The Niro

Italian singer/songwriter Davide "The Niro" Combusti was born in Rome October 6, 1978. The son of a drummer, the first musical instrument he started playing was the drums, but later on he learned guitar and bass, too. After some minor experiences in the Roman underground music scene as a drummer, he started his own band in 2002 , and called it the Niro, for which he was both the singer and the songwriter. After the band split in 2004, Combusti kept the moniker for himself, thus starting a proper solo career. In the following years he opened the Italian gigs of important international acts such as Sondre Lerche, Lou Barlow, Isobel Campbell, Badly Drawn Boy, and even Deep Purple and Amy Winehouse, and in the meantime he had the chance to play in both Italy and abroad (France, Austria, United States). In 2006, the Niro was invited to Boston to take part to an international tribute to Elliott Smith, where he played Smith's song "Everything Reminds Me of Her," and -- thanks to the interest of Radiohead's manager Chris Hufford -- he also made an appearance on Anti Atlas' album Between Two/Between Voices, while in 2007 he performed a five-date tour in the New York clubs. Thanks to an opening slot for Carmen Consoli in London, he then signed with Universal and released his debut album, The Niro, in April 2008 (preceded by the EP An Ordinary Man). Both records showcased a remarkable artistic personality (whose stronger vocal resemblance can be found in Jeff Buckley) capable of writing heartfelt ballads with catchy tunes and interesting electro-acoustic musical soundscapes. ~ Aurelio Pasini, All Music Guide