Olive in music

Award winning musician Michéal Castaldo was born in Calabria, but grew up in Canada, when he moved at the age of 3, and is now a resident of New York. Yes, his name is spelled Michéal. It synthesizes the two cultures he was raised in, the Italian one (Michele), and the American one (Michael).

 

Despite having spent almost his entire life in America, “all roads lead back to Calabria for me”, Castaldo says. “That’s where I was born and where I spent the first three years of my life. And it’s where I learned everything I love”. The passion and connection with the southern Italian culture emerge from his music: a deep but joyful collection of original songs and re-arrangements of the best Italian music. Castaldo is a peculiar artist: trained in opera’s bel canto and jazz music, he’s able to combine American and Italian musical heritage, creating touching melodies, which made him one of the most appreciated Italian-born classical crossover artists.

 

The long road to success saw him studying voice with Maestro Pisapia, a protégé of the Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. Later, he graduated from Oakwood Collegiate Institute in Toronto and Berklee College of Music in Boston. He’s now a worldly renown singer, songwriter, producer, and session musician. He also founded his own record label, MJM Record.

Michéal is also founder of La Dolce Vita Foundation, whose mission is to take underprivileged children, teen or adults on scenic joy rides in the country on Michéal’s convertible (www.LaDolceVitaFoundation.com).

 

Besides music and La Dolce Vita, Michéal also has another passion: olive oil. This is in fact the inspiration to his more recent albums’ titles: Olive You – Classic Italian Songs to Feed the Heart & Soul (2012), Extravergine – A Mediterranean Christmas (2011), and Aceto (2010). In far 1907 his grandfather started his own cultivation of olive trees; today, Michéal’s family owns over 20,000 orchards along the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria. Since 2004, Castaldo has been importing high quality olive oil to NY, together with another Italian delight, balsamic vinegar.

 

The food inspired titles are also a synthesis of Michéal’s idea of music: a perfect combination of ingredients, whose taste leaves the audience happy and satisfied. Heartwarming but light, his albums, which contain songs both in English and Italian, are a collection of sincere and unique emotions.

 

His last album, Olive you – Music to feed your Heart & Soul, was released last January 31, 2012, and immediately received great reviews from both Italian and American magazines. The hit Pray’r jumped to the #1 position on Amazon.com right after his release, surpassing other internationally acclaimed Italian artist.

 

Michéal will be performing at the Peekskill Italian Street Festival, in Westchester, NY. The Festival will take place on Aug 10, 11 and 12th 2012.  

Here you can find a more detailed schedule with additional information: www.peekskillfestival.com

 

Michéal Castaldo’s Olive You is now available for purchase on Amazon or I-Tunes. To find out more about his music and his tour, visit his website: www.michealcastaldo.com