Review Milagro Acustico 2002- -2007
La Voce di tutti
Il periodo di massimo splendore dell’espansione araba in Europa si ebbe nei secoli IX-XI, Al-Andalus, la Spagna, con i fasti del
califfato di Cordova, e la Sicilia, con Balarm (Palermo), “la più vasta ed eccelsa metropoli del mondo”, come la definiva Edrisi,
geografo arabo. Soprattutto in Trinacria, sotto la dinastia fatimida, si ebbe un lungo periodo di saggia amministrazione, dove
alla razionale ristrutturazione del territorio (piante urbane, opere idrauliche, nonché il famoso “giardino arabo”), faceva da
controcanto una generale tolleranza religiosa. L’Islam, pur avendo un ruolo dominante, non opprimeva cristiani ed ebrei ed i
tre monoteismi convivevano in pace, quali manifestazioni del comune ceppo abramitico. Poi ci fu la conquista normanna, le
comunità arabe si dispersero, parte emigrò in Africa, parte venne deportata da Federico II a Lucera, ed iniziò la diaspora, la
nostalgia
di
un’età
dell’oro
isolana
cantata
da
poeti
come
Ibn-Hamdis
ed
altri.
Ed è proprio a questa nostalgia che si ispira il gruppo Milagro Acustico, che da anni compie una raffinata ricerca sul campo,
avendo come punto di riferimento Michele Amari, con i suoi fondamentali Storia dei Musulmani di Sicilia e soprattutto
Biblioteca Arabo-Sicula. Qui, nella sterminata raccolta di testi e documenti, i Milagro hanno fatto preziose scoperte,
musicandole poi in modo del tutto particolare, con una suggestiva fusione di sonorità arabe e più propriamente occidentali. Il
risultato è un robusto e brillante “sound” mediterraneo che ha entusiasmato il pubblico de La Palma, al Portonaccio, locale
ben noto agli amanti di musica di qualità, con frequenti escursioni nella musica etnica. E questa dei Milagro lo è, ma con un
sapore in più, come si può dedurre da alcuni loro lavori quali Rubaiyyat (le famose “quartine” di Omar Khayyam), Poeti arabi
di Sicilia, o Siqiliah, cd di prossima pubblicazione del quale sono stati eseguiti alcuni brani. E il sapore in più è quel gusto di
indagine filologica, ritrovare il sentimento di un’epoca e reinterpretarlo con una sensibilità certamente diversa ma molto
attenta, poiché si tratta di una cosa preziosa. Ed ecco i vari brani, dove l’incedere fra lento e solenne, tipico delle melopee
arabe, stempera in sonorità più solari, così che ne scaturisce un misto di sensazioni. Le immagini del muezzin e del
caravanserraglio si alternano e si fondono con quelle di paesaggi urbani a noi più familiari, in virtù anche della
strumentazione, dove trovi insieme sax e darbuka, contrabbasso e ney, violino e tar ed altro ancora in un suono di fusione che
dà poi il senso ultimo dello spettacolo. L’incontro, lo scambio e il dialogo fra culture, importante in questa confusa fase
storica segnata dai fondamentalismi (non solo islamici), un messaggio che traspare chiaramente dal vigore melodico dei
Milagro.
E
voglio
nominarli
tutti
perché
lo
meritano.
Patrizia Nasini, voce (i testi originali arabi tradotti in un siciliano un po’ arcaico, grazie anche ad Antonio Vignera), Bob
Salmieri, baglama, sax soprano, clarinetto, percussioni, Andrea Pullone, baglama, chitarra classica, Andrea Piccioni, daf,
darbuka, riqq, tamburello, canto armonico, Maurizio Perrone, contrabbasso, Carlo Cossu, viola, violino, canto armonico,
Gabriele Gagliarini, percussioni, Naima, danza orientale, più, in qualità di ospiti, Volkan Gucer, kaval, clarinetto, Abdalla
Mohamed, ney, darbuka, Pejman Tadayon, tar, setar, Raffaele Mallozzi, lira calabrese, organetto, Antonio Vignera, voce, Diane,
danza orientale tribale. Locale stracolmo, successo meritato.
Antonio Mazza
World Music Magazine
Il titolo discende da un bel libro di Bob Salmieri, cuore e mente del Progetto Milagro Acustico di cui a suo tempo segnalammo il notevole
Poeti Arabi di Sicilia. “Le storie del caffè del nuovo forestiero” di cui si parla, sono una sorte di luogo dell’anima con epicentro a
Favignana, crocevia ideale di esperienze, possibilità, sogni e disillusioni di si imbarca dalle coste del Mediterraneo facendo rotta sulla
Sicilia. L’album e una versione riveduta, corretta e integrata con inediti di una prima edizione pubblicata da una etichetta nordamericana
nel 2002. Venti musicisti titolari, un ventaglio strumentale vasto come gli ambiti culturali toccati dai racconti e molte le lingue cantate, cui
si devono aggiungere tre musicisti turchi protagonisti di un’ulteriore session a Istanbul. Lavoro prezioso e intenso.
GF.
www.bielle.org
Si sono formati a Roma nel 1995 ed hanno alle spalle, un autoprodotto ("Onirico del '98), due album "americani" (tra cui la
prima edizione di questo) e ora due album per la Compagnia Nuove Indye. Quarto album ufficiale, prende lo spunto da un libro
di Bob Salmieri, anima del gruppo, su un viaggio a Tunisi, città in cui è nato suo padre, da una famiglia di Favignana. Il tema è
sempre quello, a me caro, della convivenza e compenetrazioni tra popoli e culture, il tema del viaggio, il caffé come luogo
centrale in cui si mescolano le esistenze degli autoctoni e dei forestieri. E' un disco sulla lunga scia delle opere che hanno
come lontanissimo progentitore "Creuza de ma" ed è disco di ammaliante magia e sentori arabi, miscelati con venti balcanici
e solo mediterraneo, grazie anche all'azione della trentina di strumenti adoperati da questo ensemble numerosissimo a cui si
aggiungono quattro musicisti turchi, registrati in apposite session a Istanbul, oltre a voci della strada che vengono da Egitto,
Colombia, Bangladesh e Filippine. Ottimo lavoro.
Fuori dal Mucchio
"Bob Salmieri affida alle note le memorie di un viaggio di formazione. Quello che fece da bambino a Tunisi, città in cui suo padre era
nato nel 1920 da una famiglia di Favignana. Il disco, tratto dal volume omonimo di racconti dello stesso Salmieri, racconta del muoversi
e dello stare. Se il viaggio è il cuore dell’idea di Mediterraneo come ponte che collega la Turchia alla Sicilia e i Balcani all’Africa, centrale
è l’avamposto di Favignana, con la sua pigra sosta al Café, ritrovo di forestieri, viandanti, isolani, pellegrini. È lì che si ascoltano le
storie, è li che ognuno può aggiungere la propria narrazione.
Come indicato già dal precedente percorso dei Milagro, è l’afro-siciliano il dominio culturale di Bob Salmieri, senza disdegnare
escursioni turche ("Salvate Hasankeyf"). Genti che trasmigrano per riti da celebrare in "U spusaliziu", processioni senza un alito di vento
in "Sanghe meu", mentre in "Dioulo" Pape Kanouté descrive con la kora i mercanti mentre tornano a casa in un tramonto di fuoco e
sabbia. Affidandosi alla ricchezza di una vasta varietà timbrica portata dall’ensemble - djembe, trombe, tabla, Steinwey - Salmieri
alterna kaval, sax, baglama, clarinetto. Il ney e il violino di Jamal Oussini piangono in "Profughi"; è rilassata dolcezza la voce di Daniela
Barra in "Duci velenu".
Il Milagro disegna atmosfere di fatica e sogno allucinate in un dormiveglia crepuscolare, con un lavoro robusto, di scavo sulla tradizione
senza calligrafie, che non cede alle mode"
Gianluca Veltri
Cronaca di Cremona
La Compagnia Nuove Indye produce in due anni due cd dei Milagro Acustico: l’anno scorso “Poeti Arabi di Sicilia” e ora “I
Storie o Cafè di lu Forestiero Novo”. Scelta importante e del tutto condivisibile, volta a sottolineare l’importanza di un
ensemble musicale di grande qualità tecnica e di notevole spessore culturale.
Il cd del 2005 è centrato, come indicato dal titolo, su alcuni testi dei poeti arabi nati e vissuti in Sicilia durante la dominazione
islamica, tra l’827 e il 1091, anno in cui il controllo politico passa a ai normanni. Le poesie sono state tradotte direttamente in
siciliano con la collaborazione di Daniela Gambino e di Sharifa Hadj Sadok. Il nuovo cd è centrato su una analoga idea di
fondo di dialogo interculturale tra la Sicilia e i paesi del Mediterraneo, che ha come riferimento ideale questa volta, un cafè di
Favignana dove stranieri, emigranti, immigrati, pellegrini e viaggiatori si incontrano e si raccontano le loro storie, magari
accompagnandosi con la musica. In entrambi i dischi prende vita un progetto aperto che vede incrociarsi tradizioni siciliane,
arabe, balcaniche, turche e di altre parti del mondo, in un impasto tra i più riusciti negli ultimi anni. Impasto di voci e di suoni
acustico ( ad eccezione di un basso elettrico) che vedono un gruppo numeroso con un nucleo costituito da Bob Salmieri
(baglama, percussioni, fiati), Gianfranco Dezi (tromba e flicorno), Piero Piciucco (contrabbasso e mandolino), Andrea Pullone
(chitarra), Francesco Con saga (fiati), Dario Esposito (batteria), Andrea Alberti (piano) e arricchito da varie collaborazioni come
Abballa Mohamed (Ney, darbuka), Pachi Kalipada Adhikary (tabla), Nour Ed dine (percussioni), Jamal Ouassini (violino),
Volkan Gucer (kaval) e tanti altri che non citiamo per questioni di spazio. E ovviamente la bravissima Daniela Barra, la cui
voce entra nel cuore e costituisce il filo rosso di questo ricco e variegato progetto. “I Storie o Cafè” è la riedizione modificata
e ampliata di un omonimo cd pubblicato nel 2002 negli Stati Uniti e si ispira all’omonimo libro di Bob Salmieri. Un viaggio
musicale da cui non si vorrebbe più tornare.
Gianluca Barbieri
http://maximum.vox.com
In 2002, when Tinder records released the album “I Storie O Café Di Lu Furestiero,” it immediately became one of my favorite World
Fusion albums. Four years later a new version of this album was released by the Italian CNI Music label, this time around marketed as “I
Storie O Café Di Lu Furestiero Novo.” It is not just a simple re-release of the album, but rather a new take on the same material
featuring two new tracks in addition to slightly updated favorites from the 2002 release. Ultimately, this is the same 2002 vintage, but
this time around it is a little more complex, a little more mature, and with a few nuances that make the album more complete than its
predecessor.
The concept behind this album is the sound of an imaginary Sicilian café where immigrants from across the Mediterranean gather to
converse, sing, have a cup of espresso, or maybe even a glass or two of wine. Track after track Milagro Acustico invites us to
eavesdrop on various visitors of the café, providing us with bits of foreign speech and intermixed sounds of instruments from various
Mediterranean cultures, poised against the backdrop of Daniela Barra's beautiful vocals, which provide a surreal dream-like atmosphere
for
the
whole
album.
The music of “I Storie O Café Di Lu Furestiero” is the ultimate immigrant music – though it’s impossible to pin point the exact origin of
each individual song, some particular elements can be easily traced to Turkey, Morocco, Andalusia, Persia, and of course Sicily. For
many centuries Sicily has been the crossroads of the Mediterranean. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and even
Vikings called this land home at some point of its turbulent history. Taking that into consideration, it’s hard to imagine a place that could
provide
a
better
locale
for
the
“Foreigner
Café.”
“I Storie O Café Di Lu Furestiero Novo” is filled with seemingly nostalgic lamentations, so typical for immigrant music in general,
interjected with happy memories of various homelands, ethnic instrumentals and otherworldly vocals, all of which create a truly beautiful
setting for an occasional jazzy note or foreign spoken word monologue. The overall mood created by Milagro Acustico's godfather Bob
Salmieri, could be described as dreamlike. Though I definitely would not call this meditation music, I find it extremely difficult whilst
listening to this album to not close my eyes and imagine myself amidst the Café di lu Furestiero, letting the music be my guide through
the melting pot of sounds, smells, and visuals, through the dreamscape created by Milagro Acustico and so skillfully captured in “I Storie
O Café Di Lu Furestiero Novo.”
Maximum Warp
Agrituristi
"Un Cafè immaginario, su una piccola isola della Sicilia, accoglie le storie dei viandanti che qui si fermano il tempo di
riprendere fiato prima di proseguire il viaggio. Questo il tema del disco dei Milagro Acustico. Il disco ospita numerosi
musicisti italiani e internazionali che hanno collaborato alla realizzazione del disco che è stato registrato a Roma e a Istanbul
con alcuni musicisti locali. Il Caffè è il luogo dove le culture in viaggio si incontrano e si confrontano. Così avviene per la
musica di questo disco. Sonorità in viaggio quelle proposte, che trovano gli aromi, le contaminazioni, i sapori delle diverse
terre che si affacciano sul Mediterraneo."
