As part of the programme of the 45th edition of the Pistoia Blues Festival 2026, a night dedicated to great international blues.
On Saturday, 4 July 2026, in Piazza del Duomo, during one of only two summer dates scheduled in Italy, Fantastic Negrito will perform for the very first time on the Pistoia Blues stage with his band.
Fantastic Negrito, the stage name of American guitarist Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, is one of the most authentic and powerful voices in today’s music scene. After a career marked by setbacks and rebirths, he has developed a distinctive style blending blues, rock, funk, soul and African-American roots. Over the course of his career, he has won three consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary Blues Album with The Last Days of Oakland (2016), Please Don’t Be Dead (2018) and Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? (2020).
His latest release, Son of a Broken Man (October 2024, Storefront Records), is a deeply autobiographical work, exploring the father-son relationship, inner conflict and the search for identity. The album was introduced by the single Undefeated Eyes, featuring Sting, and moves between moments of raw vulnerability and powerful rhythmic bursts, confirming the artist’s strong narrative and sonic identity. Virgin Radio is the official radio partner for Fantastic Negrito’s Italian dates.
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On the same night, Eric Steckel will also take the stage, widely regarded as one of the brightest stars of contemporary blues. Born in 1990, Steckel is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter and record producer.
He has released 12 albums and toured extensively worldwide, sharing the stage with artists such as Steve Vai, Gregg Allman, Johnny Winter, John Mayall, Ray Charles, Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, among many others. In March 2024, he was ranked No. 55 on Total Guitar magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Blues Guitarists of All Time”, while in 2021 Guitar Player named him one of the “10 Future Stars of the Blues”.
Details
Tickets will be available in advance starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, 23 January, via Ticketone, Ticketmaster, Vivaticket, and at authorised local ticket outlets.
