Mario Biondi He has established himself as a distinctive vocalist of the contemporary European soul scene, recognizable by his deep baritone whose color and phrasing evoke the tradition of classic American soul. His expression is shaped at the intersection of rhythm and blues, jazz, swing and crooner aesthetics, with his repertoire equally convincingly encompassing original songs and carefully selected interpretations. With albums such as Handful of Soul, If and Sun, he has established a poetics of refined stylization in which vocal warmth functions as the main vehicle of the musical narrative. His oeuvre clearly shows a penchant for elegant arrangements, rich harmonic texture and dialogue with the soul-jazz tradition of the second half of the 20th century. The anniversary return of the song “This Is What You Are” further confirms the durability of his aesthetic identity and the place it occupies in the international context of contemporary vocal music.

Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if Barry White and Isaac Hayes sang songs by Jobim, Seo Jorge or Al Jarreau? And they were accompanied by a top jazz quintet... That's how you could briefly describe the excellent debut album by Sicilian Mario Biondi, Handful of Soul, from 2006.

It's not that Mario wasn't playing, performing, recording and composing even before he was thirty-five, as he was then, but that year all the stars in the sky aligned and he recorded one of the best crossover soul albums with a jazz background, his husky baritone as if he had arrived from the streets of New Orleans and the rhythms of bossa nova. What is particularly impressive is the top quality and certainty of the inspired performance of the singer, who already won over an audience immersed in jazz, soul, but also smooth jazz and pop music with his first album.

Although Italian, Biondi wrote and performed his songs almost exclusively in English, with excellent diction and pronunciation, so much so that if you close your eyes and let yourself be captivated by the music, you might think you were listening to an original American soul singer like the greats mentioned above.

It's no wonder that his second album was recorded live with a full orchestra, because his concert performances are particularly convincing and emotional. If you want to listen to music with someone close to you late on a rainy Saturday night, after returning from the cinema through the deserted streets of a big city, after a noir crime film, Biondi's voice will undoubtedly put you in a romantic mood.

It's no wonder his 2022 album is called Romantic, and the last studio album Crooning Undercover features covers of standards like Bacharach's Alfie, songs Hello Like Before, made famous by Bill Withers, My Favorite Things Rodgers and Hammerstein and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, most famously performed by The Platters.

He also collaborated with greats such as Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau, Leon Ware and many others, especially on the album Sun from 2013, on which many of them were guests.

In 2018, he also recorded an album Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, with Brazilian musicians, leaning towards a more modern soul-pop sound permeated with Brazilian influences.

Biondi is both an excellent composer and an excellent interpreter of soul and smooth jazz classics – from Smokey Robinson, through the aforementioned Burt Bacharach, the early soul of The Cardinals and Marvin Gaye, all the way to soul covers by country great Willie Nelson.

Therefore, don't miss Mario Biondi, who has already performed in Croatia – in Lisinski, at New Year's Eve in Šibenik, and has friends in Zadar and, as he says, a mother-in-law originally from Slavonski Brod.

Because it will be an evening of top-notch soul and jazz music, romance, and Biondi's recognizable, hoarse baritone, perfect for late summer at the Meštrović Gallery.

You can come alone or with friends, but this is primarily an evening for couples who have just begun their love story, as well as for all those who grew up with the greatest soul greats.

- Zdeslav Benzon

Location: Meštrović Gallery in Split!

Pupils, students, pensioners and existing subscribers of the Croatian House Split receive a 20% discount on individual tickets exclusively at the Croatian House box office. Discounts are not cumulative and do not apply to festival tickets.

Croatian House Split ensures an accessible and inclusive experience for all visitors. Persons with disabilities, persons with reduced mobility, and persons requiring assistance are provided with appropriate accessible seating at all concerts and performances of this year's Vibrez Festival.