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Interview met Marco Bartoccioni(alias Bartok) naar aanleiding van zijn nieuwe album " BARTOK" die 5 Juni zal verschijnt.🖊 Interview met Marco Bartoccioni (alias Bartok)
What does the blues mean to you?
Marco Bartoccioni: I deeply believe that human existence is inseparable from sound. Sound is at the core of how living beings communicate, sometimes through words, but just as often through the emotions that those sounds can awaken. Over time, these expressions evolved into what we now call music , a universal language capable of carrying profound and complex emotions.
To me, the blues represents the purest form of this evolution. It emerged from the cries, sorrow, and resilience of enslaved people who needed a way to release their suffering, their hopes, and their humanity. Before it became a musical structure, it was emotion in its rawest state, and that emotional honesty is still the soul of the blues today.
Blues is more than a genre; it is a living expression of human feeling. It reminds us that music is not simply something we hear, but something we experience on a deeply personal level.
That is also why music holds such an essential place in my life. I don’t listen to it as background noise or simple entertainment , I absorb it completely, almost instinctively, with constant attention.
Are there specific memories or highlights from your career that you would like to share with us?
Marco Bartoccioni: Yes, definitely. During the recording sessions of my first album in Nashville, I was there with my closest friend Francesco Santalucia , an incredible musician and composer, and above all a truly wonderful person. He was actually the only musician who travelled from Italy with me for this project.
At one point, during the studio days, we went to my producer Dave Bechtel’s house to finish some overdubs. Dave, who is also a very close friend of mine, kindly invited us to stay over at his place. We had such a relaxed and friendly relationship with him that it felt totally natural.
But for some reason, we didn’t feel comfortable accepting, so we politely declined and told him we already had a place to stay. The truth, however, was slightly less glamorous: after many days in the U.S., with production costs, travel, and everything else, we had completely run out of money.
So we left his house, said goodbye, drove maybe 300 meters… turned the corner… and immediately pulled into a McDonald’s parking lot. That was our “plan B.” We ended up sleeping in the car because, quite literally, we had nowhere else to go.
Looking back, it’s a very funny memory , a bit tragic, a bit cinematic, but definitely real. And in a strange way, it makes me smile every time I think about it. It also taught me something very important: the value of things is often directly proportional to the sacrifice it takes to achieve them. And for me, that album recorded in Nashville carries an even deeper meaning because of all of that.
What are some of the most important lessons you have learned during your experiences in the music world?
Marco Bartoccioni: One of the most meaningful lessons I’ve learned throughout my journey is also one of the simplest: every person you meet can teach you something.
It’s an idea that sounds natural in theory, yet it’s easy to lose sight of it when ego begins to interfere. Sometimes, especially in music, we can unconsciously convince ourselves that our work is more important or more refined than someone else’s, simply because our vision feels more complete or established. Without noticing it, we build invisible barriers that distance us from others.
What experience has taught me is that wisdom and inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere. It might come from a band playing before you, from a conversation with someone in the crowd, or even from a member of the crew working behind the scenes at a festival. Every encounter has the potential to leave you with a new perspective or a meaningful lesson.
The key is remaining open and grounded enough to recognize it. When you approach people with humility instead of self-importance, both life and music gain a much deeper meaning and richness.
How has music influenced your view of the world? Which moment has changed your musical life the most?
Marco Bartoccioni: I wouldn’t say that music has directly shaped my perspective on life. Instead, the endless time I’ve spent listening to it over the years has continuously given me ideas and emotions to reflect upon. It stimulates a deeper process of thinking, particularly when it comes to observing, understanding, and questioning the society we are part of.
One of the most significant experiences in my musical life was the decision to record my first album in Nashville. It was an extraordinary chapter that allowed me to evolve tremendously as a musician. Being immersed in a city so deeply connected to music, and working alongside outstanding players, pushed me far beyond my previous limits. It revealed aspects of music that I had never completely understood or emotionally connected with before. The entire experience was profoundly inspiring, both creatively and personally, and it changed the way I approached music from that point forward. It also gave me the clarity to make important choices about the direction of my artistic journey.
