Our story.

Opera singer Cristina Russo (Victorian Opera, Opera Australia) is a second generation Australian with grandparents from Sicily and Veneto. She missed the old days of her family reunions, where her nonno would whip out the piano accordion and get the party started with Neapolitan arias.

Bored of the stiff and conservative opera scene, joked to her friend, jazz double bassist Tom Flenady, “I just want to sing songs about pizza and mozzarella!”

Tom heeded this request and the next morning, Cristina opened her inbox to find it full of transcriptions of songs from the golden era of Italian music.

It was on.

Tom recruited jazz guitarist and fellow paisan Adam Russo, who shared their love of Italian music and good food, and Dai, Ciccio! was born. The gigs started small, serenading the regulars at our namesake pizzeria, Ciccio Pizza.

Dai, Ciccio! (translation: come on, man!), has since been bringing the music of Bella Italia to events across Melbourne, from Queen Victoria Market, Chadstone Shopping Centre, Whiskey Wine and Fire Festival, Paris Cat, Open Studio, Marnong Estate and many more. 

Our heart continues to beat to the music of our ancestors, and nothing brings us more joy than seeing the next generation connect to the music of the old country.