Biography
Born in Rome in 1953, Roberto starts to play the guitar at the age of 12, devoting himself immediately to Delta Blues and Electric Rock-Blues.
1970. Works with the Jazz/Rock band "Blue Morning" together with tenor saxophonist Maurizio Giammarco.
After this experience he continued as a session man, working with top Italian artist such as Francesco De Gregori and Edoardo Bennato.
Is Bennato's live band leader until 1977.
1972. Studies the Dobro guitar.
As a solo artist Roberto Ciotti and with his band partecipates in all main Blues festivals in Italy (Pistoia) and in Europe (Berlin, Lucerne, Hamburg, Montreux), and also plays with Brian Auger, Jerry Ricks, Louisiana Red, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Willie Littlefield.
1980. Opens the italian concerts of Bob Marley at the San Siro Stadium in Milan and at the Turin Delle Alpi Stadium.
1983/1984. Works with Ginger Baker as lead guitarist of his band touring Italy and U.S.A.
1989. Roberto and his band successfully tour the USSR.
Appears many times on italian TV programmes, his videos are regularly broadcasted by italian music television channels (DOC), Videomusic, MTV, on medium and high rotation.
Awarded the "Giovani & Giovani-Roccella Jonica" and the "Platea Oro" prizes for the Soundtrack to the film "Marrakech Express" directed by Gabriele Salvatores. Salvatores will win the Academy Award for Best Foreign film with "Mediteraneo" in 1991.
1990. Records the soundtrack of the movie "Turnè", directed by Gabriele Salvatores in New York with Tommy Mandel (ex Dire Straits) on keyboards, Andy Herman (ex John Cale band) on bass and Joe Trump on drums.
Records with Edoardo Bennato the acoustic album "Edo Rinnegato" appearing with him on several main TV programmes.
1992. Roberto Ciotti produces for Gala Records his new album "Road 'n' Rail".
From this new album, film director Wilma Labate takes part of the soundtrack for her new movie "Ambrogio" (with Anita Ekberg and Francesca Antonelli).
He appeares at the "Bellinzona" festival and "Schaffausen"festival (Switzerland).
In september Gala Records releases Roberto's album "King of nothing" which is also the soundtrack of the film "Il tempo del ritorno" directed by Lucio Lunerti and winner of the "De Sica" award at the Sorrento Film Festival in
1993. To promote the album he has appears live with his band on "Roxy Bar" and "Tribù", two of the most popular shows on Italian T.V.
1995. The film "L'anno prossimo vado a letto alle dieci" directed by Angelo Orlando is released, and not only did Roberto writes the soundtrack to this film, but he performs as himself in the film.
In July he appeares at the "Pistoia Blues Festival" again, this time along side Bo Didley, Ry Cooder, and other great names from the Blues world, and in August is in Vadouz (Leichtenstein) at the "Little Big One" Festival, together with Luther Allison, Maceo Parker, Bob Geldof and Joe Cocker.
1996. He is on an Italian tour with the Heineken Music Club - "Frankfurt Jazz Festival" on the 7th of July.
He produces "Changes" for the daily newspaper "Il Manifesto" - sold 25.000 copies.
1997/1998. Italian tour (Ostia Fest, Isola Liri, Testaccio Village), Festival Mediterraneo best Blues artist.
1999. Produces a new CD "Walking " and Video for the daily newspaper"Il Manifesto".
2000. Concert in Switzerland end Tour in Italy (Big Featival "Villa Celimontana", "Pistoia Blues" ecc..)
2001. Special TV on ARD German Channel on the 5th of August. Interview and live concert
2002. New CD in May "Behind the door" - Tour in Italy - Festival Jazz "Villa Celimontana"
2003. Appears at Philips Dubai international festival with Billy Cobham and others.
"No More Blue" is among the biggest hits of soul music in the compilation "Il Volo" together with Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers and others.
2004. Tours Italy at the best open-air concerts.
Is guest in a TV show "Cominciamo bene" on Rai3
2005. Still in tour all over in Italy and became Art Director of "Eur Blues Festival" in Rome.
2006. Is at the "Festival of Jazz" in Abu Dabhi in April.
2007. Appears on the extra contents of the DVD "Missisippi Blues"(by Tavernier) with a fifteen minute interview and an unplugged song.
Writes a biography: "Unplugged" and the book is published by Castelvecchi Editore, including an unplugged audio CD "Best Of" in attachment. Sold nationwide.
Currently is preparing new songs with the band for new CD.
Tours Brasil with 3 shows in Porto Alegre and appears on the TV "Globo del Sud".
DISCOGRAPHY:
SUPERGASOLINE BLUES - Cramps/Phonogram 1978
BLUESMAN - Cramps/Phonogram 1979
ROCKIN' BLUES - RCA 1982
NO MORE BLUE - Time Music/BMG Ariola 1989
ROAD'N'RAIL - Gala Records 1992
MARRAKECH EXPRESS - TURNE' (original soundtrack) BMG Ariola 1992
ROAD'N'RAIL (VERSIONE INGLESE) Prestige Records 1993
KING OF NOTHING - Gala Records 1994
CHANGES - Il Manifesto 1996
WALKING Il Manifesto 1999
BEHIND THE DOOR Il Manifesto 2002
“UNPLUGGED” Castelvecchi 2007
COLLABORATIONS:
BLUE MORNING - Blue Morning - It/RCA 1972
SAIGON - Francesco De Gregori . RCA 1973
LA TORRE DI BABELE - Edoardo Bennato - Ricordi 1976
BURATTINO SENZA FILI - Edoardo Bennato - Ricordi 1977
CONCERTO PER DEMETRIO STRATOS - Artisti Vari - 1979
EDO RINNEGATO - Edoardo Bennato - Virgin 1990
IL VOLO - compilation -Edel -2003