small:Manlio Milazzi

Born in Trieste, in the northeast of Italy, Manlio started playing harmonica when he was 17 and in no time he was already giggin' around with a college band devoted to blues and roots music. When he was noticed and recruited by Mike Sponza and his Blues E.t.c.e.t.e.r.a. (one of the finest italian blues bands) the next step was definitely reached.

Mostly influenced by what he likes to call "alternative blues" like Musselwhite or the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, he's always faithful to the original Chicago style to which he tries to add some new twists by using both chromatic and diatonic harmonicas.

In 2005 he left Italy to reach Paul deLay in Portland (OR). There he had the opportunity to both study with the master and share the stage with him; after this little trip he returned to Italy with the right inspiration to establish his very own first formation: Tillamook with Tillamook Manlio sings, plays and writes songs that try to knock the standard blues definition down. "It's simply a matter of producing good music, honest and true" he says "it doesn't matter which way the inspiration comes from, jazz, blues, pop or whatever... it got to be honest and spontaneous".

> Manlio Milazzi's band