Napoli, Napoli, Napoli (2009) Abel Ferrara, Luca Lionello, Salvatore Ruocco, Benedito Sicca

LAVA is a collection of rediscovered opera gems from 18th century Naples, performed by soprano Simone Kermes and the period instrument ensemble Le Musiche Nove. Musical direction is by Claudio Osele, the Italian musicologist and conductor who worked with Cecilia Bartoli on four of her successful concept albums, including the Grammy-winning Vivaldi and Gluck releases for which he delivered the concept and prepared the performing editions. Naples and Versuvius provide the linking theme between all of the pieces, nine of which are world premiere recordings (all tracks except those by Pergolesi)

After playing in the Italian art pop band "Showmen 2", James Senese and Franco Del Prete formed what would become one of the most intriguing and unique bands of the early 70's. Centered around a fusion rock core, Napoli Centrale's debut album convincingly combined Jazz and Progressive rock. Once again this album defies simple categorization, but the music is highly exploratory and very progressive in approach. Kind of a mix of National Health with Gentle Giant, Herbie Hancock and a good dose of Weather Report. Instrumentally these guys love to groove with lots of sax, fender electric piano, bass and drums. Vocals are not central but are well done and sung in native Italian… kind of a nice full soulful voice.

Alexander Agricola (1446-1506) is little known outside the circle of "early music" connoisseurs, among whom he has cult stature as one of the most original and 'difficult' composers of the Burgundian/Franco-Flemish Renaissance. He was already a 'musician's composer' in his own lifetime, the subtlest exponent of the 'new' manner of composition that no longer assembled the lines of polyphony in ad hoc sequence from the 'tenor' outwards but instead conceived the music in toto from the start.

A passion for music and an emotion-tinged vocal quality has made Salvatore Adamo one of the most commercially successful singers in Europe and one of the most famous Italian immigrants living in Belgium. Since his debut album, Vous Permettez Monsieur, transformed him into an internationally recognized celebrity, Adamo has sold over 80 million copies of his albums worldwide.

The autograph reference “Per la Sig.ra Geltruda” on the manuscript of Vivaldi’s motet “Clarae stellae, scintillate” has long aroused the curiosity of researchers. By years of research around the Vivaldi expert Michael Talbot is now revealed who this “Signora Geltruda” is: Geltruda della Violetta was a girl from the Venetian orphanage La Piet , where Vivaldi worked for over a decade. Geltruda probably had an exceptionally beautiful voice that quickly attracted the interest of important personalities.