Gianni Gebbia - Sleep - 1LP

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Italian saxophone, cornettophone, and bansuri flute player Gianni Gebbia makes his debut on MinorityRecords withSleep, released on LP and Bandcamp on May 1, 2026, the same day that marks the artist's 65th birthday.

Sleepcan be considered an introspective and ambient meditative work, whose structure does not correspond to traditional jazz compositions, but rather consists of extensive improvised hypnotic soundscapes without precise boundaries, using soprano saxophone andcornettophonewith electronic textures.Just as the Renaissance cornettowas an instrument full of symbolism, representing life, death, and eternity, where the eight carved edges of the instrument represent the unbroken line of eternity and infinity, a similar prism can be used to view the free structure of the work without a clear ending.As Gebbia himself explains about the creative process:

“My work entitled Sleep was inspired by two main sources. The first is the painting El sueño de Jacob by José de Ribera, depictingJacob in deep sleep with a fidelity that is difficult to achieve. This painting particularly influenced me because it immediately reminded me of a poem by the Italian poet Sandro Penna, which reads: "vivere vorrei addormentato entro il dolce rumore della vita" (I would like to live asleep amid the sweet noise of life). This poem has always been a recurring theme in my artistic work and definitely influenced me in the creation of this album, which I recorded directly into the microphone without any post-production or editing, exactly as you can hear it now. The electronic effects were also controlled directly while playing via my iPad, where I use some patches created with renowned Eventide digital effects pedals”

Sleepis therefore more ofan auditory meditation exploring the space of sound, the gradual evolution of motifs,and the atmosphere of dreaming through Gebbia's improvisational playing.Gianni Gebbia, born in Palermo, Sicily, and a graduate of the University of Palermo's Faculty of Philosophy, is an internationally renowned Italian saxophonist, flutist, and composer, known for his experimental and avant-garde jazz style. Gebbia is considered one of the world's leading specialists in circular breathing technique, which allows him to create continuous, long tones, often leading to polyphonic illusions. In 1990, he participated as a soloist in the Total Music Meeting in Berlin organized by FMP alongside musicians such as Steve Lacy and Lindsay Cooper.A year later, he initiated a collaboration with German percussionist Gunther Sommer and double bassist PeterKowald, reviving one of the historic duos of European free jazz.In 2000, The Wire magazine ranked him among the leading solo saxophone players.

He draws inspiration from a wide range of sources, including painting, poetry, world philosophy, and other jazz greats such as Marion Brown, Lee Konitz, and Anthony Braxton. In the past, he has collaborated with HeinerGoebbels, Fred Frith, Louis Sclavis, GinoRobair, Peter Kowald, Lukas Ligeti, Eiko Ishibashi, and Tony Buck.Gebbia's recordings can be found in the catalogs of prestigious labels such as Victo, Intakt Records, and Leo Records.

1. Sleep 1
2. Sleep 2