Massimo "Max" Paparella, born in 1975, pianist, arranger and SIAE-registered composer with a special passion for Hammond organ and vintage instruments. He has over fifthteen years' experience in the music field, both as a live and studio musician. He began playing progressive rock (1993 - 1996), before focusing his studies on jazz and blues (1997 - 2001), playing in different groups. Between 1999 and 2004 he ran a recording studio in Bologna, Italy (MJA Recording Studio) with two associates, working mainly as a composer, arranger and later as sound assistant. During the same period he worked with DJs from the national and local radio stations Latte&Miele and Tam Tam Network on various dance and house music productions. Following his experience with Studio MJA, he continued working as an arranger and freelance sound engineer, as well as furthering his studies in jazz piano. His musical education was initially influenced by the Beatles. Later his passion for jazz led him to discover Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and Weather Report, bringing about a decisive change in the course of his future studies. Since his initial pure jazz beginnings, he has been influenced by the funk music of Tom Scott and L.A.Express, James Brown, Rufus Thomas, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, George Duke, Earth Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang, as well as the more recent sounds of the James Taylor Quartet, Incognito and Jamiroquai. He is currently working on a personal blues-soul-funk project MGP Band (alias Max & The Groove Project), in addition to his work as an arranger, sound engineer and studio instrumentalist. In 2008 he has realized his first solo album “Stack ‘em high” (Hammondbeat, USA, 2008). The making of the album saw the participation of a number of superb musicians and friends, including Paolo "Apollo" Negri (Link Quartet) considered one of the finest Hammond organ players in the world. His latest collaborations are with Luca "Tornado" Testoni (guitarist of "Skiantos") on film and television music for RTI S.p.A. (Mediaset Group), with the Dj/Producer Luca Asta for house music productions ("Shattered Project") with the label Synestesya - Asta Records and the label IRMA Records for lounge music productions ("PeepStyle Project"). Currently he is working on several albums in studio with the jazz singer Melissa Stott for their lounge/bossa project called "Cool Finn" and with others collaborators for "Peepstyle Vol.2" (IRMA Records). From the Summer 2009 he has also reprise with his activity of live musician in different musical situations like the singers Erika Biavati and Sophia Karim Lawani. He has also played at the 22th edition of "Porretta Soul Festival" with the "Sophia Karim Lawani Band". ___________________________________________ Max Paparella is a member of IMIsound Independent Musicians from Italy Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.