbarro spent time in operas before she decided to start recording other things besides operatic music. And like Brightman, Romina has focused on pop music. But unlike Brightman, Romina’s pop music also contains a very large amount of jazz feeling in its sound. You will also find that instead of redoing old “standards,” Romina Di Gasbarro has decided to create her own songs for her albums. Romina Di Gasbarro is currently promoting her 2010 album entitled Poema.

Poema from Romina Di Gasbarro begins with the track “Corner of Heaven”. The beautiful voice of Romina and her guitar make up the main part of the track as guitarist David Occhipinti and bassist Andrew Downing help create the rest of the track. The results create a simple song that has an almost endless beauty in its sound.

“In the Spin” is one of the simplest tracks on the newest release from Romina Di Gasbarra. The guitars and bass are used sparingly on the track to create a simple backing track for Romina’s vocals. The vocals and music on the track are both based in soft jazz music and the vocals and music seem to complement each other well.

One of the strongest tracks on Poema from Romina Di Gasbarro is the song “Love Life Sentence”. The jazz and R&B stylings in this song bring to mind the track “Inner City Blues” from Marvin Gaye. Along with the two songs sharing a sound in their music, they both have similar ideas in their lyrics; though one (“Love Life Sentence”) is more about love and the other (“Inner City Blues”) is more about life. Both songs are written in a way that will you want to sing along. Romina’s soulful voice on “Love Life Sentence” goes well with the subject of the track. The strings on the track also add just the right amount of texture to the music. And the addition of a section of the aria “Vesti la giubba” from Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci at the end of the track sung by tenor opera singer (and instructor) Francesco Pellegrino brings a little of Di Gasbarro’s opera background onto her album.

For the fourth track on her album, Romina Di Gasbarro goes in a slightly different direction than with any of the other tracks on the release. The song “Wild, Wild Animal” features a strong lounge music sound. In fact, with its strings and electric guitar, this track sounds as if it would have fit in with the rest of the lounge music resurgence that happened in the early 1990s. “Wild, Wild Animal” from Romina Di Gasbarro would fit right alongside “The Millionaire’s Holiday” by Combustible Edison. This song is the track on the album where Romina Di Gasbarra gets to show off her voice just a little: While listening to this track, you’ll hear Di Gasbarro’s operatic range shine through; and when she hits the high notes of the song, you’ll understand the true talent of this singer.

Perhaps the most heartfelt song on the release is the track “Scent of your Pillow”. The nylon guitar from Romina Di Gasbarro, double bass and cello from Andrew Downing, violin from Aisslin Nosky and viola from Karen Moffat combine to create a heartbreaking plea set to music. Di Gasbarro sings this song with a lot of passion and emotion. This ends up being one of the showcase pieces on the album, as well as one of the longer tracks.

The shortest track of the release, “Rain,” is a track that features percussion that make a rain-like effect leading to a jazz sound that features a little classical feel to it. The easy pace of the song can make you imagine a nice, slow day that just begs to be enjoyed while doing nothing….. except maybe taking a walk.

This release from one of North America’s most talented artists is well worth the 40+ minutes that make up its running time. Each of the beautifully written and arranged songs that appear on Romina Di Gasbarro’s 2010 release Poema brings her talent to life. While listening to the album, you get to enjoy, not only Di Gasbarro’ beautiful voice, but her guitar playing as well; proving that Romina Di Gasbarro is more than just a singer with a beautiful voice. - Matheson’s Entertainment Blog

The colours fall from the pitch black, perhaps its summer disguised as autumn, Heaven is haunting internal, delicate shades of a dreamlike hell, overlaid across a jazz seduced thoughtful city, a troubled sweet Joni Mitchell, younger though, darker.

She sings, ‘’It’s no fun, this place I’m in’ but contradicts by starting the song gentle almost playful, her guilt, her sin, isn’t dark storm obvious , rather like the way the light will shimmer on sighing water, captivating and intense, deeply touching without the sad theatrics that too many fumbling songwriters us as their weapon of choice.

In, ‘’Love Life Sentence’’ the writer allows us to dance around the near future of this couple, all is not quite real , all is what might be, there is a taste of fear in the wind, but again her shadows are colours forming from the darkness, flowers floating through the rhythms.

Shape shifting, time shifting into the epic, soothing cinematic edits, the song, ‘’The Foolish and the Good’’ twists, turns, and beguiles, breathtakingly rich in observation, showcasing the intimate and the frenzied, often within one line of perfectly felt verse. It is the sort of song, that the listener does not want to leave, wants that private earphone moment to last through the night.

Because the innovation, the emotion is subtly portrayed, the thrill is in the discovery, you feel the singer sings secrets maybe only you can quite understand, and you are left in that terribly lovely twilight of being almost satisfied and completely desiring more.

A wonderful album.

http://www.romina.ca

You can hear tracks from this album spread all across the 24 hour stream that is the NBTMusicRadio

http://nbtmusicradio.playtheradio.com/
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stream thru yr media player: http://listen.radionomy.com/nbtmusicradio.m3u - The NBT Review 136

Monday September 27, 2004

My name is Stephan Moccio, I have known Romina as a world class talented singer/musician/performer for the past 14 years...In the past I have had the privilege of working with some of the world’s most recognized artists (Sarah Brightman, Céline Dion) - I speak of Romina’s artistry and talent in the same breathe.

