SUMMER AT VILLA TROSSI: “Route 66, musica on the road!” with I GUSS

Route 66 celebrates 100 years in 2026. It is the legendary “Mother Road” of the United States, a nearly 4,000 km long road that crosses eight states of the USA and goes from east to west, all the way to California. Wednesday, July 8th at Estate a Villa Trossi an imaginary journey along this mythical route will take place, with songs and artists who have sung about it, with the show “Route 66, music on the road!” performed by the Livorno-based group I GUSS, composed of seven members and accompanied by the storytelling voice of Elio Vallini, who will guide the audience with fascinating stories, historical trivia, and unforgettable anecdotes. A Wednesday evening not to be missed at Villa Trossi Uberti, where the twelfth edition of the festival promoted by the Trossi-Uberti Art Foundation and designed by the Pietro Napoli Association continues.

The ’60s and ’70s are the reference period for GUSS for this musical journey from east to west through places, cultures, musical styles, and events that occurred in America in those decades. The road is the protagonist and serves as the imaginary connection for music that is part of popular culture, as a pretext to let the audience savor timeless music.

Alessia Nisticò and Marina Bruzzone (solo voices), Stefano Pracchia (keyboards and vocals), Alessandro Buoncristiani (acoustic guitar and vocals), Antonio Domenici (bass), Enrico Ferrini (drums), and Salvatore Speranza (electric guitar) are the seven members of the group formed in 2012 with a peculiarity linked to their great attention to vocal harmonizations. Many songs are performed in multiple voices, taking advantage of the over twenty years of choral experience of all the members, contributing to creating rich and enveloping sounds. The vocal polyphony, combined with a folk/rock base – acoustic and electric guitars, bass, keyboards, and drums – gives the arrangements an original imprint, making each live performance an intense and engaging experience.

During the concert, the audience will listen to songs such as: “Breakfast in America” by Supertramp, an ironic and affectionate daydream of a young Englishman fantasizing about the United States among hamburgers, Hollywood, and American beauties; “Alabama” by Neil Young, a harsh accusation against the persistent racism and slavery in the southern United States; “Dust in the wind” by Kansas and other songs, gradually heading towards California, where Route 66 ends. And among others, “California dreaming” by The Mamas and The Papas, “San Francisco” by Scott McKenzie, ending with “Good vibration” by Beach Boys. To break the rhythm a bit, softer song covers will also be performed, where female voices are accompanied only by the acoustic guitar and little else.

The show will be made more engaging by the storytelling voice of the musicologist and collector Elio Vallini, a great expert in the musical world of those years, who will guide the audience with fascinating stories, introducing the songs with additional historical curiosities and interesting information. His interventions will enrich the evening, creating a dialogue between music and narration, and adding depth to the musical journey proposed by I GUSS.