Experience Sicily

Tag: folk music

  • Join Us Sunday for Some Live Music

    It’s been a busy, busy week–even though I’m in New York, I’m spreading Sicily-love throughout the land. Monday, I was in Bristol, Conn., talking to students of Italian language about Sicilian food, feasts, and festivals. Tuesday night, in cooperation with my friends of You, Me & Sicily, I spoke at the Italian American Museum of…

  • How You Play The Drum

    This is Alfio Antico’s drum.  Close up.  He made it and carved it himself. In person, it is sturdy and heavy, so much so that only someone of his strength could play it.  When we visited with him in the hills near where he grew up in Sicily, he talked about the Great Mother: Earth.…

  • Experience Sicily Through Music

    As a musician, I always look for ways to connect with other musicians while in Sicily. During our Savoring Sicily tour last September, we enjoyed a private concert by these gifted young men from Favara. They were all first- and second-year college students studying different fields, and so talented! We had such fun with them.…

  • Dancing in the Hall of Mirrors

    Tarantella anyone? Villa Palagonia, a band featuring guitarist Joe Ravo, bassist Greg Maker, percussionist Dave Mancuso, and me, Allison Scola, on vocals, clarinet, guitar, and frame drums, will be performing this coming Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 7PM in New York City at Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 3 (185 Orchard Street). We invite you to come…

  • Join Us in NYC this Tuesday 

    For those of you in the New York City area, please join us for Experience Sicily with Villa Palagonia, Tues., Aug. 30 at 6:30 PM at the Italian American Museum, 155 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013, $10 Donation. Reservations are encouraged, as space is limited. RSVP, ItalianAmericanMuseum@gmail.com.  Multifaceted guitarist Joe Ravo and multi-instrumentalist and singer…

  • Folk It in Life

    Folk festivals are a highlight of summer, and this weekend, the 20th Folklore Festival of the city of Vita offers listeners and folk artists from around the world an opportunity to unite through music and dance. Sicilian groups like the one pictured, Gruppo Folk Soluntum, host groups from Georgia, Greece, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Honduras. 

  • Friscalettu: Sicily’s Reed Flute

    Sicilian music is punctuated with the sounds of the friscalettu or reed flute, pictured. Traditional tarantellas (folk dances) are colored with motives from this instrument, often hand carved by the player using the wood from fig or olive trees or the oleander shrub. Like the harmonica, a friscalettu (friscaletto, in Italian language versus Sicilian) player…

  • La La La Le Ru

    Villa Palagonia, my music duo named after the estate in Bagheria, is hitting the road this weekend. We’re performing on Sunday at the Woodstock Folk Festival in Woodstock, IL.  See you in the square from 12 noon to 6 PM! We’re on at 3:30 PM. Bring your dancing shoes for some Sicilian tarantella! Please invite…

  • The Revelrous LassatilAbballari

    If you are in the New York City area, you’ve got a fabulous opportunity on Thursday night to hear LassatilAbballari, a fantastic folk music group from Palermo, Sicily (pictured). They’ll be joining New York’s ambassador of Sicilian folk music Michela Musolino and her group, Rosa Tatuata, for their now, second annual La Primavera Vinni (Spring…