Bacco was born in Bollate, on the misty outskirts of Milan, on March 1st, 1964. It was an era of great transformations: humanity was still dreaming of the Moon, and legends like Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and many other “J” artists were in their prime.
After a quiet childhood, his teenage years marked the beginning of a long musical journey that would eventually lead him to discover the essential charm of vocal music. Today, this is his true passion, lived with the quintessential Italian lifestyle: great music often paired with excellent food and wine.
Early Steps (and a Few Stumbles)
His adventure began with the keys of a recorder and the strings of a guitar—an experience recounted in the short story “Musicucina“.
In his youth, he played bass in various local bands: groups as enthusiastic as they were short-lived, appearing and disappearing with the speed of particles in the solar core.
Then came his first songwriting experiments—initially in a “trendy” English and later in his more familiar Italian, discovering that his native tongue offered nuances impossible to find elsewhere. This phase also inspired a story: “Smoke on the Water”.
After a period of reflection—necessary to recharge and look beyond the typical dynamics of bands and the music industry—Bacco decided to simplify everything. Hanging up his bass and amplifiers, he focused on the only instrument that requires no cables, hardware, or electricity: the human voice.
The Vocal Evolution
The choice of vocal music stems from a desire for purity and independence. Away from the filters of complex technology, Bacco found a minimalist space for free expression. His early works were small, handcrafted challenges:
- “Lavori di bocca“: Recorded with makeshift equipment, it was the first stepping stone of this journey—a demanding but necessary experiment to which the author remains deeply attached.
- “Bollate Centro“: By 2005, his technique had evolved. In this album, Bacco ironically portrays daily life, traffic, and routine, turning the grind of office work into a distinct musical narrative.
- “Giallo Sogno“: A more intimate and polished album, dedicated to the memory of a close friend, marking his full expressive maturity.
Suonova
Since 2010, music has also become a way to connect. While studying voice, Bacco rediscovered the beauty of choral singing. In 2012, he founded the Suonova sextet, a project where the music is just as important as the joy of being together.
With Suonova, vocal music left the studio for city squares, festivals, and theaters, driven by the idea that vocal music—especially in Italian—can step out of churches and traditional choral settings to reach a wider audience.
This collaboration also sparked an intense period of vocal arranging, with Bacco creating dozens of arrangements, shared for free or through dedicated platforms.
Writings
Alongside his work as a musician, songwriter, and storyteller, Bacco has recently turned to poetry with the collection “Rimette“—one hundred poems oscillating between a smile and a sigh. The book earned third place at the international Cusani Quasimodo awards.
And the Name?
“Bacco Baccanels” is a play on his original name (Giuseppe Giovanni Baccanelli)—a tribute to Italian comedy with an added “s” for that international flair… just to cover all the bases!
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