Gaetano Menna
LUNALUDI (GIAPPONE)
地中海の只中に浮かぶ小島、シチリア島。これは、その島にあるという小さなカフェを舞台にした音楽絵巻。
北にヨーロッパを、東にアジアを、南にアフリカを望む、その小島のカフェには、さまざまな事情を抱えた旅人やら移住者やらが訪れ
ては、いろいろな世界の噂話をしては去って行くという。それら旅人たちの残していったいくつもの話にインスパイアされて編み出さ
れた歌を集めたのが、このアルバムということで。というんですが、まあ、どこまで本当の話かはわかりません。実はそんなカフェな
ど存在はせず、収録曲のほとんどを作詞作曲している、BobSalmieriなる人物のまったくの虚構が並べられているだけなのかも知れな
いし、いやもしかしたら本当にそのようなカフェがシチリアにはあって、今でも夜毎、世界のあちこちから持ち寄られた不思議な夜話
が開陳されているのかも。いずれにせよ、こちらには一言も分からないシチリア語で歌われるそれら物語、”地中海カフェ”の神話にで
も酔いつつ楽しむことにします。さすがは”文明の十字路”に位置する島、シチリアにおける音楽幻想。使われている楽器の出自を紹介
するだけでも大変な手間で、フルートやベース、ピアノといった馴染み深いものもあれば、インドの打楽器タブラ、西アフリカのハー
プであるコラ、汎アフリカ系打楽器のジュンベ、ギリシャの弦楽器バグラマ、アラブのカーヌーン、トルコのネイなどなど、いやもう
、いちいち上げていったらきりがない。音楽の形はといえば、表に出ているのはアラブ系の響きです。官能的なアラブ音階が響き渡り
、エキゾチックなアナトリアの気配を漂わせたハスキーな女性ボーカルがコブシたっぷりに歌い上げられる。ふと、マウロ・パガーニ
の1stなどを想起してしまう時を太古にまで遡る地中海幻想が繰り広げられる。
でも、しばらく聞いて行くうち、それらの調べがヨーロッパ的感性で注意深く構成されていることに気がつきます。アラブの、東方の
響きを題材に、ヨーロッパの人の描いた設計図できれいに整理された幻想。
これは良し悪しでありまして、すべてをアラブ色で染め上げてしまったら、その分、底の深い音楽世界を楽しめたかも知れないのです
が、その一方、多分、我々”異邦人”は、その音楽を楽しむための相当な修行が必要となってくる。異郷の音楽を楽しむ際には、いつも
出てくる問題ですね。まあ、作品として楽しめればいいじゃないかととりあえずは流しておきますが。
曲のうちのいくつかでは、冒頭に、その曲の元ネタであろう物語らしきものが読み上げられます。読み上げられると言っても朗読調で
はなく、まるで演劇のセリフを語るような芝居がかった雰囲気があり、この音楽、元は舞台で演劇として演じられたものではあるまい
か？なんて憶測も出てきました。ただ、なにしろシチリア語の解説しかないので、これも当てにならない話ですが。
でも、舞台の上で音楽劇として演じられたのだったら、きっと良い感じのものだったろうなあ。古き歴史を孕んだ地中海を舞台に、さ
まざま文化と歴史が交錯する、小さなカフェにおける夜話集。何度も言いますが、シチリア語が分からないんで、どんな話やら分から
ず。でも、音楽の感触のエキゾチックな快さは、言葉が分からなくとも十分に感じ取れる。
ここで音楽を演じている、MilagroAcusticoというのは初めて出会ったのだが、おそらくはイタリアで活躍する多国籍音楽ユニットの
ようなものなのだろうか？他の作品も発表しているのなら聴いてみたい気がします。
POETI ARABI DI SICILIA 2005
FOLKER! (Germany)
"Mille anni fa gli Arabi regnavano sulla Sicilia – fino alla riconquista cristiana per mano dei Normanni. In una notte il loro
leader, il conte Ruggero D’Altavilla distrusse 200 moschee solo a Palermo. Ma come sempre in questi casi, il dominatore non
riuscì a farepiazza pulita della alta cultura dei sottomessi e dei loro scritti.Il quarto album dell’ensemble “Milagro Acustico”
guarda indietro alla poesia dei poeti arabi, che vissero in Sicilia a quel tempo.“Poeti arabi di Sicilia” è fin'ora l’album più
maturo del gruppo. Dove prima veniva talvolta orchestrato in maniera opulenta, vengono qui impiegati strumenti (Kanun, Ney,
e altri flauti, sassofono e percussioni) in maniera dosata ma potente. Il canto poi, unito al dialetto siciliano e alla lingua araba
riporta in vita la magia del testo.Il modo in cui le voci femminili e Fabio dell’Armi interpretano il brano di flamenco “Schiavu
d’amuri” , è ineguagliabile e vale da solo l’acquisto del CD. Chi ama i suoni arabo andalusi in stile “Abed Azrié” o “Radio
Tariffa” rimarrà stregato da questo gioiello arabo- siciliano.”
Martin Steiner
FOLKER! (Germany)
Vor tausend Jahren herrschten die Araber über Sizilien - bis zur christlichen Rückeroberung durch die Normannen. In einer Nacht soll
ihr Anführer, Graf Ruggero d’Altavilla, allein in Palermo über zweihundert Moscheen geschleift haben. Wie immer bei solchen
Übergriffen schafften es die Angreifer nicht, die Hochkultur der Unterlegenen mit all ihren Schriften vollständig aus dem Weg zu
räumen. Das vierte Album des Musikerkollektivs Milagro Acustico greift auf die Poesie arabischer Poeten zurück, die zu jener Zeit in
Sizilien lebten. Poeti Arabi Di Sicilia ist das bislang reifste Werk der Gruppe. Wurde früher zuweilen opulent orchestriert, werden hier die
Instrumente (Saiteninstrumente, Ney und andere Flöten, Saxophon und Percussion) sparsam und kraftvoll eingesetzt. Einmalig ist der
in sizilianischem Italienisch und Arabisch gehaltene Gesang, der mühelos die Magie der Texte zum Ausdruck bringt. Wie etwa die
Frauenstimmen im Stück „Schiavu d’Amuri“ sich in den Flamencogesang von Fabio dell’Armi einweben, ist unvergleichlich und lohnt
schon die Anschaffung der CD. Wer araboandalusische Klänge im Stile eines Abed Azrié oder Radio Tarifa mag, wird von diesem
arabosizilianischen Kleinod begeistert sein.
Martin Steiner
L'ISOLA CHE NON C'ERA
All'esordio in Italia con questo lavoro, ma già battezzati discograficamente negli Stati Uniti (per uno di quei perversi
meccanismi che vedono spesso le nostre band apprezzate per il loro valore più all'estero che a casa propria) Milagro Acustico
ci piacciono prima di tutto per due aspetti introduttivi: la lunga lista di strumenti (e quindi di musicisti) partecipi al disco e il
cospicuo elenco di testi saggistici cui le liriche dei brani devono ispirazione. Entrambi gli ambiti risaltano poi di onesta
coerenza alla prova pratica: là dove gli strumenti acustici ed etnici, occidentali ed esotici, si intrecciano attraverso sessioni
d'incisioni nostrane ed internazionali (Istanbul); in distillazione nelle liriche ispirate all'opera dei poeti arabi nella Sicilia
medievale. Terminato l'ascolto, due cose ci sono piaciute di più: un vago sapore brass band (tra Banda Ionica e Goran
Bregovic) che rendono più inedito e interessante il suono world di qualità e la volontà di non cedere a più facili e commerciali
tendenze fusion, mantenendo il più possibile intatto il fascino di una musica altra che ci fa tanto bene gustare al naturale.
G.P.Scazzola
Saudiaramcoworld.com
This is a gem of a record, one of the best of 2005. For the eight centuries of Arab rule in southern Spain, Arab culture permeated the
Mediterranean, notably in Sicily. On this disc, the Italian world-music ensemble that also produced an album based on The Rubaiyyat of
Omar Khayyam sets words by the island’s medieval Arab poets to often lushly beautiful music that draws both acoustically and
electronically from all corners of the Middle Sea. “Alcantara,” for example, breathes with North African modes, while “Schiavu d’Amuri”
sizzles with the duende of flamenco. But it’s the voices that shine brightest, richly sensual, smooth, occasionally ethereal, springing out
of their frames. Even if you don’t understand a word, the feelings come through. (MA06)
SAUDIA ARAMCO WORLD (USA)
Questa è una gemma di disco, uno dei migliori del 2005. Per gli otto secoli della dominazione araba in Spagna del sud, la
cultura araba ha pervaso il Mediterraneo, particolarmente la Sicilia. Su questo disco, l' ensemble italiano di world music, che
precedentemente ha prodotto un album basato sulle Rubaiyyat di Omar Khayyam, i Poeti Arabi di Sicilia di epoca medioevale
ispirano una musica spesso sontuosa e bella che disegna in chiave acustica tutti gli angoli del mare Mediorientale.
"Alcantara," per esempio, respira con i modi africani del nord, mentre "Schiavu D’amuri" ammalia con un duetto flamenco. Ma
sono le voci che brillano più luminose, piene di sensualità, morbide, occasionalmente eteree, balzando fuori dalle loro
strutture. Anche se non capite una parola a causa del dialetto, le sensibilità, il “feeling” vi attraverserà. (MA06)
FOLK BULLETIN
"Per circa duecentosessanta anni è durato il dominio arabo sulla Sicilia. Un periodo forse non lungo in confronto alla pluri millenaria
storia dell'isola, ma sufficiente a caratterizzare fortemente la cultura siciliana. Ed è all'opera di alcuni dei poeti di lingua araba che
vissero nell'isola è dedicato il cd, raffinata operazione, coordinata da Bob Salmieri, riproposta di loro liriche in forma di canzone.
Raffinata, ma anche affascinante, per la grande forza espressiva di questi versi (tradotti in siciliano dalla scrittrice Daniela Gambino e da
Sharifa Hadj Sadok), da cui si comprende i caratteri che sono passati nel canto e nella poesia siciliana: l'uso della metafora, il mondo, la
natura e la stessa vita, sintetizzati da immagini minime, particolari che rimandano al tutto, come gli arabeschi e le trame di un tappeto
nascondono- o svelano, per chi voglia o sappia leggerli - significati universali. Lo stesso è per la musica, ricca di suggestioni e rimandi,
con i suoni a costruire una trama i cui fili legano la Sicilia da una parte all'oriente (e ben oltre l'Arabia, giungendo forse fino in India) e
dall'altra alla Spagna dei moriscos, in un corto-circuito culturale che si esplicita compiutamente attraverso gli accenti flamenchi di alcuni
brani, in cui la voce (di Fabio Dell'Armi) segue i moduli tipici del canto hondo. Non mancano peraltro riferimenti a strutture musicali
"altre", in primis il jazz, grazie alla voce solista di Francesca Brilli e ad alcuni passaggi pianistici. Registrato a Roma e Istanbul, il cd
contiene undici pezzi, di cui quattro strumentali. Ricco l'organico, che vede insieme musicisti italiani e di lingua araba, e multietnico lo
"strumentario": chitarre, baglama,, contrabbasso, nay, mandolino, zarb, tromba, flicorno, sax, clarinetto, flauti, udu, pianoforte e
percussioni. Da citare infine la bella veste grafica di copertina e libretto, ricca di motivi arabi. Disco che richiede un ascolto attento per
apprezzare appieno il binomio musica-testo, Poeti arabi di sicilia ha il pregio, una volta assimilato, di poter essere ascoltato a vari livelli
di attenzione, fino anche a fungere ottimamente da sottofondo, senza per questo mai cadere nell'indistinto e nel banale."
Giacomo Arval
MUSICBOOM.IT
Terzo album per i Milagro Acustico, ensamble multiculturale e multietnica, con base in sicilia ma che ha registrato questo cd a
Istambul, jammando con gli artisti locali per rendere il proprio sound ancora più meticcio (come se non bastassero chitarre,
tamburi, mandolini, darkuba per creare il sound caldo del sud del Mediterraneo!). Terzo album che porta il gruppo (formato più
o meno da quindici persone) ad un'ulteriore evoluzione nella propria consapevolezza dei propri mezzi, questa volta messi a
disposizione delle traduzioni meticce delle poesie arabe in siciliano. Il sound che ne risulta è attraente, coinvolgente, anche
per chi non capisce il dialetto stretto con cui vengono recitati i versi (probabilmente già ostici per i siciliani stessi, visto che le
poesie risalgono alla fine del primo millennio). Una sorta di concept-album legato all'amore per la propria terra, sia essa araba
o siciliana, e che maliziosamente strizza l'occhio al presente, con le proprie storie di moschee bruciate per ordine del
cristianesimo, di esodi forzati nella speranza di una vita migliore, di guerre insensate e di alti tradimenti. La storia si ripete
ciclicamente, purtroppo, ma lo stesso accade per la musica, che ora viene non modernizzata, quando piuttosto resa capace di
diffondersi anche nella comodità di casa nostra, senza dover inventare macchine del tempo o acquistare biglietti per trovarsi
in qualche sperduto paese arabo dove si suona ancora secondo la tradizione. Se un album di questo calibro è riuscito ad
emozionare un metallaro fatto e finito cme me, vorrà pur dire qualcosa. Luci di lu iurnu, con le sue parti vocali femminili, è
veramente coinvolgente, e alla fine dell'ascolto del cd vi troverete probabilmente sudati, come se aveste passato la notte nel
deserto a danzare. Non male come risultato, per un freddo pezzo di plastica da infilare in uno strumento che proietta un raggio
laser
sulla
sua
superficie.
Menzione d'onore anche per la confezione, un lussuoso digipack a tinte "desertiche", molto evocativo e corredato di note per
meglio comprendere il progetto. Un ottimo regalo, per voi o per chi vi sta vicino.
Paolo Bianco
SING OUT! (USA) winter 2006 vol. 49
In their previous work, Italy’s Milagro Acustico have hoffered a more generalized Mediterranean sound. This time, however the focus is
much sharper concentrating (as the title says) on the works of Sicilian Arab poets from 827-1091 A.D. Only speakers of Arabic or Italian
will know how good the lyrics are, but they’re beautifully framed in acoustic arrangiaments that make use of plenty of voices, along with
horns, flutes, guitar, percussion, and oud-like baglama. Musically the band sets out its stall on the opener, “Stannu Arrivannu”, where
everythings works together in a culture blend rather than a clash. It’s a mix that feels perfectly natural, informed by the short distance
between North Africa and Sicily, and continues throughout the disc, even on the instrumental “Alcantara”. Vocals – both sung and
recited – become another instrument in the arsenal, weaving gorgeous, sinuous lines like the saxophone. More than anything, it’s a
place where Europe and North Africa come together – one of many really – and a glipse into history, when the flower of Islam was at its
peak, in both the arts and the sciences. Interestingly, many of the names of the poets appear lost in time, but that doesn’t diminish the
beauty of the sound of their poetry. It inspires – and certainly inspired Bob Salmieri, the group leader, who put music to these words.
History comes alive again. –
CN
BELL’ITALIA – musiche d’Italia ottobre 2005
Milagro Acustico: suoni tra Palermo e Istanbul
Romani, in attività da un decennio, i Milagro Acustico setacciano sonorità radicate nel bacino del Mediterraneo, scoprono
poesie medievali da trasformare in testi per le loro canzoni, suonano strumenti acustico come chitarra, mandolino, darbuka,
tamburi a cornice e baglama. La loro ultima avventura di matrice filologica, intrapresa a Palermo e a Istanbul, si concentra
sulle poesie dei letterati arabi nati e vissuti in Sicilia durante la dominazione islamica che si concretizzò nell’827 con la presa
di Ma zara del Vallo, per concludersi nel 1091 con l’arrivo dei Normanni. Il CD Poeti Arabi di Sicilia (Compagnia Nuove Indye)
uscito lo scorso giugno, racconta l’immenso amore per l’isola, la sua gente e la sua natura da parte di nobili cesellatori della
parola. Veicola un sentimento appassionato, colmo di dolore e di rimpianto (si dice che Palermo contasse più di 200 moschee,
fatte distruggere in una notte dal conte Ruggero d’Altavilla per riaffermare la leadership del Cristianesimo) che non può
lasciare indifferenti: soprattutto se a manifestarlo sono i versi di poeti quali Ibn Hamdis, che visse proprio durante il periodo
della riconquista normanna e fu costretto a lasciare la Sicilia per l’esilio, o il più nevrite e passionale Muhammad Ibn-al-Qatta. I
Milagro Acustico hanno voluto che le poesie fossero tradotte dall’arabo al siciliano, e dopo averle affidate alle amorevoli cure
della scrittrice isolana Daniela Gambino le hanno impreziosite di musiche evocative dal forte impatto ritmico ( il brano Ianchi
capiddi), sospese su insinuanti melodie (Luci di lu iurnu), intrecciate ad atmosfere etniche (Ddi mura ddu silenzi), pervase di
drammatico pathos (Prima da battagghia).
Stefano Bianchi
ROCKIT (ITALY)
Il progetto nasce con l'intenzione di recuperare e coniugare in musica le opere dei principali poeti arabi vissuti in Sicilia tra il IX e l'XI
secolo. Quasi come dissotterrare uno scrigno segreto e prezioso, sommerso dagli anni e dimenticato sotto la polvere, nascosto dalla
paura di termini incomprensibili come "scontro di civiltà" e "guerra di religione". Un'operazione che si può immaginare non facile, che i
Milagro
acustico
hanno deciso di edificare incoraggiati dall'amore per la propria terra, le sue tradizioni, la sua gente. "Poeti arabi di Sicilia" è un omaggio
all'ammeticciamento
di
culture
e
suoni, un gesto per non dimenticare una civiltà che oggi guardiamo con sospetto. Le poesie, tradotte in siciliano dall'arabo, sono inserite
all'interno di sonorità acustiche costruite attorno l'uso di una strumentazione tipicamente mediterranea, come testimonia l'impiego del
mandolino, del kaval o del darbuka. Il collettivo siciliano, per la realizzazione del cd, ha sentito la necessità di compiere un viaggio a
Istanbul, dove il confronto con i musicisti locali ha restituito un suono fortemente influenzato dall'oriente: un contatto che non ha
impedito a un certo addentellato di origine jazz di interferire e dare vita a melodie di forte impatto emotivo. Lontane da litanie e
tentazioni ieratiche, le undici tracce presenti all'interno di "Poeti arabi di Sicilia" brillano per coraggio e per aver dato dignità a un filone
lontano
dalla
massificazione
culturale
del
giorno
d'oggi.
