Various Artists
GABRIELE POSO PRESENTS: RITMO ITALIANO UNSPOKEN SOUNDS OF ITALIAN TAMBURO
(RED VINYL LP)
Mr Bongo / MRBLP317R
coloured 12 Inch
Afro-Cuban to Brazilian Music
Sardinian percussionist Gabriele Poso curates a rich, rhythm-forward dive into Italy's lesser-sung musical archives, spanning three decades of percussive innovation. Rooted in the folk and ritualistic pulse of Italy's regional traditions but shaped by global currents-from Afro-Cuban to Brazilian influences-this 12-track compilation spotlights the drum as a vehicle for cultural memory and exchange. There's smoky, synth-led jazz-funk on Gege Munari's 'Police Man', carnival swing in Don Marino Barreto Jr.'s 'Napulitano D' 'O Brasil', and tribal propulsion via Naco's 'Volando Con Milton'. Tullio De Piscopo turns in cosmic disco flair, while Agostino Marangolo's jazz-funk fireworks ignite the high-end. Poso's own contribution, 'Ritmo Italiano', recorded live in one take, bridges old and new-pairing earthy tradition with slick, contemporary momentum. It's a vibrant, lovingly sourced selection that affirms Italy's rhythmic lineage as both geographically expansive and emotionally rooted-a compilation that listens like a history lesson with soul.[info sheet from distr.]