At the same time, when I look back honestly, I feel that my whole life has been one continuous and meaningful process of growth. Every single experience, even the smallest one, contributed to expanding my awareness and understanding of music. Each step brought a new level of knowledge and consciousness, and many of those moments became essential in shaping the musician and the person I am today.
Another major turning point came later, when after many years devoted to the guitar, I chose to focus almost entirely on the lap steel guitar. I was searching for a new challenge because I had begun to feel trapped in familiar patterns and repetitive ways of playing. Discovering a different instrument gave me a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration. More than simply helping me continue, it allowed me to move forward creatively and opened a completely new chapter in my musical path.
How would you describe your sound and repertoire? What keeps a musician passionate about the blues over the years?
Marco Bartoccioni: That’s a very good question ,especially the first one ,and honestly, it’s something I’m still trying to fully answer myself, even if I don’t spend every day consciously thinking about it. Years ago, I initially tried to place myself within a clearly defined musical genre, trying to understand exactly what my sound was and where I belonged. But at a certain point I realized I was falling into a trap: by trying to fit into a genre, I was also building boundaries around myself creatively.
So I decided to let go of those limits completely. From that moment on, I chose to write only the music that feels natural and spontaneous to me , music that feels genuine, emotionally honest, and capable of moving me first of all. Because of this approach, I don’t focus too much on defining what I “am” musically or categorizing the final result of my sound.
What I can say is that my sound is very raw and instinctive, not particularly polished, because it is deeply driven by my emotional state in the exact moment I play. Throughout all these years, I’ve tried to take my Blues roots and merge them with more modern sounds, contaminating and blending different influences together in order to create something truly personal and unique. I don’t know if I’ve fully achieved that yet, but I know that it’s what I’m constantly searching for. And I believe that only in this way can an artist develop a real and authentic identity.
As for the second question , what keeps the passion alive , I think it connects directly to what I mentioned before. A huge part of it comes from constantly listening to modern music and continuing this process of evolving, contaminating, and reimagining the Blues language. It’s a massive undertaking, because it’s a long, complex, and continuous process, but that challenge is exactly what fuels me. It’s what keeps my passion alive and pushes me to continue playing and experiencing the Blues in my own personal way.
Who are or were your greatest sources of inspiration or role models?
Marco Bartoccioni: As I mentioned before, I’ve always been very open to music in general and never limited myself only to the Blues. Throughout my life I’ve gone through many intense phases of musical discovery and listening. Starting from the Blues world, I would say that Robert Johnson, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan have definitely been my main guitar beacons and inspirations.
At the same time, The Beatles represented the essence of “music” itself for me. I’ve spent hundreds of hours listening to their songs, and they taught me how music can reach people emotionally in a direct, immediate, and universal way.
My natural Rock attitude undoubtedly comes through artists like The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Their records are always in my car , they’ve been part of the soundtrack of my life for years.
Another artist who completely changed my perception of music was Stevie Wonder. Through him, I understood that music is not something you hear only with your ears, but something you feel with your entire body. He truly changed something in the language of music itself. He showed me that music can be deeply instinctive while also being incredibly detailed and sophisticated at the same time.
And then there is Michael Jackson, an artist I absolutely admire and continue to follow even today. To me, he remains one of the greatest performers and musical minds in history. If you really dive deeply into his artistic philosophy, you can surprisingly find many elements that connect with the emotional spirit and truth of the Blues.
Another fundamental influence in my life has been the world of singer-songwriters. I’ve always loved artists such as James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Johnny Cash, and Nick Cave. And with great pride, I also have to mention two extraordinary songwriters from my own country, Lucio Dalla and Lucio Battisti, who are true masters of Italian music.
So as you can see, my musical background is far from being exclusively Blues. In reality, it’s much broader and more diverse. What I love doing is starting from my Blues roots and then blending all these different influences into my own musical language.
