Viamedina / RootsWorld Recording Review

Via medina

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Viamedina
Viamedina
FolkClub Ethnosuoni (www.folkclubethnosuoni.com)
Viamedina shines a soft light on the sounds of Naples, bringing out all the cross-cultural colors implied by the music of a port city. They draw their name from a street that serves as a borderline between the city and the sea, where there was once a lively nightlife that featured the music of travelers from far ports. The sextet uses muted shades from those ports, eschewing anything that could be construed as garish or harsh. Hints of Spain, the Balkans, and the Middle East mix with a solid Neapolitan sensibility. Their sound has a nice swish and sway to it, with open, earnest vocals and restless, rustling percussion.
Think Lo'Jo without the histrionics. Barbara Radi's voice is soaring and assertive, but never aggressive. Lino Davide has a relaxed tenor with an understated smolder to it. Percussionists Sas� Federici and Gabriele Pastore gently persuade you to get up and dance rather than yanking you to your feet. Their subtle, complex work impels but doesn't push. Guest musicians add to the palette with graceful touches of piano, flute, and sax. The closing track "Quann' scenne lu sole," grows from a simple bass line and percussion clicks into a lovely anthem that mixes Italian, Greek, and Balkan elements. Though there are no transcriptions of the lyrics, a short descriptive paragraph on each song in Italian and English shows the band's socially conscious leanings. It leaves a one-world, feel-good glow without wallowing in a hippie groove. - Peggy Latkovich
CD available from cdRoots

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