Yesterday and Today, Quintorigo and John De Leo: "The Spirit Is That of the Past"

Jazz meets rock, with a touch of classical music and a dash of experimentation: Quintorigo and John de Leo, in their original lineup, are coming to the Verucchio Music Festival on Friday, following their historic reunion this winter.

Valentino Bianchi, founding member of Quintorigo, this is an important year for you, 'Rospo' has turned 25.

"By then, Quintorigo had already been around for a while; they were an eccentric band, playing in pubs and clubs around Romagna, their first steps. But we were ambitious; we wanted to break into a wider circuit."

And in the end you made it.

"We tried various paths, after all, we were just naive provincial kids. Then, luckily, the opportunity to record our first album came along, and from there began six wonderful years that led us to play all over Italy."

Then what happened?

"As in all the best families, there was a separation, and it was a disappointment for the public. It was a painful separation for us too, both for those who continued the Quintorigo project and for those who pursued their usual careers. As the years passed, we began to follow each other from afar, with that hint of curiosity that eventually led to our reunion."

How was it seeing you all back together after years?

"The reunion was in the air, but no one had the courage to take the first step, so the label took over. They contacted us about a reissue of Rospo, a pretext for then daring to ask us to play a few concerts together. That was the spark; initially it was supposed to be a short tour."

Expectations have been overturned.

"Yes, because the public response was embarrassing, but in a positive way: the fans came back, aged like us, bringing their children."

What was it like playing together again?

"There are undoubtedly elements of continuity with what we were; today we are more mature and have greater skill with the instruments, but in the end, we are still ourselves, in a revisited and updated way."

Has your approach to music changed?

"It's always the same: open, contaminated, and respectful of the past, but experimental. It's an honest approach, because in the end we've never compromised with the market."

Is 'Rospo' still a current work?

"It's a well-crafted and successful product, and I don't think it's lost any of its value. Today, music is often made by artificial intelligence in a shoddy manner. Rospo is a living link to the past."

The Verucchio Festival will be a celebration in the heart of your Romagna.

"We'll have the spirit of the past, with the energy that fortunately hasn't abandoned us yet. It will be a special concert, in front of friends, in our homeland, and then the village setting will do the rest."