Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino Supercharges Italian Mystic Music

<p>Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino lies a little outside the <em>Afropop Worldwide</em> wheelhouse, but their new album <em>Meridiana (Sundial),</em> recorded during the pandemic lockdown, is a knockout. This band adapts, modernizes and funkifies <em>pizzica</em> music, part of the southern Italian <em>tarantella</em> tradition, which involves drum-powered healing rituals that likely do have African origins. That's probably why producer, composer and desert blues guitarist Justin Adams became so entranced by CGS. Adams has been collaborating and performing with the band and in duo settings with percussionist Mauro Durante. That work culminated in this remarkable album, which Adams produced. </p> <p>Just out this week is a new CGS video from the album for the song "Balla Nina." <br><br></p> <figure><iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6TOqRBFaiqc" allowfullscreen="" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>