L'impressione
è
che
i
Milagro
acustico
abbiano
centrato in pieno l'obiettivo.
G. Catani
IL MUCCHIO SELVAGGIO (ITALY)
Ai tempi della conquista normanna, nel 1091, la Sicilia era una fiorente isola araba. Così splendida che i Normanni e poi gli
Svevi non seppero allontanarsi dal gusto moresco, e, pur prevalendo militarmente e politicamente sugli Arabi, ne furono
soggiogati dal punto di vista culturale. Quasi tre secoli arabi avevano prodotto, a cavallo dell’anno Mille, arte, musica,
architettura, poesia. A quest’ultima espressione - la poesia - attinge Milagro Acustico, che riscopre il repertorio lirico arabo
siciliano, per adattarlo alla lingua di Trinacria e musicarlo con buongusto e sensibilità. Per la trasposizione il Milagro si è
avvalso della collaborazione di Sharifa Hadj Sadok e della scrittrice siciliana Daniela Gambino. Perché riscoprire quell’incrocio
virtuoso, oggi? Troppo facile la risposta, sballottati come siamo in queste nuove orribili guerre di religione, armate con armi,
persone e parole odiose e intolleranti. Al suo quarto lavoro, il gruppo di Bob Salmieri - autore di tutte le musiche - si affida alle
malìe del ney di Turker Dinletir, che veste d’un sole mattutino desiderato “Luci di lu iurnu”, al kaval di Volkan Gucer, che
spruzza melodie struggenti su “Stanno arrivannu”. Ben quattro poesie sono del poeta Ibn Hamdis, vissuto nella fase finale del
periodo arabo-siciliano, le cui liriche contagiano la musica di nostalgia per l’esilio forzato e per la perdita di un paradiso pieno
di luce e grazia. Le voci femminili, i canti arabi, le percussioni registrate sul campo, gli strumenti tradizionali del Mediterraneo,
tutto fa di “Poeti arabi di Sicilia” un progetto meritevole e serio.
Gianluca Veltri
UK VIBES (GB)
Music inspired by the poetry of the Arabic poets who were born and raised in Sicily during the Muslim domination. Beautiful words from
classic poets laced into beautiful music to produce another exquisite release from this superb Italian band.
WORLD MUSIC MAGAZINE (Italy)
Bob Salmieri, sassofonista e clarinettista di questo nuovo ensemble (che però raccoglie molti musicisti di provata esperienza)
ha indagato a lungo sulle fonti letterarie, la straordinaria fioritura poetica lasciata dai letterati arabi nel corso di trecento anni
di dominazione tutt’altro che rozza sull’isola di Sicilia. Fonti ora reperibili con una certa facilità. Ha accostato poi ai testi
(affrontati in siciliano ed in arabo con bella alternanza come già sperimentato da altri gruppi) musiche pensose e dal passo
quieto, fondamentali gli apporti di kaval, ney e oud, ben adatte ad incorniciare il contenuto lirico. Sedici musicisti e cantanti,
con prevalenza di voci femminili, intervengono in questo ottimo lavoro, registrato in parte a Roma ed in parte a Istanbul, con la
collaborazione di Volkan Gucer, qui al kaval.
G. Fe.
ALIAS SUPPLEMENTO AL MANIFESTO (Italy)
Sedici musicisti e vocalist (siciliano e arabo le lingue usate) concorrono alla realizzazione di questo bel disco, inciso a Roma e Istanbul.
Trecento anni di dominazione araba hanno lasciato nell’isola una scia scintillante di tracce di civiltà nell’isola: nella cultura materiale,
nella cultura che si ritrova solo nei libri e nei manoscritti. Se siete alla ricerca di un antidoto salutare ai veleni razzisti <<fallaci>> qui ne
avete una buona scorta: in un gioco prezioso di flauti ney e corde ronzanti, tocchi di percussione scanditi con solennità ma senza
sfarzo, voci che sono di oggi, ma potrebbero essere di mille anni fa o di domani (Schiavu d’amuri). Il futuro, come diceva Joe Strummer,
è ancora da scrivere.
Guido Festinese
ICOGITATE.COM (England)
Now Bob Salmieri is a man you don’t meet every day. This is a fellow who dances to his own drummer alright: he is very much
“sui generis”.This is the third album of Milagro Acustico that I have reviewed. They are a multicultural ensemble who work
under the direction of Salmieri. And I use the word “work” advisedly: because although their albums are wonderfully laid-back
and easy on the ear, the truth is that Salmieri takes his colleagues down avenues that probably don’t come easy to them. This
makes the “finished product” all the more commendable.For instance, to work on the content of this album can hardly have
been a burning ambition to most of the 15 musicians listed. Why? Well, I refuse to believe that more than a couple of them
could have been enthusiasts for the Arabic poetry written in the years of the Moorish domination of Sicily: it really MUST have
all been down to the powerful influence of Mr. Salmieri.The poems have been translated into Sicilian by Daniela Gambino and
Sharifa Hadj Sadok. And this CD fits the usual Milagro Acustico formula. The music is their usual imaginative and inventive
mix. The instruments he has used are all seemingly running the gamut of mainly esoteric (well, “esoteric” to MY British ear, at
least!) acoustic instruments like kaval, baglama, darbuka and ney. And the music seems very much in harmony with the
poetry. It draws less heavily than usual on Milagro Acustico’s avant garde jazz sound, and instead is slightly more redolent of
the music of the souk. And the “reason why” is indubitably due to the fact that in order to get the right sound, Salmieri took
his
group
to
Istanbul
to
work
with
local
musicians.
In his notes that accompanied my review copy, Bob Salmieri talks of the Crusades as “the wars of religion”. He does not draw
parallels with today: he does not need to, the parallels are all-too-obvious. We have an Arab nation that was once the cradle of
civilisation, a country that invented algebra, home to the hanging gardens of Babylon, ruthlessly invaded by a far more
powerful coalition of forces. It is only right that in these days when Brits like me are constantly being told that WE are a
civilising influence on a seemingly lesser breed of people, that we stop for a moment and consider the FACTS. A great classic
poet like Ibn Hamdis was one of many fine poets writing in Arabic during the Moorish occupation of Sicily. He was forced to
leave Sicily in exile, for by the time he lived, the Norman invasion had started to “go wrong”. But let it not be thought that the
Normans had originally had contempt for Arabic text. Quite the contrary.It is illustrative to realise that the Normans invaded
Sicily at almost exactly the same time as they invaded my current homeland, England. But what happened in the two countries
was markedly different. In England, the Normans had contempt for the local language, and quickly made Norman French the
language of officialdom. Not so in Sicily. Such was their appreciation of Arabic, that they kept it as joint official language.
Indeed Roger the Second was fluent in it, and as for his Chief Minister, well, such was his love of the language that he used to
pray to his Christian God in the language of the Moors!The Palermo Cathedral of today used to be a mosque, and to this very
day has the opening lines of the Koran on one of its pillars! And many of the buildings that nowadays LOOK Islamic, were
actually built in the early 12th Century by NORMANS convinced in the superiority of Moorish architecture.
In 1154 Roger died, and with it came a change in attitude to Muslims. The days of tolerant understanding were now numbered.
Eventually, Frederick the Second expelled all Muslims from Sicily in 1272.But this album of Milagro Acustico recalls those
heady days when the three major religions of Christianity, Islam and Judaism could live together in harmony. And it seems to
me that such an album is what is needed today and not the “Heavy Metal” belligerent sound that American soldiers are
playing in their tanks as they drive into a hell-hole of their Government’s making.
Dai Woosman
JAM (ITALY)
"Milagro Acustico è un ensemble siciliano di una quindicina di musicisti che per l'occasione si impegna in un lavoro quasi filologico di
riscoperta musicale e letteraria. Poeti arabi di Sicilia è la riappropriazione di una cultura siciliana sopravvissuta a un millennio di
restaurazione occidentale, quella relativa alla dominazione araba che aveva regalato all'isola splendide architetture e liriche di grande
sensibilità. Milagro Acustico rivisitano le poesie di alcuni poeti arabi, nati e vissuti in Sicilia, in particolare Ibn hamdis, sorprendente per
mla sua modernità, ad esempio in Ianchi capiddi che parla del tempo che passa e porta con sé la giovinezza delle persone, o in
Schiavu d'amuri in cui si esprime con un'emotività commovente. ma c'è anche Muhammad Ibn Al-Qatta, forse più duro, quasi guerriero
in Figli di Aghlab e Anni su anni. Musicalmente il gruppo si raccoglie intorno a sonorità mediterranee di grande respiro, ma
sono le voci la vera sorpresa: voci recitanti, voci soprano, voci arabe che ci regalano deliziosi chiaroscuri sostenuti da fiati, corde e
percussioni
che
disegnano
quadretti
quasi
impressionisti."
Roberto Caselli - JAM
ROCKSTAR (ITALY)
"Milagro Acustico è un settetto formatosi a Roma dieci anni fa. Questa è la loro quarta produzione che si avvale di una bella
impaginazione e di un'ottima confezione e che punta l'obiettivo sulla poesia nata in Sicilia, circa mille anni fa, durante la
dominazione araba. Uno splendido lavoro di ricerca letteraria e strumentale che è partito da Palermo e si è spinto sino ad
Istanbul con l'incontro di strumenti e musicisti turchi (Volkan Gucer e Turker Dinletir). Ottima l'interpretazione dei protagonisti
su strumenti originali e delle voci di Simona Ferriera e Francesca Brilli e davvero magnifica l'intera produzione curata da Bob
Salmieri".
Paolo De Bernardin
SONICBANDS.IT (italy)
“Poeti Arabi di Sicilia” risveglia fatti, misfatti ed antiche tradizioni del periodo di dominazione Araba della Sicilia dopo oltre un millennio
dalla sua avvenuta. È sorprendente quanto ancora si riesca ad evocare musiche ed atmosfere così anticamente orientaleggianti con
l’utilizzo di stumenti tradizionali e moderni e senza l’utilizzo di programmazione. Il Milagro Acustico è al terzo album ufficiale, dopo
un’autoproduzione datata 1998 e precedenti release timbrate USA da etichette quali Tinder Records e World Class, questo per
confermare, sammai ce ne fosse bisogno, la bontà stilistica ed espressiva di questo affollato progetto. Quello che colpisce sono le
atmosfere rese in modo tremendamente efficiente dalla maestria della band capace di trasportare il pensiero a remoti paesaggi. Le
poesie tradotte in siciliano, il viaggio ad Istambul (dove è stato in parte registrato il cd), l’incontro con artisti locali e soprattutto l’amore
per la propria terra creano un surreale viaggio indietro nel tempo dove storie d’incertezza e sofferenza dominano la scena, sfociando in
brani splendidi quali “Standu Arrivannu” che apre il disco, “Schiavu d’Amuri”, “Anni Su Anni” e soprattutto “Prima da battaglia” tagliente e
davvero efficace attesa prima di una guerra. Indiscutibile il valore artistico di quest’opera che vedo più come forma di libro/reperto
storico che come cd musicale. In ogni modo un affresco riscoperto da bravi archeologi che completa ed amplifica una storia passata.
Fabio Igor Tosi
CORRIERE DELLA SERA (ITALY)
World insolita e curiosa la proposta dell’Ensemble Milagro Acustico con questo notevole Poeti Arabi di Sicilia (CNI): far
rivivere i versi scritti tra l’827 e il 1091 prima che gli Arabi venissero cacciati dai Normanni. Testi tradotti in siciliano, strumenti
della tradizione Mediterranea. Affascinante.
Rivistaonline (Italy)
E' probabile che il nome Ibn Hamdis non risvegli memoria alcuna nelle menti dei più. Non un indizio che lo possa ricollegare a un ambito
od evento di cui a scuola si sia distrattamente sentito parlare. Ma ha il sapore, questo nome, dell'importanza scontata, dell'originalità
resa tale dal suo stesso carattere ricercato e ignorato: una nozione che si ha la sensazione di dover conoscere pur non avendone mai
saputo nulla. Eppure svelare subito l'identità di questo personaggio sarebbe alquanto banale e a dir poco offensivo. Meglio farla
emergere dalla sua stessa natura, dal suo nome. Ibn è musulmano e ha un grande dono: riesce ad esprimere i tormenti del suo tempo
e dell'intera società che di quel tempo è figlia. Osserva il disordine politico che stravolge gli equilibri storici ed umani, intrecciandosi con
uno scontro di religioni che forse non ha ancora eguali in questo mondo. Racconta della sua terra e di come sia stato costretto ad
abbandonarla, narrando il contatto delle culture attraverso semplici scorci di vita quotidiana.Sembra sia un uomo del nostro mondo,
della nostra storia, della nostra cultura ormai multietnica: tutte cose che di certo Ibn condividrebbe se non fosse per la loro errata
collocazione nel tempo. Un tempo che si aggira intorno all'anno Mille, in una Sicilia islamica ormai sotto il giogo normanno, cristallizzato
nei versi di un poeta di Allah. E sono proprio le poesie di Hamdis a scandire questi ricorsi storici, a ricordarci che le contaminazioni in
Italia ci sono sempre state e non sono una novità del nostro secolo.Quale modo migliore per riscoprirlo se non rileggendo i versi del
siciliano Ibn? E se invece di rileggerli li ascoltassimo per la prima volta? E' quello che i Milagro Acustico, gruppo dalle sonorità
mediterranee uso all'adattamento di poesie medievali come testi per arrangiamenti, hanno proposto nel loro ultimo album Poeti Arabi di
Sicilia. Un esperimento all'insegna della contaminazione non solo culturale ma soprattutto storica e temporale che affascina per lo stile
e il gusto antico ed è testimonianza di un'acuta attenzione per le radici non solo della Sicilia ma dell'Europa intera. Così si scopre che le
sonorità islamiche, legate dall'immaginario collettivo per lo più al Corano, sono in realtà tessuto vivo della nostra stessa produzione
musicale, elementi sostanziali di quello che oggi appare così distante e distorto e che invece è il prodotto di una storia già scritta,
compiuta.
Tracce nascoste, insomma, eppure forti. Messaggi sempre validi che ben si attagliano al notro mondo, al nostro tempo, alla nostra
cultura.
Barbara D’Amico
Cranky Crow World Music (USA)
Poeti Arabi Di Sicilia is the third recording I have received by composer/musician Bob Salmieri and his ensemble, Milagro
Acustico and like the other two recordings, this one is also an enjoyable listen. Salmieri delves into various Mediterranean
musical traditions, often dating back to the Middle Ages and incorporating Silk Road traditions as well. Poeti Arabi brings in
an array of musicians representing various cultures and performing on acoustic instruments ranging from familiar to exotic.
