Italian music | World Music Central

Ra di Spina, Alexsandra Ida Mauro and Laura Cuomo standing back to back

Artist Profiles

Spinning Voices: Ra di Spina Weaves Polyphony into Southern Italian Tradition

(headline image: Ra di Spina, Alexsandra Ida Mauro and Laura Cuomo) Ra di Spina is a musical project founded by the talented singer and ethnomusicologist…

Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino live in 2015 - Photo by De Pinto

Tour Announcements

Tarantella Takes America: Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino’s 50th Anniversary U.S. Tour

World Music Central News Room March 28, 2025 No Comments Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino Italian music pizzica taranta world music

(Headline image: Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino live in 2015 – Photo by De Pinto) Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino (CGS), Italy’s longest-running traditional music ensemble, will mark its…

The album cover for Menta Selvatica by Mila Trani features a central figure, presumably the artist, draped in a textured, eclectic outfit with woven elements, soft fabrics, and intricate patterns. Her expression is serene yet expressive, with wild, tousled hair adorned with delicate details like thin wires and small flowers. The background is white.

Album reviews

Wild Mint, Wild Sound: Mila Trani’s Genre-Blending Hybridization

Iliana Cabrera March 19, 2025 No Comments Italian music Mila Trani world music

Mila Trani – Menta Selvatica (Segell Microscopi, 2025) Inspired by the mythological and medicinal properties of wild mint, Menta Selvatica (wild mint) is an exploration…

The single cover for Mascarimirì - Bella Sei is a fusion of traditional and digital aesthetics. At its center, an intense, realistic eye—rendered in warm, earthy tones. The pupil and iris are overlaid with a pixelated, glitch-art effect in magenta and green. The background is a textured deep blue canvas, adorned with neon-red, pixel-like geometric patterns radiating outward.

Music videos

“Bella Sei” Hits the Dance Floor: Mascarimirì’s Fiery Pizzica Single

World Music Central News Room March 13, 2025 No Comments folktronica Italian music Mascaramiri Salento taranta world music

Mascarimirì returns with “Bella Sei,“ a new single steeped in the Salento dialect, a signature element of Claudio “Cavallo” Giagnotti’s compositions. The song captures a…

Events

Six Strings, Infinite Sounds: Paolo Angeli’s guitar Alchemy at Joe’s Pub

World Music Central News Room March 3, 2025 No Comments Italian music Paolo Angeli Sardinian music world music

On Saturday, March 8, 2025, Sardinian composer, ethnomusicologist, and instrument maker Paolo Angeli takes the stage at Joe’s Pub, New York City, for a boundary-defying…

Yaràkä - Curannera cover artwork. An image of a woman holding her hands in front of her, prayer-like.

Album reviews

Yaràkä Explores the Healing Sounds of the Curannera Tradition

Iliana Cabrera December 15, 2024 No Comments Curannera Italian music Taranto trance music world music Yaràkä

Yaràkä – Curannera (Zero Nove Nove, 2023) Yaràkä’s music is imbued with ritualistic themes, echoing traditions of exorcism and healing prevalent in Southern Italy and…

Gera Bertolone- FEMMINA cover artwork. A black and white photo of the artist.

Album reviews

Gera Bertolone’s Femmina: A Fierce Journey of Identity and Emancipation

Iliana Cabrera October 18, 2024 No Comments Gera Bertolone Italian music Sicilian music world music

Gera Bertolone – Femmina (Sonora Recordings, distributed by Absilone, 2024) Femmina, Gera Bertolone’s second album, will be released on October 18 in both CD and…