THE CROWSROADS • 3923706803 / 3404582812 • thecrowsroadsdate@gmail.com
© 2019 THE CROWSROADS
THE CROWSROADS - Bio
THE CROWSROADS are an Italian folk-rock-blues duo formed by brothers Matteo (guitar and vocals) and Andrea Corvaglia (harmonica and vocals), born in '94 and '98 respectively. Their sound starts with a guitar, a harmonica, and two voices, and moves in unexpected directions: the harmonica, from a simple solo instrument, becomes a true “orchestra” producing countless rhythms and soundscapes; the guitar, working in synergy, supports the song from the ground up and controls its dynamics; the vocal harmonies, always the protagonists of their performances, do the rest, relying on the presence of two voices so different yet able to blend perfectly.
A ten-year journey, which began when the brothers were teenagers, has led to the development of an engaging and cohesive live show that skillfully balances grit and delicacy, fun and attentive listening. The Crowsroads love to share these moments with musician friends who have long been by their side: in concerts, the duo can also become a trio or a quartet.
Since their debut EP “Some Sky Inside My Pocket”, the project The Crowsroads has always been focused on producing original songs written by the two brothers together. Their songwriting has gradually opened up to more and more influences (rock, folk, blues, pop), with lyrics that mainly use the English language to address a wide range of topics (autobiographical stories, reflections on being young in today's world, small portraits of human "types") and always remain infused with a European and Mediterranean sensibility.
Complementing this, The Crowsroads also dedicate themselves to sharing the music that inspires them most, both well-known and lesser-known: a carefully curated selection of international covers that is always evolving (ranging from singer-songwriters like Tom Waits and John Martyn to bands like The Band, R.E.M., Blues Traveler) finds its place in their concert setlists as well as in their studio productions (an example is the album “Reels”, from 2016).
The Crowsroads have been fortunate to collaborate with many prominent artists and to learn a lot from them. The album “On The Ropes” (2019) features three international guests: the British singer-songwriter Sarah Jane Morris (“Seaweed”), the Portuguese guitarist and singer-songwriter Frankie Chavez (“Monologue”), and the American singer-songwriter and producer Jono Manson (“The Gardener’s Daughter”). The track “Janis” (from the album “Reels”, 2016) featured the vocal performer and jazz singer Boris Savoldelli and the double bassist Giulio Corini. The collaboration with the italo-disco pioneers F.lli La Bionda/DD Sound led to a studio rearrangement of a hidden gem from their catalog, the ballad “Ogni volta che tu te ne vai” from ’74, released as a single in 2019 (with the La Bionda themselves on backing vocals) and later also translated into English.
Long is the list of professionals who, in various capacities, have supported and assisted the duo in studio, live, or on set experiences: Antonio Giovanni Lancini, Paolo Salvarani, Michele “Poncio” Belleri, Sebastiano Danelli, Nicola Ragni, Brunella Mazzola & Joyful Gospel Choir, Michele Bonivento, Andrea Gipponi, Stefania Martin, Phil Mer, Alberto Pavesi, Ricky Rossini, Paolo Costola, Lorenzo Cazzaniga, Carlo Tombola, Enrico Fappani, Michele Cataneo and Anita Seferi (Bad Panda Production), Arki Buelli, Cristina Abatiello, Katia Toselli, Aldo Zardoni, Stefano Pisetta, Max Comincini, Renato Saviori, The Bluesville, Gabriele Salvadori.
Live performances are the core of The Crowsroads' activity. The duo's résumé now includes hundreds of concerts, from live music venues/clubs to theaters, from private parties to public festivals, including festivals such as Buscadero Day (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), Pistoia Blues (2017), Ferrara Buskers Festival (2022).
The Crowsroads have opened concerts for Judith Owen, Stef Burns, Frankie Chavez, Treves Blues Band, Robben Ford, Steve Forbert, John Popper & Jono Manson, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, Danny Bryant, Gnola Blues Band, Irene Grandi (Io in Blues), Popa Chubby.
They also love playing on the street: with their busker equipment, they have explored some of the most beautiful Italian and European cities (such as Berlin, in the summer of 2022).
To date, The Crowsroads have released one EP (“Some Sky Inside My Pocket”, 2012), and three albums (“Reels”, 2016, “On The Ropes”, 2019, later re-released in a deluxe version in 2022, and “Spaceship”, 2024).
In 2022, their music also began its journey abroad: from the collaboration between VREC Music Label and the Belgian publisher ArTo Music came “The Crowsroads”, a sort of “best of” collection of the duo’s original production, created specifically for the digital stores of Northern Europe. In Italy, at the same time as this release, “On The Ropes” was digitally reissued in a deluxe version with two additional tracks.
Over the years, their songs have appeared on many compilations: from “Eataly Live Project” (Sony, 2015) to Pistoia Blues Next Generation (VREC Music Label, in the 2017, 2018, 2019 editions) up to “Italian Buscadero” (Buscadero, 2020). In 2023, the double vinyl "Cover Me" (Noi & Springsteen), which includes their version of Bruce Springsteen's "Save My Love", was among the finalists for the Targhe Tenco in the "Best collective project album" category.
In addition, they have had several experiences in the field of soundtracks: from instrumental tracks composed and recorded for the awareness-raising short films “Polvere” (2014) and “Selfie” (2015), produced by secondary schools in the Province of Brescia; to “Pirate Flag”, written with Antonio Lancini and Ricky Rossini and included in the film “Rosso Mille Miglia” (2015) by Claudio Uberti, distributed nationally; to previously released tracks included by the Verona-based association Memoria Immagine in the documentaries “Noi, cittadini del mondo” (2015) and "Tiberghien. Storia di una fabbrica" (2018).
At the local level, The Crowsroads distinguished themselves in 2013 by winning the contest for student bands from Brescia high schools “Deskomusic” at Palabrescia. In 2016, at the CPM in Milan, they took first place in the national competition for original music “L’Artista che non c’era”, organized by the specialized magazine “L’Isola che non c’era”. On November 26, 2022, they won the main national contest dedicated to blues music, the Italian Blues Challenge. They thus also earned the title of official representatives of Italy at the next edition of the European Blues Challenge, scheduled for June 2023 in Chorzów, Poland.
The duo's work has received a great response from critics and has been reviewed in numerous national specialized magazines (Classic Rock, Raropiù, Classix!, Buscadero). Among their appearances in national media, a showcase on Radio1 Music Club with John Vignola in 2019.
In January 2021, The Crowsroads became endorsers of the brand EIKON microphones (Proel). During 2023, a collaboration was added with Seydel Harmonicas, the manufacturer of the harmonicas used by Andrea.
THE CROWSROADS • 3923706803 / 3404582812 • thecrowsroadsdate@gmail.com
© 2019 THE CROWSROADS