Sincerely,
Stephan Moccio
- letter

“Dear Romina, I finally had a quiet moment to listen to your CD and wanted to thank you for the warm world you have created for your listeners. Wonderful. I hope that it brings you all that would be for your highest good as a journeying spirit. All abundance"
Jane Siberry
- letter

Review of Name Me
Music, lyrics and arrangement by Romina Di Gasbarro.

“Astounding
Operatic voice, vibrato laden. Beautiful. Mixed in with the acoustic, the combo is unique. There's a definite Tori feel to this, and that cello is soul grabbing. This is so damn innovative, ethereal, powerful and unique. I'm floored by the earnestness and sincerity of your sound. The orchestration is gorgeous. This song is troubled and seems at conflict with its own beauty. I'm wide-eyed, like a child hearing and discovering music for the first time. There is so much power and grace in this track, and it's delivered in such an emotive way, highlighted by tome astounding, liberal instrumentation. I will listen again for lyrical content, but right now I'm just enjoying the experience of the music as a whole entity, and it's taking my breath away. Never stop making music. It's artists like you that remind me why I'm a musician in the first place: purity, love and passion, all of which are exhibited here exquisitely.”

- Celticpunk, Chicago, Illinois,
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“Take me home sweet fairy.
Great mood track. The vocals are haunting, and the acoustic guitar is beautiful. The song is taking me to a dark eerie forest and I'm digging it. I didn't expect this... the label 'alternative' has been corporatized into a second string 'pop' and this is definitely true alternative. I can't think of one song like it. I love it and I'm giving you 5 out of 5.”

- LoFiHoney, Ferndale, Michigan,
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“stunning voice…first thing that struck me was WOW what a beautiful voice, reminds me of Tori Amos. the strings are gorgeous too…i like the way the song "grows" in tension, it gives it variety and makes it interesting…”

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- bitingamber.
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“Talented Female Vocalist…Your vocals are amazing. Singer reminds me of Joni a little but more operatic This is by far not my type of music but, You kept me listening. I hope your voice takes you a long way.”

- f6_ben, Pasadena, California.
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- garageband.com

Review of Chocolate and Cinnamon
Music, lyrics and arrangement by Romina Di Gasbarro.

“At the intersection of classical music, opera, and avant-garde rock, you'll find this next act. Conjuring suggestions of Grace Slick and Airplane, and also, somehow, a hint of the stylings of Jethro Tull or Deep Purple, this song challenges every assumption the listener has of what is coming next. The singer's voice would fit in well in an operatic piece as well as this song. The strings are well arranged, with soaring passages that move the mood of the song to and fro, from dark to light. The droning guitar part through the song never becomes boring, an accomplishment for a part like that. The violinist has excellent chops. The lyrics are poetic, sung with great strength and passion. If this can find the right audience, it will have listeners in love with it.”

- kellanv, Austin, Texas,
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“Opera meets Pop meets Soul
Wow! very cool song! So original. No offense my fellow americans, but this group must not be from America. Too original to be.”

- 4CrynOutLoud, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
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“really something special
The strings sound great and wow what vocals, this chick has a tremendous voice, classically trained from the sound of it. The music is great, all strings and voice... Cool. This group is really something special. I am impressed.”

- Guitarlush, Woodinville, Washington
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“this songstress has talent
Nora jones watch out. Miss Dion your days as best voice are numbered. Keep the art going strong.”

- theHumorGroup, Tacoma, Washington
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- garageband.com

CARMEN. Berkeley Opera. (Berkeley, CA)

“Finally, here is a Micaela who Matches Jose’s passion for Carmen, with reason and love of an equal power. Di Gasbarro’s rich solid aria, was the highlight of the evening.”

Berkeley Daily Planet.
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RIVER OF WOMEN. Music Theatre Collective. (San Francisco, CA,)

“…the solid and well-matched cast delivered a dramatically convincing and musically true performance…Soprano Romina Di Gasbarro sang affectively the roles of both Marta and The Weeping Woman, who at the opera's end entices Elisa tragically into the river.”

San Francisco Classical Voice.
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MASTER CLASS. The Willows Theatre. (Concord, CA)

“Student Sharon (Romina Di Gasbarro)…takes charge of her Lady MacBeth presentation and delivers an emotional and vocally thrilling letter-reading aria.”

San Francisco Bay Times.
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“the supporting players fill their roles admirably, notably Romina Di Gasbarro as a spunky soprano who, after bearing the brunt of Callas’ scorn, manages to move her – and us – to tears.”

East Bay Experss.
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OTELLO. Berkeley Opera. (Berkeley, CA)

“Soprano Romina Di Gasbarro was an affecting, pure-toned Desdemona. Her ‘Willow Song’ was beguiling and the ‘Ave Maria’ that follows, staged with the soprano kneeling in a shaft of pearly light, was lovely.”

The Contra Costa Times.
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LA BOHÈME. The American Opera Group. (Chicago, Ill.)

“As the doomed Mimi, Canadian Romina Di Gasbarro provided the brightest moments. With a rich soprano voice, Di Gasbarro presented refined singing and sensitive acting, her shy smiles and touching small gestures making for a most affecting portrayal.”

The Chicago Tribune.
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- Chicago Tribune, Contra Costa Times, Berkeley Daily Planet, San Francisco Classical Voice, San Franc