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Fabrizio Piepoli : voice, bouzouki, percussions Giuseppe De Trizio : mandolin Massimo La Zazzera : flutes, chanter, piva (Italian bagpipe), shawm Pierpaolo Martino : double bass Daniele Abbinante : percussions, frame drums) Guest Artists: Antonella Genga (voice, acting, castagnole) Gigi Celestino (tammorra, tamburello, darbouka, frame drums) Gianni Gelao (flutes, shawm, piva, bagpipe) Patricia Cives (voice, chitarra battente) Adolfo La Volpe (oud, cittern) |
| We board a train and begin our musical
journey through southern Italy (Apulia, the heel of the boot), a region
of sun-baked red earth, tarantellas, pizzicas, tangos and passionate vitality.
On the 15 tracks of this incredible c.d., Radicanto blends traditional
songs and dance rhythms with a new, almost theatrical way, of interpreting
them. Theatricality is of course no accident for them, as they are
a "cultural association" who are involved in not only music but theatre
and dance projects as well.
Like Rosapaeda's c.d. Facce, there is the combination of the traditional with outside musical influences. The first instrument heard on Terra Arsa is the Brazilian berimbau gradually driving us into this rather lush experience despite the cover's stark landscape or the title "Scorched Earth" of the c.d. Not only are Radicanto fine musicians; but they are all excellent vocalists-possessing the rich vocal style of the Mediterranean. The album works as a whole for me and I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite track--they are all favorites. Although the group adds instruments and influences from other traditions besides their own, they manage to maintain the integrity of their own region of Apulia--showing that not only do they have great skill; but they have done careful research. They travel throughout the region collecting the music and cultural heritage. Then, when they come together again to play what they have learned, they make these experiences uniquely theirs. Yet, they never seem to lose sight of where this music comes from--a day to day struggle with a life close to and influenced by the sea, the sun, and the wind. We look out the window of the train we are traveling on with them and we can see the people of this region working hard, celebrating, dancing, drinking, sleeping and passionately in love. This is the only recording by Radicanto that I have heard, although I believe that this is their second c.d. I hope that there will be many more. |