Then all of this is topped of with gorgeous female and male vocals. On their previous recording, Rubaiyyat of Omar Khayyam,
mystic Persian poetry along with a weave of Oriental music was highlighted. This time around, Salmieri focuses on Arabic
poetry of Medieval Sicily from a time of the horrific Crusades and a period of uncertainty because one never knew when their
homeland would be invaded or when they would be sent off to war. Set amongst a tapestry of baglama, mandolino, tambur,
ney, kaval, tambour, darbuka and Western instruments, the poetry represented doesn't speak of the glories of war. It would
seem that these Arabic poets had enough of war and conquering. The lyrics to Walls of Silence would support that
sentiment. "We are the sons of the frontier Those who smile if war shows a dark face. Our sons feed on milk flowing from the
cut throats, reared in the arms of battle." Many of other poems speak of lost love, suffering and sadness. They speak of a
Godless place or at least loveless, where battles are fought and people cry for their lost youth. Well, fast forward to the
modern age, we know there is a God, and yet, bloody battles rage on in different parts of the world indifferent to love. Salmieri
refers to diplomacy in the press notes and this is in fact, a recording sporting diplomacy why else would an Italian musician
composer bring out Arab poetry from a time when the Arabs invaded and ruled over Sicily (827-1091) if not for diplomacy? It's
not as if poets and musicians support the mass consciousness of their times. Given their sensitivity to suffering of others, it's
not an irony that they would express anti-war sentiments in their work (at least I interpret this poetry as such). Often you will
find dissension among the ruling society because deep down we do wish to live in harmony with each other. According to
Salmieri, "In that period, religion was used as the pretext since any one who was "different" was seen as a "threat" (not much
has changed there), was a frontal attack and of course, war. Fortunately for us, people like Federico II di Svevia,
demonstrated how powerful diplomacy can be."
Numerous Mediterranean musicians appear here and you will hear a bit of Arabic flamenco, some Silk Road sounds and
Arabic flute and percussion. Track 5, Schuivu D'Amuri features stunning soprano and alto vocals by Francesca Brilli and
Simona Ferriera with additional flamenco vocals by Fabio dell'Armi. It's an exceptional song on an absolutely gorgeous
recording that marries contemporary with Medieval music, features Arab poetry and acoustic instruments. It is European
world music at its best with lots of heart, soul and passion. A truly meaningful experience
Patty-Lynne Herlevi
FUNPROX (GB)
The latest album of Milagro Acustico a multicultural ensemble from Italy around Bob Salmieri. Over fifteen musicians are involved in this
colourful piece of work, with various male and female singers and a variety of only acoustic instruments, like guitar, baglama,
mandolino, tambur, ney, kaval, tamburi a cornice and darbuka. Inspiration was found in the poetic legacy of the Poeti Arabi di Sicilia
(827-1091).
The
poems
refer
to
their
love
for
Sicily,
its
people,
nature
and
the
earth.
These ancient texts, from classic poets like Ibn Hamdis, are given a musical treatment which combines traditional and more
contemporary influences. Arabic, mediterranean and medieval music play an important role, but there are also jazzy and poppy
elements. The songs make an organic, spontaneous impression, as if the musicans are jamming on a village square untill the sun goes
down. I especially like the pieces with female vocals, like 'Luci di lu iurnu'. It's a pleasant summer album with a warm atmosphere.
KINDAMUZIK (Olanda)
Aan het einde van het eerste millennium na Christus was Sicilië in handen van de moslims. Destijds verwoordden de
Arabische poëten die er verbleven het wel en wee van land en bevolking. Zo was er een zekere Ibn Hamdis, die ten tijde van de
invallen van de Noormannen verbannen werd en deze gebeurtenis met de nodige hartstocht aan het papier toevertrouwde.
Deze gedichten vormen de basis voor Milagro Acustico, een Italiaanse band die de muzikale tradities van het Middellandse
Zeegebied in ere wil herstellen. Ze gebruiken daarvoor een hele resem authentieke akoestische instrumenten waarmee ze de
muziek in hun historische kader evoceren.
Interessant toch? Ja, maar er is ook een andere kant. Muzikaal klinkt het allemaal tamelijk klassiek en weet Poeti Arabi Di
Sicilia zelden te boeien. Om niet te zeggen dat het bij momenten slaapverwekkend is. De etnische muziek is perfect
uitgevoerd, maar daar is alles mee gezegd. Milagro Acustico is bijgevolg in haar opzet geslaagd. Helaas heb je daar als
luisteraar niet veel aan.
Hans van der Linden
Rubaiyyat of Omar Khayyam 2004
CITY PRESS (GRECIA)
Aυτή την εβδομάδα κυριεύτηκα εκ νέου από το ήδη μεγάλο μου πάθος για την ποίηση του Kαγιάμ, για την εξύμνηση της μέθης, του
εφήμερου, της αίσθησης ότι μόνος δυνάστης μας είναι ο Aδυσώπητος Xρόνος. Mια θαυμάσια δεκατετραμελής μπάντα, οι Milagro
Acustico, με προεξάρχουσα μορφή τον άλτο σαξοφωνίστα, κλαρινετίστα, φλαουτίστα, κιμπορντίστα και κρουστό Bob Salmieri, με
ταξίδεψε στο σύμπαν του Oμάρ Kαγιάμ, σε ένα ηδύτατο μεταίχμιο ανάμεσα στην πραγματικότητα και στο όνειρο, σε μια περιπλάνηση
στην αχλή των πραγμάτων, σε μια μουσική άρση του Xρόνου, σε μια τόσο ευπρόσδεκτη επιμήκυνση των δευτερολέπτων. Aκούω ξανά
και ξανά το cd των Milagro Acustico Rubaiyyat of Omar Khayyam (Hearts of Space/A&N) και απολαμβάνω ξανά και ξανά τους
ρυθμούς των τετράστιχων όπως μας τους δώρισε πριν από κάμποσες δεκαετίες ο ποιητής Παύλος Γνευτός (1861-1956) και μας τους
δωρίζουν και πάλι οι κομψές εκδόσεις Eρατώ. «Tότε το χείλι μου έφερα στο χωμάτινο τάσι/ Aπ' της ζωής τα μυστικά να πιει και να
χορτάσει/ Kι εκείνο μου 'λεγε σιγά χείλι με χείλι, "Πίνε./ Δεν ξαναβρίσκει τη ζωή εκείνος που τη χάσει". Kι ακόμα: «Kι όταν στις
ακροποταμιές τα βήματά σου σέρνεις/ Kαι σ' ανταμώσει ο Xάροντας κι εσύ αρχινάς να γέρνεις/ Kαι σου καλέσει την ψυχή
προσφέροντας ποτήρι/ Πάρ' το και πιες το, αδελφέ, μην τρέμεις σαν το παίρνεις».Tίποτε, λοιπόν, πιο αναστάσιμο, τίποτε πιο λυτρωτικό
απ' το να κάνεις σλάλομ ανάμεσα στα στερεότυπα με οδηγό το πάθος για όσα μπόρεσες να λατρέψεις. Kαι δεν είναι, άραγε, πολύ
ευγενικό μ' ευγνωμοσύνη για όσα αγαπάς να σπεύδεις να μιλάς;
POPMATTERS.COM (USA)
"I find my creativity in the moment I try to keep in touch with the two parts of my essence; when I try to detach "me" from the
earth and approach "me" to the sky. So, the Arts for me are only the tools and not the goal, they are the tools to evoke the
other
part
of
"us".
— Bob Salmieri, musician, composer, poet, and leader of Milagro Acustico
Rubáiyyát of Omar Khayyam is the third CD by the Rome-based group Milagro Acustico. Like their second CD I Storie Ò Cafè
Di Lu Furestiero, Rubáiyyát of Omar Khayyam is a "concept" recording, developing a theme, with each composition flowing
naturally into the next -- somewhat like a symphony. The group's leader, Bob Salmieri, became inspired to compose music for
Omar Khayyam's quatrain when he encountered the book at a newsstand. He picked it up, read the first few pages, and was
immediately inspired to create music for this work.
Bob Salmieri is a composer who when working on one musical project is always looking ahead to the next one as well. In I
Storie Ò Cafè Di Lu Furestiero, we are given a hint to the group's next release with a track simply titled " Rubáiyyát". (
Rubáiyyát of Omar Khayyam continues this tradition; the instrumental piece "The Wine" is subtitled "Omar meets the 'Arabian
Poets of Sicily'", preparing us for Salmieri's next work). While both releases could fit under the category of "New Age" music,
they are really much more interesting than that. The music could as easily be described as jazz, yet it actually falls somewhere
in between the cracks of the usual marketing terms and becomes a unique blend of what has become known as world music.
On Rubáiyyát of Omar Khayyam, Milagro Acustico have expanded their palette of instruments and sounds. Not only have they
added such instruments as the Persian santur and the Armenian duduk (Salmieri learned to play the duduk for this recording,
not a big stretch since he already plays both saxophone and clarinet), but guest artists such as Maryam Borhani and Javad
Ghaffari add Persian vocals and Fabio Dell'armi adds outstanding flamenco vocals and guitar.
Even though the musicians of Milagro Acustico live in Rome, they are all of Sicilian descent. This heritage is apparent in their
musical viewpoint. Sicily is a country situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Sea, and thus takes its musical
influences from the surrounding areas. Milagro Acustico making a CD that includes so-called "outside" sounds is logical and
even relevant when thinking of modern Sicilian music.
Omar Khayyam was born in 1040 in Persia during one of the highest periods for Islamic culture. He was not only a fine poet,
but also a mathematician and astronomer. Although his famous quatrain's meaning may still be under debate, this does not
distract from the beauty of the words or their melodic quality. This beauty and lyrical quality is what inspired Salmieri to set
Khayyam's famous work to music.
Salmieri's lyrics are not just a mere translation of Khayyam's poetry, though. They are instead "inspired" by Khayyam's
quatrain. He has composed most of songs in his own Sicilian dialect and had others translated into the Persian language.
Fortunately the liner notes offer the poems in both the original written language and translated into English.
The liner-note photographs taken by Bob Salmieri are also worthy of note. He has traveled often in the Middle East and has the
artist's eye needed to capture the inherent beauty of the people and places he has seen. Last year, I chose Rubáiyyát of Omar
Khayyam, then still a self-produced demo, as one of my 10 favorite recordings for 2003, and noted that the cover design had to
be my favorite for the year. That holds true for this year as well, as World Class/Hearts of Space has kept the original design.
Now that Milagro Acustico has two recordings released on major labels, I hope their work will not fall into obscurity. It is
exciting to know that they are hard at work on their next project, and I, for one, am looking forward to its completion. I highly
recommend their releases, and recommend keeping a steady eye (and ear) out for future ones.
Gypsy Flores
FOLKWORLD (Germany)
This is another concept album by Milagro Acustico, following their project "I storie o Café di lu Furestiero" (reviewed in FolkWorld). The
band has translated poems from a 12th century Persian poet and scientist, Omar Khayyam, directly from the Persian texts into Sicilian.
For the recording, they use a combination of instruments from Mediterranean regions (e.g. Mandolin, Marranzano, Daf, Darbouka,
Piano) and from Persia (Santur, Duduk, Chords instruments). The Italian lead singer Fransesca Suriano Brilli has a lovely voice and
sings mostly in a melancholic style, beautifully reflecting the background of the music. The Near Eastern music styles prevail on the
album, most distinctive through melancholic chants and Eastern percussion. Music that might not be that accessible to friends of
European
music,
but
undoubtedly
impressive
and
moving.
Michael Moll
NEWAGEREPORT.com (USA)
It is a dark, tumultuous time. The skies are gloomy and the people live in fear. There is a war of religion that has torn the
countryside and the continent asunder. There are terrorists and assassins around every street corner. Another war, among
scholars and scientists, splits the society like a cold, falling scimitar. The year however is not 2004, but 1100 A.D. The country
is
ancient
Persia,Present
present
day
Iran,
and
it
is
the
time
of
Omar
Khayyam.
Omar Khayyam, born in 1048, was a Renaissance man of his time, a mathematician, scientist, astronomer, philosopher, and of
course poet. His contributions include an accurate calendar, algebraic theories, and the Rubaiyyat. This epic poem is made up
of hundreds of quatrains and has been translated into as many languages as the bible. The highly talented musical group
Milagro Acustico of Sicily, Italy uses traditional instruments and adds a new dimension to their interpretation of the renowned
And
it
is
world
class.
poetry
of
the
Rubaiyyat
of
Omar
Khayyam.
The opening track Vinni comu l’acqua (I came like water) immediately casts us into the ancient and mystic Eastern world.
Saxophone, keyboards, clarinet and popping percussion set the stage for our journey into history. Francesca Brilli’s sultry
vocals are clear and passionate as she sings of an earthly birth and departure via water and wind, two of the natural elements
of
olden
times.
Comacam Con sung by gifted Persian vocalist Maryam Borhani is a fervent appeal for help. “Help me, for I fade here, Help me
so that I might stay.” Frankly, the song is not long enough, but it segues into The Road of Nishapur Suite in three parts.
Nishapur, located in northeastern Iran is the birthplace of Omar Khayyam. Located on the Silk Road, it was the center for trade
as well as the target of Genghis Khan. The music in this suite which ranges from World jazz to a kind of ethnic fusion uses
voice, percussion, udu and tribal wind instruments. There is an excellent lead in on the santur by Robert Caravella. The
musical trilogy is the nexus of the album that expands into different types of music, bringing about emotional changes.
Blending the old with the new, the song The Silent Poet is a mixture of neo-classical tones and Old World flamenco voice.
Andrea Alberti’s contemplative piano piece is a rest, a breathing space on our journey though history. It is another track that I
wished was longer. The final cut, Trance Dance is the culmination of the entire work. It has that edgy, modern Italian Opera
feel that you sometimes hear on Cirque du Soleil soundtracks. Once again the santur takes center stage as well as lively
percussion. The voice of Fabio Dell’Armi and Francesca Brilli’s sweet voice makes it a very memorable song. The music of
Rubaiyyat of Omar Khayyam is the remarkable creation of World music composer Bob Salmieri. Combining the Sicilian and
Persian cultures, he has made an album of unique beauty that defies description into a common genre. Along with thirteen
other musicians and vocalists the music entertains as well as reminds us that not everything that comes from the Middle East
is,
was,
or
will
be
evil.
I
truly
enjoyed
listening
to
this
music.RJLannan
WORLDMUSICCENTRAL (USA)
Italian composer Bob Salmieri (Milagro Acustico) explored the poetry of Omar Khayyam (11th century Persian poet) on the CD,
Rubaiyyat of Omar Khayyam (Hearts of Space Records). Again we have an ethereal tapestry of silk road sounds married to European
instruments. I especially enjoyed vocals by Francesca Suriano Brilli, Simona Ferreira and others. Salmieri is one of my favorite modern
composers mixing world music with other genres. He possesses a vast imagination and I enjoy the spiritual overtones of his
compositions.
