Today we’d like to introduce you to Fabrizio Grossi.
Fabrizio Grossi is an Italian-American bassist/producer and music consultant. Born in Milan, Italy, he started playing as a teenager with several Italian bands before moving to New York in 1990, where he formed the instrumental trio Conspiracy with guitarist Anthony Bambino and drummer John Macaluso. He also served as US representative, developer and A&R associate for a number of European and Latin American record and entertainment companies, such as East/West-Warner Italy, Self Spa, Frontiers Records, Edel, EMI Italy, Mascot Label Group, etc.
Upon relocating to Los Angeles in 1996, he joined punk icon Nina Hagen for the recording of her acclaimed album on BMG “Bee Happy”, followed immediately by a studio collaboration with Grammy Winning guitarist composer Steve Vai for his SONY Records album Fire Garden. In the following years, Fabrizio produced several recording (both in studio and live) that would feature Vai’s performances. Worth nothing Vai’s performance with Russian Rockers Pushking, with Red Hot Chili Peppers ‘ Chad Smith and Glenn Hughes, for the Deep Purple mega stars tribute Machine Head, and Vai’s solo European Tour with the Evolution Tempo Orchestra (The Romanian State Radio Orchestra ) immortalized on a live DVD & album. In a loving and respectful way, Since then, Fab always referred to Vai as his career true enabler & “wise” older brother! After the release of Fire Garden, Fab signed a production deal with East-West Warner Italy developing upcoming artists such as Laura Smiraglia and served as consultant executive producer for other major Italian recording artists, most notably Laura Pausini. Additional significant production collaborations include Billy F. Gibbons Leslie West, Steve Vai, Eric Gales, Steve Lukather, Glenn Hughes, Alice Cooper, George Clinton & Parliament Funkedelic, and many more.
Between 1999 and 2006, Fab was the man behind an extended list of releases for the Italian based Rock label Frontiers Rec… Worth mentioning Mickey Thomas (Starship), House of Lords, Joseph Williams and Steve Lukather of Toto fame, Glenn Hughes, Dave Navarro, James Christian, Robin Beck, etc. Proficient in different styles, he then produced live audio-video releases for Ice T – Body Count, Pat Travers-Carmine Appice & TM Stevens, & many more for the Swedish label Escapi Music. These were the years when Fab met and worked with year another major influence of him, the man that “thought him the funk”, and that Fab’s never fail to credit as a major influence on his playing and sound: George Clinton and his Parliament Funkedelics. In 2005, he joined singer Tony Harnell, Swedish guitarist/composer Magnus Karlsson, and drummer John Macaluso to form the hard rock ensemble Starbreaker, whose self-titled debut album (on Frontiers Rec) was very well welcomed by fans and critics.
In 2010, he teamed up with long time friend & inspiration, multi Grammy winning guitarist/producer Steve Lukather, drumming legend Kenny Aronoff and keyboardist wizard Steve Weingart to form the rock-fusion-funk jam band Goodfellas for a series of European & N.American shows sponsored by a pull of music instruments manufacturers and distributors. Soul-Rock producer, and bass player at heart, he re-directed his interest towards American Rootsy music, and even more so towards Blues, Soul,and RnB. His passion for the great black performers of the 60’s and 70’s such as Jimi Hendrix, Sly & The Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Bobby Womack BB King, George Clinton, and power blues-rocker-jamsters Cream, Led Zeppelin, and Santana, brought him to mix those sounds with more contemporary Rock and Blues elements, and found the supergroup Supersonic Blues Machine, with active membership by Kenny Aronoff and UK singer/guitarist Kris Barras, who replaced in 2018 the band’s original singer/guitarist Lance Lopez.
The band 70’s style stage jams often feature Rock & Blues personalities such as Robben Ford, Jonny Lang, Eric Gales, Doyle Bramhall II, Joe Louis Walker, Steve Lukather, Billy F Gibbons, Walter Trout, etc. Their debut album “West of Flushing, South of Frisco” was an instant success. With Supersonic Blues Machine, Fabrizio Grossi has headlined numerous Blues-Rock Festivals worldwide, most notably Notodden Blues Festival (Norway), Mahindra Blues Festival (Mumbai, India), Holland International Blues Festival (Holland), Rambling Man Fair(UK) etc. Both band’s studio albums hit the International charts.Their second one “Californisoul”, debuted at #7 of the Billboard Top 10 Blues charts. They released their first live album “Road Chronicles LIVE” in 2019. The band is now working on its 3rd studio album, once again with Fab as producer. Supersonic Blues Machine headlined the Kalamazoo Blues Festival in 2017, with Jane’s Addiction’s Stephen Perkins on drums, subbing for Kenny Aronoff. Following that night’s success, Fab and Perkins founded Drop The Needle, a LA sidemen ensemble inspired by the 60’s California jam movement, with tribal funk jazz grooves tones.
