Marco Pandolfi: “Writing your own songs is more personal”

Marco Pandolfi puts songs first. His latest album, Rain or Shine, is another chance to hear what he can do with a lyric and a melody. Speaking with Marc Loison, the Italian harmonica player looks back on his early days in the clubs of Veneto and explains how playing live helped him find his own voice.

Marco Pandolfi is an Italian singer, guitarist, pianist and harmonica player who has been part of the European blues scene since the 1990s. He began playing professionally in 1994 and earned an international reputation as a harmonica player, taking part in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in 2006 and 2011. In 2014, he represented Italy at the European Blues Challenge. Over the years, he has worked with musicians including Richard Ray Farrell, Bob Margolin, Paul Oscher and Bob Corritore. His music has gradually grown out of traditional blues into a more personal style, with a focus on songwriting and acoustic arrangements. Released in spring 2026, Rain or Shine continues that evolution. It was a pleasure to talk at length with this gentleman of European blues.

🎙️ Marco Pandolfi in conversation with Marc Loison

How did you discover the blues, and what made you want to play it?

I came to music through American folk and singer-songwriters. I listened to Italian artists too, but people like Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan were the ones who opened the door for me. I was drawn to country blues first, then I discovered Chicago blues. What really made me want to take up the harmonica and play the blues was hearing harmonica players live, including some Italian musicians. Hearing the blues live grabbed me much more than listening to records.

When did the harmonica become central to your music?

I started out on guitar. Then I put a harmonica in a rack around my neck so I could play both instruments at once, like the singer-songwriters I was listening to. I fell in love with the sound of the harmonica in Chicago blues. I started cupping a microphone like my heroes and eventually played harmonica exclusively when I played blues. The technique is a little different when you focus on that instrument alone. I listened to Muddy Waters and the harmonica players who worked with him, including Little Walter and Jerry Portnoy.

The first time I heard Little Walter, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. His playing was so distinctive that I didn’t understand it at first. Looking back, I think he was a genius. It was in his choice of notes and his phrasing, and in the way he played right on the beat.

What was the Italian blues scene like when you started? How has it changed since then?

In the 1990s, there was a lot more live music in Italy, well beyond the blues. I was lucky to grow up in Veneto, in the northeast. A lot of blues bands came out of that region, and people really wanted to hear live music. There were plenty of clubs and venues, so American musicians could tour there regularly. It was an exciting time for a young musician discovering the blues. There were people like Dario Lombardo, who played with Phil Guy, as well as Rudy Rotta and Guido Toffoletti.

It’s harder today because many clubs have closed, partly because of the economic crisis. On the other hand, the blues is much more widely known. Musicians often have a clearer idea of the kind of blues they want to play. As for whether there’s a distinct Italian or even European blues identity, I couldn’t say. My musician friends in France, Spain and Germany share the same influences. We’re all still learning from the American blues legends.

“Once you’re on stage, you have to pay attention to what’s happening in the moment and be ready to respond.”

What did you learn from playing with American musicians that you couldn’t learn from records?

Musicians who started playing blues in the United States in the 1980s or 1990s, or even earlier, were lucky enough to see their heroes in clubs. They could talk to them, ask questions and get advice. Seeing those musicians right in front of you is a very different experience from listening to a record.

I learned a lot from the American musicians I played with, both in the United States and in Europe. I learned how important it is to be prepared. But once you’re on stage, you have to pay attention to what’s happening in the moment and be ready to respond. You can’t just work out a few licks on your instrument and expect them to work in every situation.

You took part in the International Blues Challenge twice. What does Memphis mean to you?

I went the first time with a band and the second time as a solo act. Memphis has such an important place in the history of the music I love. It already means a great deal to American musicians. Imagine what it means to a young Italian who dreams of being heard in the United States! Being there and playing there changed me, although the old Marco Pandolfi is still in there somewhere.

How has your music changed since your first records?

I started out playing and recording traditional blues, but I’ve always been drawn to all sorts of music. At some point, I began looking for a sound of my own. The first step was writing my own songs, both to play live and to record. There are all kinds of elements on my albums today, but the blues is still there underneath it all. At least I hope so!

How do you move between instruments when you’re writing a song?

I usually write on guitar or piano, never on harmonica. Some people think of me primarily as a harmonica player, but I don’t feel I need to put harmonica on every track. I think about the song first. If harmonica doesn’t suit it, I might ask another musician to play a solo.

The music and the lyrics usually come together at the same time. I might play guitar as I write the words, then go back and revise them to fit the music. But at the start, it all comes together.

“Writing and recording your own songs means sharing something much more personal.”

What role does songwriting play on Rain or Shine? Did these songs take you out of your comfort zone?

Writing and recording your own songs means sharing something much more personal. You have to reveal more of yourself and take some risks. It probably would have been easier just to play the classics. I still enjoy playing harmonica in a traditional blues band when I’m invited. But as a listener, I’d get bored hearing someone play Little Walter’s notes perfectly all night without putting anything of their own into it. When you start out, you try to imitate a harmonica player or a guitarist. Over time, I’ve found it more interesting to approach things differently.

Writing and recording these songs probably did take me out of my comfort zone. That’s likely what made the experience so stimulating. I wasn’t consciously trying to say something new. I just kept writing songs. People who follow my music might be able to explain it better than I can.

Which tracks would you recommend to someone discovering the album?

I don’t think one song can sum up what I do. A lot of people have told me they heard very different things on the album. The best thing would be to listen to the whole record!

Rain or Shine, the title track, is dedicated to artists who keep creating even when nobody pays attention to what they do. They keep going anyway. Sometimes you play a song and no one pays attention. That’s one of the challenges musicians face today.

Black Boy Fly tells the story of Marshall “Major” Taylor, the first African American track cycling world champion. That was around the turn of the twentieth century, at a time when segregation was widespread and he had to fight against it.

Glass Half Full is about a love story that started out really well and ended quickly and rather badly. I only play piano on that track, which sets it apart from my other songs. Some people talk about the glass being half empty. I chose to call it half full.

How do you see the future of the blues?

Lots of young musicians are playing the blues and carrying on the tradition. So I think the blues will always be around. It might take different forms, but it will keep going. I don’t like it when purists say, “This is the blues, and nothing else is.” I’ve been lucky enough to play with blues legends, and none of them had that attitude.

Rain or Shine reached number one on the Powerblues chart. How did you feel about that, and how are you bringing the album to the stage?

I’m delighted the album reached that spot on the Collectif des Radios Blues chart. I don’t know exactly how many Italian stations played it, but I’m really happy about the reception because I love France. I’ve played there a lot, including with my friend Abdell B-Bop. I hope to come back soon and play with him again. We’re close friends and we love playing together. He’s one of the most in-demand bass players in France and among many American musicians.

I’m not sure how to explain the record’s success. We share a love of the blues, and I think the album has the blues at its core. Maybe the people who voted simply paid attention to the music itself.

I’m mostly focused on promoting the album. I usually play it solo, sometimes as a duo or with a band. I still play harmonica with other groups from time to time, and I really enjoy that.

“What I love is playing in front of an audience.”

What would you like to say to Blues Actu readers who are discovering your music?

I’d like to thank everyone who’s listening to the album, and the Collectif des Radios Blues. I hope it makes them want to come and see me play. That’s what I enjoy most. I’m less keen on studio work. What I love is playing in front of an audience.