Patty-Lynne Herlevi
MUNDOVIBES (USA)
With its daily violence it is hard to image a time of tranquility, poeticism and peace in the Middle East. But anyone who has
ever read the poetry of Rami or heard its classical music knows there is another side to the region’s culture (and that’s an
understatement). Sicily’s Milagro Acustico, fronted by musician Bob Salmieri, has taken inspiration from Persian culture and
the 12th century poet Omar Khayyam on its second recording “The Rubaiyyat of Omar Khayyam”. With Khayyam’s words as
inspiration, Milagro Acustico fuse the music of Middle Eastern, the Mediterranean, Indonesian and Magrebin cultures. An
impressive cast of musicians play an assortment of instruments, with the middle eastern santur and duduk bridging the
divide. Khayyam’s words are translated into Sicilian, with the exception of two which remain in his native Persian. Milagro
Acustico delicately balances acoustic, percussive and vocal elements with lead vocalist Francesca Suriano Brilli’s haunting
and expressive voice guiding the way. The pace of the recording flows like an ancient river, revealing new moods and textures
around each slowly unwinding bend. Though it leans more to the “new age” than classical, this is a recording that avoids the
traps (i.e. cheesey synths, fake exoticism) of so many world fusion recordings. Its subtle mix of instrumentation and
composition are a canvas of textures and mood. Songs like ‘Vinni Comu L’acqua’ (‘I came like water and like wind I go’) ‘Viristi
U Munnu’ (‘You Saw the World’) speak of the temporality of life in their lyrics and flowing composition. ‘U Tavernaru’ (the
landlord) is a stunning piano-led composition accompanied by Brilli’s vocals and subtle percussion. “The Rubaiyyat of Omar
Khayyam” is a meditative, dreamlike journey to a mythical place where cultures merge in peace. Perhaps a dream of what is
possible? JC Tripp
Zzaj Productions (USA)
Music that transcends cultures (effectively) is rare. A simple, yet beautiful, mix of musical stylings from Italy, the Middle East,
Indonesian & Magrebin musical heritage, this comes as close to "world music" as possible, without getting rutted in rhythms that are
dead & over-used. While the purist improv listener will hesitate, if the album is given a fair listen, your ears will be rewarded with the
magic of ancient/timeless quatrains from Omar Khayyam (translated to Sicilian dialects, except for two of them). A very relaxing, yet
inspirational journey through music that reaches out across the ages & grasps the soul ever so gently - a definite keeper! I would
recommend headphones, at least for the first round, but no matter how you choose to listen to it, be sure to establish an environment
that provides no interruptions. This gets a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, & we hope to hear more from the group in the near future.
RotcodZzaj
POPMATTERS(USA)
The Rubáiyyát of Omar Khayyám is the third recording by the Italian group Milagro Acustico. When the leader of the group,
Bob Salmieri, first read Omar Khayyám's quatrain, he knew he had to compose music for it. He translated Khayyám's words
from the original Persian into the Sicilian dialect and then created music and lyrics that evoke Khayyám's experiences of one
mystical night. The mood is dreamy and meditative and combines sounds and instruments from many parts of the world. The
recording effectively blends Bob's Sicilian background with his interest in the music of the Middle and Far East, plus adding
elements of jazz and even a bit of flamenco.
Gypsy Flores
AllMusicGuide
For their second album, Milagro Acustico take on something big, and with a massive reputation -- The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, one
of the great literary masterpieces. Translating it, or at least some of it, into a musical setting offers a fascinating challenge, but their panMediterranean approach is uniquely suited to the task. At times the group sounds like a chamber orchestra (as on "The Road of
Nishapur, Pt. 3," with its Persian vocals), at times the folk element is so pure,
such as with the solo voice on "Komakam Kon." With a full 13 members, the band can offer a range of tonal colors, from brass to strings
and piano, and even the Indian santur, but in the main they aim for -- and achieve -- a hanging delicacy, typified by "Viristi U Munnu."
This is a stunningly beautiful record at times, as befits the poetry, one which doesn't put any performer above any other, but utilizes the
qualities and talents of the whole ensemble to create jewel-like settings. It's a reminder, not only of how lovely the words of the text are,
but also that the music of the Mediterranean can contain crystalline melancholy as well as sunny vibrancy.
Chris Nickson
Blow Up (Italy)
Un esperimento piuttosto riuscito quello di tradurre in siciliano le liriche del tuttologo persiano Omar Khayyam, vissuto poco
oltre l’anno Mille. Regista dell’operazione è Bob Salmieri, fiatista e multistrumentista di buon livello che, in compagnia di una
dozzina di musicisti, si ingegna di edificare intorno alla voce soffusa e arcaica di Francesca Suriano Brilli una camera sonora
evocante un Medio Oriente a metà tra il mistico e il carovaniero. I suoni ondeggiano perciò tra una calma quasi trance e decise
aperture in odore di etnojazz. L’equilibrio tra le parti non viene però mai meno e Milagro Acustico dimostra di superare la
prova.
(An experiment rather succeeded that to translate in Sicilian the lyric of the persian poet and scientist Omar Khayyam, lived a
little further the year Thousand. Director of the operation is Bob Salmieri, multi strumentist of good level that, in company of a
dozen of musicians, he is striven of to build around the voice soffused and archaic of Francesca Suriano Brilli a room
sonorous evocative a Middle East between the mystical and the caravan style. The sounds ripple therefore between a calm
almost trance and definite openings in odor of etnojazz. The equilibrium between the parts never less and Milagro Acustico
shows of to overcome the test.)
Cranky Crow World Music (USA)
The silk road featured on Milagro Acustico's latest recording, Rubaiyyat of Omar Khayyam acts more like a magic carpet ride
than the famous trade route. The music on this CD can also be compared to an oriental rug that weaves strands of musical
stories, in this case, Milagro Acustico founder and composer, Bob Salmieri's interpretation of ancient Persian poet, Omar
Khayyam vibrant words. Salmieri brings us exotic music performed by sultry vocalists and soulful musicians. I have heard
and enjoyed a variety of Silk Road CDs, many of which have felt archival or historical. Rubaiyyat of Omar Khayyam however,
carries a timeless quality that is rooted in the past and still resides in the present moment. You will not find re-mixes, but you
will find modern interpretation of Silk Road music inspired by Medieval Islamic poetry (quatrains).
Bob Salmieri is an imaginative Italian composer and one of the most intriguing musicians working within the world music
genre of which there are several. Previously I reviewed I Storie o cafe de lu fure Stiero for this site, a recording based on a
fictional cafe where people from various nations meet, tell their stories and then continue their journeys. The two CDs have
similar things in common. Both recordings feature musical collages that bring together musical instruments and styles from
varying cultures. Both recordings could be called beguiling with a flourish of orchestral and Oriental instruments. The basic
story behind this CD is that Salmeiri discovered Omar Khayyam's poetry while browsing through a book stand. In order to
produce the project he translated the verses into Sicilian dialect. Then he enlisted Italian musicians and Persian vocalists (for
the 2 songs that are sung in Persian dialect) to record the songs.
Salmieri writes in the liner notes, "The grace and humanity of the rhymes of poets such as Khayyam, Rumi, Hafiz or Al-Hallaj
show us a world in stark contrast to the one the media is broadcasting today. The messages and ideas of these poets
strongly resemble those of some of the greatest poets or our spiritual traditions." And yes, this album is intensely spiritual
and certainly transcendental, starting with the mesmerizing Vinni comu l'acqua which opens the CD and ending with
tantalizing Trance Dance. Salmieri integrates Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indonesian and Magrebin cultures, (hence the
Silk Road) in style dubbed "World Chamber Music." And the music here lives up to its intriguing description. It's truly cutting
edge and acoustic. www.valley-entertainment.com
Patty-Lynne Herlevi
Zook Beat (USA)
Another fantastic release by the adventurous group Milagro Acustico. This CD is set to poetry by Omar Khayyam - a Persian
poet from the 11th century. The music weaves beautifully the various moods set by the poems. An enchanting release!
CDRoots (USA)
Sicilian producer Bob Salmieri and his ensemble of Mediterranean instrumentalists and guest musicians created a concept
album that contemplates a verses from the 11th century Persian poet Omar Khayyam. Melancholy in mood the music reveals
influences from the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Santur, udu, flutes, keyboards, percussion, mandolin and vocals all
come into play, lending the music an early music or chamber-folk character. The vocals are predominately in Sicilian,
translated from the original Persian text.
FolkWorld (UK)
I have had some rum albums to review in my time, but this one perhaps is the most unusual to date. When I heard I was about
to get an album inspired by the quatrains of Omar Khayyam, I immediately got excited. For when I was about 15, I got my
hands on a copy of Edward Fitzgerald’s famous translation. And I just LOVED it. However my eagerness to receive the CD
abated somewhat, when I learned that the verses were being translated into Sicilian dialect! And since my grasp of Sicilian
would not be enough to engage even the most passionate conversationalist in Palermo, I wondered if it was for me. But I
should have known better. Bob Salmieri (the driving force behind Milagro Acustico) has the great gift of “inclusiveness”. On
his last album, Bob introduced African ethnic instruments and musicians into his ensemble. Here amongst the Sicilian dialect
we have the surprising but welcome introduction of Omar Khayyam in Spanish, sung by the flamenco musician Fabio dell’
Armi.
Plus
some
Persian
vocal
too
from
Iranian
performers.
As I said, this is not an album one gets for review every day: and it must be stated from the outset that it is much more an
album for the EARS than for the typewriter. That is to say that whilst one can indeed write on it, it lends itself more to reverie
and contemplation rather than something as CONCRETE as “words”. Still, that said, it is of no consolation to the reader of this
review: he/she wants to READ my thoughts on the album. It is not sufficient for them just to know that the CD had got me into
an occasionally blissful state of contemplation! So, let’s get down to the hard job of articulating my reactions. I confess to
switching off from the words as soon as I saw the English translation in the liner notes. (By the way, most handsomely
produced liner notes. Congratulations are due to Bob for a first class job here. But not for his English translation.)
Look, I grew up on the Fitzgerald. I feel sorry for the poor benighted souls who will read the
followingin the notes:
“Coming and going all the time…what’s it get you?/Which path is designed for us?/All burning souls become earth, where is
the
smoke?/I
came
like
water
and
like
wind
I
go”.
Now,
compare
that
to
the
magisterial
command
of
Fitzgerald.
There
is
just
no
comparison:
“Myself
when
young
did
eagerly
frequent.
Doctor
and
Saint,
and
heard
great
Argument
About
it
and
about:
but
evermore.
Came
out
by
the
same
Door
as
in
I
went.
With them the Seed of Wisdom did I sow, And with my own hand labour'd it to grow:
And
this
was
all
the
Harvest
that
I
reap'd---I
came
like
Water,
and
like
Wind
I
go."
The first, whilst an honest attempt at translation, has leaden feet. The second is the “real thing” and takes flight. So, as I say, I
“checked out” when it came to the lyrics. I just got out my Fitzgerald and read that instead, whilst Salmieri’s music and lyrics
provided
the
background
for
my
musing.
And I have to say that I salute Bob for producing 21st Century music that is strangely totally “simpatico” with the thoughts of
this great man of the 11th Century. The instruments run the gamut, and the sound is (loosely) perhaps best described as
“avant
garde
jazz”.
Methinks it will be a year or two before I get such an unusual album for review again.
Dai Woosman
Netrhythms (UK)
Milagro Acustico was formed in 1995 by Bob Salmieri, a Sicilian musician, this beautiful release is follow up to another
concept project ‘I Storie O Cafe Di Lu Furestiero’. Here he takes Omar Khayyam's poetry which he then translated, with the aid
of Iranian vocalists Maryam Borhani and Javad Ghaffari, into Sicilian (apart from two sung in the original Persian). He then
gathered together 14 musicians including Maryan and Javad to record the songs, here the Mediterranean pools its musical
influences and heritage to provide an enchanting setting for these graceful poems. Gorgeous.
Graham Radley
Omarkhayyamnederland.com
Een nieuwe cd met muziek geïnspireerd door de kwatrijnen van Khayyám, vertaald uit het Perzisch in Siciliaans dialect door
Bob Salmieri. De cd wordt in juli 2004 uitgebracht op het label Hearts of Space. Milagro Acustico omschrijft zichzelf als
'Mediterranean Ensemble Music' en maakt gebruikt van traditionele instrumenten uit het Middellandse Zeegebied en uit Perzië.
De teksten zijn opgenomen in het Sicilliaans, Perzisch en Spaans. Hieronder de Sicilliaanse versie van "I came like water and
like wind I go".
Insideworldmusic.com
The Italian group, Milagro Acustico, explores the poetry of Omar Khayyam. Omar was a Persian poet, born in 1040. Rubaiyyat
Of Omar Khayyam is the musical equivalent of Omar’s spoken poetry. Some tracks are sung in Sicilian; while others are
wholly instrumental. A plethora of instruments including guitar, piano, trumpet, santoor, bass, sax, flute, mandolin, udu, and
various other percussion instruments. The overall music contains Mediterranean and Middle Eastern infusions. A very
accessible album for the world music listener!
P.E.Kirman
www.newageretailer.com
Based on the quatrains of 12th-century scientist and poet Omar Khayyám, the songs on Rubáiyyát of Omar Khayyám evoke
the mystical, ecstatic Persia of Jallaludin Rumi’s time. Headed by Sicilian musician and artist Bob Salmieri, Mílagro Acustíco
uses vocals and Middle Eastern and Persian instruments, including the mandolin, marranzano, daf, darbouka, santur, and
duduk, to convey Khayyám’s eternal messages. One of my favorite tracks is “Komakam Kon,” an a cappella piece in the
traditional Persian language. Maryam Borhani’s clear voice relays an anguish with which many can identify; translated, the
song begins, “Help me, for I fade here. Help me, so that I might stay. Help me keep the kiss of death from my lips.” Salmieri’s
efforts are listeners’ rewards. Rubáiyyát of Omar Khayyám is seductive and compelling.
KINDAMUZIK (Holland)
Ik kan heel goed luisteren naar authentieke wereldmuziek. Het Ensemble Al-Kindi bijvoorbeeld, of Mohammad Reza Shajarian.
Echt schitterend. Waar ik minder goed tegen kan zijn de hybrides tussen oost en west, die zogenaamde eclectische
samensmeltingen waar oosterse sferen vermengd worden met westerse instrumenten en dance-ritmes. Milagro Acustico valt
in deze laatste categorie. Het Romeinse zestal neemt kwatrijnen van Omar Khayyam - een renaissanceman uit het Perzië van
de elfde eeuw - en vertaalt die vervolgens in het oud-Siciliaans. Waarom dat gedaan is wordt nergens duidelijk. Vervolgens
worden er wat oosters en mediterraans aandoende melodieën gebruikt, die behalve door tradionele instrumenten als ud en
darbouka ook door synths en saxofoons worden vertolkt. Het resultaat is kitscherig en soms ronduit lelijk. Conclusie: vult u
hier maar dat spreekwoord in met de woorden "grote boog" en "omheen lopen".
Bas Ickenroth
FUNPROX.COM (The Netherlands)
Milagro Acustico, the band of driving force Bob Salmieri, is back with a new cd that you takes you to ancient Persia. This
album is based around the poetic work of Omar Khayyam, born in 1040, for a long time mostly known as a scientist. He wrote
verses during the heyday of Islamic culture, but also a time of the first religious extremism and violence. His texts of the
Rubaiyyat are translated into Sicilian and set to music. In the booklet you can see various photos from the Persian world and
English translations of the texts.
The music of Milagro Acustico on this album is rather moody and melancholic. It's varied, accessible melodic world music,
with of course the necessary ancient Arabic influences mixed with more contemporary and western elements. Quite a few
musicians and vocalists have been involved in this album with a warm Mediterranean atmosphere. Male and female voices,
diverse instruments like percussion, piano, clarinet, flute and madolin create a very enjoyable flowing mixture. I think this
album will be appreciated by people who like the work of Francesco Banchini or the dreamy folk/world music of the
Prikosnovénie label.
I STORIE O CAFÉ’ DI LU FURESTIERO 2002
SING OUT! Vol.47 n. 1 Spring 2003 (USA)
The premise for “I storie o Cafè di lu furestiero” is familiar mytology. It’s the saloon scene from Stars Wars, a place where
those on the road, far from home, come together, in this case, somewhere is a small Sicilian island cafè. A place where
foreigners emigrants, pilgrims and travellers of all sorts come to sit, eat, drink, rest and enjoy playng and listening music. Still,
even on the vast soundscape of world music, there is something unusual and special going on here. The musical idea is that
the imaginary journeys prompted by over the overhead stories told in the languages and dialects that converge at a
crossroads.
