The acclaimed singer and radio personality returns to Sicily for a special concert at Palermo’s historic Steri, joined by his daughter and special guest Maggie Charlton
Palermo is preparing for a night of music, atmosphere and international flair as Nick The Nightfly returns to Sicily with My Italian Fantasy, a concert that brings together jazz, soul, pop and the distinctive musical energy of the island.
Taking place on August 29 at 9:30 p.m. at Steri Hall, the performance is part of the Musiche del Nostro Tempo series presented by the Fondazione OJS – The Brass Group, in collaboration with Palermo Classica.
The evening will revolve around Nick The Nightfly’s unmistakable voice and his sophisticated approach to music, but it will also be deeply rooted in Sicily. He will perform with an all-Sicilian band featuring some of the island’s most respected musicians: Fabio Lannino on electric bass and production, Roberto Macrì on piano, Giuseppe Urso on drums, Vito Giordano on trumpet and flugelhorn, Orazio Maugeri on saxophone, and Salvatore Sciarratta on trombone.
Adding an especially personal touch to the concert will be Maggie Charlton, Nick The Nightfly’s daughter, appearing as the evening’s special guest. Her warm, soulful voice promises to create one of the most anticipated moments of the performance, adding an intimate dimension to a concert already conceived around the idea of musical connection.
My Italian Fantasy is more than a concert title. It reflects Nick The Nightfly’s long-standing relationship with Italy and, in particular, with Sicily, a place he describes as possessing an extraordinary musical sensitivity and a unique energy.
“Returning to Sicily and having the opportunity to play in such an extraordinary place as the Steri is a special emotion for me,” Nick The Nightfly says. “My Italian Fantasy comes from the desire to tell, through music, about my connection with Italy and Sicily. I will be on stage with a band made up of outstanding Sicilian musicians, with whom I share the desire to play with music, move across different styles and present my compositions in a new way.”
The repertoire will travel freely between genres and eras. Audiences can expect songs from Nick’s latest album, Be Yourself, alongside original compositions, jazz standards and carefully reimagined pop classics. His performances are characterized by an ability to move naturally between sophisticated jazz arrangements, soul-inflected melodies and the immediacy of contemporary pop.
The result is a musical language that is elegant without being formal, sophisticated without losing its warmth — and perfectly suited to the evocative setting of the Steri.
For Nick The Nightfly, the connection with an audience is as important as the music itself. “We have prepared an evening full of rhythm, elegance and surprises, with the aim of creating a special atmosphere together with the audience,” he explains. “The Steri will be our home under the stars, and I cannot wait to live this Italian fantasy together with the people of Palermo.”
A Life Between Radio and Music
Although millions of listeners know Nick The Nightfly primarily as the iconic voice behind his long-running program on Radio Monte Carlo, his roots are firmly grounded in music.
Born in Scotland, Nick was once a promising young footballer and was even selected for the Scottish Under-18 national team. Music, however, ultimately became his true calling. Since choosing Italy as his home in 1982, he has developed a unique career as a singer, musician, DJ, broadcaster and producer.
His radio program has become a meeting point for some of the most influential figures in international music, with guests including Sting, Pat Metheny, Jacob Collier, Peter Gabriel, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Herbie Hancock, Zucchero, Caetano Veloso, Wayne Shorter, Donald Fagen, Pino Daniele and Annie Lennox.
At the same time, Nick has continued to perform live, both with his Nick The Nightfly Orchestra and in smaller formations, demonstrating that the musician behind the microphone remains at the heart of his artistic identity.
In Palermo, that identity will take center stage once again.
With Maggie Charlton alongside him and an exceptional Sicilian ensemble providing the musical foundation, My Italian Fantasy promises to be a celebration of encounters: between generations, between cultures, between jazz and pop, and above all between an artist and a city with which he has developed a profound musical connection.
On August 29, the historic Steri will become the setting for that encounter — a night under the Palermo sky where Nick The Nightfly’s Italian fantasy can finally come to life.
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