After decades as a solo artist, Mazell is embarking on a new chapter with The Italian Stallions, a group of singers paying tribute to timeless Italian music.
The idea for the group came from manager Dianne Voss, and Mazell was immediately on board. “It took me a second to say yes,” he recalled, “After so many years performing alone, I was ready to share the stage. And we’re having a great time doing it.”
The son of Sicilian immigrants who arrived in Australia in the late 1950s, Mazell was raised surrounded by Italian music. “I started singing when I was very young, and the Italian music scene of the ‘80s had a huge impact on me,” he revealed, “From that moment, I never stopped.”
The Italian Stallions’ repertoire blends American classics, from Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin to Tony Bennett, with iconic Italian hits like Ti Amo, Mambo Italiano, Tornerò and L’Italiano.
They perform two main show formats; one focused on classic crooner tunes and another more modern and varied, featuring fresh takes on beloved Italian hits.
As for the group’s name, The Italian Stallions, Mazell says it started as a joke from their manager. “At first, we laughed - it sounded like a troupe of male strippers! But we lean into the humour with a bit of tongue-in-cheek self-awareness,” he said.
“Maybe thirty years ago we could’ve pulled that off…”
The group features Mazell alongside George Vumbaca, Dom Vasta and Dean Canan, each bringing a unique vocal style and energy to the stage. “We’re all different, but we share a love for performing. And when you’re enjoying yourself up there, the audience feels it too.”
Mazell remains deeply connected to his Italian roots. “The Italo-Australian community continues to support us,” he shared, “Those songs from the ‘80s and ‘90s became the soundtrack of their lives and they still feel like that, even today.”
Mazell’s advice to young Italo-Australian artists? “It’s harder to stand out nowadays,” he observed, “You’ve got to keep reinventing yourself. That’s the key: staying fresh and open to experimenting.”
Upcoming shows for The Italian Stallions include the Cairns Italian Festival, the Ferragosto Festival in Five Dock on August 17 and The Palms at Crown in Melbourne on September 14.
