Suitcase Serenata New CD from i Viaggiatori Click here to buy online or from Illawarra Folk Club Store or from Trad&Now Distribution by Black Market Music in March 2010 - ask for it at your local CD store. Enquiries to info@viaggiatori.com.au When ARIA award winners Kavisha Mazzella and Irine Vela team up with Wollongong’s own David De Santi and Mark Holder-Keeping from the legendary Zumpa band they become “I Viaggiatori” - The Voyagers. I Viaggiatori play lively, old time Italian folk music from the 19th century and beyond. It’s romantic, poignant, frenzied ,sweet and earthy. It’s a place where memory sits down with imagination to share a good coff ee and a glass of grappa then have a good yarn. It’s also a place where accordions, clarinets, bouzoukis, mandolins and tambourines dance with sensual, earthy vocals. Drawn from over 400 years of storytelling, these songs from Italy and Greece tell of harvests, war and revolution, factory protests, seductions, weddings, funerals and the brave act of migration. The rich melodies make your feet dance and heart sway with abandon. i Viaggiatori would like to thank our friends, family and the people that passed on the traditions and songs.

Review - SETH JORDAN, ABC Limelight Magazine, May 2010  I I Viaggiatori (The Voyagers) is a bit of an Aussie world/folk supergroup. Formed in 2006 by veteran Italian/Australian singer/songwriter Kavisha Mazzella to provide a score for the silent film documentary Dall' Italia All' Australia, the quartet also features Greek bouzouki / mandolin player Irine Vela (Habibis); accordion virtuoso David De Santi (Wongawilli/Zumpa); and clarinet / saxophonist Mark Holder-Keeping (Cantolibre/Zumpa). With a charming combination of Italian standards, original songs by Mazzella and a touching version of 'Waltzing Matilda', this all-acoustic album chronicles the hopes and memories of our Italian community. An authentic, joyous and well-performed musical travelogue.

     

The Musicians

Kavisha Mazzella Vocals, tambourine, Accordion on track 13, guitar all tracks except 11 & 13
Irine Vela Bouzouki, mandolin, guitar tracks 7, 11 & 13
Mark Holder-Keeping Bass clarinet, clarinet, saxophone, cajon
David De Santi Accordion

The Tracks

1 Angellare
2 Wedding Sheets
3 Reginella Campagnola
4 Mamma Mia Dammi Cento Lire
5 Canzone della Lega
6 Funiculi Funicula
7 Ciucciu Bellu
8 Bella Ciao
9 La Mazurka di Carolina
10 Tzivaeri
11 Tammuriata Nera
12 Valzer di Mezzanotte
13 Valzer della Fisarmonica
14 Santa Lucia
15 Tarantellas
16 Madonna Del Mare
17 Waltzing Matilda

Background

Many millions of people from around the world have made the journey from foreign shores to call Australia home. Italians have been part of that voyage bringing with them their food, culture and of course music.

Australia has been heavily influenced by its many Italian immigrants and Australians of Italian descents.Italians are the third largest ethnic group in the country and Italian is the third most commonly spoken language. Since Italian immigration began in the 1850’s, there have been many successful Italian-Australians in all areas of life.

They arrived most prominently in the decades immediately following the World War II, and they and their children have had an impact on the cultural, social and economic life of Australia. Over 800,000 Australians identify themselves as having Italian ancestry.

This recording presents a collection of songs and tunes from the old country and newly composed ones inspired by the new life in Australia.

How i ViAGGiATORi Came About

I Viaggiatori was formed by Kavisha Mazzella to perform a live Italian folk music score for a silent documentary film ‘Dall’ Italia All’ Australia’ for the 2006 National Folk Festival in Canberra.

Melbourne journalist and author Tony De Bolfo stumbled on Dall’ Italia All’ Australia’s existence through his research for his book entitled In Search of Kings (Harper Collins Publisher).

Since that time the band has performed the music to the fi lm at festivals and cinemas around Australia.