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Gilfema - Biographies One by One

Massimo Biolcati - Acoustic Bass/Composer

Massimo was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Like many young musicians under the heady influences of rock and pop, his first instrument was guitar. Then, another guitar player friend introduced him to jazz. As they practiced together, the other guy was the better player, so Massimo switched to bass, initially exploring the fretless electric instrument. Soon after, he saw an upright jazz bassist in concert and took a keen interest. His father surprised him with an upright of his own and after six months of the de rigeur callouses and pain that come with acquainting one's self with this instrument, he made his first public performance. At 16, he began studying classical upright bass living in Italy, simultaneously finding inspiration in jazz bassists Charlie Haden (for his sound) and Dave Holland (for his facility, compositions and approach to odd meters).

Massimo played music through college. At 21, he studied for two more years back in Sweden before earning a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he honed his craft for an additional five more years, eventually earning his Masters.

Ferenc Nemeth - Drummer/Composer

Ferenc was born in the Southwest of Hungary in the city of Zalacsany. His father was a drummer and young Ferenc began emulating him, intuitively, at the ripe young age of 3. His dad encouraged this, allowing Master Ferenc to sit in his lap to play traditional Hungarian "Chardash" rhythms at celebrations such as weddings and parties, as well as "Fox" dirges on more solemn occasions. Knowing very early that music would be his life's pursuit, Ferenc began to practice in earnest, balancing classical piano study at 12 with playing in a Top 40 band (with a little bossa and samba) as a teen.

Ferenc attended Gyor Classical Music High School , graduated to an Academy in Budapest that had a jazz department. At 22, Ferenc transferred to the Berklee College of Music . While in Boston, he studied with renowned drum teacher Gary Chaffe , who had him wood-shedding on such classic recordings as Miles Davis' Four and More . Ferenc gleaned key inspiration from jazz drumming legends Tony Williams , Elvin Jones and Jack DeJohnette . Ferenc started his Masters at New England Conservatory of Music , finished his Masters in Music (Jazz Performance) in Los Angeles at USC .

Ferenc has also worked with ObliqSound artists Tama Waipara , Leo Tardin's Grand Pianoramax , and Michele Locatelli's Renovation Unlimited .

Lionel (pronounced lee oh nell) was born in Benin, West Africa, which is between Togo and Nigeria. He speaks and sings in the languages Fon (from Benin) and Mina (from Togo). Though he is typically addressed as Gilles (with the French pronunciation "zheels") by everyone in his homeland, outside of Africa, he is known by his traditional first name, Lionel (thanks to the particulars of European and American legal "channels").

Lionel was first drawn to percussion as a child but soon found himself under the spell of his older brother Alesis' guitar playing. "I loved music," he says, "and would have played anything that was available to me. Guitar happened to be the first instrument I could get my hands on." Alesis taught his brother all he could from ages 17-20. Then Lionel began classical guitar studies at the National Institute of Arts in Ivory Coast. At 23, he migrated to Paris' " American School of More than Music ," whose faculty consists primarily of Berklee graduates. A dynamic student and musician, Lionel aced a scholarship to Boston's Berklee College of Music in January 1999.

Beyond Gilfema, Lionel was a participant on Charlie Haden 's Grammy-winning Verve Records album, Land of Song . He has worked with trumpeter Terence Blanchard for the past three years, touring, recording and contributing compositions for his Blue Note Records albums Bounce (2003) and Flow (2005). Lionel has also worked extensively with Herbie Hancock , recording as well as arranging two key numbers for the keyboard giant's forthcoming 2005 release that Rock royalty Sting and Peter Gabriel will sing. In April, Lionel will do a 2-week European acoustic quartet tour with Hancock, who also invited Lionel to sit in with him, Wayne Shorter , Dave Holland and Brian Blade at last year's Tokyo Jazz Festival - a "highlight" of his career thus far.

Much like his Gilfema composition "Tinmin" preaches, Lionel is most impressed with Hancock's and Blanchard's lack of ego when it comes to making music. He takes proud note of the way Blanchard showcases the writing and playing of the musicians in his band. "Terence taught me, 'You hire a musician because you like them. Why hire them and ask them to play different?'" And while working on those vocal arrangements for Hancock, he remembers one quietly profound moment. "I will never forget how he put himself 'down' to serve the music," Lionel shares. "I was blown away when he asked me if I thought some chords he was playing were right in one particular section. I looked at him and said, 'Man, you're the master! I just did the arrangement.' That is the quality of a great musician - no ego."

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