aberdeen rail station est. 2001

The band called Aberdeen Rail Station, founded in Trieste in 2001, comes from the ashes of another band, called Almaviöla, active from 1999 to 2001 in the student’s scene of Trieste. After the group was left by, in order, guitarist Giovanni de Flego and drummer Jack Coslovich (later with Trabant), bass player Alessandro Sala (later with Sinestesia and then Rhapsody of Fire), singer Eleonora Lana (later in the vocal trio Les Babettes) and guitarist Dani Mengotti (later an electronic solo artist), Eno Jakomin (voice) and the group’s new boy Alessio Roveri (guitar) choose to focus on a new project. The name chosen is Aberdeen Rail Station, after Eno’s love for Scotland and his travel there that year. The band is completed by: guitarist and songwriter Morgana Live at Posto Delle Fragole, Trieste, December Calligaris, fiddler Seppa Frattini (who at the time was 2001. Left to right: Eno Jakomin, guest bass playing with Alessio in a band called Desrever), drummer player Alessandro Naglein, Morgana Calligaris Sara Craighero, multi-instrumentalist Tiziano Bole on and Sebastiano “Seppa” Frattini keyboards and singer Lisa Longo. In 2002, after some changes in the line-up (which featured for a couple of months bass player Federico Furlani, who left to join Nerochiaro, with future solo artist Zeno), the band goes through a series of concerts In 2004, after a break-up and a reunion with a reduced with former Almaviöla singer Eleonora lana and ex line-up, the band eventually finds a new form as a four- Mallrats Marco Bernobi on bass and later on drums. In the piece including original members Eno Jakomin, Alessio following couple of years the band wether experiences Roveri and Seppa frattioni alongside new entry Simone increasing difficulties due to constant line-up changes Calmo on guitar. Between 2004 and 2007 the four of them or constant line-up changes due to increasing define Aberdeen Rail Station’s sound as something difficulties. Among others, some members of the band between folk and rock and blues, always acoustic (and during this time are: Deborah Sifanno (who will happen to for a while strictly unplugged due to the lack of be very important in an Aberdeen Rail Station’s rebirth equipment). They play many concerts, in the areas of ten years later), Guido Lucchese (later Blue Rose’s bass Trieste, Gorizia and, in a couple of occasions, Padova. player), Chiara Vidonis (in later years a renowed solo There are many recordings of concert of this phase of artist), Chiara Gelmini (more recently part of the vocal the band, that, towards its end, sees the collaboration trio Les Babettes) and, very briefly, drummer Andrea with singer Elena Vinci (Pinkover) and comes to Paoletti. Nevertheless, the quality of all these conclusion in September 2007 with a concert at the musicians proved not to be enough to keep the band Oblivion pub in Trieste with Chiara Gelmini back on ongoing. vocals. In January 2008, stuck in Trieste not knowing if he would move back to Scotland or not, Eno starts a side- project named Blues del Cul (Blues of the Arse, resonating the expression “bus del cul”. Which means arsehole in Triestin dialect). In this project he is accompanied by the “classic” Aberdeen Rail Station line- up (Alessio Roveri, Seppa Frattini, Simone Calmo, here electrified) and former drummer Marco Bernobi. As Alessio is about to move to Portugal and Eno’s future is uncertain, they play only one gig, at the Oblivion Pub in Trieste on the occasion of that year’s Carnival.

As it becomes clear that Eno is going to stay in The “classic” line-up at the Oblivion Pub in Trieste, Aprilk 2007. Left to trieste, Aberdeen Rail Station gets started again right right: Alessio Roveri, Eno Jakomin, from the Blues del Cul project, with Marco Bernobi, the Sebastiano “Seppa” Frattini, Simone only member still available, switching to his natural Calmo. position of guitarist. With Fiore Apollonio on vocals In October 2007 Eno moves to Scotland, now so much and accompanied by folk guitarist and bass player identified in the Aberdeen Rail Station project that he Gabriele Giovannini, later replaced by the rejoining decides to try and find some Edinburgh-based musicians to Simone Calmo, Eno and Berno find difficult to get the carry it on with. This proves to be a very short-tenured band going again and in a year they only come up with a experience, as he returns soon to Trieste due to some couple of cover arrangements and one new song (“The troubles he experiences in Scotland and to some family Homeless in EdinburghIs Back”). The collaboration with matters. Good musicians as Jez McKenzie, Ross Finnegan Fiore and Simone lasts shortly and Berno express the and Viara Ivanova have barely enough time to print their need to move to a more rocking dimension, hence they add name in Aberdeen Rail Station’s history, and they leave to the band drummer Fiodor Cicogna and bass player no other trace. Thomas Jones writes and records three Federico Furlani, who rejoins seven years after leaving songs with eno. One is now lost, the other two are Aberdeen Rail Station for the first time. This line-up “Plasterboards in Leith” and “Homeless in Edinburgh”, proves to be able to build a setlist of more than an both classic numbers in almost every future setlist. hour and debuts live, once more at the Oblivion Pub in Trieste, in May, 2009.

