Artist description Roberto Bignoli, Italy's gospel troubadour, delivers the good news with rhythm and soul!

Music Style Gospel Rock

Artist History Roberto Bignoli of Milano (Italy) He had a passion for music since he was a child, and his artistic career had a start when he was sixteen. He took part in several musical entertainments as well as various pop music festivals, being the backer of many “big” and singing in the streets of Italian and foreign cities getting consent and audience. In 1984, however, thanks to a very strong experience of faith, he decided to undertake as a professional a new musical trend, suggesting by his songs as a singer new subjects of social and religious character. Thus, not only he worked in the typical environments of the show but he also started to sing in schools, churches, prisons, hospitals and in recovery communities, telling the experience of his troubled life and unhappy childhood injured by illness as well as the experiences that had been pushing him towards emptiness and darkness until a Light had come: the light of hope born by Faith. His testimonial is simple and lies in expressing, through music and words, the Love of Christ that can get to the heart of every man who desires to open out to Him. He has already produced several albums of songs and, after four years silence, he then issued with Edizioni Paoline “Tempo di pace”. It is a work rich in musicality along with strong matters where you also feel his desire of telling his own story and the story of the ways he has gone to come to Christ, source of endless Peace, and, along with that, the social disasters that are nowadays upsetting the earth, that are to fight against with true Love. A proposal of songs full of commitment, born by real life and not just by tall talks; an impulse to live the evangelic message deeply inside and to embrace with strength the faith in God and in his providence to finally attain the long desired peace: peace among all men and peace in the heart of every man. One of the pieces making up the collection is “Concerto a Sarajevo”, dedicated to the children who were victim of the wars and in particular to Mons. Tonino Bello on the occasion of the peace march held in Sarajevo together with the association “Beati costruttori di Pace” (Blessed fighting for peace). He gave concerts all over Italy as well as in Europe, Switzerland, Malta, U.S.A., Canada, Central and Latin America and Argentina. He took part in various International Festivals of contemporary christian music, e.g. DAVID (Spain) BANUEV (Argentina) - HOSANNA (Florida, U.S.A.) – CHRISTIAN ARTS (Holland) – MAGNIFICAT (Italy) GOSPEL JUBILEE FESTIVAL (Italy) – MEETING INTERNAZIONALE DEI GIOVANI (International Youth Meeting, Italy) - SANREMO CRISTIANA (Italy) – IL MONDO CANTA MARIA (Schio –Italy) – GESU’ IN CONCERTO (Acquarossa-Svizzera) – JMJ PARIGI – GMG Roma. Many mass-media such as Radio, Televisions (domestic as well as international) and newspapers, both catholic and secular, have talked about him. Roberto has been the promoter of international festivals of christian music and art director of compilations of international christian music. He is also the author of Radio Maria’s jingle “Ballata per Maria” available also in Spanish (Balada por Maria). As an art director he contributed to four international compilations of christian artists, two of which ecumenical, and organized concerts of international christian music. Roberto has issued six CD and his last cd, that is multimedial is called “Ho bisogno di te” (I need you). Roberto took part to the following events : Music Life – Roma 1989 Il nostro canto libero Milano 1991 – Lecce 1992 Multifestival David (Spagna) 1993 – 1994 –1999 Multifestival Hosanna (Florida-Usa) 1994 Multifestival Magnificat (Italia) 1994 – 1995 - 1996 Multifestival Banuev (Argentina) 1995 Christian Artist Festival (Olanda) 1998 Festival des Jubilaums Singen(Germania) 2000 Meeting Internazionale dei giovani (Schio-VI) 1999 – 2000 Il mio Dio canta giovane(Assisi) 1988 - 1996 Sanremo Cristiana (Sanremo) 1999 JMJ Parigi 1996 Meeting dei Giovani – Pompei 1997 Jubille Gospel Festival 1999 Convegno Nazionale “Giovani Verso Assisi” 2000 GMG Tor Vergata Roma – per i volontari 12 Agosto 2000 Chapel Millenium Malta 2000 Il Re dei Versi 2000 Insieme per un mondo d’amore Acquarossa Ticino CH 2000 2001 Il mondo canta Maria 2001 Festival dei giovani cristiani Bolzen – Bulgaria 2001 Festival Wessobrunn Germania 2001