Milagro Acustico is a world music group based in Rome and features the music and text composed by the Sicilia saxophonist
Bob Salmieri. Think of how Mediterranean sound sfuse with the medioriental melodies and rhythms and how they in turn
would complement progressive jazz, carrying along some deep roots music. Clever, fiery, moody and highly appealing. “The
stories of the Strangers Coffeee” offers an exceptionally cohesive and seductive atmosphere that demands attentions. I’ll
often listen to a hundred or so albums before catching one such as this. It’s well worth the wait.
Richard Dorsett
ROOTSWORLD.COM (USA)
It's a short boat trip from the Balkan coast or North Africa to southern Italy, and many desperate, mostly younger people have
made the perilous voyage as a means to survive and, perhaps somehow, to assist those they leave behind. The immigrant
tragedy has become a significant source of socioeconomic and political controversy in Italy, a land like any other whose
entrepreneurs are only too ready to exploit their vulnerability, further impoverishing already marginalized native workers in
the process. When it comes to displacement by the "invisible hand" of transnational capitalism, someone has to pay.
Too often, that payment's relentless extraction remains inaudible, but Rome-based Milagro Acustico recuperates the
immigrant saga. Sicilian-born composer and multi-instrumentalist Bob Salmieri (alto sax, clarinet, flute, keyboards,
percussion) leads a septet covering vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, guitars, mandolin, bass, bongos, congas, darbuka, drums,
hand percussion and electronic effects. And in the spirit of the overall project, they enlist several immigrant artists to render
the message in its true international measure: Moroccans Nour Eddine (percussion, ghayta or North African shawm) and
Jamal Ouassini (violin), plus Senegalese kora player Papa Kanoutè and Pape Yery Samb (djembe).
"I Storie ò Cafè" The organizing conception of I Storie ò Cafè di lu Furestiero, Milagro Acustico’s second release, is that of an
imaginary Sicilian café where immigrant strangers congregate to relax and share their stories in conversation, verse and
song. Historically, Sicily is an ancient Mediterranean crossroads, a place of multiple and enduring cultural encounters. Hence
the project, which took two years to research and record. Salmieri himself penned the compositions, save one, ranging from
the Balkan-Turkish flavorings of "Tesekkur Arkadas," to the Persian insinuations of "Rubaiyyat," and the slack Andalusian
allusions of "Signori, Si Chiude." The album presents a coherent narrative (a world-jazz suite, one could say) that unveils the
human face of the migrant epic, conveyed in part by the principals themselves, in their own tongues, against the band's
musical and spoken commentary - the latter in Sicilian dialects that signal the region's own historically subordinate status
within the Italian national project. Fittingly, the album begins with "Ricorda o Me Nomi" (Remember My Name), an Easterntinged lamentation voicing the anxiety that every emigrant feels, the knowledge - but hope to the contrary - that he or she may
well never return home. Pape Kanoutè's kora lays out a delicate counterpoint to singer Danide's ethereal vocals, calliope-like
piping and undulating percussion. Kanoutè takes a bridging kora solo with his own "Dioulo," which fades into the dark,
mournful strains of "Sanghe Meu," an interlayering of alto sax, ghayta, muted trumpet, piano, percussion and wordless vocal
chanting, against which a dull, gravely male voice offers a weary spoken deposition. "Terra Umilissima" (Most Humble Land)
opens with the terse commentary of a succession of immigrants from Bangladesh, Egypt, the Philippines, and Colombia, in
their own voices, in flat reflection upon their experience as strangers in Italy. As a young woman murmurs in Spanish, "I cook
meals that aren't destined for my own table. I don't understand what they say on the radio, nor... on the street." The same
could be said of the host country's prevailing indifference toward these essential, accidental strangers. Indeed, that is one of
the project's core assertions, really, along with a sure demonstration that a panoply of voices from many different lands can
combine accents in an infinitely textured polyphonic statement whose penetrating effect beckons, testifies, saddens,
provokes and lingers.
Michael Stone
CRANKY CROW WORLD MUSIC (USA)
The Italian ensemble Milagro Acustico invites listeners into an imaginative Cafe/pub in a border village on a Sicilian island
where strangers meet on their CD, The Stories of a Stranger's Coffee. The strangers represent travelers, immigrants and
pilgrims who drop into the cafe to drink coffee, exchange culture and stories before embarking on the last leg of their journey.
Milagro Acustico embellishes this fictitious cafe with a blend of classical and world music. Similar to the Africans, Asians and
Europeans who rendezvous at the cafe, various musical instruments such as the African kora, bongos, congas, darbuka,
violin, pianoforte, trumpet, flugelhorn, sax, flute and clarinet mingle with one another thus creating an ethereal environment.
Milagro Acustico features compositions by multi-instrumentalist Bob Salmieri (clarinet, flute, keyboards, percussion and
flute). Danide (vocals), Gianfranco Dezi (trumpet, flugelhorn), Piero Piciucco (bass, mandolin), Carlo Colombo (percussion),
Andrea Pullone (guitars) and Alfredo Romeo (drums) round off the innovative ensemble. And since no international recording
would be complete without prestigious collaborators, Nour Eddine (percussion, ghanta), Pape Kanoute (kora), Jamal Ovassini
(violin), Papa Yery Samb (djambe) and Andrea Alberti (pianoforte) along with a collection of other musical guests drop in and
contribute their talents. As anyone can imagine from the above list of instruments, anything is possible musically speaking
and similar to Abdelli's Among Brothers, Milagro Acustico also creates a rich tapestry of exoticism and stunning music.
Narrated stories told by the various immigrants drift in and out of the songs and are mostly spoken or sung in Sicilian with the
one exception of Tesekkur Arkadas which is sung in the Turkish language. The overall effect presents a dream-like quality
that conjures up gypsies and other nomads sharing slices of their lives and then moving on to the next adventure. The cafe
acts as a depot before reaching a final musical or personal destination. It's a place where mediterranean music converses
with Senegalese, kecah, Gamelan, Far East and kodo music and where European instruments engage in a tete a tete with their
exotic cousins. This ambitious Italian CD embellishes a collection of music that includes jazz, classical and world. For more
information contact www.tinderrecords.com or www.milagroacustico.com
PLH
POPMATTERS.COM (USA)
Shelter is important -- shelter from a coming storm, shelter to hide in from the world, or shelter to seek out those of like-mind
and share perhaps a few moments of familiarity, comfort, and conversation. We all seek out these places -- whether to be
alone and quiet in a crowd of strangers who somehow feel like friends or to commune with people sitting nearby. Perhaps in
our dreams, we create such a place that feels somehow like a home for alienated souls. We go there and sit with others who
are also far from home and their life-long friends. Here is the sanctuary where we can sit, eat, drink, rest, and tell our stories. I
Storie ò Cafè Di Lu Furestiero or The Story of the Foreigner's Cafè is a mystical/musical journey to a cafè on a small Sicilian
island where travelers have found such a refuge. Because Sicily is located where it is -- in the middle of the Mediterranean and
very close to Tunisia, very close to the Balkans, and southern Europe -- one finds in this imaginary cafè foreigners from
places near and very far. Milagro Acustico helps us to experience this in their recording by effectively encompassing a wide
variety of sounds that span genres, traveling somewhere between traditional music and jazz. The combination of instruments
from the many cultures reflected in their music creates a richly textured sound that is added to by guest musicians such as:
Moroccan percussionist and ghayta player Nour Eddine; violinist Jamal Ouassini; Senegalese kora player, Papa Kanoutè; and
Pape Yery Samb on djembé. Milagro Acustico is a "world" music group from Italy (many of whom are also of Sicilian descent)
who formed in 1995 and has recorded two albums together. (Their first recording Onirico, is self-produced).
The leader and composer for the group, Bob Salmieri grew up in an area of Rome that was built to shelter immigrants who
came from southern Italy and Africa. Although Bob's father was Sicilian, he was born in Tunisia and spoke both Sicilian and
Arabic; thus, there was a mixture of many cultures in Bob's home as he grew up. On holidays when everyone came together
for parties and gatherings, instruments were brought out and everyone shared music as well as stories. Bob feels that he has
always played music. When he was six, he and his father traveled to Tunisia where Bob was given his first darbouka (goblet
drum) by his father. "This is when I, too. began to tell my stories." From darbouka, he went on to learn to play guitar then later
keyboards. Early on, he was influenced by the music of Miles Davis and Italian saxophonist Massimo Urbani. From this, his
love for jazz grew together with his love for the music he had of course heard all his life. I Storie ò Cafè Di Lu Furestiero brings
together these elements and becomes a source of reconciliation for Bob and his Sicilian background. He felt that somewhere
there needed to be a "shelter" for the many immigrants and displaced people of this world, where they could go and find a
temporary home or harbor from their troubles and be accepted for who they are no matter what their past. So, the cafè sprung
into existence and we can visit whenever we need to find a little consolation too. "Ricorda O Me Nomi" (or Remember My
Name), the first track on the CD is the story of someone who returns home to his little island after his death. He had left his
little island in a hurry and now he finds he misses it. His ghost runs through the streets hoping to find some signs of his past,
that someone remembers him; that someone even is possibly speaking about him at that moment. Finding few signs (except a
grave stone with his name on it and a photograph of when he was a child) and no one that really remembers him, he enters the
"cafè" and finds hospitality. The music starts with a rather languorous piano but builds to a rapid pace when the other
instruments come in with almost an explosive quality. In the singing, one hears the desperation of the "ghost" as he rushes
around his village trying to find traces of his former existence. The song segues into a lovely little kora (African harp) piece
written and played by Pape Kanoutè titled "Dioulo". Although "Sanghe Meu" literally translates as "My Blood", in this
particular song/poem the sense is really more like "my heart" or "my love". Bob's grandfather survived the earthquake in
Messina in 1908 when he was a small boy. He had returned to Sicily from Tunis for the first time and after the earthquake he
was buried for three days under the debris. He stayed alive for two reasons, he related. One: because there was a small
stream that ran next to him where he lie and two: because he had a vision of a beautiful Oriental dancer who helped him. This
story is not only the inspiration for "Sanghe Meu" but for the gorgeous painting on the CD's cover. The music has an
"oriental" feel and the narrator tells the story rather than sings it with the horns, percussion, and chorus setting the mood.
"A Storia I Me Patri" (My Father's Story) was written for Bob's father. In this song/story, Bob imagines his father, who was born
in Tunis, returning by boat to the island of his family (Favignana) for the first time. The music reflects the feeling of being on a
calm sea with the boat bobbing up and down and over the waves; yet there is an underlying tension in the chorus, perhaps
because of the work of sailing the boat or perhaps because Bob's father felt nervous anticipation as he approached the island
of his family. These stories will also be written as a book of tales one day by Bob Salmieri in Italian, his Sicilian dialect and in
English. "Rubayyat" the next to last song on the recording gives us a hint to Bob and Milagro Acustico's next project -- a
work inspired by the writing of Persian poet Omar Khayyam.
I Storie ò Cafè Di Lu Furestiero is a cohesive work that flows from beginning to end. We follow the musical stories the same
way we would follow a great conversation or be captivated by a good book -- with interest, a little surprise, and with enough
intrigue that we hope that this "good read" won't end too soon so that we can savor each tale.
Gypsy Flores
Zzaj PRODUCTIONS (USA)
If you enjoy sittin' 'round a fine coffeehouse staring at th' in/out wanderers & making up stories in your imagination about
them... the music on this CD will make th' PERFECT accompaniement! World-music artists from (where else) the world over
have joined forces to perform exciting pieces that will help you (easily) become caught up in a tangled web of gypsy dances,
acoustic folk tunes & dreams that couldn't be topped by th' finest/richest Lebanese red. Shades of the mid-east influence the
musical style(s), as you might expect. This would make a genuinely nice gift for someone wanting to re-enact Ali Baba's
adventures. There are some great sections on trak 3 that sound (something) like an Egyptian version of Orson Welles... It
gets a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from us.
Rotcod Zzaj
GLOBALVILLAGEIDIOT.NET
Interesting concept, based around the tales of travelers in an imaginairy Sicilian cafe. The music, a mix of Mediterranean
cultures, works well, with some light touches of jazz here and there. Leader Bob Salmieri has plenty of talent as a composer,
although this seems more like a beginning than an end in itself.
AFRICAMUSIC.COM
The premise of the recording is that each composition is in effect a setting for the telling of a story, presented as a ballad and
in the language of a Sicilian dialect (except for one track in Turkish). The seductive atmosphere is infused with the
contributions of guests Pape Kanoute, Jamal Ouassini and Nour-Eddine, among others. Milagro Acustico, based in Rome,
uses a variety of traditional and ethnic instruments, as well as electronic media, to create a sound that epitomizes the
characteristic Tinder blending of cultures and influences.
WIDR WORLD (USA)
I've recently received a copy of a CD which was sent to me back in 2001 - "I Storie O Cafe Di Lu Furestiero" (Stories of the
Stranger's Coffee) is a concept album by the band Milagro Acustico. The idea is that on an Italian island, at the crossroads of
Europe and Africa and beyond, there sits a café where travellers stop. What we hear on the CD is a representation of some of
the conversations overheard. This CD is delightful to me now as it was when I heard it over two years ago. Sung mostly in
Italian, this CD is a stew of sounds with spices from all over the world... and the great news is that it is now available to all the
world!
Jason J. Hall
WIND AND WIRE.COM (USA)
I received this promotional CD in the mail and loved the colorful exotic artwork on the cover and was not quite sure what to
expect. I inserted the CD into my computer and Real Player's genre category defined it as generally unclassifiable. Definitely
an appropriate response as this group wanders the genres like a meandering gypsy. The eclectic nature includes influences of
jazz, Greek, Mediterranean, Middle East and new age that makes for a melting pot of assorted songs and stories. This is
without a doubt the most interesting project I have heard so far this year.
The disc opens with the rather odd but exotic "Ricardo o me nomi" that has a strange use of minor chords with a mix of
pulsating percussion work combined with an almost off-key flute arrangements. The occasional vocal chants add to this
perplexing yet moving mix. Speaking of oddities, skip forward to the stirring alto sax on "Sanghe meu" which is integrated
with additional stirring percussion work. This song is very moving and daring. It even includes a narrative storyteller.
Unfortunately, the latter while a courageous move, seems to distract from the composition and its musical success.
In fact, there is continual sporadic narrative on other tracks that creates a lack of cohesiveness and focus. This is why "Duci
Velenu" is much more attractive which limits the lyrical content to chants and vocalization versus spoken word. Or for that
matter the sultry moody "Lu munnu brucia" that features chief composer and musical anchor Bob Salmieri on clarinet. Purists
of instrumentalist music should be aware that the vocal work on this track is prominent here.
The most conservative track is left until last courtesy of the mystical jazzy "Signori, si chiude," which includes some masterful
clarinet work from Bob Salmieri. And it is no hidden secret that I tend to venture very little in musical exploration when it
comes to contemporary instrumental music thus this track is without a doubt my favorite on the album.
Though this album has some fine moments, it never quite hits on all four cylinders and really does not suit my fancy.
However, the work spearheaded by Italian composer and sax player Bob Salmieri is a bold exploration that places me into his
brave new world of creative and artistic freedom. And that alone deserves kudos.
Michael Debbage
AMBIENTRANCE.COM (USA)
Led by Bob Salmieri, the musical travelers of Milagro Acustico take a magical rest stop in a fantasy cafe; I Storie ò Cafè DI lu
Furestiero retells the stories of its global patrons in lush songforms from around the world.
