Few figures are making as many waves in the Italian music scene and actively involved in shaping it as Raffaele Costantino. This is precisely why we have dedicated the fourth episode of our Jazz:Re:Found section to him.

Raffaele is not only a key figure in the history of the festival; he also wears many hats: DJ, producer, radio host, music consultant, label founder, author, and podcaster. 16 years ago, he launched Musical Box on the Italian National Radio, a show that has become a major influence in promoting global sounds, from Africa to the US and Latin America to the UK. Under his alias Khalab, he has given new meanings to the fusion of traditional African rhythms with electronic music and jazz. His albums, Layers, Black Noise 2084 and the collaboration with the M’Berra Ensemble showcase his talent for dynamic musical blends. As a music consultant and artistic director, he shapes the direction of various national cultural projects, including for Jazz:Re:Found. As a record label founder, leading Hyperjazz Records and co-founding the podcasting company Hypercast, Raffaele is key in promoting new sounds and crafting innovative audio content. And there’s still much more to his story.

In this instalment of our Jazz:Re:Found series, we will preview Raffaele’s set at the festival and delve into the creative process behind his music. We will also feature an exclusive playlist curated by Raffaele, providing listeners with a glimpse of the diverse influences that have shaped his style.

Join, enjoy, and dance to Raffaele Costantino's DJ-set
at San Quirico stage at Jazz:Re:Found on Sunday starting at 5PM

How and when did you first come to know Jazz:Re:Found?

I don’t remember the exact moment, but it was during the editions in Turin. I had never been to Vercelli for the early editions, though I started following closely from a distance. Shortly after, the relationship greatly intensified, creating a shared and parallel growth path.

Having already participated in the festival and being well-acquainted with the Jazz:Re:Found family, how have you seen the project evolve and what new elements are you looking forward to this year?

I’ve attended all the editions of the new “era” of the festival. I’ve seen the growth of the people involved (both professionally and personally), becoming very close friends with those who worked behind the scenes to create all this. One person in particular, Alessandra Vigna, who is no longer with us but remains the soul of the festival! I’ve observed the audience’s growing awareness, the growth of the community and the hype around JZ:RF, but most importantly, I’ve seen it transform from a “simple” festival into a project, a real platform from which many ideas take off and land, especially that of a visionary artistic director/manager, always open to discussion and collaboration.

What do you think Jazz:Re:Found does differently from other festivals that enables it to attract an increasingly large and new audience, as well as very high-level artists at each edition?

Jazz:Re:Found maintains a certain attitude typical of provincial people, who know that to emerge from the outskirts of the empire, they must reach the center of the system with much preparation, credibility, sacrifice, and vision. There are no wealthy families or market lobbies behind it, no political interests or institutional compromises, no trends of the moment or search for immediate success. It’s all about sacrifice, vision, perseverance, and credibility. A true community cannot ignore these elements, which is why managers and artists themselves notice this, preferring sometimes to forgo the paper dollars of big festivals to be part of this ritual born from a collective urgency.

Looking at this edition’s program, which artists are you most excited to see and with whom would you like to collaborate if you had the chance?

Definitely Glass Beams, we’ve been in touch for a long time but have never managed to meet in person, Mulatu Astatke, whom I’ve seen several times (including at JZ:RF events) but can never get enough of, then DJ sets from friends and living legends like Mr. Scruff, Gilles Peterson, Nicola Conte, DJ Ralf, etc.

Taking place in the enchanting Monferrato in Piedmont, Jazz:Re:Found goes beyond music offering unique cultural experiences and sceneries. Have you had time to explore the area during previous editions of the festival? What places, experiences, or local aspects have become “musts” every time you return?

Cella Monte becomes the hub of life during those days, usually staying in hotels, B&Bs, pools during the day, then moving to the “festival village” from the early afternoon where you can do everything. Eat everything, drink everything (with great attention to high-quality wine), relax corners, nature, listening to music in different settings (from barefoot in the grass on a small hill to DJ sets during a tasting, talks, in-depth discussions. Everything designed to lead you to the final climax that unfolds from late afternoon to late at night. A truly totalising and profound experience.

Given your familiarity with Jazz:Re:Found‘s eclectic audience, how does their diversity in musical tastes influence how you prepare your sets for the festival?

Usually, at other festivals, I always consider the type of audience I will face, trying to find a balance between what I want to play and what may please the audience more, always within my range of musical choices, of course. JZ:RF is different; I prepare nothing, there’s no danger of not being understood.

What can the audience expect from your performance this year?

Who can say, I will play on Sunday from 5 to 7PM, closing the festival on the favorite stage of the DJs who perform at the festival. It’s very beautiful there because the dancefloor develops around the DJ, so the environment that will develop will be very important and will inspire my set. Nothing strategically decided.

For an artist, performing at Jazz:Re:Found represents a unique opportunity to present and promote their music and projects in front of thousands of people. What are your plans for the future that you wish to make known?

Lately, I am very focused on curatorial projects, on sound applied to more rational concepts. I am working on sound design projects, artistic curation, and research in more experimental sound areas. Meanwhile, I am preparing for a new season of my program on Rai Radio 2 Musical Box and to release a couple of new releases (singles, remixes, EPs) under the name Khalab. Then, of course, my work as creative director of Hypercast, where I take care of my new passion, podcasts!

Can you share a memorable or particular moment from your previous performances at Jazz:Re:Found?

Many. A DJ-set on a small hill that was the last of the evening when a torrential downpour came down. We covered the console with a green waterproof tarp with me underneath, and we continued the party until the power went out, but we continued dancing, singing choruses, and hugging under the rain.

Put on the PR hat for Jazz:Re:Found for a moment; how would you recommend the festival to music enthusiasts and what features do you think make it an unmissable event?

I think what we’ve said so far, reading it back, is already quite exhaustive. Perhaps we haven’t mentioned that there’s also a lot of flirting!!! 😊

How would you introduce yourself and describe your music to a potential Jazz:Re:Found spectator who has never heard of you?

My music, if we can call it that, comes from Africa. It travels violently across the ocean, stopping at some exotic islands before arriving in America. There it vents its anger for the wrongs suffered and becomes so powerful that it explodes with a shockwave that reaches around the world, but it is in England that it causes the most disruption and transforms that energy into many micro explosions that form many small planets. This sonic universe, a child of Africa (afrobeat, desert blues, Ethio-jazz, etc.), the United States (jazz, hip-hop, techno), and England (acid jazz, UK jazz, jungle) is my world!