+TONO EXCLUSIVE COCKTAIL PARTY.

PIU TONO celebrates its First Anniversary with an Exclusive Cocktail Party, introducing Massimo d'Orta, a successful Neapolitan artist, with his "Sponde" (Shores). Performing Live: Elise Wood on flute, and Carlton Holmes on keyboard.

Piu’ Tono revived the term “artist with scissors”, by bringing out customer’s true personalities.  Through vital energy, and a skillful enthusiasm to offer new looks at a client’s request, Piu’ Tono has redefined the definition of “hair stylist”. 

The Salon:

Piu’ Tono – translated literally “more tone” - has accommodated its busy clientele while adding a dash of nightlife to the Upper East Side by keeping its doors open every Thursday until midnight.  Clients and guests have used the facilities not only for getting a new look, but to promote meetings, meet acquaintances and emerge in cultural exchanges.  Through music, appetizers and glistening cocktails, Piu’ Tono has allowed us to regain the very elements of life we have lost sight of while living in the frenetic and alienating world of today.   

From here starts the idea to promote the art, the artists, and free spirits eager to let their art known and appreciated.

Art Exhibition:

Massimo d’Orta, Neapolitan artist and painter, was born in Naples’ historical center, from a very large Neapolitan family. He grew up roaming over the back streets of Naples – those very dark streets where you can feel the relics of ancient legends, phantoms and saints and witness those wonderful ladies with their black hair and sad mouths.  The same dark hair and sad mouths that he discovered at 14 years of age on the face of Edward Munch’s Madonna. From that moment he became a painter and has never stopped. The masters he learned from were painters bound together by a common theme, the representation of suffering humanity. And among these masters, he most often copied Caravaggio, receiving commissions from overseas.

At the moment, his studio is at Palazzo de Liguoro, historical building of the 16th Century located in Naples’ historical center, where two great saints used to live: Saint Alfonso Maria de Liguori and Saint Gerardo Maiella.

In 1990, Claudio Strinati, world renowned critic of contemporary art, was intrigued by the way he interpreted the role of painter, writing about this interpretation in an art catalogue with these words: “… d’Orta considers an artistic work to be in constant loss of its potential, or better yet, trapped in a kind of dead zone where it retains its potential. It is for this reason that the artist’s conception of the world is worthy of interest: his aim is to create images with a tangible need, not necessarily stemming from ideology or exclusively esthetic, but rather a real representation of the soul and of perception which can only be expressed through art.’

Past Exhibitions:

-   “Il Grande Inverno” – Naples, Castel dell’Ovo – 2009

-   “Caffe’ Letterario” – Naples, Caffe’ Letterario Intra Moenia – 2008

-   “Polo de la Moda” – Naples – 2008

-   “Mundus Vivendi” – Art Basel, Miami – 2007

-   “Cembalo Borghese” – Cultural Center, Rome – 1991

-   “Sala Gemito” – National Museum, Naples – 1988

-   “Caccioppoli” – Public Library, Naples – 1987

-   “Domani” – Cultural Center, Naples – 1986

-   “Gifra Gallery” – Naples – 1986

-   “Expo Art” – Bari – 1986

-   “Palazzo dei Congressi” – Rome – 1986

-   “Palazzo degli Affari” – Florence – 1985

-   “Il Sagittario” – Airola – 1984

-   “Palazzo Comunale” – Torre del Greco, Naples – 1983

-   “Cultural Center” – Portici, Naples – 1982

For more information: http://www.massimodorta.com/

Performing Live:

Elise Wood is a flutist who hails from Philadelphia, has appeared as featured soloist, band-leader and band-member with such notables as David Murray, Archie Shepp, Butch Morris and Arthur Blythe, Sir Roland Hanna, Spirit of Life Ensemble and most frequently with her partner of two decades, John Hicks. She has recorded for Mapleshade Records, Landmark Records, Evidence Records and the recently established record company with John Hicks, HiWood Records. International festivals and tours include Japan, Finland, Italy, France, and most recently Taiwan. She is also and active member of the NY Jazz Flutet.

Carlton holmes arrived in New York in 1986 where he completed his graduate studies in Music at the Manhattan School of Music. Since that time, Carlton has become one of New Yorks’ premiere piano players, having performed and/or recorded with artist like Max Roach, Michael Carvin, Branford Marsalis, Donald Byrd, Diane Reeves and many others. Currently Carlton is writing and performing with drummer great Cindy Blackman and Blue Note guitarist Ronny Jordan. Carlton is also writing and performing regularly with Grammy award MCA recording artist Regina Belle.