- country:Italy
- region:Apulia
- style(s):Folk, Pizzica
- label:not signed
- type:Band
- instrumentation:electronic, percussion, string, singer songwriter, guitar
- artist contact:Sud Ethnic Aps
Line up
- Alessio Giannotta (mandole and mandolin)
- Antonio Melegari (Voice and tambourine)
- Giovanni Palma (Voice Griko Repertoire)
- Marco Palumbo (Bass)
- Matteo Coppola (Drum)
- Vittorio Chittano (accordion)
Links
Kamafei are a six-piece band from Salento, in the deep south of Italy, turning pizzica tradition into something built for right now. Their name comes from the Griko word for flowing warmth, chosen by one of the band's late founder, Gianni De Santis, for exactly what happens when they play: the heat and energy that binds musicians and audience into one collective celebration.
Rooted in the pizzica and tamburello tradition of Salento, Kamafei builds a bridge between old and new, the tamburello's relentless pulse meeting drums, the voices of the old cantori meeting reggae, rumba and ska, traditional Salentino texts meeting the Griko repertoire of the Grecìa Salentina. Respect and Innovation are the band's two guiding words: a new sound, without losing what was handed down.
In December 2025 the band released "'Ntoni 'Ntoni," the first single from a new full-length album currently in the works. 2027 will mark Kamafei's 20th anniversary, a milestone year that finds the band building new international connections, touring partnerships and festival relationships across Europe and beyond.