Al Castellana

For all the black music lovers, Al Castellana doesn't really need an introduction: he's the biggest italian representative and a true pioneer of the italian soul music scene who has been influencing and impressing the public and critic since more than a decade, with his elegant interpretation, in an italian key, of black music.

Starting from pure soulful influences, Al Castellana knows how to explore every single aspect of a music genre, always combining classic shades with the most actual hip hop sonorities.

Al starts to get noticed by the big audience around late 90's, when he teams up and sings with many italian artists such as Neffa, Fabri Fibra, Sottotono etc..

Especially with Neffa he starts a very prolific and fortunate collaborayion, that brings the issue of his first solo album "Niente di nuovo" (Jackpot/ Edel 2000) coproduced by himself.

Later on, Al Castellana faces new challenges as a performer, songwriter and also arranger. Other than a very solid collaboration with Patty Pravo, with his team SoulCombo (founded by Al himself along with musicians Nick Ardessi and Janfree) , Al produces Alan Sorrenti's unreleased work "Sott'acqua" (2003, Sony Bmg) and "Il mio diario" by Tormento (former Sottotono) and many more.

This artist also teams up with Soulville which is one oc the most acclaimed indie labels for black music in Italy: in 2006 in facts Al joins the first label's project "Soulvillains" (2006 Soulville Records/Hip Hop Hustlaz).In 2007 Al releases his sophomore solo album "Supafunkitsch!" through the Soulville label (Do it yourself-self).

In 2008 Al is included in the compilation "Funk in Italia" with the track "Resto con te" and in 2009 he is in the second solo album of italian rapper Ghemon with "Goccia a goccia". 

2010 is the year of "L'antologia funk" by Cramps Records, a compilation in which Al Castellana is in with the song "Nonostante tutto". Al collaborates also with many other artists and specially with Fabri Fibra with who he reissues the track "Come te" (a track that he recorded a few years prior).

In the late 2011 Al releases his third solo album "Funk me to the moon"(Soulville Records/Soul Combo) that hits the italian soul/ r'n'b charts and goes number 1 on Itunes, other than receiving amazing reviews from Japan, the Uk, Canada, USA, Switzerland,France,Spain and Chile.

This album will also be released in Japan where it's acclaimed like "Best blue eyed soul album" according to the famous website "Urban next" for the year 2011.In Uk, Canada, Switzerland and Canada the album is warmly welcome in their local charts.

In 2013 Al writes and sings "Che tempi" a track included in Fabri Fibra's new album "Guerra e pace", that goes number 1 in the iralian sales charts.

Al Castellana as an artist and as a producer, along with Daniele "Speed" Dibiaggio, co produces "Bless the ladies" with  Soulcombo in March 2013 that hits another 1st spot in the Soul/ rnb digital sales charts in Italy and that receives positive critics in Us. This album is released through the new label LADEMOTO RECORDS, inspired to release quality music in the soul, jazz, funk, rnb, hip hop scene. In June 2013 is the turn of the album called "Al Castellana & The Soul Combo" that combines the best of Al's latest works "Funk me to the moon" and " Bless the ladies" for the japanese label Urban Next/BBQ co ltd.

In 2013 Al released his new solo album "Outside my window" anticipated by the single " Lucky man" that is also included in the "So soulfu Collection" compilation released in september 2013 , a collection of the best rnb and soul international indie artists  which receives the applause as best soul and Soul/rnb collection of 2013 for the prestigious website soultracks.com. The album is distributed in several countries including UK, JAPAN, ITALY, US etc. obtaining a flattering approval from the public, critics and sales, reaching No. 8 in the UK Soul Chart and an "Honorable Mention" in the chart of Best Albums Soul Rnb 2013 for the website "Soultracks.com. The two singles supporting the project (Lucky Man and Still the Same) are later remixed by the English production team" SoulTalk "and reunited in a 45 rpm vinyl, which is distributed by "StreetSoulRecords" in Uk, Japan etc. Subsequently inserted in the compilation "Smooth Winter Soul" of Tgee Records, edited by the producer and Dj Tom Glide.

In March 2015, he released "I Wanna Be Your Side", (song rewritten by Syreeta Wright and Stevie Wonder) singing in duet with Soulsinger English Bashiyra, the song, reaches fifth in the UK Soul chart and remains for over 2 months in the standings. In June 2015 comes the new single "Be mine" is included in the compilation "The So Soulful Collection Vol.2", and anticipates the release of his new album scheduled for September / October 2015, complilation gets a lot of success and awards from international critics by scaling the Soul R'n'b charts in UK, USA etc. In April 2016, preceded by the single "A man like me", released the album "Souleidoscopic Luv", which in July 2016 reaches 1st place in the UK Soul Chart and stays for over 4 months in the standings, getting awards and great reviews from critics internationally. 

In July 2017 he enters the UK Soul Chart again with his new single "Play on".

In August 2018 he participates in the compilation "So soulful vol.3" with the song "You are".

The new album "The right place to be" will be released in 29th January 2021 and will be anticipated with the single “Love Is Here” in 27th November 2020.