Ivan Zagni
| Ivan Zagni | |
|---|---|
| Born |
16 October 1942 Norwich, England |
| Instruments | Singer, songwriter, guitar |
| Years active | 1959–present |
| Labels | Propeller Records, Ode, Unsung |
| Associated acts | Jody Grind, Elton Dean, Keith Tippett, Big Sideways, Avant Garage, Blam Blam Blam, Don McGlashan, Peter Scholes, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra |
Ivan Zagni (born 16 October 1942) is a New Zealand-based musician and composer who has been a member of bands such as Jody Grind, Big Sideways and Avant Garage, and has recorded albums with Aynsley Dunbar, Elton Dean, Don McGlashan and Peter Scholes.
Ivan Zagni sang as a boy chorister at Norwich's St John the Baptist Catholic Cathedral and began taking guitar lessons at age 12. In 1958 he performed his own composition "Black Coffee" for a local documentary screened on BBC TV. His first group was The Cadillacs with his brothers John and Frank. He then teamed up with vocalist Mike Patto (Spooky Tooth) in The Continentals, soon renamed The News and signed to Decca for two singles. Zagni moved to London in 1964 where he worked as a freelance guitarist, composer and arranger, session musician for Decca and Transatlantic, and played with a variety of groups including Chicago Line Blues Band with Patto, Tim Hinkley and Louis Cennamo. Patto later joined Timebox who covered Patto/Zagni composition "A Woman that's Waiting" as the b-side to their single "Begging'", which charted in the UK at #38 in July 1968. Zagni joined the progressive group Jody Grind and recorded on their first album, then in Bogomas with Louis Cennamo, and then in Blue Whale with Aynsley Dunbar, who disbanded the group to join Frank Zappa.
In 1970 he returned to Norwich to study piano and composition. From 1971-77 he was Choir Master at St John the Baptist Cathedral in Norwich where he composed a number of works for the Cathedral. He then returned to London, becoming increasingly involved in the European improvisation scene and spending six months in Amsterdam. He recorded the album Three's Company with saxophonist Elton Dean (Keith Tippett sextet/Soft Machine), as well as The Electric String Trio with Phillipp Wachsmann and Marcio Mattos. He also performed in Keith Tippett's Arc and in Paris with New York-based Japanese experimental musician Kosugi with whom he recorded a 10-hour performance.
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