Jes Psaila
Encyclopedia
Jes Psaila is a Maltese guitarist born in Valletta
, Malta
, on 23 February 1964. He grew up in the Tal-Karmnu neighbourhood of the Maltese capital.
Psaila began his musical career as an electric guitarist in 1982 playing with various rock groups, most notably with the Maltese
progressive rock band Avatar. At that time other prominent Maltese rock bands included Marsascala-based Mirage
, Over and Stratkast. With Psaila the founding members of Avatar were Aidan Zammit
Lupi, Ivan Scicluna, Sean Griscti and Karl Griscti. The band gave memorable concerts in most of Malta's large venues and clubs, and was especially known for the intricate harmonised solos on two guitars. With Avatar, he supported the Ghanaian band Osibisa
during a concert at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta
in 1984. Zammit Lupi and the Griscti brothers left Malta by 1985 and the band never reunited.
The guitarist has also played with the Johan Strauss School of Music Jazz Band. In 2001 he played electric guitar in Jason Fabri's Jason Paul Band, that also featured deceased double bassist Bernard Scerri. Psaila has also featured with alternative rock band Syrup
, that has since then disbanded.
His first performance with Walter Micallef
was during the latter's official launch of M'Jien Xejn at the Erin Serracino Inglott Hall in 2003. In November 2003 he performed in Ragusa
, Italy in the theatrical production Caravaggio di Merisi: chiaroscuro.
He currently plays the acoustic guitar with Walter Micallef u l-Ħbieb, and has featured in the March 2007 album Ħamsin.
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, on 23 February 1964. He grew up in the Tal-Karmnu neighbourhood of the Maltese capital.
Psaila began his musical career as an electric guitarist in 1982 playing with various rock groups, most notably with the Maltese
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
progressive rock band Avatar. At that time other prominent Maltese rock bands included Marsascala-based Mirage
Mirage
A mirage is a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French mirage, from the Latin mirare, meaning "to look at, to wonder at"...
, Over and Stratkast. With Psaila the founding members of Avatar were Aidan Zammit
Aidan Zammit
-Biography:He has worked as a composer, musician and singer with several artists, including Mike Francis , Niccolò Fabi, Andrea Bocelli, Nicola Piovani, Vincenzo Cerami, Bungaro, Lorenzo Feliciati, Simone Cristicchi, Antonello Venditti, Marco Mengoni, Angelo Branduardi and Vocintransito...
Lupi, Ivan Scicluna, Sean Griscti and Karl Griscti. The band gave memorable concerts in most of Malta's large venues and clubs, and was especially known for the intricate harmonised solos on two guitars. With Avatar, he supported the Ghanaian band Osibisa
Osibisa
Osibisa is a British Afro-pop band, founded in London in 1969 by four expatriate African and three Caribbean musicians. Osibisa were one of the first African bands to become widely popular, leading to claims of founding World Music.-History:...
during a concert at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
in 1984. Zammit Lupi and the Griscti brothers left Malta by 1985 and the band never reunited.
The guitarist has also played with the Johan Strauss School of Music Jazz Band. In 2001 he played electric guitar in Jason Fabri's Jason Paul Band, that also featured deceased double bassist Bernard Scerri. Psaila has also featured with alternative rock band Syrup
Syrup
In cooking, a syrup is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars but showing little tendency to deposit crystals...
, that has since then disbanded.
His first performance with Walter Micallef
Walter Micallef
Walter Micallef is a leading Maltese singer songwriter, born in the central Maltese town of Birkirkara. He has composed well over a hundred songs, nearly all in Maltese.-Childhood:...
was during the latter's official launch of M'Jien Xejn at the Erin Serracino Inglott Hall in 2003. In November 2003 he performed in Ragusa
Ragusa, Italy
Ragusa is a city and comune in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Ragusa, on the island of Sicily, with around 75,000 inhabitants. It is built on a wide limestone hill between two deep valleys, Cava San Leonardo and Cava Santa Domenica...
, Italy in the theatrical production Caravaggio di Merisi: chiaroscuro.
He currently plays the acoustic guitar with Walter Micallef u l-Ħbieb, and has featured in the March 2007 album Ħamsin.