History of my band 　　 　　Leo and L'Orca met in the Pianura Padana of northern Italy in 1990. They were playing together in a promising band influenced by new wave English groups of the late 1980's and by the Italian post new wave scene. The group licensed a few demos and played extensively until the middle of 1992. 　　At this time Leo and Ric started experimenting acoustic sets. The wind was rapidly changin'; the need for a different sound led soon to drastic line-up changes; the keyboards were definitively abandoned while the guitar became the leading instrument. After a trip to the USA in 1992, the discovery of the Seattle sound, influenced the future artistic journey. With the new name of Godiva, they played in the north of Italy from 1993 to 1995. In the same years, an original acoustic repertoire was steadily growing, and performed live in separate unplugged gigs. In 1995, during the recording sessions of their first CD, the group members went down different roads (godiva music package). 　　 　　The unplugged activity was instead carried out intermittently until 2003, when Leo and L'Orca decided to give a new impulse to this world, working under the name of The Trees. After a couple of years spent in Vancouver (BC), L'Orca was greatly inspired to tell new stories. These were fused together with the mellow sound of the acoustic guitar, and with electronic loops in their first work: "Del Vecchio Continente", in Italian. L'Orca left for Cleveland, OH in the middle of 2003. The lyrics changed from Italian to English. The sound evolved gradually; from electronic drums accompanying acoustic ballads, to electronic insertions and noises crossing the path traced by the words in the new work "Cherry Blossom", released in 2005. 　　 　　The CD contains tracks dated up to the middle of 2004, and is presented in two parts: Indian Summer, with the acoustic imprinting of the origins, and Turning Leaves, strongly contaminated with electronic influences. All the tracks are stories of life. Indian Summer tells the end of a broken love story with the illusion to recover it before it fells apart, just like the few warm days that anticipate the cold winter. Turning Leaves are some other girls catching fire and disappearing, just like the color of the leaves. There are also few snapshots of English life, resulting of Leo's experience in UK. The contact with the Cleveland music scene has had significant consequences on L'Orca's singing style and to the entire sound of the group. The work of L'Orca and Leo at opposite ends of the ocean, has led to a mix of different musical impressions and musical compositions, influenced by two different cultures. 　　2006 brought in the collaboration of the band with Jennifer Gray, a talented singer from Cleveland, OH, and Paolo Pansera, a published photographer from Bergamo, Italy. In September the band releases East West Center World. A work more oriented towards electronic sounds, evolving from Turning Leaves. 　　The opening track Dead Raccoon is the testimony of a mind status. It was written in Washington, DC, while sitting on the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial, similar to Mont Martre from the first CD which was written while sitting on stairs in Paris, watching the city go by. All of the other songs are love stories which talk about human discoveries and searching for love. Paolo Pansera gives his own interpretation of the music of the band through his pictures taken from the East side of the globe. 　　The second half of the year represents a period of total collaboration with different artists for the band. While L'Orca continued his activities with people in Cleveland (among them a couple of new songs with AJ with whom he recorded In my house for Cherry Blossom), Leo gets in contact with an old friend, Vitto, who also played a few acoustic songs with the Trees at the CD release party on Garda Lake. 　　The result of L'Orca's many collaborations is El Pirata Del Mediterraneo, his first solo CD. 　　In 2007 L'Orca moves back to the old continent. The band joins the group GAAM Factory, a collaboration of artists from different fields (food, art, music and fashion). 　　 　　 　　About the songs of El Pirata Del Mediterraneo 　　 　　Pequena llena de amour - The summer of 2005 was full of passion. There 　　was a secret place where we used to meet late in the night. Madison, the 　　apartment complex where I lived was the playground for our story made of 　　trust, fear, compassion, misunderstandings, fights and, probably, lies 　　(I have not yet figured out). I thought nobody would have made me loose 　　it but she did. For sure she was able to surprise me every day with 　　something new and maybe one day I will write everything she told me as 　　if it were something worthy to share. 　　 　　Mi manchi - At the beginning of 2005, I had a long distance 　　relationship. The lyrics of this song are phone messages sent by her. 　　They also refer to my passion for the puppies and my continuous visits 　　to the pet shop, and to the beautiful love story of Antonio and Sonia. 　　During those months, her brother lived and worked with me in Cleveland. 　　 　　Quanto te amo - This was part of my first never released solo CD 　　"Indian Summer", and it is one of the songs that never made it to The 　　Trees' 　　first CD, "Cherry Blossom" - I think it was too personal to be part of 　　it. 　　It talks about my love for Vancouver, BC and my last period when we left 　　to go back to Italy. It is one of the first songs I wrote in Cleveland, 　　during probably the darkest period of my life. Is not it funny? My first 　　six months in Cleveland were the worst six months of my life. The last 　　six months have been the best six months of my life... 　　 　　Good man / In my pyjama - At the beginning of 2005, I visited my beloved 　　city Vancouver, BC. It was the first time that I was there by myself. It 　　was a very tough experience. We had our usual BBQ at Richard and Sue's 　　house and I had the opportunity to see some of my old friends. I stayed 　　at Richard and Barbara's too. I have to thank them both for helping me 　　go through the healing process. For this and for your friendship, I love 　　you 　　guys. 　　 　　La suerte es loca - This is a real story, something that really 　　happened to Gianni. Who else other than John could recite it for me on 　　this CD? 　　 　　Esperanza - Hope The summer of 1995 was a very intense period to write 　　music. I was mainly playing acoustic sets with Marco. Leo was not 　　playing with us anymore. We wrote and recorded this song that talks 　　about common visions among friends. It is one of the two songs I ever 　　wrote that talks about the passion for the people of my same 　　astrological sign. 　　I would have wanted Parker to sing it and I ended up working with 　　Melissa. 　　Jesse put a few magnificent arrangements into it and Mike also gave a 　　kick to it with his drums. The lead guitar is still the same, since ten 　　years ago. 　　 　　Grandetetta - In the end of 1995, I wrote this song that 　　talks about the dreams my friend Gianni and I have in common. During 　　this time, he was in 　　a crisis with Robby. The song was originally played and recorded by 　　Marco and Gabri, 　　during the last period of L'Orca's previous band Godiva Acoustic. Mexico 　　was the dream and Mexican food was the taste. We used to go to La Torre 　　Antigua in Bastiglia, Modena and to the La Piedra Del Sol in Bologna. 　　 　　Square house - In December 2005, after seventeen years together, 　　Gianni and Robby got married. The next step will probably be to have 　　kids. I will put their picture on my fridge, together with those of 　　Menoz's kids, those of George's daughter and those of other friend's 　　kids. It seems like that most of my friends are settling down and I keep 　　making the choice to travel the world. 　　 　　Toward Naussa - The song was written at the end of 1994, after a 　　vacation at Parhos, Greek island. That summer was really special. For 　　the first time, I was on vacation with my best friend and my other great 　　friends from Tuscany. For many years I thought that it was the best 　　vacation I ever had. The song was originally played and recorded by the 　　most performing line up of Godiva Acoustic with Marco and Leo. This 　　version has been reinterpreted by Jessse in a Bossanova version. When I 　　listen to it, I remember the beautiful times at the Opa! On West Sixth 　　in 　　Cleveland, where we started our gatherings at the beginning of 2006. 　　Jesse was there, playing for us.