Artist Profiles: Bonifica Emiliana Veneta

Bonifica Emiliana Veneta (BEV) is a Northern Italian ensemble formed in June 1998 by musicians from the Emilia-Romagna and Veneto regions. The group was established with a clear objective: to explore and reinterpret the traditional music of Northern Italy, blending historical repertoire with original compositions and inventive arrangements.

The founding members, Claudio Caroli, Marco Mainini, Walter Rizzo, Alessandro Mottaran, and Luciano Giacometti, had previously been active in the folk group Piva dal Carner. BEV debuted with the album Apotropaica in 1999, released by Enrosadira Records. The recording was well-received by critics across Italy and Europe and led to numerous international performances in Austria, Germany, France, Croatia, Spain, and Portugal.

Bonifica Emiliana Veneta original line-up: Walter Rizzo on hurdy-gurdy, bombard, oboe, voice
Alessandro Mottaran on mandoloncello, bagpipe, guitar, vocals; Marco Mainini on vocals, guitar, bagpipe, sax; Luciano Giacometti on diatonic accordion, vocals; Claudio Pesky Caroli on acoustic bass, vocals; and
Francesco Sguazzabia on percussion.

Regarding the ensemble’s name, Bonificare, from the ancient Latin bonus facere, refers to drainage of marshes/clearing minefields/restoring and improving. BEV developed a rich and evocative repertoire of songs and dances has accompanied for ages the life of people living on the Northern Apennines mountains, from the plans of Po river to the Alps range.

Dances like Furlana, Manfrina and Jigs are ancient stories and rhythms left behind today. The group went back in time by the means of performing traditional, and original compositions as well, in order to restore a forgotten musical identity.

The itinerary begins with tunes that characterized the seasons in the life of women and men, which delivered northern Italy’s popular culture. Bonifica Emiliana Veneta researches the music essence as a universal language, comparing its culture from the Emilia and Veneto regions to different tones. The group also follows the thread linking sounds, rhythms, and ballads of the Emilia and Veneto regions to those coming from Western Europe. All these elements become part of the musical aim of Bonifica Emiliana Veneta, originally a quintet established by three members of the group La Piva dal Carner, which led the progressive folk scene in Italy.

Their second album, Variabile Naturale (2001, Felmay), marked a turning point. It introduced new sounds through lineup changes and continued the group’s commitment to experimentation rooted in regional tradition. In 2006, Materiali Tradizionali offered a more focused return to traditional repertoire, performed with BEV’s signature stylistic approach.

The ensemble stopped performing in 2007 although never officially disbanded. The lineup went through various changes, and a new incarnation of the band started touring in 2014.

Following a long period of research and recording, BEV completed their fourth album, Quattro, released in March 2025 by Visage. The group’s lineup in 2025 included Marco Mainini (vocals, guitar, piffero, piva), Alessandro Mottaran (mandoloncello, piva, clarinet in C, vocals), Giorgio Panagin (double bass), Walter Sigolo (accordion, vocals), Walter Rizzo (hurdy-gurdy, baroque oboe, musette), and Claudio Vezzali (violin, tenor violin, trombone in C).

Discography

Apotropaica—Enrosadira (Roby Droli, 1999)
Variabile/Naturale (Felmay, 2001)
Materiali Tradizionali (Felmay, 2006)
Quattro (Visage Music, 2025)

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.