Betti Zambruno & Tendachėnt
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Betti Zambruno & Tendachėnt
Al Lung de la Riviera - Ballate Piemontesi dalla raccolta Sinigaglia
FolkClub Ethnosuoni (www.folkclubethnosuoni.com)

cd cover Betti Zambruno has already been featured in Rootsworld with her previous record. On this new release we find her in more familiar musical territory, backed by a mostly acoustic group of excellent musicians including some of the original members of the important Italian group, La Ciapa Rusa.

The thirteen tracks on this record come from the more than 500 songs and melodies that Leone Sinigaglia (1868-1944) collected, in order to use as the basis of his compositions (he was a classical composer of refined taste).

Listen!
Musically the sound is more vivid and more danceable this time around. It is a sign of exquisite musicianship that when I read in the liner notes that keyboards and electric instruments featured quite heavily in the record, I was totally surprised: while listening to it, it felt like a completely acoustic record. This is testament to the role of the electronic instruments at creating discreet musical soundscapes that accentuat the overall feeling of the record without overwhelming it. Betti Zambruno is once again in great form. Her voice is as warm and soothing as I remembered.

The presentation of the record is of a high standard, with a very interesting introductory text by Maurizio Martinotti and notes on every one of the tracks in Italian and English, as well as Piemontčise. The English translation on "L' amoroso giardino" though, is mistakenly the one of another track. The song is about a lady who meets a knight in a garden, who confesses his love for her. She says that he should go ask her hand from her father and if he consents, she will be very happy.

When faced with material coming from a small region like Piedmont, one wonders if it makes sense to collect everything that comes out of it. I believe this record has a different musical outlook to the previous one, wonderful new songs that offer an insight into times and mores quite different from ours (but in some cases worryingly close!) and Ms. Zambruno's voice is one that you can never have enough of it.

This is a wonderful introduction for anyone new to the music of the region or another worthwhile addition for connoisseurs of the region's musical tradition. - Nondas Kitsos

Audio (p)(c)2003 FolkClub Ethnosuoni, used by permission

CD available from cdRoots


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