New Single Release: 'Best Life' with Scooppiati Diversamente Band (Rome, Italy)

June 2024. I’m perusing the menu in a stylish café in Milan. A dairy-free, teetotal Englishman in Italy. I clumsily ask for something Vegan to guarantee no milk. The waiter, brimming with Italian flair, responds with amused bewilderment: "In Italy, we love cheese, coffee, alcohol, and meat!"

I’m in Milan for a meeting with AllegroModerato, a renowned disability charity, ahead of our joint concert with The Music Man Project in September. As I sip my peppermint tea, an email pops up. It's from the Scooppiati Diversamente Band in Rome. They’d collaborated with AllegroModerato before and now hoped to work with us too. After years of searching for like-minded organisations overseas, I suddenly meet two in the same month.

A Roman Welcome

Fast forward to January 2025. After countless emails and Zoom calls, I land at Rome’s International Airport. A short drive later, I find myself gazing up at the mighty Colosseum. My hosts, Peppe and Andrea, usher me into a buzzing restaurant where laughter fills the air. The room is packed with family and friends of the Scooppiati Band, celebrating my arrival. So much joy, so much food, so much friendship. We visit the Colosseum and St. Paul’s Basilica in Vatican City (thanks to Peppe’s friend, who happens to be the Pope’s bodyguard!). I meet the band: singer Kettie, drummer Daniella, and pianist Giammario. With Andrea on lead guitar and Peppe on bass, they form the Scooppiati Diversamente Band, an inclusive group founded by Cooperativa Sociale H-Anno Zero. For over 13 years, they’ve championed disabled talent with original music tackling social issues and representation. Three band members have disabilities, but I only see musical brilliance. I can barely keep up with their extraordinary blind pianist!

"Best Life" in the Eternal City

Between plates of pasta and sightseeing, we rehearse and record our joint single, “Best Life, a song I originally wrote for HFT Housing Association in the UK. As I sit at the piano in a Roman studio, my stomach full, my lungs bursting with laughter, and my mind spinning with the wonders of antiquity, I reflect on how perfectly that title fits this moment. Peppe and I plan a joint concert in Rome and he graciously accepts my invitation to join the International Alliance of Accessible Music.

Visit to Rome, January 2025

A Return Visit to the UK

Our work on “Best Life” has only just begun. Two months after our recording sessions in Rome, Peppe, Andrea, and Kettie travel to the UK to meet the students of The Music Man Project. Their visit coincides with World Down’s Syndrome Awareness Day, but March 21st, 2025 holds even greater significance for our charity. That evening, The Music Man Project Global Ambassadors receive the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service—the group equivalent of an MBE. After a long day of travelling and recording, our three special guests from Rome take their seats among our patrons, supporters, family, and friends, proudly witnessing this momentous occasion. Scooppiati is now part of our international musical family.

A Musical Connection

It turns out Peppe’s connections extend far beyond the Vatican! He introduces us to another colleague - legendary music producer Steve Lyon. At his Panic Button Studio in London, our solo singers join a list of high-profile collaborators that includes Depeche Mode, The Cure, and now, The Music Man Project!

Scooppiati comes to the UK!

Bringing "Best Life" to the World

This is what my 25-year campaign has always been about - connection, visibility, and joy. "Best Life" is more than just a song; it's living proof of what’s possible when we focus on ability rather than limitation. From the very first note, collaborating with Scooppiati has been an absolute joy. Thank you Peppe, Andrea and everyone in the band. We can't wait to perform with you in Rome!

"Best Life" is available on all streaming platforms and The Music Man Project YouTube Channel from May 21st.

Related blog: Music is Magic in Milan