Born in 1968, Paolo Sorge is a guitarist and composer from Catania, since thirty years he explores the musical field of improvisation with collateral interests in jazz, popular music, radical improvisation, film music for silent movies, soundscape composition, the method of conduction applied to music education, and composition for various ensembles, from electric guitar quartet to jazz orchestra. After having lived and worked for twelve years in Rome, in 2003 he returned to his homeland Sicily where his career started. 

In all these years Paolo Sorge has recorded and collaborated with many different musicians, like Michel Godard, Butch Morris (Bologna, Angelica Festival 2006), Keith Tippett, Don Byron, Elliott Sharp, Andy Sheppard, Guillermo Klein, Mark Turner, Fabrizio Bosso, Gianluigi Trovesi, Alfio Antico. He obtained a degree in composition (conservatory of Perugia, 1998) and in jazz (conservatory of Latina, 2001).

Besides working as a performing and recording artist, Paolo Sorge became very active as an educator in the jazz and improvisation field.

Presently he teaches jazz guitar at the conservatory “Alessandro Scarlatti” in Palermo. 

He is one of the founders of the artists collective and record label Improvvisatore Involontario 

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Press quotes about Paolo:

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«Il suono al centro: sembra questo il proposito di Paolo Sorge. Un suono limpido, ampio, corposo, che riempie gli spazi e li pervade di un sottofondo melodico e a tratti lirico»

 

«The sound at the centre: this seems to be the purpose of Paolo Sorge. A clear, broad, full-bodied sound that fills the spaces and pervades them with a melodic and at times lyrical background»

(Flavio Caprera about Triplain – Jazz Convention, luglio 2017)

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«...assolutamente avvincente il vocabolario adottato, carico di libertà espressiva…e poi ci sono schegge tematiche visionarie, fantasia e rischio»

 

«...absolutely compelling the vocabulary adopted, loaded with expressive freedom… and then there are fragments of visionary themes, fantasy and risk»
(Luciano Vanni about Ringlike - JAZZIT sett/ott 2015)

 

«...qui si è al cospetto di grande jazz, di grande musica. Sapori, giocosità, pensiero, originalità in misura rarissima a trovarsi»

 

«...here you are in the presence of great jazz, great music. Flavors, playfulness, thought, originality in a very rare measure to find»
(Mario Gamba about Slow Food – Alias 2007)

 

«Un irresistibile mèlange di tziganate, urla animalesche, estenuanti tour de force tra trombone e chitarra sostengono il ritmo incessante

di unʼimprovvisazione senza rete, di un gioco di contrappunti calibrato alla perfezione. La chitarra pura e selvaggia di Sorge è una vera meraviglia: originale come il peccato!»

 

«An irresistible streak of tziganate, animal screams, exhausting tour de force between trombone and guitar sustain the incessant rhythm
of an improvisation without a net, of a counterpoint game perfectly calibrated. The pure and wild guitar of Sorge is a real wonder: original as sin!»

(Federico Scoppio about Slow Food – Rolling Stone 2007)

 

«...quel gusto dell'imprevedibilità che l'ascolto banalizzato ha ormai ridotto a zero»

«...that taste of unpredictability that trivialized listening has now reduced to zero»
(Enrico Bettinello about Slow Food – All About Jazz 2007)

 

Selected Discography

• Paolo Sorge, MIRRORING - 2022, Blue Mama Records

• Paolo Sorge, TRIPLAIN - 2016, Improvvisatore Involontario (0047)

• Paolo Sorge, RINGLIKE - 2015,  Improvvisatore Involontario (0046)

• Paolo Sorge electric guitar quartet, TETRAKTYS - 2010,  Improvvisatore Involontario (018)

• Paolo Sorge & the Jazz Waiters, SLOW FOOD – 2007, Improvvisatore Involontario (0005)

• Paolo Sorge, TRINKLE TRIO  (con Francesco Cusa e Michel Godard) - 2003, AUAND AU9003

• Sikelè Orchestra (conducted by Stefano Maltese), A WINGING FLOCK - 2014, Labirinti Sonori (LS 012)

• Francesco Cusa Skrunch electric/vocal - JACQUES LACAN: A TRUE MUSICAL STORY - 2010,  Improvvisatore Involontario

• Francesco Cusa Skrunch, PSICOPATOLOGIA DEL SERIAL KILLER, Improvvisatore Involontario (0001)

• Stefano Maltese Ghost Company, 'DJA 'BA 'LA – 2006, Labirinti Sonori (LS 002)

• Francesco Cusa Skrunch, L’ARTE DELLA GUERRA – Improvvisatore Involontario (0006); 

• Lawrence D. “Butch” Morris, CONDUCTION/INDUCTION – 2007, Rai Trade

• Alfio Antico, ANIMA ‘NGIGNUSA – 1999, ONYX