Formed in 2012 by guitarist Giovanni Cacioppo, the multi-cultural M.oo.K Ensemble ( a.k.a. Music Of Our Kind ) has charmed audiences with its colourful mix of jazz, Ethiopian and contemporary classical music, at established venues and events including the House of Commons, Southbank Centre, Union Chapel and London African Music Festival.
Their début LP, ‘Music of our Kind’, was released in February 2015.
Embodying the spirit of London’s musical life, the M.oo.K Ensemble was created to explore the cultural mixing pot of the city through composition and improvisation. Drawing on his diverse day-to-day experiences and meetings, guitarist and composer Giovanni Cacioppo began investigating the various musical styles and cultures around him, with the aim of producing honest compositions representative of the rich tapestry of the city.
The five UK-based performers who make up M.oo.K together create a unique combination of musical colours, drawing on their individual backgrounds. Woven together with a modern jazz approach, classical orthodox Ethiopian chant meets highly-controlled free improvisation delivered with a Western classical sensibility.
Personnel:
Giovanni Cacioppo – guitars
John Garner – violin
Peter Hutchison – double bass
Daniel Harding Israelsen – drums
Haymanot Tesfa – vocals
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Josh Green @ Konk Studios,
London, 9th November 2014
All music written by G. Cacioppo
Track 1,4,7 arranged by M.oo.K Ensemble
All Lyrics except track 7 [ trad.] written by H. Tesfa
Giovanni Cacioppo 