Newpoli

Artist Information

Biography

“Newpoli puts fresh spin on Italian folk tunes!...”
- Bob Young, Boston Herald

“Beautiful recording…”
- Marc Nolis, MazzMusíkas, Belgium

Newpoli is a group of exceptionally talented musicians, all alumni from Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory, that performs Southern Italian Folk Music, mainly from the regions of Campania and Puglia, integrating a wide variety of styles such as Tarantella-Pizzica, Tammuriata, Villanella and the Neapolitan Canzone, encompassing music from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. Because Italian Folk music, with the exception of a small number of Neapolitan songs, has not received its deserved attention and recognition, neither in Italy nor abroad, Newpoli, guided by their passion for playing and researching these seldom played traditional styles, introduces to the audience, often for the first time, the joy and beauty of this music while recounting the ancient stories and rituals described in the lyrics.

The group has been enthusiastically received everywhere, as the audience, notwithstanding the language barrier, is mesmerized by the vitality, energy and spice of their music. They have performed throughout New England, at venues such as the Berklee Performance Center, Ryles Jazz Club, The Middle East, Dante Alighieri Society of Cambridge and First Night. They have been interviewed and featured twice, in 2006 and in 2008, by RAI International, the Italian International public television. They released their debut CD in March 2008.

Formed in October of 2003, the group consists of two singers, Carmen Marsico and Angela Rossi, a Tamorra player (traditional Italian percussion), Fabio Pirozzolo, a percussionist, Brian O'Neill, an accordion player, Roberto Cassan, a classical guitarist, Bjorn Wennas, a double bass player, Kendall Eddy, a flute player, Geni Skendo, and a violinist, Megumi Sasaki.

PERFOMANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Berks Jazz Fest, Reading, PA
Alvernia University, Reading, PA
Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY
2008 Boston Phoenix/FNX Best Music Poll Nomination
Diacetum Festival, Diacceto-Firenze, Italy
Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH
Santa Cruz Foundation for the performing arts, Patagonia, AZ
Rhythm & Roots, Tucson, AZ
Interview on "Folk on WGBH", Boston, MA
Appearances on Rai International, 2006, 2008
Boston First Night 2006, 2007
Berklee Perfomance Center, Boston
Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts
Ryles Jazz Club, Cambridge, MA
Boston Public Library, Boston, MA
The Middle East, Cambridge, MA
The Lizard Lounge, Cambridge, MA
Nashua Public Library Concert Series, NH

U.S. RADIO PLAY

WGBH Boston, MA
WUMB Umass-Boston, MA
WWUH Hartford University, CT
KZSU Stanford University, CA
KUSP Santa Cruz, CA
KDVS Davis, CA

ITALIANO

Newpoli e' un gruppo di musicisti di sorprendente talento, tutti provenienti dalle prestigiose istituzioni musicali americane del Berklee College of Music e del New England Conservatory. Il loro repertorio si e' focalizzato sul folklore del sud d’Italia, in particolare sulle regioni della Campania e Puglia, integrando nella loro musica una grande varieta' di stili, quali la Tarantella-Pizzica, la Tammuriata, la Villanella e la Canzone napoletana, e spaziando nel tempo dal Medioevo al Rinascimento fino ad arrivare al XIX secolo. Siccome la musica folkloristica italiana, con l’eccezione di poche canzoni napoletane, non ha ricevuto l’attenzione e il riconoscimento che merita, ne' in Italia ne' all’estero, i musicisti di Newpoli, guidati dalla passione per l’esecuzione e la ricerca di questi stili tradizionali, introducono al pubblico americano e non, spesso per la prima volta, la gioia e la bellezza di questi brani, raccontando le antiche storie e i riti narrati dai testi.

Newpoli e' stato accolto ovunque con entusiasmo, infatti il pubblico, superando le barriere linguistiche, viene coinvolto dalla vitalita' e dall’energia della musica. Newpoli si e' esibito in noti teatri e in sale concertistiche del Nordest americano, quali: il Berklee Performance Center, Ryles Jazz Club, The Middle East, Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts e First Night. Per ben due volte (2006, 2008) i componenti del gruppo sono stati intervistati da RAI International, durante un servizio speciale del telegiornale della rete. A marzo 2008 è uscito sui mercati americani ed europei il loro primo CD “Newpoli”.

