Biography

Privacy Notice | Terms of Use | Copyright Information

BIOGRAPHY

Al Conti is a composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Conti has traveled widely and has lived in South America, Europe and the United States. As an actor, he has appeared on television shows including the CBS daytime drama “As The World Turns,” in films, in numerous radio and television commercials, and on-stage in theatre productions in cities including New York City, Philadelphia, Tampa and Buenos Aires. Born and raised in Argentina, Conti comes from a family of artists with notoriety in many fields. Conti, who has composed music all his life, released his first album, Shadows, in 2006, Poeta, in 2007 and the critically acclaimed, award winning Scheherazade in 2008.

Al bio image Al Conti is a recipient of several Awards for his work. His album Scheherazade topped the Zone Music Reporter Top 100 Chart at number 1 for three consecutive months, in October, November and December, 2008. The album also garnered four ZMR Lifestyle Music Awards nominations, including Album of the Year, and won Best World Album of 2008. Scheherazade also headed many radios 'Top 10' and 'Best of' lists,' as well as charting #5 on the ZMR's Top 100 Airplay Chart for 2008. His album Poeta was used as part of NPR's fundraising efforts in 2007 and his recording Quest for Orpheus, from the same album, received a “Best of 2007” Award from Mystic Soundscapes Radio.

Regarding the upcoming Northern Seas album, Conti says, “Norse mythology provided a rich and powerful tapestry from which to weave an amazing project. My work comes to life from the pages of books, fairy tales, poetry, and travel and become the music I create while at the same time journaling my life’s events. An artist’s life experiences are woven together to become creative events that in turn grow into a project that chronicles the artist’s journey. As in past projects, it is the concept that chooses me, rather than the other way around. And so, the myths and legends of the Norse became an album project before I had much time to think it over.”

“As with my previous projects”, Al says, “this album, inspired by the intensity and beauty of Norse mythology, became a very powerful artistic journey of self-discovery. The feeling of the ancient past and an ever constant present managed to merge within this work, once again, marking another chapter in my musical journal.”

Al Conti’s childhood was full of artistic expression. His grandfather was a concert pianist, his mother was a professional ballerina, and his father is an architect, published poet and university professor. Al’s family tree also includes the famous Argentinean writer and politician Miguel Cané, who held numerous political offices, notably as Argentine minister of external affairs and of the Interior and Mayor of the City of Buenos Aires. On his mother’s side, Al is also a relative of the Necchi family that founded the famous sewing machine company. Although Al’s family was living in Argentina, his heritage is Italian and German. Because of this diverse cultural background, Conti grew up speaking several languages. When Al was three years old, he announced to his parents that he wanted to be an actor. Also, at a very young age, Al began listening to his family’s vast collection of recordings, playing a game with his parents where they asked for a particular classical recording and Al would find the correct piece and put it on the stereo. At age six he began teaching himself how to play piano and guitar. When he was eight years old, after much insistence, his parents finally allowed him to take acting lessons, which led to his first stage roles in Argentina.

Al permanently moved to the United States when he was 17 years old and, under management, continued a professional acting career that he maintained through 2004. In Argentina and in the United States, Al had the opportunity to perform in numerous theatrical stage productions including plays such as “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,” “Andre’s Mother,” “Poor Richard” and “Lonely Planet.”

“In addition to acting, music was always a major part of my life,” Conti explains. “Whether it’s someone else’s music or my own, I hear music in my head constantly. I began to get serious about composing in the early nineties. Several years ago I had a near-death experience that was life-altering for me. It wasn’t long after, that music became my fulltime career and I started recording.”

When asked about musicians who have inspired him, Al says, “I could go on all day. I have enjoyed music from all over the world in many different styles since I was a child. I never stop listening and looking for new music. I was deeply influenced by classical music early in my formative years and always enjoyed the works of composers such as Chopin, Vivaldi and Bizet. I also grew up listening to Tangos and Argentinean and European pop music and later New Age and World music.”

In addition to his music career, Conti lends his support to a number of causes such as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Alzheimer’s Association, and Until There’s a Cure, which combats the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In 2008, Al joined Kevin Bacon, Jessica Alba and Shelley Morrison (“Will & Grace”) in lending his supporting the Until There’s a Cure foundation to help raise awareness and funds for research. “If you have ever had a friend or family member fighting one of these diseases, then you know why it is so important for all of us to show our support.”

According to Conti, “Creating an album is always an arduous artistic experience for me. I aim very high and hold myself to standards of perfection one rarely achieves. There is a lot of thought, planning and experimentation that goes into creating arrangements I can be happy with. What keeps me going is the feeling that my audience, which is very real to me, is right there beside me while I am recording. So I can only thank each and every listener for walking with me through this artistic adventure and encouraging me to create more.”