Tarantelle and Canti d'Amore

by Alessandra Belloni

Overview

Few have immersed themselves more deeply in the Southern Italian dance called the tarantella than Alessandra Belloni. She's a masterful, passionate singer and an expert of frame drums and tambourines, and she's perfectly matched by the musicians she's gathered around her, with Jon Deninzon on violin a particular standout (listen to his work on "Tarantella Di Ogliastro"). The mix of (mostly) traditional songs and chants along with Belloni originals is rich and fiery, with nothing held back in performance. On the slower material -- the lullaby "Nia Nia," for example -- there's a lovely depth to her singing, which is also evident on the gorgeous love song "La Rusciu Di Lu Mari," whose cadences could almost be Celtic. Belloni's "Palomma D'Ammore" has a decidedly more modern sound, working around a riff on bass guitar that initially seems at odds with the rest of the album. But it works as the other instruments appear, although it lacks the form of the traditional material. On the basis of this and her previous work, Belloni is a major folk artist, although she perhaps sees herself as working more within the healing and spiritual powers of the tarantella (which is certainly a part of what she does). And she's produced yet another powerful disc here. ~ Chris Nickson

Product Details

Release Date:	03/18/2003
Label:	NAXOS
UPC:	0636943704929

Tracks

1. Pizzica Tarantata
2. Fronni d'Alia
3. Tarantella Di Ogliastro
4. Nia Nia
5. Tarantella Infuocata
6. Lu Ruscia Di Lu Mari (The Sound of the Sea)
7. La Notte Delle Stelle Cadenti (The Night of the Shooting Stars)
8. Occhi Turchini
9. Jesce Sole
10. Sulillo Mio (My Little Sunshine)
11. Tarantella del Gargano
12. On Venne Sonno
13. Palomma d'Ammore (Canto Per Daniele)
14. Leva Leva
15. Canto a Figliola

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Alessandra Belloni   Primary Artist,Drums,Vocals,Bodhran,Castanets,Tambourine,Mezzo-Soprano (Vocal)
John La Barbera   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Classical),Saz,Mandola,Mandolin,Chitarrone,Music Direction
Olivier Marcaud   Percussion,Sax (Tenor),Tenor (Vocal),Vocals (Background)
Mauro Refosco   Bells,Dumbek,Balafon,Berimbau,Pandeiro,Timbales,Frame Drum,Percussion
Emmanuel Mann   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Steve Gorn   Bansuri,Clarinet,Saxophone
Joe Deninzon   Violin,Harmonica

Technical Credits

Tommy Tedesco   Engineer,Producer
Alessandra Belloni   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Liner Notes,Improvisation
Ronnie Thomas   Engineer
Flavio Franzoni   Photography
Traditional   Composer
John La Barbera   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Improvisation