Il gruppo si e' formato nell’ ottobre del 2003, e i suoi attuali musicisti sono: le due cantanti, Carmen Marsico ed Angela Rossi, il suonatore di tamorra (strumento tradizionale italiano) Fabio Pirozzolo, il percussionista Brian O'Neill, il fisarmonicista Roberto Cassan, il chitarrista classico Bjorn Wennas, il contrabbassista Kendall Eddy, il flautista Geni Skendo e la violinista Megumi Sasaki.

Instrumentation

Carmen Marsico - Lead Vocals
Angela Rossi - Lead Vocals
Bjorn Wennas - Guitar
Roberto Cassan - Accordion
Kendall Eddy - Acoustic Bass
Fabio Pirozzolo - Tambourine, Tamorra, small percussions and Vocals
Megumi Sasaki - Violin
Brian O'Neill - Tar, Bendir, Ocean drum, Riq, Cajon.
Marenglen Skendo - Flute and shakuhachi

Discography

Newpoli, March 2008

Links

• MySpace

Audio

• Pizzica
  Listen  
• Marechiare
  Listen  
• Li ‘Ffigliole
  Listen  
• ‘O Guarracino
  Listen  
• ‘E Spingule Francese
  Listen  
• Sia Maledetta L’Acqua
  Listen  
• La Serpe a Carolina
  Listen  
• Tarantella
  Listen  
• Tarantella Del Gargano
  Listen  

Video

Newpoli on Rai

Photo Gallery

Press

• Arizona Daily Star 2009
  

  "Cultural influences create an eclectic blend of sounds"

• Boston Herald 2008
  

  Newpoli puts fresh spin on Italian folk tunes!

• MazzMusíkas, Belgium
  

  "Beatiful recording"

• Boston Globe 2008 [+ Show ]
  

  "...Here's a great way to transport yourself to Southern Italy without worrying about the exchange r..."...Here's a great way to transport yourself to Southern Italy without worrying about the exchange rate - or a plane ticket."

• Boston Phoenix 2008
  

  "One of the most unusual bands in town!"

• Stanford University Music Review
  

  "Neapolitan folk roots played with gusto..."

• WWVH Radio, Hartford University
  

  “Great southern Italian roots and gypsy influences.”

• FolkWorld, Germany 2008
  

  “…the talent of the musicians is undoubted…”

• Boston Phoenix [+ Show ]
  

  "Newpoli’s specialty is the roots of Italian folk music, meaning classical traditional folk songs pl..."Newpoli’s specialty is the roots of Italian folk music, meaning classical traditional folk songs played by the farmers of Neapolitan suburbs during the Period where Giacomo Puccini and Giuseppe Verdi were performing their operas…"
  

• What people say about Newpoli: [+ Show ]
  

  "Newpoli gave us a crowd-dazzlin' performance!...It was like being on a wonderful vacation to Napoli..."Newpoli gave us a crowd-dazzlin' performance!...It was like being on a wonderful vacation to Napoli!"
  - Kathy Cryan-Hicks, Chelmsford World Music Series 2007
  
  "Newpoli is energetic, original and thoroughly entertaining!... Don't miss them!"
  - Lisa Thorson, Recording Artist and Voice Professor
  
  "Newpoli is one of the most exciting new bands in the New England area
  today! The band is widely known for its unique adaptations and
  interpretations of the traditional Italian musical heritage with a
  strong emphasis on a traditional physical stage appearance and
  inclusion of historical anecdotes into their show. Newpoli instantly
  appeals to a wide audience and specially fans with Italian roots keep
  flocking to their concerts throughout the New England area. Through
  their multicultural roots they gained recognition in the World Music
  scene."
  - Christian Kaufmann, Engineer and Porducer (John Abercrombie, Vardan Ovsepian, Eric Wainaina, Marta Gomez, Lionel Loueke, Fred Wesley)

Setlist

- Pizzica
Traditional tarantella from Puglia

The original name of the dance is Pizzica Tarantata. Known as a wedding dance, this powerful rhythm is actually a wild, erotic trance-dance of purification to heal the mythical bite of the tarantula. The “bite” was, in reality, a mental condition that afflicted mainly women (tarantate), and was to be cured only through music and dance. This fast 6/8 rhythm was played by women on medium sized tambourines. The origins of tarantella date back to the ancient orgiastic Greek rites in honor of the God Dionysus and later were absorbed by the Catholic Church who transformed Dionysus into St. Paul.