Also part of the group are Music Director royalty keyboardist Alex Alessandroni Jr, Brazilian born guitarist Rafael Moreira, & Seattle powerhouse indie singer Garrett Hollbrock. Fab is currently developing, recording and performing with his own solo project Fab’s Soul Garage Experience alongside Stephen Perkins, and several other LA’s music treasures such as soul prince Diimon Meeks & guitar sensation Derek Day, while keeping busy producing blues-rock-soul & alternative projects like Eric Gales feat. Gary Clark Jr, Aaron Keylock, Susan Santos, and many other independent artists. Fab was co-executive producer (and music composer) of the 2017 critically acclaimed award-winning movie-documentary “Sidemen: Long Road to Glory” (Abramorama Distribution), in which the heartfelt and unknown to most history of three very fundamental blues musicians is narrated by Marc Maron, and a large cast of colleague musicians pays tribute to their idols. He was also writer/producer for the music of the WWF Women of Wrestling TV show (FOX, UPN 13, USA syndicated). He also featured his own music compositions on the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen TV show “Two of a kind” (ABC) [38], on Las Vegas (NBC), and on the Sony Pictures “Stealth” featuring Jamie Foxx, where he teamed up with Glenn Hughes, Chad Smith & John Frusciante for a stunning rendition of the Moody Blues “Knights in white satin”.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Smooth ride? Not at all. Nothing is a smooth ride when you are a musician, regardless of your social position, how much money your family has, or even who your father or mother are, it comes a point where and when you’ll have to deal with the reality of world out there. He took me years to finalize my immigration status in the US, jumping from one working Visa to the next renewal, up to the moment I was granted a green card x extraordinary abilities. I didn’t have a past in this country, nor I knew anyone, I couldn’t relay on the safety network of friends and/or family, and then we’ll have all the possible downturns dictated by the nature of the music business, and by countless nefarious characters that are populating it. I am sure that in any other sector there are controversies and obstacles, but the entertainment world is especially known for it. I did however met incredible people and artists, that made it all worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am basically a music producer who produces records and live events (from shows to full tours, festivals, private events, etc.), which combined with being a writer and a performer (I play bass and sing) covers al lot of the positions the music business as to offer. I recently got more involved with the marketing aspect of music for both independent and renowned artists and the content creation that goes along with it, specially the visual aspect of it. I did produce lots of video clips and lived DVD for other artists in the past, but recently I see myself getting more and more involved behind the camera and in the editing room. In my world, I am mostly renowned for several production credits (exp George Clinton and P Funk, Steve Vai, Steve Lukather, Glenn Hughes, Eric Gales, Gary Clark Jr, etc.) and for my bands: my all-stars Supersonic Blues Machine, and my brand new solo outfit Soul Garage Experience. I am proud of all my work, but I guess the fact that I am coming from a different country, and I ended up meeting and collaborating with most of the artists I grew up listening to, and actually enjoy a deep bound of friendship with several of these very influential artists, is definitely a major badge of honor. I am always going for MY sound, and even though I am, just like everyone else, inspired by lots of other artists, I always try to find MY way to get things done, one way or another.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risks are a necessary factor for advancement in life. Whereas in personal life, work, or for artistic endeavors, there’s always a moment when you’re confronted with two options (sometimes more), where one is the safe and secure bet, and the other one is more like….the wild card. Generally though, I’ve experienced that higher the risk, higher the payback. It generally doesn’t work out most of the time, but when it does it makes it all worth it. I took a lot of risks in my life and still taking them, like leaving a comfy life of well-paid side musician in Italy to come to the US and start my own thing and do things my way. I’ve started a band five years ago that within two years was headlining some of the world’s biggest Blues & Rock Festivals, with a very high rate of gratification from media and fans alike, which could have easily folded and possibly majorly tarnish my reputation in the Blues-Rock world. And now I am at it again with my solo effort Soul Garage Experience, where I’ve decided to go independently about it, against all the odds, and already reaping the fruits of such a sacrifice. Believe in yourself, always remind yourself that the journey is just as important as the destination, and do things for your own fulfillment even if it means going against the grain, and basically what feels right and makes you happy, not because someone might criticize you about.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.fabriziogrossi.com, www.supersonicbluesmachine.com
- Instagram: SoulGarageFab, SupersonicBluesMachine
- Facebook: SoulGarageFab, SupersonicBluesMachine
- Twitter: SoulGarageFab
- Youtube: Fabrizio Grossi & Soul Garage Experience, Supersonic Blues Machine OFFICIAL
Image Credits
Adam Kennedy, Roland, Linda J Tveiten & Alex Solca.
