ABOUT MICHELE SANNELLI

After the classical studies at Conservatory “E.R. Duni” of Matera (2012), where he graduated in Percussion with top marks and a Master degree at Milan's Conservatory “G. Verdi” (2017), Michele Sannelli got a master degree in Jazz Music – Jazz Drums and Percussion, specializing in vibraphone with Andrea Dulbecco, with a final grade of 110/110 with honors.

He is the winner of several awards, including: First Prize at the 2022 National “Chicco Bettinardi” Competition of the Piacenza Jazz Club (also receiving the Audience Award), and Second Prize at the 13th European Jazz Contest Burghausen 2023 (Germany) with Michele Sannelli & The Gonghers, a prog jazz quintet performing his original music; Second Prize at the 2022 online contest of the Percussive Arts Society Italy (jazz vibraphone category), and First Prize at the 2023 Conservatory of Milan Prize (Jazz category); Third Prize at the Bill Evans Awards by Musikante.

In 2019, he attended the Siena Jazz Summer International Workshops.
Over the years, he has participated in masterclasses with Mike Mainieri, Joe Locke, Bobby Watson, Joe Chambers, Ed Saindon, and attended the Orsara Jazz courses in 2016.

As jazz vibraphonist, he has recorded several albums for Dodicilune, the magazine Musica Jazz (July 2024 issue featuring What Love with Roberto Ottaviano), and Da Vinci Publishing (with the Monique Chao Jazz Orchestra), as well as performing at numerous festivals including Castroreale Jazz, Locomotive Jazz, Piacenza Jazz Fest, Gezziamoci, Bari in Jazz, Orsara Jazz Festival, JAZZMI, Novara Jazz, Bergamo Jazz, Musiche Corsare, and Quarna Musica.
He has also performed with Antonio Faraò, Marco Colonna, Ralph Alessi, Max Ionata, Dario Deidda, Daniele Scannapieco, Pasquale Fiore, Bebo Ferra, Riccardo Fioravanti, Vince Abbracciante, and many others.

He currently collaborates with the italian-argentinean Javier Girotto in an original music project of his own creation called Mediterranean Waves (featuring Simone Locarni on piano, Enrico Palmieri on double bass, and Antonio Marmora on drums). With this group, he has performed at Bari in Jazz and Piacenza Jazz, and is scheduled to appear at the 65th edition of the Stresa Festival on July 23. He also collaborates with Roberto Ottaviano, performing in projects such as Good Vibes, Eternal Love, and What Love over the past two years at festivals including Castroreale Jazz, Zafferana Etnea, Locomotive Jazz, and Musiche Corsare in Bari.

He is a member of the Milan-based collective Deaf Kaki Chumpy, with whom he experiments with acoustic instruments and malletstation in a mix of prog, jazz, rock, folk, and electronic music, and of the Monique Chao Jazz Orchestra, a modern jazz big band whose debut album Time Chamber received 4.5 stars from DownBeat and was recognized among the “Best Jazz Albums of 2024” by Musica Jazz.

He is the artistic director of the emerging festival Sotto le Stelle del Jazz in Laterza (TA).

ABOUT GONGHERS

The Gonghers were born as a project for the master degree of the Apulian vibraphonist Michele Sannelli at Milan’s Conservatory "G. Verdi" in 2017. 

He wanted to merge the two genres that most used to love: jazz and prog rock. The quintet resumes the sound first electric of prog rock band Pierre Moerlen's Gong, and then develops it, with inserts of modern jazz and contemporary aesthetics, into more personal sound with tunes of own composition.

In February 2022 Michele and his Gonghers won the First Prize and the Audience Prize at “Chicco Bettinardi” National Award 2022 for the new talented jazz musicians by Piacenza Jazz Club.

In december 2022 the band released Inner Tales, the debut album, containing seven original tunes composed and arranged by Michele, published by WoW Records.

At the beginning of 2023 the most important italian jazz magazine Musica Jazz mentioned Michele and his Gonghers in two special charts: cat. “Band of the year” (11th place) as well as cat. “Album of the year” (11th) referring to 2022.

In February 23 the quintet has been guest of Piazza Verdi broadcast by RAI Radio3, the biggest national television, where Michele spoked about the new album and his music and performed some of their tunes.

In March 2023 The Gonghers were selected among the 5 finalist bands form 60 applications from 20 countries of the 13th European Burghausen Jazz Award (Germany) and won the Second Prize.

The band performed in some venues and festivals: LUMe Jazz in Milan, Femi, JAZZMI, B-Art festival, Novara Jazz, Piacenza Jazz Fest, Bergamo Jazz, Gezziamoci and Ginosa jazz Fest.

A new sound, close to New York jazz but never neglecting odd time signatures and minimalist jazz rock inspiration, was created with the addition of Sala on tenor sax and effects instead of guitar. This led to "A New Start," which will be released in the coming months.