Various Artists - Bande Italiane

This 14 track compilation celebrates the Italian institution of La Banda, the 5,000 large musical groups that are the backbone of life in the villages and small towns of Italy. Featured on this CD are Banda Ionica from Sicily, the groups Opa Cupa, BandAdriatica and Municipale Balcanica from Salento and Banda Olifante from Romagna. Relying totally on wind instruments and percussion, in the late 19th century there was not a town, city or community that did not have at least one banda, many of which have survived until today. For about 15 years now, young musicians in different parts of Italy have been taking up the concept of the banda, that creative social cooperative, and have updated, urbanized and globalised the music to adapt it to contemporary musical and social developments. They have crossed the music of their region not only with styles they grew up with, rock, punk, jazz, pop and soundtracks, but also with rhythms, melodies, languages and instruments from other cultures.