Il Mito (Ponderosa Music) by Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino has taken the No. 1 spot on the Transglobal World Music Chart for February 2026. The release coincides with the group’s 50th anniversary.
Founded in 1975 by Rina Durante and now led by Mauro Durante, the Salento-based ensemble revisits its own catalogue with eleven selections. Fresh arrangements and new recordings characterize the project, and the focus stays on continuity. Even so, the goal remains familiar: bring regional tradition into the present, with pizzica at the center of the group’s identity.
The title track, “Il Mito,” connects past and present through its origins. Rina Durante wrote the lyrics, while Daniele Durante set the words to music. Daniele Durante served for years as the ensemble’s artistic guide and also is Mauro Durante’s father.
Roberto Licci appears alongside Emanuele Licci, while Rossella Pinto returns on “Lu rusciu de lu mare,” which traces back to Daniele Durante’s earlier guitar arrangement and now re-enters the repertoire through the current line-up. The instrumentation stays largely acoustic, frame drums, violin, diatonic accordion, bouzouki, guitar, winds, bagpipes, and four lead voices, then Giacomo Greco adds synth bass on “Inude.”
A newly remastered “Taranta” closes the set, credited to Mauro Durante and Ludovico Einaudi.
February 2026 Chart
- Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino – Il Mito – Ponderosa Music
- Neba Solo & Benego Diakité – A Djinn and a Hunter Went Walking – Nonesuch
- Nusantara Beat – Nusantara Beat – Glitterbeat
- Noura Mint Seymali – Yenbett – Glitterbeat
- Syran Mbenza – Rumba Africa – Hysa Producitons
- Tuuletar – Maammo – Nordic Notes / CPL-Musicgroup
- Omar Sosa – Sendas – Otá
- Antibalas – Hourglass – Daptone
- Wesli – Makaya – WUP
- Amadou & Mariam – L’Amour à la Folie – Because Music
- Stelios Petrakis – Lyric / Lyrikon – Buda Musique
- Muluken Mèllèssè – Éthiopiques 31 – Buda Musique
- Sanam – Sametou Sawtan – Constellation
- Either/Orchestra & Ethiopian Guests – Éthiopiques 32: Nalbandian l’Éthiopien / The Ethiopian – Buda Musique
- Crossing: Petit Solo Diabaté | Nino Martella | Marco Schiavone – The Path Between Us – Circular Music
- Hami Hamoo – Siya – Accords Croisés / Pias
- Gangbé Brass Band – From Ouidah to Another World – Salt’n Ginger
- Lamia Yared & Efrén López – From Minho to Euphrates – Worlds Within Worlds
- Catrin Finch – Notes to Self – Bendigedig
- Cristina Branco – Mulheres de Abril – Locomotiva Azul
- Radio Tarifa – La Noche – Buda Musique
- Guitari Baro – Guitari Baro – Chrysalis Global
- Ana Crismán Arpa Flamenca – Arpaora – Andalouse Alhambra
- Silvana Estrada – Vendrán Suaves Lluvias – Glassnote
- Ragna – Ragna – GO Danish Folk Music
- Mama Sissoko – Diamond Fingers – One World
- Casapalma – Jotas – Raso Estudio
- Mariama & Vieux – Ntèry – Korafola Production
- Hamouna Isewlan – Talle Talyadt – Remote / Studio Mali
- Jasdeep Singh Degun – Jogkauns – Real World
- Cheikh Lô – Maame – World Circuit
- Saha Gnawa – Saha Gnawa – Pique-Nique Recordings
- Yilian Cañizares – Vitamina Y – Planeta Y
- Nancy Vieira & Fred Martins – Esperança – Galileo Music Communication
- Marco Grancelli – Camino Trunco – Marco Grancelli
- Adir Jan – Al Mast – Trikont / Unsere Stimme / Verlags
- L’Antidote – L’Antidote – Ponderosa Music
- Veronika Varga – True Picture – CPL-Music / CPL-Musicgroup
- Yeko – Miwe – Back2Bam Production
- Le Vent du Nord – Voisinages – La Compagnie du Nord
More about the chart: https://www.transglobalwmc.com
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central