Biography

Andre Tonelli is a guitarist, composer, producer, and teacher renowned around the world. His music has been heard by milions, either performed live, on radio stations worldwide, or at other events. Despite his young age, he is one of the pioneers of a new way of viewing the role and responibilities of an artist, and is a true renaissance man of music: he writes, produces, performs, and markets his music and is one of the few modern musicians completely dedicated to his art and able to maintain his valued artistic and commercial freedom.

Being called "a true modern day guitar hero" and a musical prodigy" by some of the most respected voices in the press and radio has done little to distract him from his focus, which remains the creation and performance of beautiful and inspiring music.

At 29, he has performed in 4 continents, shared the stage with some of the biggest names in the industry, sold his records all around the world, and is getting ready for guitar world domination with his full lenght instrumental debut record Power World Fantastic, out now. While obviously rooted in rock music, he has succesfully escaped being labeled as a one-dimensional artist, and PWF is a testimony of his incredible artistic individuality.

Vision And Discipline

Andre's musical adventure started at age 15. By the time he was 17 he had already played with his band Jar in most of the major clubs and stages in Milan, his native town, and was featured in the local press as a "guitar prodigy". Two years later he moved to California where he finished his studies (Psychology) and relentlesssly pursued mastery of his instrument by dedicating between 6 and 10 hours a day to studying.

"My approach to technique and physical development on the instrument has always been as a function of expression. For some people, little technique is enough to express what they feel inside. I tend to have all kinds of different inspirational moments, and some of them require a deep understanding of the musical and technical aspect of the instrument. Technique and melodic beauty are not in contrast. They share a common ground, and when their coexistence is nurtured, beautiful things can happen. I think walking this fine line has always been a crucial aspect of my playing."

After sharing the stage and collaborating with some of the biggest names in the rock world, Andre is now focusing on the creation of instrumental music that embodies his vision. "I see instrumental music as an incredible vehicle of expression. It lacks vocals, but it has an integrity and a capacity for evoking emotions in people that is unparalleled by most 'regular' popular music."

""Few things can move and inspire you like that. I always think of instrumental music as a painting. If the painting is good, it will pull you in and you'll discover yourself through it. Conventional vocal music is more like a movie. There are some incredible movies out there, but somehow, it robs you of some of the imaginative joy and depth. In the end it really boils down to recognizing our talents and finding an avenue that lets you materialize your inspiration. For me, instrumental music seems to be the main outlet."

Freedom and Independence

One aspect that sets Andre apart from most of the younger generation of musicians is his polymathic musical knowledge. Andre records and produces his own music, as well as other artists from all over the world, when his schedule allows.

"I am very fortunate in that I enjoy very good relationships with some very creative people in the technology and music industries in general, such as the people at Digidesign, and obviously with Ramos Guitars and many others.

"I am constantly gravitating around it and this shapes your perception of the role an artist should have in this time and age. If I have contributed anything to my musical generation, it is that you can be in control of your artistic production and don't need to hand it over to anybody else. This was almost impossible to do in the past (Prince is one of the only ones who could pull it off back then) but it is a clear possibility these days."

This creative and productive freedom obviously carries responsibilities and long hours of work. Distribution and marketing are obviously harduous tasks. "I sometimes spend hours doing things that are not strictly musical, when all I want to do is just go back to my guitar. But when I consider the freedom I enjoy, the price I pay is still very small. You make some mistakes along the way, and you learn from them, finding the weak links in the system. It is all part of the vision though. I don't see this kind of work as "separate" from the creative aspect of my life."

The Journey Continues

There probably are as many definitions for Andre's music as there are listeners, but all seem to agree that it is the depth of the musical experience, together with its accessibility, that sets it apart from the rest.

These traits are perfectly reflected in the Andre Tonelli Signature Model Guitar, made by Jose Ramos for Ramos Guitars. The instrument, which took 8 months to complete, represents the perfect union of innovation, comfort, inspiration and, obviously, sound.

"This project is someting very special for me. When Jose approached me, I had been in contact with different known companies regarding endorsements, but I never felt good enough about it to commit myself. Then the phone rang and he asked me if I would be interested in creating a guitar. After seeing some of his guitars, I knew the quality was there, and when he guaranteed me complete control over the instrument, there was nothing to hold me back."

"Working with such a talented individual has been a great gift and the guitar is a perfect materialization of my vision. Needless to say, this wouldn't have been possible without Jose."

With the first guitar barely out of the shop, guitarists from all over the world are already contacting Ramos Guitars to order a AT Signature Model. Considering each guitar is completely hand made, Jose will have his work cut out for him for the next few years...

The future is looking bright and hopelessly hectic for Andre, who is now busy diistributing and promoting Power World Fantastic, released worldwide through conventional and unconventional channels...