Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino

Formed by writer Rina Durante in 1975, Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino (CGS) is regarded as Italy’s leading and longest-standing traditional music ensemble, hailing from the Salento, the heel of the Italian boot, in Puglia.
Leadership of the ensemble was handed down to Mauro Durante by his acclaimed father Daniele, in 2007. Durante continues to innovate and energize, bringing decades of experience playing with global artists (Ballake Sissoko, Ibrahim Maalouf, Piers Faccini, Justin Adams, Red Baraat), contemporary classical composers (Ludovico Einaudi), and pop mavericks (Jovanotti).
Internationally acclaimed by critics and audiences, with 20 albums and countless crowd-rousing shows all over the world, CGS have made history in Italian global music, being awarded Best Group in the world at the Songlines Music Awards 2018. Line up: Mauro Durante (voice, frame drums, violin), Alessia Tondo (voice, percussions), Giulio Bianco (zampogna, harmonica, recorders, bass), Massimiliano Morabito (diatonic accordion), Emanuele Licci (voice, guitar, bouzouki), Giancarlo Paglialunga (voice, tamburrieddhu), Silvia Perrone (dance) .