Agricantus

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This band from Sicily is certainly one of the most attentive groups on the international world music scene. Their early releases Gnanzù and Viaggiari were fine examples of their ability to mix ethnic music, mainly from the mediterranean, whit ambienyt and trance rhythms, and were followed by Tuareg, with which they achieved success in Italy and Europe. This exceptionally refined record was recorded in the desert of Mali with nomad instruments and musicians and won the prestigious Tenco award in 1996. In 1997 the band went on to win the important italian PIM award, and were also key players in the soundtrack to the film hamam - The Turkish Bath, which won the Globo d'Oro 1997 (Italian Golden Globe). The mini-cd Hale Bopp Souvenir, featuring Fadimata Wallet Oumar - spokesperson for the true Tuareg culture - was their next release and this was then followed in 1998 by Kaleidos, an album which immediately made an impact world-wide. In Kaleidos the group undertook an extraordinary journey to the heart and origins of classical music, letting themselves be inspired by great composers such as Grieg, Paganini, Brahms and Luciano Berio. They included samples of their music amidst original Agricantus compositions, and, in the case of Berio, took score of his work and let their music be enriched by it. Classical music and technology are united with an incredible flair.

In 1998 they co-wrote the soundtrack to the film I Giardini dell'Eden (Gardens of Eden); in 1999 the album Best of Agricantus was realesed in the States with the label World Class, who distribute it not only in the States whit the label World Class, who distribute it not only in the States but also in Canada, South America, Australia and Japan. In just a few weeks it rose to the top of American and Australian radio charts. September 1999 is the release date of Faiddi, a compilation of their most beautiful songs re-arranged and played live.
February 2001: Ethnosphere, the new project.

Records

"TURNARI" - Agricantus