Albums Ho bisogno di Te

Press Reviews "Ho bisogno di te" ("I need you") by Roberto Bignoli: a CD that “embraces you” "Ho bisogno di te" (I need you) is the title of the latest multimedia CD from Roberto Bignoli, without a doubt one of Italy’s best known Christian inspired singer songwriters. More than simply a compact disc, this piece of work can probably be best defined as “a dialogue” in which Roberto speaks directly to the hearts of the listeners through his songs. He confides in them and offers himself to them both as a friend as well as a performer. The result is a CD that is packed full of emotions and different messages, leaving the listener far from indifferent. Roberto’s voice hits home hard, questioning the soul and forcing a point of discussion right from album’s outset and from its very first notes. The CD’s opening track, entitled “Cosa c’e” (What is there) addresses all those individuals who are experiencing a period of difficulty and suffering. "Parlati e capirai", (Speak and you’ll understand” sings Roberto, in an invitation to the listener to look inside oneself and to “erase the badness from within one’s own heart”. It is precisely this badness that bestows unrest upon man. But it is not an enemy that cannot be defeated. Robert uses the imagery of a big field, where each and every one of us is invited to “sew love”. In the end the result is that only the good fruits will be harvested and the moments of darkness will remain as nothing more than just a bad memory. The next track, “Blues cielo blue” (Blues blue sky”) is a Franciscan type message of praise to the Lord, put together through the music and chords of blues music: "Holy is His name. Everlasting is his glory. He is faithful and renders every justice. All of you young men and women praise Him. All of you, sun, moon and stars, praise Him”. The next track is a moving and touching piece that turns to Jesus and Our Blessed Lady, imagining them as “Travelling companions”. In this song Roberto invites the listener to become aware of the presence of God in our daily lives, to trust in Him and allow Him to accompany us along our journey: “You who colours the history of the world. You who gathers up all of my poverty. Now I know that I need no longer live in fear, in Your house of love”. The conversation with the listener continues and touches points of great tenderness, gentleness and intimacy in “Desiderata” (“Desired”). More than just a song, it is a whispered monologue, similar in style to the presentation of Rudyard Kipling’s “If”: “Whatever your battles and inspirations may be, preserve the peace with your soul” says Roberto. “Cultivate the strength of the spirit, in order to defend yourself against sudden misfortune. But do not torment yourself with your imagination. Many fears are born of tiredness and of loneliness”. The desire to find peace in meeting the Lord, which is the underlying theme of the entire album, is expressed perfectly in the next track entitled “Ho bisogno di te” (“I need you”). The words describe splendidly our position as “offspring”, who cannot survive without the affection of our heavenly father: “I need you. Please come soon. I’m waiting for You. You are the law of the heart. Everything by now is fulfilled. There is need of you here now. You know that I dream of a world that is perfect, just as You are”. The next number “Le lacrime di Dio” (“The tears of God”) contains a powerful message of hope. Roberto offers us some snapshots of the ills of this world: women who are exploited and abused, poverty, desperation, war, children who are slaughtered and missiles that rain down onto their homes. Despite all of this, Roberto asks us once again to remember the presence of a Father who accompanies us from heaven above. “I have dreamt about the Lord’s tears. I dreamt about them falling from the skies. And each and every tear that dropped, every tear that fell was a sign of hope being born”. The awareness of the presence of God, that heals the wounds of the world, reverberates in the cry “There is God” in the song “Angeli” (“Angels”). Roberto appeals precisely to these heavenly guardians of ours to announce the breath of a wind that brings life: “Spirit who enters me, with all the love there is, save me from this world because I want to sing for you. Angels, you who are always by my side, give me the imagination with which to imagine a better world. Continue to sing and dream that there is God”. The last two tracks are very simple but truly beautiful declarations of love. The first “Ti amo” (I love you) turns once more to God, who “hides in order to be found”. Roberto invites us to see the Lord in all creation: “I love you in the morning when, in a trance, I look at all those things that You have created, in the wind and in the sun. I see Your face in the dawn and in the sunset, reflected on the surface of the sea”. “I love you” he goes on “as a poet who loves his bride” and then “I love you in every brother of every race and every nation”. The second declaration of love is dedicated to the Our Lady: “Blues per Maria” (“Blues for Mary”. It would have been impossible for Robert to find a better-suited number with which to bring this album, which is constantly uplifting our hearts towards heaven, to its conclusion. He sings “Mary, doorway to heaven. Mary, sweetest perfume. Make it so that we can enter the garden of Your Paradise and rejoice in Your triumph. In this world swathed in darkness, that is in need of the light of God, Mary save this humanity.” The compact disc however does not end here, for in addition to the nine tracks, it also contains a multimedia presentation with video, photos and information on Robert, in English, Italian and Spanish. Amongst these is a beautiful presentation produced for a RAI (Italian State TV) in which Roberto tells his own story. In other words, “Ho bisogno di te” (“I need you”) is a ‘whole’ work that is of an extremely professional and high standard, not just for the beauty of its lyrics and its musical composition, but also because of the amount care taken with the different arrangements and in how the sounds have been presented. On a personal note they reminded me of the tasteful works of the Italian artist, Fabrizio De Andre’s live performances with the Premiata Forneria Marconi band, also well known in Italy. An additional qualitative touch appears in the form of beautiful black and white photographs that have been reproduced in a small album that accompanies the compact disc. They are powerful, moving and touching images that sum up the messages contained in the words of the song. I believe that this CD represents the moment of maturity of an artist who, over a period of many years now, has continued to give us the present of emotions. It is a work that totally “envelopes” its listeners, embracing them and involving them on a variety of different emotional levels: from pleasure derived from the beautiful melodies, to the constant prompting to reflect brought about by the song’s lyrics. My sincerest wish is that this CD achieves the success it truly deserves, not just because of the quality of the work, but also in recognition to Roberto Bignoli’s unrelenting commitment to Christian music, both Italian and international. During the last month I have had a chance to spend a little time with Roberto, getting to know both him and his family. The thing that struck me most, in addition to his music, is the honest, enthusiastic and positive way in which he talks about his fellow Christian singer songwriters. In a world such as the one in which we live today, often characterized by envy and social climbing, this is evidently a detail that cannot be ignored. This is just one more thing that is worthy of a mention, and to be added to the curriculum of a great artist.

Location Milan, Milano - Italy

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