What do you do to keep your music relevant, develop it, and present it to the new generation?
Marco Bartoccioni: I simply try to be myself ,honest and authentic. By nature, I’ve always had a deep respect for modern music, even when it’s far from my personal taste. I don’t believe in criticizing new generations of music simply because they sound different. I think many people naturally become attached to the emotions of the past and reject what is new, because in many ways that feels safer and more comfortable.
But I’ve never wanted to experience music in that way. Maybe I’m not someone who spends all day listening to the latest rap records, but I still try to stay open: to listen, to absorb ideas, and to understand new sounds and new musical languages. Otherwise, you risk becoming trapped inside your own roots and creatively standing still.
That’s just who I am, and I always try to remain true to that mindset. Sometimes it takes effort to open yourself to unfamiliar things, but once you do, you enter a different dimension where you can discover something genuinely inspiring and beautiful.
And in the end, when I bring all these influences and experiences in front of an audience, what I truly try to do is tell stories , stories from my own life. Because I believe that only through honesty and personal storytelling can people fully connect with an artist on a deeper emotional level.
How do you prepare for your recordings and performances?
Marco Bartoccioni: For me, the process of recording in the studio and performing live are two completely different worlds.
My bass player once told me something that really stayed with me: when people listen to a record, they are usually sitting on a sofa, driving in their car, or in similar everyday situations. Their emotional state is completely different from someone attending a live concert, where people come out of their homes, have a drink, and want to experience loud music, energy, and a sense of collective release , singing, jumping, and being fully involved. So sometimes trying to replicate the studio album too faithfully in a live context is actually a mistake , and I completely agree with that.
I think this is a very important truth to keep in mind when approaching both recording and live performance.
In the studio, I completely immerse myself in that concept. I love the recording process because it is deeply personal and introspective , it represents the highest form of artistic creation for me. In that space, I try to let myself drift as freely as possible, following instinct and imagination without too many constraints.
Live performance, on the other hand, is something entirely different. When I prepare a concert, I carefully think about its structure and emotional flow in relation to the venue and the audience I will be facing. I consider whether I will be playing during the day or at night, because this already changes the emotional impact dramatically ,stage lights at night create a completely different atmosphere compared to daylight, and therefore the entire concert needs to be shaped accordingly.
These are just some of the many details I take into account, but once I have built this “skeleton” of the show, everything becomes open again. When I step on stage, I give myself the freedom to change anything. Because at that point, what I’m really looking for is a genuine connection with the audience , something absolutely essential for me. Without that connection, a concert would lose its meaning entirely.
So I observe what happens in real time, and if I need to change the setlist or even the direction of the show, I do it without hesitation, even if I had planned something completely different beforehand. I let myself be carried by the moment.
In the end, I put a lot of work into preparing what I believe is the right concert for the occasion, but I always leave space for everything to change in real time, if the situation calls for it.
With such an impressive career, what has given you the most musical satisfaction?
Marco Bartoccioni: Unfortunately, I’m a very self-critical person and often difficult to fully satisfy, because my mind is always focused on the next step rather than enjoying the goals I’ve already reached. So there’s constantly an internal battle between criticism and satisfaction.
But in my more optimistic moments, I realize that for an Italian musician , someone who comes from a culture naturally quite distant from the roots of the Blues , achieving what I’ve achieved entirely through my own efforts is something truly meaningful. Being able to perform at some of the most important Blues festivals in Europe, recording an entire album in Nashville, and above all being respected and considered credible as an artist, is probably my greatest source of pride and satisfaction.
And I also have to admit that I’m genuinely very happy and proud of my latest album “BARTOK”, which will be released on June 5 ;-)
BARTOK - rauwe roots, vooruitstrevend geluid
Marco Bartoccioni thanks for your time to fotosbluesrock.nl
- Mail: marcobartoccionimusic@gmail.com
- Website: www.marcobartoccioni.com
- Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/marco.bartoccioni
- Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MarcoBartoccioniSteel
- YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/mbartoccioni
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