Enjoying a growing international public and critical consensus following their previous efforts Gai Saber are now ready to unveil the latest chapter of their musical saga.
Formed in 1992 as Kalenda Maia, Gai Saber took their present name in 1996 and the following year released their debut album Troubard R’ÒC. In June 1999 the band’s second CD Esprit de frontiera saw the participation of Ares Tavolazzi, Elio Rivagli and Vincenzo Zitello.
In 2000 and 2001 Gai Saber took part in numerous festivals both in their native Italy and abroad, and at the same time began to forge their ethno electronic sound marrying traditional instruments to digital samplers and drum machines, producing the album Electroch’Oc in 2002 in which the rhythms of Occitanian music shared the same floor space with drum & bass and trip-hop atmospheres. The widespread critical acclaim the album received resulted in the group (who hail from Peveragno in Cuneo’s Valle Pesio) embarking on a three-year European tour.
In La fabrica occitana, the band’s rediscovery of Occitan roots filtered through the effulgence of futuristic electronic sonorities hones to a fine art the musical mongrelizing that is their declared trademark. Here, the encounter between digital rhythms and melodies of minstrel poetry is finely balanced.
Gai Saber are: Chiara Bosonetto (vocals), Maurizio Giraudo (bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, flutes, vocals), Maurizia Giordanengo (melodeon), Paolo Brizio (melodeon, jembe, derbuka, vocals), Elena Giordanengo (harp, drums and Provensal flutes, vocals), Jose Dutto (drums).
Discography:
Troubard R’ÒC (1997)
Esprit de Frontiera (1999)
Danimarca Live
Electroch’Òc (Felmay, 2002)
La Fabrica Occitana (Felmay)
Angels Pastres Miracles – Chancons de Nadal en Occitania (Felmay, 2012)
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.