(May 24) France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain. And, again, New York, Cape Verde Islands, Azores Islands, Greece, Morocco, Israel, Normandy, Malaysia and Brazil. The Italian band Kamefei, composed by Antonio Melegari, Calo Stefano, Dino D and Marco Nuzzo, has brought the Salento’s musical tradition in all these countries. “It is intriguing but challenging at the same time to mix our music with different styles,” says Antonio Melagari, who sings and play accordion and tambourine. During their career, the Kamafei shared the stage with Italian renowned musicians, such as Sud Sound System, Almamegretta, David Van De Sfross, Daniele Sepe, Moni Ovadia, Après La Classe, Mannarino and Caparezza ), merging traditions of the Mediterranean with modern sounds like reggae, dub, hip-hop and rock. “We try to export our music,” says Melagari “even if our dialect is not easy to understand, and it’s really surprising to see audiences in Belgium or Malaysia ready to listen and follow your rhythm despite language differences. When there is public participation, there is real music.” The Kamefei benchmark, as Melegari explains, are the South Sound System: “They were forerunners to spread the Salento dialect in Italy and Europe.” And the Kamafei collaborated with Sud Sound System for the album “Respect”, produced by Live Music and distributed by Edel. Love and respect are the reason of this collaboration: “A respect that runs out and when the lakcs of it touches the future generations,” says Melegari, referring to Brindisi school bombing “it becomes wicked. The Kamafei recently took part in the airbag Festival of Bruges, in Belgium. After participating in the Festival de Les Traversée Tathiou in Normandy, where they shared the stage with the Orchestra Popolare Italian directed by Ambrogio Sparagna, and participated in the Rainforest World Music Festival in Malaysia, they will be on tour in Brazil next November. (Gil/Peg)
