- country:Italy
- region:Mediterranean
- style(s):Folk, World Pop
- label:not signed
- type:Band
- gender:male
- instrumentation:guitar
- artist posted by:Vecchio, Benedetto
Line up
- Benedetto Vecchio (chitarra battente, singer, songwriter)
MBL (Musicisti Basso Lazio) is both a cultural project and the name of an Italian folk band founded by the musician and song-writer Benedetto Vecchio in 2000. For over fifteen years they have been active in recovering and promoting the unique regional identity of Southern Latium through historical and folk research both in the field of music and dance. They have been reinventing the rhythms and sounds of the popular music of central Italy, creating a brand new type of modern folk that is refreshingly different. Their sound is anchored in the tradition of ballarella and saltarello but with a contemporary edge resulting in an exciting mix of past and present and a creative blend of instruments and styles . Their guitar-driven songs are backed up by bagpipes, shawns, flutes, diatonic accordion, double bass, drums and tambourine, and warm voice of Benedetto Vecchio. The frenetic, vital throb inspire two dancers who make an ensemble with the band.
Since 2000 they have released six musical CDs:
DANZA D’ESTATE dealing with anthropological themes,
ME NE' VAJE about emigration,
SEGUENDO LA STELLA describing the traditional wanderings of Central Italy bagpipers at Christmas
MBL IN CONCERTO: live with their greatest hits
TERRA DI FUOCO about WW2 at Montecassino and post-unity brigandage in Southern Italy
CONCERTO PER IL PRESEPE traditional carols from Central Italy
They have also published three related DVDs, in which they have communicated their project: DANZA D’ESTATE, SEGUENDO LA STELLA, MBL KAULONIA TARANTELLA FESTIVAL) .
They return in 2015 with a new studio album ‘TARANTELLA RIBELLE’.
They have been acclaimed at many folk music festivals and folks venues, performing about 1200 concerts in Italy and abroad.
MBL deliver an energetic and emotive show led by the charismatic front man, Benedetto Vecchio. Their vibrant pieces mesmerize audiences from different parts of the world. Their music is exciting, pulsing, invigorating with some breaks into the more romantic world thanks to highly evocative ballads with distinctive melodies and original lyrics .
BENEDETTO VECCHIO
On mandolin and chitarra battente (a traditional Southern-Italy kind of baroque guitar) BENEDETTO VECCHIO is the founder, singer and outstanding songwriter of the folk band MBL, Musicisti Basso Lazio. He is also a keen historian and folklorist. His songwriting reflects his interests even though it preserves a poetic tone.