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The project

Francesco Loccisano and Marcello De Carolis express in this concert all the sonic and evocative potential of a traditional instrument: the chitarra battente (the ten-string guitar).
Their concert could be summed up as “‘The Best of,” the best of Francesco Loccisano’s last three albums, “Battente Italiana” (2010), “Mastrìa (2013) and “Solstizio” (2017). A carefully chosen repertoire with Marcello De Carolis rearranged for two beating guitars.A project that represents the avant-garde of the beating guitar with which new frontiers of guitar dialogue are explored, starting from the SOUTH and reaching all over the world thanks to the wide dynamic range and a mixture of southern sound, poetry, composition and contemporaneity.

Francesco Loccisano and Marcello De Carolis tell how there is no precise moment when their collaboration began, but from the very beginning an exchange was created with one purpose, the art of the beating guitar: “at first it seemed impossible to make two solo instruments dialogue, but the sound immediately took shape and uniqueness the moment creativity and expression became accomplices.” The duo has under their belt the publication of “The Beating Guitar – Basic Method” published by fingerpicking.net. They have recently performed at numerous festivals including: Les Internationales de la Guitare in Montpellier (France), Le Ali della Città Rome, XXXVI International Guitar Festival in Lagonegro (Pz), Alica Festival, Conservatorio di Musica F. Cilea di Reggio Calabria, VII Festival del Mandolino di Avigliano (Pz).
The duo has received numerous awards and was included in the Official Selection Of Showcase Artists of the prestigious Womex 23, the world’s largest music expo that hosts the best international musical and cultural diversity.

The record project

A unique record, a collection of songs by Francesco Loccisano reworked for duo chitarra battente.
“Venti,” is the first recording work of the duo guitar battente, a collection of songs by Francesco Loccisano reworked for duo guitar battente that expresses the full sonic and evocative potential of a traditional instrument, the ten-string guitar. The disc is available in physical, vinyl and CD formats.
“A ‘The Best of’, the best of my last three albums, “Battente Italiana” (2010), “Mastrìa (2013) and “Solstizio” (2017) – Loccisano says – a carefully chosen repertoire with Marcello with whom we re-arranged the songs for two battente guitars. A new record project that represents for us the avant-garde of the beating guitar with which we explore new frontiers of guitar dialogue that starts from our territory and reaches all over the world thanks to the wide dynamic range and a mixture of southern sound, poetry, composition and contemporaneity.”
The title “Twenty” refers to a recurring number, as the duo explains, “A beating guitar has 10 strings, so two beating guitars have 20. This is 2020. The importance of winds in our peninsula means that our territory is crossed by an innumerable amount of different ‘winds’.”
The tracklist consists of ten tracks (composed by Francesco Loccisano except “La tarantella di Zio Nicola,” a traditional song revisited by F. Loccisano and Eugenio Bennato). The album opens with “Battente Italiana,” dedicated entirely to the solo use of the battente guitar, a thoughtful debut of this new guitar world. “Solè” originates as a good wish for joy and serenity. Solè, the emphasis on the e verb to be, is a commitment to positivity. “Il volo dell’angelo” is a dedication to the Lucanian tourist facility between Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano, a flight into the void that allows one to appreciate the scenery of this wonderful region. “The Kiss” is a dedication to Francesco Hajez’s painting, a tribute to beauty and romance, but also a mirror of the nineteenth-century Italian political condition. “Friend Brozman”: Bob Brozman is the quintessential interpreter and researcher of the “Dobro Guitar,” his publications have made this instrument known to the world. “Uncle Nicola’s Tarantella” is a song has been revisited by F. Loccisano and Eugenio Bennato in a solo key for battente guitar and represents the symbol of an ancient family of luthiers and makers of battente guitars, the De Bonis of Bisignano (Cs). “Scylla” takes inspiration from the Homeric myth of Scylla, and today it is a narrative about Scillese luthiery by Sergio Pugliesi aka Oliver, who conceived and made a new contemporary battente guitar. “Danza Ionia” (listen on Spotify) is the single that anticipated the album and was followed by the video clip (watch video): it is an intense and varied dialogue that takes inspiration from Middle Eastern sounds and the Ionian Sea, a dance held by the pressing tercinato of the two striking guitars. “To the Fathers” is a thought to our guides who in life, as in music, have shown us the way forward. The disc closes with “Via dal tubo,” a simple hymn to our southern Italian tradition that enhances the voice of the chitarra battente also known as the Italian guitar.
The record label for the record is ItalySona (Marasco/FINGERPICKINGNET editions) in collaboration with Calabria Sona, another co-production that enhances, produces and promotes music that originates in Calabria, as CEO Giuseppe Marasco explains, “ItalySona is the Italian record label dedicated to the production, promotion and enhancement of popular and world music made in Italy. A project that wants to give space to ‘ethno’ productions but with an eye to the future. Music that comes from the roots but open to contamination.” The album was recorded at Arango Sonic Studio – Focà, Caulonia – Rc; artistic production is by Stefano Simonetta – Mujura, eclectic artist, experienced producer as well as bass player and collaborator of Eugenio Bennato; executive production is by Giuseppe Marasco – Italysona. The mix and mastering are by Francesco Loccisano and Marcello De Carolis themselves.

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