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Traditional Music from Abruzzo by Terre Del Sud

I don’t know much about the band Terre Del Sud other than they were formed in 2003 when a group of friends with an interest in reproducing traditional music of Southern Italy got together.

I picked that up from their website.

But I feel I know a bit more about them than their basic bio and that’s because I have their 2008 album Terre Del Sud Musiche E Balli Tradizionali. You can pick up the CD from Musicomania or do as I did and get the MP3s from Amazon.

I got it over the weekend and I love it already. Of all the Abruzzo folk or traditional music I’ve heard this collection is my favourite so far. It’s definitely the most accessible.

The album has 14 tracks with 10 from Abruzzo and the other 4 from Puglia, Campania, Sicilia and Calabria. You can listen to some samples here.

My Italian isn’t good enough to understand what they are singing about; but that doesn’t matter. The voices are clear, the tunes are catchy and there are quite a few stand-out tracks.

I particularly like tracks #4, Fronne d’autunne (Abruzzo) and #10 L’amore e’ ‘na pazzia (Abruzzo).

I’ve heard track #11 Vola vola vola (Abruzzo) before on the much more polished album Vola, Vola, Vola – e altri celebri canti d’Abruzzo by Associazione Corale Giuseppe Verdi. I do like the Associazione Corale Giuseppe Verdi collection which I’ve written about before, but I prefer Terre Del Sud. It just feels more natural.

If you aren’t familiar with music from Abruzzo, but would like an introduction this is where I’d start. I’ve listened to plenty of other CDs and although Terre Del Sud is not “from the archives”, I still think it is the album I’ll be recommending from now on.

From their website and their MySpace page, it looks like they have some concerts coming up in Roccamontepiano (CH) on 27th March, and later in the year in Lanciano (CH).

Here they are with an energetic rendition of Sott’a la casa me’ (Abruzzo) and it looks to me that the band and the crowd are having lots of fun.

I hope to get to see them as they sound lively and catchy. My foot has been tapping all through the album.

March 8th, 2010 | Tags: , | Category: Music | 3 comments

Abruzzo 2010 Charity Calendar Final Update

I only sold one copy of my charity Calendar! :-(

I suppose that means that the exercise wasn’t as successful as I hoped.

When I published the calendar first I thought that if I sold ten copies I’d feel it was well worth it. At the original price that would mean a contribution of €50 to the Italian Red Cross.

Well I didn’t get there.

But I’m upbeat about the attempt for a number of reasons:

  • My wife and I had fun looking through our Abruzzo photo collection and selecting the candidates
  • I had fun working with Lulu to create the final product
  • The first email I received telling me a copy of the calendar had sold was a fantastic thrill
  • The support I received from other bloggers promoting the calendar was very kind and unexpected
  • And I sold one!!!

The timing of the publication was not ideal I admit.  Making a 2010 calendar available in December 2009 is a bit silly. I really should have had it ready by September.

But I decided to do it anyway and if I hadn’t published in December I’d have had to wait at least nine months for the chance of doing it again.

And somebody bought a copy. Thank you very much whoever you are. You are in possession of a very rare Abruzzo 2010 Calendar that I hope you’re enjoying. It’s no longer on sale so you have a collector’s item.

Every time I visit Abruzzo I love it. I’m both relaxed, following the Abruzzese maxim “piano, piano” and excited, like a kid in a sweet shop. That combination of being able to chill and be adventurous makes Abruzzo a wonderful place for me. I’ve made great friends that I look forward to seeing every time I visit.

Abruzzo has given me so much I think a little pretence about the final number is allowed.

I’ve decided to pretend that I sold ten copies and to contribute €50 to the Italian Red Cross.

So final update: 10 copies sold, €50 goes to the Italian Red Cross.

(Don’t tell anyone about the creative accounting!)

March 3rd, 2010 | Tags: | Category: General | 4 comments

Spoltore: Wonderful Views And A Microbrewery Too

For quite a while now I’ve been looking forward to the chance of visiting Spoltore again.

The last time I was there I broke one of my rules of travel; never go anywhere without a camera.

I’d passed through Spoltore quite a few times. Whenever I’ve been based in Loreto Aprutino and had to make a trip to Pescara airport the best route is via Capelle Sul Tavo and Spoltore. On the occasion of the great rule breaking we were giving a friend a lift to the airport to get the flight to Stansted. We hadn’t planned to go or stop anywhere on our way back, but we fancied a coffee and something sweet and Spoltore was the answer.

Since we were there it made sense to explore and once we climbed up we were stunned by the views of the mountains and sea. But I can’t show you what we saw because I didn’t bring my camera! :-(

I’m not going to describe Spoltore in this post. I’ll wait couple of weeks when I hope to be able to show some pictures as well. But if you are passing through and have the time, find a place to park and follow the streets up as high as you can go, the views are well worth it.

But there is a second reason for going back, one that isn’t normally associated with Abruzzo or Italy.

It’s beer!

Spoltore has a microbrewery.

I’ve tried a few different main stream Italian beers. The usual suspects are Moretti and Peroni. I really like La Rossa by Moretti and I have to admit that although Montepulciano d’Abruzzo would be my typical tipple in Abruzzo sometimes a glass of beer is the perfect drink.

Today I discovered Almond ‘22, a micro-brewery in Spoltore. “Discovered” may be a bit strong, as I haven’t had a chance to visit the brewery or sample its produce yet. But I will. And there are lots to choose from; take a look at their beer list.

I’m not sure I’m going to be able for their Torbata which has a barley wine style and I’ve seen described as a bottle-conditioned ‘smoked ale’ that’s … flavoured with chestnut honey. But maybe I should give it a go purely for research purposes. :-)

Right now I don’t know if the public can visit the brewery and buy directly from them, but the idea of exploring Spoltore, taking photographs of the town and its views and then rounding it off with a Blanche de Valerie or an Irie really appeals.

If it turns out I can’t buy directly, Almond ‘22 have kindly provided a list of places where I buy their beer so it looks like I have a viable Plan B.

I’ll let you know how I get on.

March 1st, 2010 | Tags: | Category: Food and Wine, General | Leave a comment
 
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