A Fistful of Hope

The opportunity to collaborate with Spaghetti Western legend Alessandro Alessandroni was an unexpected highlight for Alanjay Lori

Anita Awbi
  • By Anita Awbi
  • 16 Mar 2011
  • min read
From a stint as a radio presenter in Kent to writing novelty songs for former Blue Peter presenters,  Alanjay Lori has certainly had a varied musical career. But the opportunity to collaborate with Alessandro Alessandroni, who can be heard as the whistler/guitarist on the soundtracks for Sergio Leone's films A Fistful of Dollars and  The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (and celebrates his birthday today too) was a most unexpected highlight and proves that you never know what opportunities lie around the corner...

Having played in bands since I was 11, music has always been my passion.

I became a presenter for local radio, so I could broadcast and play the music that I liked, and played with several bands covering all kinds of genres.  I then became interested in writing tunes of my own. I did a couple of TV commercial tracks and I even wrote a novelty tune for Blue Peter presenter John Noakes called The Sheep Dip Disco, containing all his Shep the dog catchphrases. It had massive TV and media coverage at the time but unfortunately never got released due to my lack of contacts at the time.

Collaborating with a legend

I was then spurred on by an acquaintance in Italy,  who liked what I did. He also happened to work alongside Ennio Morricone as a music soundtrack producer/editor.   He sent some tracks to Alessandro Alessandroni, who liked what he heard so much that he decided he wanted to work on an album with me. I was over the moon that such a international artist such as him would even contemplate doing an album with an unknown like me!

A gentleman

I found Alessandro a most professional person in every respect... The sheer manner of which he has developed his ability, playing his many instruments is beyond anything I have been associated with in all my years of playing, composing and producing.  He enjoys what he does with a passion, and that passion seems to reflect onto others when you meet him. A real gentleman indeed.






We have now completed the album called  Alessandroni & Lori....This Is What We Do and are now looking for some interest. Fingers crossed!



Alessandroni and Lori can be heard at www.soundcloud.com, www.soundclick.com and www.indiecharts.com