A little behind-the-scenes moment from last weekend’s recording sessions at Lemura Studio in Montagnola:
a spontaneous discussion about whether the new CheRoba album “Il nibbio e la nebbia” should perhaps come out on vinyl… 😉
The answer?
“Costi quel che costi!”
This short clip ends with the wonderful team behind the sessions – musicians, engineers and studio crew – who helped make this intense and inspiring recording weekend such a special experience.
More news about the album soon…
Die Aufnahmen für das neue Album “Il nibbio e la nebbia” sind erfolgreich abgeschlossen.
Nach dem Aufbau und Einrichten der Mikrofone am Freitag fanden die Recordings während eines intensiven und inspirierenden Wochenendes im Lemura Studio in Montagnola statt. Es war eine grosse Freude und eine wunderbare Erfahrung, mit dem Team des Studios zusammenzuarbeiten.
Hier einige kurze Eindrücke aus den Recording Sessions gemeinsam mit Tomas Sauter, Marina Vasilyeva und Fulvio Maras und dem grossartigen Team des Lemura Studios.
The first day at Lemura Studio continues with new sounds and fresh sonic colors entering the recording process.
Fulvio Maras introduces the Pangolo, a Swiss-made percussion instrument that will be featured in Facta non Verba, adding a distinctive new texture to the quartet’s sound palette.
At the same time, work continues on refining the bass clarinet sound, exploring the piano’s character, and shaping the sonic landscape of the sessions.
And naturally, in the midst of all this, the conversation turns to The Beatles—whose presence somehow finds its way into almost every musical discussion.
Another behind-the-scenes glimpse from the recording of Il Nibbio e la Nebbia.
The first musicians of the Marco Santilli CheRoba Quartet have arrived at Lemura Studio for the recording of Il Nibbio e la Nebbia.
Together with recording engineer and studio owner Lara Persia, preparations for the sessions are underway: microphones are being positioned and adjusted, sounds are being tested, and the studio is gradually coming to life—expertly assisted by Gioele Reito.
As always, not everything goes exactly according to plan: traffic before the Gotthard tunnel has delayed the drummer’s arrival in classic fashion.
A first glimpse behind the scenes of the recording process.
Dieses Video zeigt eine Live-Aufführung von „Noir“ durch Marco Santillis CheRoba & il Fiato delle Alpi, aufgenommen am 27. März 2025 in der Zwicky Fabrik, Fällanden.
Zum Stück
Noir ist inspiriert von der Legende „La Torre dei Gufi“, die von einem tyrannischen Burgherrn oberhalb von Faido berichtet. Mit der Zeit machten unheimliche Erzählungen die Runde – von Gästen, die spurlos verschwanden, und von klagenden Lauten, die aus den Gewölben der Burg drangen. Der Burgherr tat alles als Aberglauben ab und beschwichtigte: „Das sind nur die Eulen.“ Doch eines Tages, während eines Festmahls, stürmte ein ganzer Schwarm Eulen in den Saal, vertrieb ihn – und er fand den Tod.
Das Stück greift diese düstere Sage auf: Tiefe Klangfarben lassen die dunkle, bedrückende Atmosphäre der Burg lebendig werden, während lichte Passagen Momente der Befreiung eröffnen – ein musikalisches Spiel von Hell und Dunkel, Angst und Erlösung.
Zum Ensemble
Marco Santillis CheRoba & il Fiato delle Alpi ist ein Nonett, das ein klassisches Holzbläserquintett mit einem Jazzquartett verbindet. Das Ensemble widmet sich dem musikalischen Erzählen von Geschichten, inspiriert von Legenden und Sagen aus der italienischsprachigen Schweiz – neu interpretiert im Klangkosmos des Jazz und darüber hinaus.
È ora online su YouTube un nuovo videoclip con il quartetto Marco Santilli CheRoba, affiancato da Marina Vasilyeva, Tomas Sauter e Fulvio Maras.
Il video raccoglie estratti da cinque brani originali e offre uno sguardo sulla particolare alchimia del gruppo: una fusione di composizione, arrangiamento, improvvisazione e nuove sonorità, sempre in equilibrio tra struttura e spontaneità.
Con un’attenzione speciale alle sfumature dinamiche e a una tavolozza timbrica ricca di nuance, l’ensemble accompagna l’ascoltatore in un viaggio musicale intenso e immaginativo.
Buon ascolto!
We’re delighted to share “Zu Erich”, a witty and imaginative composition performed live during the Sujazzstiva concert at Ceresio Estate in Lugano on September 3, 2023.
This piece, composed by Marco Santilli, breathes life into the legend of Zurich’s patron saints Felix, Regula, and Exuperantius—Christian martyrs who carried their severed heads to their final resting place. But before their fateful end, the story begins with a less dramatic but amusing twist.