Marco Bernobi at Thomas “Tam” Jones the Oblivion, maggio 2009 In 2010 enters Moreno Buttinar on drums, who was going to Later in 2011 a new version of the band is born when Eno lead the band throughout the long recording sessions for meets by chance former singer Deborah Sifanno, who was a studio ep. On bass guitar there is Marco Seghene, Abba briefly in the band eight years before. Emulating the Zabba’s bass player. Abba Zabba himself appears in the ep formula of the “classic” line-up, there are no drums and as guitarist, harmony vocalist and mixing engineer. Other bass. Eleonora Montagnana, later a successful session studio guests are Chiara Vidonis, Sebastiano Frattini, musician who also played at the Sanremo Festival, joins Denis Beganovic. With Moreno Buttinar, a musician very on the fiddle, while on the guitar there’s the return of busy internationally, working as a sound engineer and, in Simone Calmo, this time persuaded by Eno to play the an initial phase, as a mixing technician, producing the electric guitar instead of the acoustic. From now on the ep, later titled “To Edinburgh and Back”, takes a very duo of guitars (acoustic and electric) with fiddle, male long time and it has a bad effect on the band’s morale. and female vocals and harmonica inserts become Aberdeen Marco Seghene is the first to leave, but, despite bass Rail Station’s trade mark. player Federico Furlani’s renewed availability, Eno and Berno part ways.

Aberdeen Rail Station, January 2012: Andrea “Assa” Sauli, Eleonora Montagnana, Eno Jakomin, Deborah Sifanno and Simone Calmo.

The band starts to play regular concerts in Trieste and its surroundings. In 2012 a live album is recorded at Moreno Buttinar Round Midnight, Trieste, with Cristina Rei on vocals and Sebastiano frattini back at the fiddle.

Andrea “Assa” Sauli is then introduced to Eno by Aberdeen Rail Station’s original guitarist Morgana Calligaris. Eno Cristina Rei and him work on the project of a new full-band line-up at Round including violin, willing to promote the new yet Midnight, unreleased ep, but the project is aborted as drummer November 2012 Andrea Paoletti, before even finding a rehearsal room, quits to join Magazzino Commerciale.

In 2013 a new singer, soprano Ariana “Ada Pikula” Tomisić, joins. The collaborations with Olga Zakharova Matic (who was a professional violinist in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Orchestra and left when offered a job at La Scala, in Milan – later she will work in Genoa too) and electric violinist Pier Paolo Foti both last shortly. On occasion the band is once again helped by Seppa Frattini on the fiddle, but not after March 2014. In the absence of a fiddle, Adriana Tomisić starts playing some flute parts. May 2015: Aberdeen Rail Styation at Naima, Trieste. Left to right: Simone Kodermaz, Simone Calmo, Andrea “Assa” Sauli e Adriana “Ada Pikula” Tomisic

Adriana Tomisic leaves Trieste and Simone Kodermaz quits too. Despite the comeback of singer Fiore Apollonio, the band is in no good shape and personal issues of the members, along with job commitments, do not help. For a couple of years Aberdeen Rail Station ceases to exist as a band, but the musical project goes on with the goal of recording a studio album with many guests (former members or almost members Thomas Jones, Viara Ivanova Chiara Gelmini, Cristina Rei; Marco Bernobi, Fiore Apollonio, Sebastiano Frattini, Morgana Calligaris, Tiziano Bole, Guido Lucchese, Eleonora Lana and fiddler/ singer Giovanna Rados, Wooden Legs’ flutist Alice Porro Fine 2013: Aberdeen Rail Station and Wooden Legs’ original fiddler Federico Seraffini). nella formazione senza violinista: da sinistra Simone Calmo, Adriana “adaPikula” Tomisic, Andrea “assa” Sauli e Eno Jakomin (foto Valentina Alberti).

The flute parts are kept in the songs even after the joining of Simone Kodermaz, who completes the last line- up to feature Adriana Tomisić. Although this is probably Giovanna Rados, fiddler and singer who the best line up to date, it lasts only a few months and helped with the recording of the band’s first studio album(photo Valentina Alberti). performs live only once. In the spring of 2017, to fight the boredon of too long a In April the band find a fifth member in Morgana time with no concerts Eno, Assa and Simone take the Calligaris, who rejoins Aberdeen Rail Station as chance to perform a couple of short gigs as an acoustic guitarist, composer and second female voice, fifteen trio. In September singer Federica Vinci and fiddler years after leaving the band in the first place. The band Tullia Romagnoli join. is reborn and full of enthusiasm, they work on a bunch of songs partly different than the usual and plan to finish the still delayed recording sessions for the album, adding some live-in-the studio performances of the new line-up.

May 2017: the Aberdeen Rail Station Acoustic Trio live at Black and White in Trieste. Left to right: Simone Calmo, Eno Jakomin and Andrea “Assa” Sauli.

Despite an excellent start, this new, more acoustic- In February 2018 it is Simone Calmo’s turn to quit. Eno, oriented line-up, doesn’t last. At the first tough Assa, Federica and Tullia decide to go on, trying to moment, insatisfaction spreads and, feeling no more on complete the recording sessions for the still unfinished the same task with guitarist Assa, Eno decide to part studio album and meanwhile find a replacement.. ways with him, after seven years. The band actually splits and, after a few months of research and trials, in 2019 Aberdeen Rail Station is back on track with new members Efstriatos Alexandros Mavridis and Nemanja Vujić on guitars and Giulia Morelli on vocals, with fiddler Tullia Romagnoli rejoining.

Da sinistra: Andrea “Assa” Sauli, Federica Vinci, Eno Jakomin, The band at the end of March 2019. Left to Right: Nemanja Vujić, Alex Tullia Romagnoli (foto Matilde Zacchigna). Mavridis, Giulia Morelli, Tullia Romagnoli, Eno Jakomin.