- Marechiare
S. Di Giacomo/P. Tosti
Neapolitan serenata

The words of this famous song were written in 1886 by poet Salvatore Di Giacomo, although he never included them into his official work. Di Giacomo was allegedly never satisfied with the poem. However, the lyrics inspired composer Paolo Tosti who then wrote the melody that made the song famous worldwide. The serenatas were always played in the evening under the balcony of the beloved girl. It is different from the "mattinatas", which were performed at dawn to wake up the girls. "Serenate" and "mattinate" were in fashion in Naples during the 1200’s. In 1221 Emperor Federico II forbade the "mattinate" because of the protests of the Neapolitans against the singers that upset their sleep with these special love declarations at dawn.

- Li ‘Ffigliole (The girls)
Traditional 16th century Villanella a ballo

This genre is also known as "rionna", which means “dance in circle”. The song is an invitation to all women to find love and friendship in their lives or else they will experience only loneliness and misery.

- Lo Jocu de la Palummella (The dove’s game)
Traditional Tarantella from Calabria

Similar to the Neapolitan tarantella, this beautiful dance is performed in a slow 6/8 rhythm imported from North Africa. In this style, the tambourine’s skin is adjusted to produce a lower pitch. The song is about a love affair between a young girl and a soldier. After the two lovers get separated by the war, the soldier is bewitched by a mysterious evil eye.

- La Serpe a Carolina (A snake for Carolina)
Neapolitan Parody

The lyrics to this song were written to the melody of an 17th century aria. It is a parody of the queen Carolina di Borbone, her interference with the political affairs, and her many lovers. The lyrics were purposely written in Neapolitan dialect, so they could not be understood by the Spanish queen.

- Tammuriata Nera
E. Nicolardi/E.A. Mario
Tammurriata

The word Tammurriata comes from the term “Tammorra”, the principal instrument used to play this popular Neapolitan style. It is a slow dance performed in a 4/4 rhythm.
In 1945, Edoardo Nicolardi was the administrative director of Loreto hospital in Naples. In the maternity ward a “strange event” happened. A Neapolitan girl gave birth to a dark-skinned baby. Despite people’s comments, she declared that he was her natural child and decided to call him Ciro. Struck and inspired by this moving story, Nicolardi, together with his brother-in-law E.A. Mario, wrote this ironic and delicate canzone that best represents life’s conditions in Naples after the Second World War.

- Sia Maledetta L’Acqua (May the water be damned)
Villanella alla napolitana, 1537

Together with the madrigal, the Villanella was the most popular form of secular music in Italy for more than a hundred years, from 1537 until 1650. It was performed in the highest social circles of the time, as part of the academic games played by aristocrats and intellectuals. Villanellas often have a political meaning and also describe, in a satirical way, life in the poorest parts of Naples. In this particular villanella, the loss of virginity is expressed through an unusual metaphor: a jar, full of water, falls down and breaks.

- Luna Rossa (Red Moon)
V. De Crescenzo/Vian
Tango Beguine

Developed in Naples, this song is one of the first examples of canzone-beguine. At first it was harshly criticized by the purists, because its rhythm did not seem to fit the Neapolitan canzone’s style. However, the song was rapidly adopted by many dance bands and became part of the standard repertoire of several musicians. The text describes the melancholic state of a man, walking alone and asking the red moon where his beloved one can be found. The moon replies: “Too late, my friend, no one is here!”

- Tarantella
Instrumental tarantella

- ‘E Spingule Francese (French pins)
De Leva/arr. by R. De Simone, rearranged by Newpoli
Neapolitan chant

This song alternates between the meters 2/4 and 3/4, creating an interesting feel of tension and release. It narrates the story of a door-to-door salesman who sells French pins. When a woman asks him how much he sells his pins for, he replies that he would give all of them away for two kisses. The woman warns him that, in her village, this statement is seen as an insult and it is punished by the death penalty.

- ‘O Guarracino
18th century tarantella

This story takes place in the deep sea of Naples. A fish, Guarracino, all dressed up, is swimming around looking for a fiancé. Struck by the beauty of a sardine (Sardella), he decides to send her an invitation through a messenger, the Bavosa. The sardine blushes and accepts it. The Patella ruins their plans by telling the sardine’s old fiancé (the Tuna fish) about their date. As a consequence, a furious war at sea explodes and everybody wants to participate. In this song, more than 80 fish types are named.

-Tarantella Del Gargano
Traditional Tarantella from Puglia

This tarantella is related, as well, to the myth of the bite of the tarantula. The lyrics of this song are very erotic and tell the story of a man who is madly in love with a woman. Unfortunately she does not return his love.

Basic Requirements

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