Born and raised in
Milan, Fabio Treves became interested in music at a young age, helped by the father's passion for a variety of musical genres, including
classical music,
jazz,
blues, and Portuguese
Fado. Treves' interest in music led him to study a wide range of
musical instruments, including
bass,
organ,
trumpet, and
alto sax. During the 1960s he began playing what would become his signature instrument, the
harmonica. He settled near Milan as a blues harmonica player, inspired by
Sonny Terry,
Little Walter,
Paul Butterfield,
Alan Wilson, and
Sonny Boy Williamson II. In 1967, he played with his first band, the Friday Blues Group. He later joined the Simonluca e l'Enorme Maria band, which performed at the
Festival di Sanremo in 1972. The following year, he again took part in the Festival, this time as a chorister for
Fausto Leali, in the song "La Bandiera di Sole." In 1974, Treves founded the first Italian blues band, the Treves Blues Band. Soon after, he met the Texan guitarist and harmonicist
Cooper Terry after Terry's move to Italy, and the two began a long musical collaboration. During his career, Treves has played with
Dave Kelly,
Sunnyland Slim,
Johnny Shines,
Homesick James,
Willie Mabon,
Billy Branch,
Dave Kelly,
Paul Jones,
Alexis Korner,
Bob Margolin,
Sam Lay,
Louisiana Red,
Gordon Smith,
Son Seals, and
Eddie Boyd. He met
Frank Zappa during his Italian visit and remains the only Italian musician to have played with Zappa on stage. Treves has participated in many
music festivals in Italy and around the world. He continues to publish blues music in Italy, having released more than ten
albums to date. His collaborations have reached many levels of Italian music, having has worked with artists including
Angelo Branduardi,
Pierangelo Bertoli,
Eugenio Finardi,
Riccardo Cocciante,
Mina, and
Ivan Graziani, as well as some non-blues collaborations with
Articolo 31. ==Discography==