Some records define a decade. “I Like Chopin” by Gazebo defined an era. Released in 1983, it reached No. 1 in over 17 countries simultaneously — Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, and beyond — and remains one of the most recognisable and enduring records in the history of Italo disco and European synth-pop. Four decades on, it still stops rooms cold. Behind it is Paul Mazzolini, known worldwide as Gazebo: songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and one of the most creatively restless artists the genre has ever produced. Gazebo is available to book for festivals, corporate events, private events, and nostalgia shows worldwide through Poise Artists.
Gazebo was born Paul Mazzolini on February 18, 1960 in Beirut, to an Italian diplomat father and a singer mother who encouraged him to study music from childhood. Growing up across multiple countries and cultures, he developed a rare cosmopolitan sensibility before settling in Italy in 1974. After graduating and spending time in London forming bands and sharpening his craft, he returned to Rome with one goal: make music for a living.
In 1981 he released his debut single “Masterpiece”, whose 12″ version quickly became a dancefloor staple across European and Asian dance scenes. Two years later came the record that changed everything.
In 1983, signed to Baby Records, Gazebo released his debut album and its lead single “I Like Chopin” — a melodic, melancholic synth-pop masterpiece that reached No. 1 in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Spain, Belgium, Canada, Japan, Portugal, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, and Turkey, and the top ten in the UK. Few records in the Italo disco era achieved that level of simultaneous global chart domination. The follow-up album “Telephone Mama” in 1984 repeated the success across the same territories.
What separates Gazebo from his contemporaries is what came after the fame. Rather than coasting on his catalogue, he founded his own production company Lunatic S.r.l., took total creative control, and rebuilt his career from the ground up — writing, arranging, producing, and engineering his own records. He co-wrote “Dolce Vita” for Ryan Paris, which became a worldwide smash, and recorded his own version on his 1989 album “Sweet Life” — the first record he entirely wrote, produced, and engineered himself.
In 2008 he released “The Syndrone”, recorded alongside world-class musicians including drummer Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney) and bassist John Giblin (Phil Collins, Kate Bush, Simple Minds). The single “Tears For Galileo” reached No. 1 on the Euro Dance Parade. His 2013 double live album “I Like…Live” captured the best of his 30-year career on stage, while his 2018 project “Italo By Numbers” saw him re-record legendary Italo disco anthems — including “Self Control,” “Tarzan Boy,” and “Happy Children” — using the original analog instruments and production techniques of the era.
Booking Gazebo means bringing one of Italo disco’s most decorated and enduring artists to your stage. His catalogue is immediately recognisable to audiences across generations, his live show is built around the hits that made him a global name, and his professionalism is that of an artist with over four decades of international touring experience. Gazebo is available for music festivals, 80s nostalgia events, corporate entertainment, private events, and TV appearances worldwide. Contact Poise Artists today for availability and fees.