Ricorda o me nomi immediately captures the ears with a vibrant mix of Mediterranean strings, rich feminine vocals (in both
leads and choruses), tweedling flute gusts and steadily pattering ethnodrums. Dioulo's trickling strings resonate into a
thrumming expanse which becomes an entryway to Sanghe meu, a flavorful ear-vision of bittersweet instrumentation, overlain
softly by an old man's murmurs, assorted chants and jazzy sax licks.
Somber symphonics spread into travel-evoking Duci Velenu, enlivened by sparkling strings, temptress' wails, and a woodwind
surge interlude. Soulful leads wrap Profughi! in their sinuous strands while elegantly smoky Lu munnu brucia plays up a
torchy lounge angle.
A rising tide of accordion tones, strings and rhythms opens lively Tesekkur Arkadas (7:57) soon to be overtaken by multiple
brassy flows, sinuous lows and elaborately fluttering femme vocals (and male as well). Welling flute vapors swirl briefly
through Rubayyat (1:06) before Signori, si chiude closes the show with its melancholy finale.
The cool exoticism of I Storie ò Cafè DI lu Furestiero is painted on the airwaves with voice, trumpet, mandolin, conga, darbuka,
sax, kora, violin, djambe and more! I find Milagro Acustico's rootsy-yet-artsy brand of world music is invigorating, expertlyperformed and just plain lovely. A zesty balance of sophistication and fun! ALOS ANGELES TIMES 13 dec 2002
Milagro Acustico, "I Storie o café di lu Furestiero" (Tinder). The Roman group, led by Sicilian saxophonist Bob Salmieri, is
joined by African musicians Pape Kanouté, Nour-Eddine and others in an imagined evening in a Sicilian cafe. And for once,
the fusion of genres actually works, with Italian melodies, African rhythms, Middle Eastern modes and a touch of Miles Davislike trumpet blending into a compelling tapestry of boundary-less music.
Don Heckman
ALLMUSICGUIDE(USA)
”It's a concept record of sorts, really -- the idea of a cafe in Sicily where foreigners and natives come together to talk, and
where music of several Mediterranean (and beyond) cultures exist. And it could easily fall on its face, but it doesn't. Instead
the core seven-piece group provides continuity, while the many guests provide color and texture to the songs and
instrumentals. By keeping the music relatively firmly based in the Mediterranean (although "Signori, Si Chuide" veers off into
fairly lightweight jazz), bandleader and composer Bob Salmieri provides a root for it all, with some gorgeous vocals from
DanyB. There's a dreaminess to "Ricorda o Me Nomi" and a sense of both traveling and rest exemplified by "Dioulo," a kora
solo from Pape Kanoute. All in all, there's a languid beauty to this, and given its overall sense of being an oasis, it obviously
succeeds in what it was trying to do. It will be interesting to see what Milagro Acustico will come up with next time and how
well they might work outside a concept.”
Chris Nickson
AMBIENT MUSIC (England)
“The music is set in an imaginary border cafe in Sicily where immigrants, emigrants, travellers and pilgrims pass through on
their journeys. With guest musicians Nour Eddine, Pape Kanoute and others, the music generates an amazing 'sense of place'
and visual imagery.”
Nick Webb
THE WORLDLYMAG.COM
Somewhere on an island of Sicily, there lies a small coffee shop where many strangers from many different cultures and
backgrounds come together to have a drink, maybe to listen to music, maybe to play a little music themselves, but always to
tell their stories. Whether this place of cultural exchange exists or not, it is the premise of Milagro Acustico's new album "I
Storie ò Cafè di lu Furestiero", which translates in English to "The Stories of the Strangers' Coffee".
The overall style of the album is very smooth, jazz lounge-y. There are muted trumpets, jazz harmonies, and a variety of world
instruments that pull off the café feeling very well. The voices of the Italian mandolin (a small, guitar-like instrument with a
plucky, elegant,banjo-like sound), the African djambe (a percussion instrument with a rich, deep sound), the middle eastern
darbuka (also a deep percussion instrument which produces a more fluid beat), and the cora (a west african harp) interweave
with the sounds of the more traditional instruments to form a musical texture of the deepest richness. Think of it like a smooth
blend of coffee, tasty and rich with several flavors swirled together to form a taste beyond satisfying.
The album is a project that took over two years to complete because of the talent that had to be gathered from around the
globe. Milagro Acoustico is a world music group based in Rome. Their head writer/composer Bob Salmieri is Sicilian himself,
but travels extensively, recruiting talent from among those skilled at playing traditional instruments from all corners of the
world.
Just as the strangers in the story come from varied backgrounds, so do the songs. Each of the songs is an expression of a
tale from someone from a different cultural heritage, and the instruments and the style reflect that. For example, "Lu Munnu
Brucia" (The World is Burning) is the story of a man from the Philippines who has seen the people of his little home island
give up their traditions and take up Western ways instead. The song combines an Italian foundation with a Filipino style of
singing (in Sicilian) and ends with a somber or even sad tone, but never harsh to the ear or even depressing.
Yet another track, "The Merchant" has a sound that evokes that classic Moroccan marketplace feel. The "merchant" of this
story has seen a lot of things in his time, and the music which blends the influences of Sicily, Italy, Morocco, and various
miscellaneous others explain the myriad tales that would take words ages to accomplish. Another very unique track on
Milagro consists of a collection of voices of people praying at a temple. You can hear the desires, the woes, and the praises of
people who have come from all around to gather at this altar and lift their voices to a higher power -- and even though it is in
Sicilian, the raw emotion in the voices of the people makes the point of their supplication quite clear.
As is often the case with Jazz, the songs are not very happy in sound, but the album is not all gloom and doom. Although
there are no songs about bunny rabbits or happy, dancing flowers, none of the songs are testaments to despair either. There
are no songs that make you want to get up and dance, but none so emotionally intense that they bring you to tears either. It is
the kind of mood music that you put on when all that you want to do is curl up in a blanket, sit down in a cozy chair, sip a hot
drink, and just relax.
Peter Way
DJAMBE REVIEW N. 37 (Danmark)
I Storie o cafè di lu Furestiero. Historien om de fremmedes cafè, tager udgangspunkt i de mange rejsende, som kommer forbi
denne sicilianske cafe. Cafè di lu furestiero pa deres gennemrejse mod alverdes destinationer mellem Europa og Africa,
mellem Osten og Vesten. Den lille cafè pà middelhavsoen strakker sine musikalske udtrik. Vi horer nordafrikanske rytmer,
som smelter sammen med den lokale sang af europaeisk tilsnit, flojter gor rytmerne folge og mandolinen og forskellige
afrikanske strengeinstrumenter tilsutter musikalske udtryk, samtidig met ad der opstar et meget personligt, meget lokalt
musikalsk udtryk. Man sidder med en meget staerk fornemmelse af, at denne musik virkelig fremmaner en stemning som er
meget karakteristisk for Cafè di lu furestiero. Sa staerkt patraengendeer stemningen i denne enestàende musik, at man fàar
den tanke, at man pà grundlag heraf burde kunne genkende stedet,hvis man kom der for forste gang. Skulle man parallelisere
dette musikalske mode med samtalen, er det virkelig den sjaeldent opbyggelige samtale
Som undertiden kann opstà spontant sàdanne steder.
Musikken er hovedsagelig baseret pà akkustike instrumenter. Heraf er mange karakteristike repraesentater for de forskellinge
musikalske udtryk, der indgàr som elementerne i denne gode musikalske samtale. Musikken vinder med tiden, ligesom
risultaten af en god samtale forst viser sig efterfolgende i handling.
Omar Ingerslev
MUSIC DISC.COM
“This explains the dark shadows and captivating spirits that arise within this 51 minute cd. Indeed, the tracks are as individual
as individuals, as nations, walking musically, often instrumentally, as only specific personalities can develop. This is only the
2nd release from Milagro Acustico, a world music group that began in 1995. Based in Rome, MA have managed to gather
together an impressive array of helpers from around the globe: That sort of cast, plus solid songwriting (all by Bob Salmieri,
with the exception of 'Dioulo') casts an incredible Far East and spiritual sound into events that are just glistening for the
unreal Café. A heavy, heady mixture of jazz pervades the climate as well. While this is expected in a club setting, it's
nonetheless filled with the smoke of a den of circulating strangers speaking in Sicilian dialects and occasional novelties like
Turkish.
This cd can't be recommended enough. It fills a void, a gap that is impossible to describe, but which has always been there in
the World.”
Ben Ohmart
BILLBOARD.COM (USA)
“Milagro Acustico is the creation of multi-instrumentalist/composer Bob Salmieri, a Sicilian with a yen for exotic music and the
imagination to bring that music to life. The album title—"The story of the stranger's coffee"—alludes to the premise of this
concept album. Salmieri and Milagro Acustico invite us to a Sicilian café where emigrants, pilgrims, and immigrants share
their stories, mainly in Sicilian dialects (which are translated into English in the liner notes). The stories are fascinating; the
music is seductive. An array of instruments from clarinet to darbuka, kora, and grand piano animate tunes that draw on
Mediterranean music both ancient and recent, from Ceuta to Istanbul and beyond. Let Milagro Acustico put you through some
stylistic changes with "Tessekkur Arkadas," then sample the sensual atmosphere of "A Storia i mi Patri." A concept album
that works.— PVV
RHYTHMIC FUSION
…An unusual recording as it gathers many musical flavors of the world set to Sicilian lyrics. From the Philippines, Egypt,
Senegal, Colombia, Morocco, and Bangladesh many artists gathered to produce this eclectic release that has some very
interesting mixes.
KUSP RADIO SANTA CRUZ (USA)
“Because Sicily is located where it is--in the middle of the Mediterranean--very close to Tunisia, very close to the Balkans, and
southern Europe, one finds in this imaginery café foreigners from places near and very far. Milagro Acustico helps us to
experience this in their recording by effectively encompassing a wide variety of sounds that span genres traveling somewhere
between traditional music and jazz. The combination of instruments from the many cultures reflected in their music creates a
richly textured sound that is added to by guest musicians such as: Moroccan percussionist and ghayta player Nour Eddine;
violinist Jamal Ouassini; Senegalese kora player, Papa Kanoutè; and Pape Yery Samb on djembe.
Milagro Acoustico is a world music group based in Rome and this is their second recording. The music and text are composed
by saxophonist Bob Salmieri. Bob, himself, is of Sicilian descent, lives in Rome, but travels extensively. He has utilized his
passion for travel and his interest in a wide variety of traditional instruments to create a cohesive work that flows from
beginning to end. We follow the musical stories the same way we would follow a great conversation or be captivated by a
good book--with interest, a little surprise, and with enough intrigue to hope that it won't end too soon so that we can savor
each tale.”
Gypsy Flores
INSIDE WORLD MUSIC.COM
Milagro Acustico is based in Rome, but performs music in Sicilian dialects. Mediterranean, Balkan, African and European
musical elements are present in the music of Milagro Acustico. Sung and spoken words by male and female vocalists are
used sparingly in the instrumentation. The purpose of I Storie o Café di lu Furestiero is to capture and pass along stories often
heard around cafes by all sorts of people. However, this cannot be accomplished successfully without the skillful
musicianship of some big names in world music today, including Nour-Eddine, Papa Kanoute, Jamal Ouassini, Pap Yeri Samb
and Andrea Alberti. Fans of Mediterranean folk, jazz and classical music should acquire the latest effort from Milagro
Acustico.
Matthew J. Forss
POP MATTERS.COM
31 Dec 2002 (USA)
The premise of Il Storie Ò Cafè Di Lu Furestíero is an imaginary cafè on a small Sicilian island where foreigners come to drink,
eat, play music, listen to music and to tell their stories. The leader of Milagro Acustico, Bob Salmieri, is a musician, composer,
poet, storyteller, and world traveler. He composed all the pieces on this CD except for Dioulo, which was written by Papa
Kanouté, kora player and guest musician on this recording. The tracks segue together as one long story with 11 very
compelling chapters. Like a good book that is hard to put down, Il Storie Ò Cafè Di Lu Furestíero will live in your CD player for
quite some time as you linger over each tale. I also believe that this CD would win the most beautiful "Cover for a CD for 2002"
award.
G. Flores
INK19.COM
is the brainchild of one Bob Salmieri, who has assembled a diverse and insanely talented cast of Mediterranean and Eastern
musicians to help bring this concept album of life in a Sicilian café to life. It's a surprisingly well-crafted and intriguingly
narrated affair, which constantly pushes the envelope of atmospheric crossover World Music.
A few of the tracks do fall uncomfortably close to poor-taste new-age sounds, such as the trippy "Duci Velenu," and ruin some
of the otherwise elegant flow of this album. But thankfully, those moments are few and far between and don't seriously detract
from this richly textured and daring set, one that moves carefully and unassumingly along, with superb performances and
brave songwriting.
Salmieri succeeds in capturing the lush and comforting feel of a quiet night out with friends, in some faraway place, and in
making it matter. I Storie ó Café di lu Furestiero is an album of background music that's actually worth stopping up and
listening to -- a grand and impressive feat.
Stein Haukland
KINDAMUZIK.COM (NETHERLANDS)
De recensie over het album van Luigi Cinque, een tijdje geleden besproken, zou net zo goed op deze plaats kunnen staan. Een
zelfde uitgangspunt, namelijk een cafeetje aan de zee waar bezoekers uit het gehele meditterane gebied hun geld uitgeven en
ze hun verhalen kwijt kunnen. En net als bij het album van Luigi Cinque reflecteert zich deze multiculturele (afschuwelijk
woord, maar hier is het toepasselijk) aanpak ook in de muziek. Een jazzy aanpak met zang, trompet, gitaar, kora, drums, viool,
djembe en piano.
Belangrijker als de keuze van instrumenten is echter de wijze waarop met deze verschillende instrumenten wordt omgegaan.
Op beide albums is er sprake van vloeiende overgangen en mixvormen van ‘traditionele’ stukken. De reis-metafoor en de
daarmee gepaard gaande identiteiten ‘tussen’ culturen, staan hier duidelijk centraal. Dat deze albums met enige regelmaat
vanuit Italië tot ons komen is veelzeggend. In de ideale wereld van een Berlusconi spelen geografische grenzen misschien niet
zozeer een rol, maar voert zijn machtswellust wel degelijk tot een situatie, waarin aan maar weinige personen een stem wordt
toegekend die ook in de media te horen is. Dat er musici zijn die zich hier tegen verzetten is goed en kan dan ook alleen maar
aangemoedigd worden.
Bas van Heur
ALLEGRO MUSIC (USA)
A wide range of artists lent their talents to the making of this disc—and the variety of their backgrounds and musical
influences makes for a unique and exciting compilation! With guest musicians Nour Eddine, Pape Kanoute and more, the
music generates an amazing sense of place and triggers luscious visual imagery. The combination of instruments from many
cultures creates a richly textured sound; the instruments include the flugelhorn, mandolin, bongos and wood flutes.
SIXMOON.COM
After two years of research, the Italian formation "Milagro Acustico" follows up their Onirico acoustical album with this year's
The Story of the Stranger's Café, an imaginary Silician bistro tavern at the crossroads between Tunisia to the South, the
Balkans to the East, Portugal and Spain to the West, and Italy to the North. Thus in the very center of Middle Earth (the
Mediterranean), it becomes the story-telling meeting ground for globetrotters, vagabonds, pilgrims and refugees.
