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
| Newpolis' website |
| Newpoli on Myspace |