According to this playful retelling, the three saints arrive in Zurich and, feeling quite lost, ask the locals for directions. In response, they are continuously told to go “Zu Erich!”—a direction that becomes so repeatedly shouted that the vowels merge into an unmistakable “Zürich!” Thus, the city’s name is born amid the flurry of confusion and excitement.
The music mirrors this humorous chaos with its rapid exchanges, bustling melodies, and a crescendo of jubilant fanfare worthy of a stadium celebration. References to the Sechseläuten march, Ticino folk song “Se parto per Zurigo”, and even Wagner’s Tristan chord—reportedly forgotten in Zurich—add layers of wit and musical homage.
🎶 This piece transforms history into a grand musical farce, complete with a triumphant, three-part fugue symbolizing the unwavering spirit of the three saints.
📅 Recorded live at Ceresio Estate, September 3, 2023.
🎧 Watch the performance on Youtube:
We’re excited to share “Ale.com”, a dynamic and daring composition performed live at the Sujazzstiva concert in Castagnola, Lugano, on September 3, 2023.
This energetic jazz piece, full of sharp edges and unpredictable rhythms, is inspired by the legend “Il Diavolo e la Bugia”. The tale recounts the fate of Marcusse, a greedy nobleman in Bidogno whose deceit led to his undoing. After demanding payment twice from a humble farmer and swearing that the devil should take him if he lied, Marcusse refused to remove his shirt, fearing his own words. But one day, when the shirt finally tore apart, the devil claimed him, dragging him to the depths of hell through a hole in the villa floor that no one could ever close.
The composition Ale.com captures the tension and chaos of Marcusse’s unraveling fate. Its jagged, punchy rhythms echo the cracks in his deception, while its driving momentum reflects the devil’s relentless approach. Yet, within this storm of sound, there is also wit, a sense of rebellious charm, and, perhaps, a sly reminder of fate’s twists and turns.
🎶 Ale.com is more than music—it’s a bold story brought to life through a powerful performance.
📅 Recorded live at Sujazzstiva in Castagnola, Lugano, September 3, 2023.
🎧 Watch the full performance on Youtube!
We’d love to know your impressions: Does this piece make you think of life’s unexpected turns?
We are pleased to share “Dauer der Ewigkeit”, a profound composition by Marco Santilli that was performed live at the LAC in Lugano.
This piece is inspired by an ancient legend from Bosco Gurin, the highest village in Ticino, once home to a community of Walser settlers. Though Gurinerdeutsch, their unique dialect, is rarely spoken today, the stories have endured. One such tale describes a small bird sharpening its beak on a massive stone known as “en ‘Pezta”.
Every 300 years, the bird returns to the stone, and when the stone has been completely worn down, eternity itself is said to come to an end.
The music beautifully embodies this contrast: the tiny bird and the vast, unyielding stone, the fleeting and the infinite. The piece unfolds with a heavy, spacious melody that evokes the slow passage of time—dark yet spacious, with a thread of hope that rises through the shadows.
🎶 Let Dauer der Ewigkeit transport you to a place where time stretches endlessly, yet feels fragile and fleeting.
📅 Recorded live at the LAC Lugano, 3 November 2024.
🎧 Watch the performance on Youtube:
We’d love to hear your impressions—what emotions does this legend and its musical interpretation awaken in you?
We’re excited to share a thrilling moment from our concert at the LAC in Lugano: “Sana Follia”, an electrifying composition by Marco Santilli.
Inspired by the legend of La strega della Biaschina, this piece paints the tale of the Corvaccia, a feared yet tragic figure whose reputation as a witch spread fear across the region of Giornico. Her crooked frame, wild black hair, and piercing gaze fueled superstitions, and the villagers whispered tales of her malevolent powers: cows that stopped giving milk, hunts that ended empty-handed, and sudden storms that ruined the harvest.
The name Corvaccia, meaning “hooded crow” in Italian, was a fitting nickname for the witch due to the bird’s symbolic and physical characteristics. Often associated with mystery, bad omens, and misfortune, the hooded crow evoked the same unease the villagers felt toward her wild hair, sharp face, and ominous gaze.
But the Corvaccia’s story took an even darker turn when she set her sights on marriage. After her husband’s mysterious death, suspicion thickened like the mist around the Biaschina Gorge. Despite the lack of proof, the townspeople grew increasingly restless and wary of her presence—until one man, Bastiano, came up with an unorthodox plan to render the Corvaccia harmless once and for all. But was his solution madness, courage, or a touch of both?
The performance captured every twist of this tale—the creeping tension, the mischief, and the unexpected humor—all wrapped in a musical journey that kept the audience spellbound.
🎧 Watch the full performance on [YouTube].
We’d love to know your impressions! What emotions did the music stir in you? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned for more stories and legends transformed into music!