With this conceptual map emblazoned across their hearts, the core ensemble of Sicilian saxophonist/composer Bob Salmieri,
vocalist Danyb, trumpeter Gianfranco Dezi, bassist Piero Pipiulucco, percussionist Carlo Colomo, guitarist Andrea Pullone
and drummer Alfredo Romeo invited numerous guests for additional exotic colors. Amongst them are Pape Kanoute on the
African kora harp; Jamal Ouassini on violin; Francesco Consaga on flutes and tenor sax; Andrea Alberti on grand piano, Papa
Yery Samb on djembe and Andrea Rosatelli on electric bass. Add impromptu voice tracks culled from street immigrants of
Bangladesh, Egypt, Colombia and the Philippines for "Terra Umlissimia" ("The Poorest Land", with the voices recounting the
dreams and prayers of certain clandestines in the belly of cosmopolitan Rome) and the ingredients -- to the soundtrack of a
movie that never was but in this group's fertile imagination -- line up to dance.
Sung in a mixture of Sicilian dialects and Turkish on "Tesekkur Arkadas", with the unusual juxtaposition of instruments and
associated styles listed above, I Storie exudes visual elements of a road movie, with the same fluid progression of continuous
welcomes and good-byes as a nomadic lifestyle would engender. Not structured like regular songs, the compositions turn into
a hybrid kind of mood music. They become many-layered collages invoking settings and locales. Far more melodic than
classic ambient, it's a nouveau sort of chamber music without the latter's associated formal structure. It's seemingly
spontaneous enough to be improvised yet too complex and sure-footed to not be meticulously planned.
On "Ricarda O Me Nomi", Kanoute's kora is given room to solo freely, as though jiving about home surrounded by
instruments occasionally commenting. From behind a prayer invocation, Bob Salmieri's sax then imitates a reedy Turkish
zurna, a muted trumpets delivers dry Jazz riffs, a male Silician voice reminisces over better rural times while a percolating,
sinuously snake-charming rhythm weaves it all together. "Profughi" is a jazzy slow waltz, with a smoky sax/trumpet unison
motif accompanied by piano, wistful female vocals interspersed with melancholy flute calls. Impressions shift between latehour bar moods to North African outdoor scenes, acoustic instruments combine with subtle electronic keyboards. On "Thank
you, friend", a Macedonian Gipsy brass motif morphs into breathy song with a first faintly Moroccan, then Middle-Eastern
flavor. That is mirrored in the following "Rubaiyyat" with its Sufi flutes, wind shakers, hand percussion, bells and nasal
clarinet before, with the entrance of a bluesy piano over darbuka trills, the tune turns into a very sophisticated, minimalist
modern Jazz hybrid. In short, I Storie à Café di lu Furestiero isn't so much music to be listened to as music to go daydreaming
by. It's suggestive, amorphously open-ended - different stories and viewpoints meeting in the span of an hour in a fictitious
place "somewhere in Europe". You image the sounds of clanking silverware, the gurgling of emptying bottles, the smells of
spices while total strangers become momentary friends. Not at all a bad recipe to spend a relaxing hour with!
CUBASE MAGAZINE N. 54 (Italy)
…Abbiamo ascoltato con tantissimo interesse l’album dei Milagro Acustico, un interesse che ci ha immediatamente catturato
sin dalle prime note e che pian piano, come per incanto, ci ha fatto viaggiare trasportandoci in luoghi dal calore mediterraneo.
Le atmosfere quasi oniriche di ognuno degli 11 brani presenti in questo album sono caratterizzati da uno squisito sapore
orientale miscelato al gusto tribale e contornato da una sonorità globale del tutto moderna e cristallina. Davvero un’ottima
ricetta per un prodotto musicale che coinvolge diverse culture e che ha il potere di regalare all’ascoltatore una calda
sensazione di benessere riempiendo l’anima di calma e serenità. Tutto merito oltre che della composizione in se, del sapiente
uso di strumenti etnico-acustici come Darbouka, Kora, Djambe, Ghayta, Violini, Mandolino e così via., i quali sono stati ben
dosati nella costruzione degli arrangiamenti. I brani sono per lo più musicali lma di certo non mancano i testi sia cantati che
recitati, scritti in dialetto siciliano (fatta eccezione per Tessekur Arkadas” cantato in lingua turca) che raccontano storie
raccolte al “Cafè di lu forestiero”, un bar immaginario costruito nei sogni di Bob Salmieri, dove emigranti, immigrati, pellegrini
e viandanti d’ogni genere fanno sosta in una minuscola isola della Sicilia prima di proseguire il loro cammino verso nuove
mete. In questo ambizioso progetto firmato Milagro Acustico e durato circa due anni, hanno dato il proprio contributo alcuni
dei nomi di rilievo nell’ambito della World music come…..
….Abbiamo ritenuto molto originale l’idea di base, le composizioni, e gli arrangiamenti i quali sono caratterizzati, tra l’altro, da
ottime performances eseguite dai tanti musicisti che hanno partecipato alla realizzazione di questo interessante progetto.
Degni di nota sono tutti i disegni ritmici eseguiti dalle percussioni, l’uso ponderato degli strumenti a fiato suonati in stile
estremo-orientale e quei pochi interventi di pianoforteche mischiati al sound orientaleregalano sensazioni musicali tutte da
gustare ad occhi chiusi. I Milagro Acustico raggiungono pienamente lo scopo di portare l’ascoltatore nell’atmosfera onirica di
quel “Cafè” ed inoltre trasportano lo spirito dello stesso ascoltatore in una dimensione quasi mistica e priva di tempo, molto
vicina a quella dei sogni, i bei sogni. L’album merita a pieno titolo la coccarda V.I.P. (very important production) di CM i il
sottoscritto, insieme a tutta la redazione, è felice di congratularsi col gruppo per l’ottimo lavoro svolto!
Michele Antoniou
GLOBAL RHYTHM (USA)
This sort of thing used to (often disdainfully) be called a "concept" album. The theme here is a fictitious café on a small
Mediterranean island near Sicily. It is a place happened upon by visitors near and far, travelers with stories and wisdom to
impart. With Rome-based band Milagro Acustico (plus an array of guest players) presenting these imaginary tales as songs,
the concept works. Skilled musicianship and a seamless blending of European, Arabic and African flavors give these tuneful
tales a feel generally hovering between world-weary and wistfully celebratory. The disc is nicely atmospheric, with just the
sort of carrying-away effect many global music listeners are no doubt searching for. This journey is one of rich instrumental
passages, sensual vocals and occasional spoken word interludes, and by the time you reach the concluding track (which
signifies the closing of the café for the evening), thoughts of how enjoyable the visit has been are at the forefront of your
mind.
Tom Orr
MUSICSTACK.COM (CANADA)
The title of this second album from Milagro Acustico translates as: The Stories of the Strangers Cafè. Somewhere on a small
Sicilian island there exists a café where foriegners, emigrants, immigrants, pilgrims and travellers of all sorts come to sit, eat,
drink, listen to and play music. That is the premise of this mythical musical journey.
It's a concept record of sorts, really — the idea of a cafe in Sicily where foreigners and natives come together to talk, and
where music of several Mediterranean (and beyond) cultures exist. And it could easily fall on its face, but it doesn't. Instead
the core seven-piece group provides continuity, while the many guests provide color and texture to the songs and
instrumentals. By keeping the music relatively firmly based in the Mediterranean (although "Signori, Si Chuide" veers off into
fairly lightweight jazz), bandleader and composer Bob Salmieri provides a root for it all, with some gorgeous vocals from
DanyB. There's a dreaminess to "Ricorda o Me Nomi" and a sense of both traveling and rest exemplified by "Dioulo," a kora
solo from Pape Kanoute. All in all, there's a languid beauty to this, and given its overall sense of being an oasis, it obviously
succeeds in what it was trying to do...
FOLKWORLD (England)
Gosh, this proved a difficult album to review. So difficult I almost returned it to the Editors with a request that they re-assign it.
And no doubt by the time they finish reading this, the artistes involved in the making of this CD will wish I had!
But I did not because I figured that anything less than an honest review from me would be a dereliction of duty on my part. So
here goes:
This is a very unusual album. Bob Salmieri whose "baby" it is (and who wrote the music and lyrics on all the tracks, bar one)
took two years to gather the guest artistes for this album. And they include some big names from the World Music scene.
The idea is (and I quote) " to tell some of the numerous stories listened to in the Café di lu Furestiero, a small imaginary pub in
a border village on a small Sicilian island where emigrants, immigrants, pilgrims and travellers of all sorts stop before going
their way towards other destinations. Sort of imaginary journey through the suggestions of the stories they hear. The stories
are presented as ballads".
I should say at the outset that I have a penchant for stories told in ballad form with background conversation also interjecting.
I was brought up on Ewan MacColl's famous and brilliant "Radio Ballads", made for the BBC nearly 50 years ago.
And, you really do have to applaud Bob Salmieri for at least trying something DIFFERENT. But that said, being "different", per
se, is not enough. The question is, does it succeed as a work of art?
I have to tell you that I do not think it does. I have listened to the album six times all the way through: which is twice as long as
I normally listen to albums I review. I deliberately gave it extra plays because I felt a lot of work had gone into the album and it
was not for me to dismiss it lightly.
But the fact is that it never "grabbed" me. I don't think that I ever really BELIEVED in the "island". Okay, so I did not
understand the mixture of Sicilian dialects that one mainly hears, but there are English translations in the liner booklet. And I
have to say that to be honest, were I in this café, I would ask for the bill and head for the door pronto.
But that's a cheap shot. A lot of work has gone into the album and I cannot dismiss it with a glib remark like that. So let's look
for "positives".
Well, it's an incontrovertible fact that the musicianship is top-drawer. An impressive command of conventional "Western"
instruments as well as more esoteric ones such as kora, djambe, darbuka etc. Melodically it is an always-interesting fusion of
North Mediterranean and African melodies and rhythms.
But somehow it is not enough. All of the ballads seem to forego memorability. And it all seems a bit PRETENTIOUS.
Now, it could be that this is really a masterpiece that has passed completely over my head. It will not be the first - nor the last time when works of art have bemused the critics. Who knows, this might well be another Stravinsky's "Rites of Spring", or
some such?
But if I were Bob Salmieri, I wouldn't hold my breath on the prospect materialising.
Day Woosnam
FUNPROX.COM (Netherlands)
Somewhere on a small Sicilian island there exists a café where people of all sorts come to sit, eat, drink, rest, listen and play
music... When they are gathered there the open environment encourages them to tell their stories. This is the premise of "I
Storie ò café di lu Furestiero" (The Stories of Strangers Coffee), a musical journey to this café and the stories told there by the
emigrants, immigrants, pilgrims, travellers...
One of the nicest things about reviewing music is that you sometimes receive fine music from circles you were not familiar
with, music which you wouldn't have bought otherwise. A good example is this cd from Milagro acuStico. This Italian
formation makes 'world music', I never heard of them, though they were formed in 1995, but their music appeals to me a lot.
This surprised me, because the description did not sound like music I normally lend my ears to. The album fuses a wide
variety of musical styles from all over the globe. Sicily lies at a crossroad between Northern Africa, Eastern Europe, Tunisia,
the Balkans. All these influences are reflected here. Traditional folk music, a little jazz, exotic influences...
Milagro acustico is an 'open formation', with many guest musicians joining them and without being bound to rigid musical
genres. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences are important characteristics. The group is led by composer and multiinstrumentalist Bob Salmieri (alto sax, clarinet, flute, keyboards, percussion). Some of the many exotic guest musicians on
this album are Nour Eddine (percussion, ghayta or North African shawm) and Jamal Ouassini (violin), both from Morrocco,
Papa Kanoutè (kora, a Senegalese harp) and Pape Yery Samb (djembe).
The result is a very rich album, with a variety of musical styles which make me forget the cold climate in which I am living.
Most songs are ballads, sung in Sicilian dialects. There are some nicely flowing cafe songs with accordion or jazzy sax or
clarinet. A wide variety of acoustic instruments is being used, many of which I've never heard of. Various songs have lovely
female vocals. The percussion is at times a little ritual or tribal. The album also contains nice acoustic instrumental work and
the tempting sounds of trumpet, mandolin, sax, kora, violin, djembe, conga, darbuka...
There is so much atmosphere surrounding you, the music makes me imagine the café and the people in it very vividly.
Although I can't understand the lyrics, the songs still have a great emotional feeling. "I Storie ò Cafè DI lu Furestiero" has a
very warm and vibrating effect.
An album which is absolutely recommended! Try it if you have an interest in world music or exotic sounds, but also if you can
appreciate the more eastern sounding work of Dead Can Dance, Sarband, GOR or Ataraxia. I hope to be in the neighbourhood
of the cafe one day, I will certainly pay a visit, though I'm not sure if my own tales are as colourful.
HD.
MUNDOVIBES (USA)
A cafe in a small village on a Sicilian island is the imaginary setting of Italian troupe Milagro Acustico's enchanting "I Storie ò
cafe di lu furestiero" (the stories of the stranger's coffee). On this dreamy and telling recording the cafe's patrons—
immigrants, pilgrims and travellers alike—tell stories of their travels and travails in Sicilian and Turkish, accompanied by
Rome-based Milagro Acustico's atmospheric, other-worldly instrumentals. Milagro Acustico's Sicilian-born composer and
multi-instrumentalist Bob Salmieri is the septet's leader, covering a broad sweep of duties, handling both writing, vocals and
instrumentation.
The door of "I Storie" opens to a musical journey that transgresses musical boundaries, fusing the mediterranean South, the
Far East and Africa. With an array of story tellers and musicians at their disposal, and in the spirit of cross-cultural
expression, Milagro Acustico weave a delicate, multi-hued tapestry. Adding to the mix are its guests: Moroccans Nour Eddine
(percussion, ghayta or North African shawm) and Jamal Ouassini (violin), plus Senegalese kora player Papa Kanoutè and
Pape Yery Samb (djembe). It's an intricate weaving of story-telling, acoustic instrumentation, rhythm and song. With much of
"I Storie" sounds and themes pass by like so many strangers, lingering and then gone. It's world music in the sense of a world
without borders, or these days, place.
The Eastern-tinged 'Ricorda o Me Nomi' (Remember My Name) begins the tale, voicing the sentiments of all immigrants of the
knowledge that home is now just a memory. Pape Kanoutè's kora lays out a delicate counterpoint to singer Danide's vocals.
On 'Dioulo' Kanoute's lilting kora fades into the Turkish 'Sanghe meu', with a deep male voice narrating. 'Dulci Velenu' features
a dulcimer, flute and vocalist Danide's sanguine refrain of the song's title. Danide's ethereal voice, a highlight of the recording,
is heard again on the jazz sombre 'Lu munnu brucia'.
"Terra Umilissima" (Most Humble Land) opens with commentary from a pool of immigrants from Bangladesh, Egypt, the
Philippines, and Colombia, reflecting in their own voices upon their existence as strangers in Italy. A Spanish woman says, "I
cook food that isn't for my own table. I don't understand what they say on the radio, on the street." Through the narrative
voices heard on "I Storie ò cafe di lu furestiero" and its multifarious instrumentation one gets a sense of what it's like to live
on the margins, where nothing is defined. It's a story that's revealed in as many layers as there are immigrant experiences.—
JC Tripp
FOLKER! (Germany)
Im imaginaren sizilianeschen Cafè treffen sich Auslander aus Afrika, Asien, der Turkey und arabischen Welt und tragen so zur
Vielfalt der sizilianesken kultur bei. Auf diesen Uberlegungen basierend entstand eine meist inspirierte, ausschlieBlich mit
akustischen instrumenten gespielte Weltmusim-fusion.