Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino (CGS), formed by writer Rina Durante in 1975, is a traditional music ensemble from Salento, Italy. The seven-piece band and dancer perform a contemporary style of Southern Italy's traditional Pizzica music and dance.
According to the group's website, it has performed with musical artists including Ballaké Sissoko, Ibrahim Maalouf, Piers Faccini, composer Ludovico Einaudi, and drummer Stewart Copeland of The Police. CGS opened the Concertone of La Notte della Taranta in Melpignano in front of over 100,000 people.
Based in Lecce, the group performs concerts under the direction of fiddler and drummer Mauro Durante. Durante took over as bandleader from his father, Daniele Durante, in 2007. Previously, Durante was the musical assistant to Einaudi, Maestro Concertatore of the La Notte della Taranta festival.
CGS has recorded 18 albums and performed in the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. In 2010, CGS was awarded Best Italian World Music Group at the Meeting of Independent Labels festival in Italy.
In 2015, they released Quaranta (40), an album recorded live-to-tape without overdubs and produced by Ian Brennan.
Band members Mauro Durante, frame drums, violin, vocals Emanuele Licci, bouzuki, classical guitar, vocals Alessia Tondo, vocals Silvia Perrone, dance Giulio Bianco, harmonica, zampogna (Italian bagpipes), recorder Massimiliano Morabito, diatonic accordion Giancarlo Paglialunga, tamburello, vocals
Discography 1977 – Canti di Terra d'Otranto e della Grecia Salentina 1980 – Concerto 1 1983 – Come farò a diventare un mito 1985 – Concerto 2 1988 – Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino 1991 – Concerto 3 1994 – Sutt'acqua e sutta ientu navegamu 1994 – Mamminieddhu Zuccaratu 1997 – Ni pizzicau lu core 1998 – Ballati tutti quanti ballati forte 2000 – Canti e pizzichi d'amore 2000 – Carataranta 2001 – Pizzica pizzica 2002 – Alla riva del mare 2002 – Serenata 2010 – Focu d'amore 2012 – 2015 – Quaranta 2017 – Canzoniere
Awards and nominations 2010 – Best Italian World Music Band – MEI's confab 2011 – Babel Med Music selection 2012 – globalFEST NYC selection 2012 – Womex selection 2013 – SXSW selection 2013 – Montreal International Jazz Festival selection 2013 – Womad selection
See also Tarantism Grecìa Salentina
References Sito ufficiale Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino The New York Times about CGS Womex
External links