Lorenzo Buhne's new album

Lorenzo Buhne's new CD "Buon Giorno" is now available online at Marbecks.co.nz and cdbaby.com. Lorenzo's lastest CD updates the Neapolitan and Italian traditional music and blends it with Brazilian, Arabic, and Rock influences. 





Here are Lorenzo's commments about the songs:

Tu Si Na Cosa Grande
The title humorously and literally translated is “You are a large thing.”
Of course it’s his love for her that’s large. A beautiful song by Domenico Modugno and a huge hit from 1964.

Nebbia
My father does not play an instrument but this doesn’t stop him from writing songs.
When it was time for me to go to bed, or if I needed comfort, he would cradle me in his arms and sing “Nebbia” until I’d fall asleep. This song is within me and I’m happy to have finally recorded it.

Buon Giorno
When Nico was born I greeted him by saying Buon Giorno! This song has a traditional Neapolitan feel, and is recorded largely with toy instruments. Buon Giorno means “Good Morning!” and is about singing, playing and dancing and to make some noise, to celebrate life and death whenever possible. This song is dedicated to both Cav. Remiro Bresolin and my son Nico.

Mina
…is a girl who is hot and dangerous, a bandit and a lover. A femme fatale.

San Valentino
When I visit my father we hug and he says “here” and hands me his latest poem.
While I was reading it for the first time, I stopped, grabbed his guitar and began singing. This track was recorded the following day.

Egli & Il Fantasma
When I visit with my brother Paolo he also says “here” and hands me his latest poems. Egli and Il Fantasma are similar in their view that “the world is at the doorstep of doom,” though Egli is humorous, and Il Fantasma is bleak and cold.

Federico’s Caper
Federico is a bit of a prankster. Fun to be with, spiritually satisfying and always up to something. Dedicated to FDL.

Tu
Tu is the song I identify with most. The lyrics are of a traveler who searches the world over, finally finding the one to love.

Cartolina 18 & 23 February

Wednesday 18 February at 7.30 pm, repeated on Monday 23 at 10.30 am:

continuing the series on Neapolitan song, this programme's topic is love. Our Neapolitan-in-residence, Tilde Romano, tells her love story (in pure Neapolitan dialect!), to co-hosts Wilma Laryn and Denis Walker.

We play wonderful Neapolitan songs of love: La ricciolella Antonia (1750), Maria Mari` (1899), O surdato ‘nnammorato (1915), Tititi`, Tititi`, Tititi (1935), Anema e core (1950).

Cartolina 4 & 9 February

Wednesday 4 February at 7.30 pm, repeated on Monday 9 at 10.30 am: you’ll meet fish, fishermen and fishmongers!

Wilma and Denis tell the legend of the siren Partenope, and give the recipe of zuppa di pesce partenopea with ingredients sorted out by special guest Olga Hanson of What a catch seafood shop.

We play: Marechiare, Pescatore ‘e Posilleco, and Lo guarracino, an anonymous song from 1768. It’s a surreal story, fast paced, incredibly rich in detail and humour.

Cartolina celebrates its 10th birthday this month, having started on the 3rd of February 1999. A big thank you to guests, listeners and PLAINS FM staff.

… and don’t forget to look at the pictures!! Most programs are accompanied by pictures of the interviewees, and you can find them on the Radio Program page of the Dante website.

Cartolina 21& 26 January 2009

On Wednesday 21 January at 7.30 pm, repeated on Monday 26 at 10.30 am.
Cari amici, in the next Cartolina Wilma Laryn and Denis Walker start a short series of programs about Neapolitan song (although the more we work on it, the more ideas we come up with….).
For a start, we’ll take you through the most famous songs, everyone’s favourites: Torna a Surriento, sung by Giuseppe DiStefano, Funiculi` Funicula`, sung by Sergio Bruni, and Santa Lucia, sung by Beniamino Gigli.
All songs with their particular stories behind.
We also play the first two promos of Cartolina’s sponsor for this year (see photo on Radio Programme Page). And here is the rest of it.

Cartolina 7 & 12 January 2009

Wilma explores the folk music of Apulia on a fascinating journey through Matteo Salvatore’s songs.
He couldn’t read and write, never went to school, at seven he was taught by a blind old fiddler the songs orally transmitted for generations, and the style peculiar of this tradition. In 14 years with the old man he learned some 150 songs, while earning their living with their music. When the old man died, Matteo went to Rome, on foot, it seems, in 5 days. He played in restaurants, attracting the attention of interested people. One of them took him to Torino, where he started a successful career, becoming the voice of the South. Illiterate, Matteo was a natural poet. He left the traditional folklore behind, and composed all new songs, lyrics and music, in the true style of Italian singer songwriters. His words were simple, often in dialect, and covered all aspects of poor people’s life.

Quotes from Italian broadcaster Vito Laterza, and Chinese violinist Zhang Zhang.

Songs: La sciuscella, Il pescivendolo, La nascita, Marito e moglie, La morte traditrice, Il lamento dei mendicanti, Mo ve’ la bella mia dalla muntagna, Lu pecurere, Lu furastiero, La notte e` bella.

Cartolina Christmas programme 24 & 31 December

Cari amici, in the next programme (24 & 31 December 2008), Cartolina brings an Italian Christmas with songs, interviews and a traditional recipe.

We talk about the typical instrument of the Italian Christmas: zampogna. Song: Zampognari in paradiso. Three little girls talk and sing their Christmas songs.

A great Italian tradition is the Nativity Scene, the Presepe. It seems that the first one was made by St Francis of Assisi, at the beginning of the 1200s. This tradition is still alive, as Ester Monti-Reid can testify, on the phone from Auckland, while little Emma provides some background music of her own….
More songs played in this programme are: Piva Piva, Caro Gesù bambino, Bianco Natale, Pasquella di Natale.

Our recipe: porcedduzzi al miele (honeyed piglets). In spite of its name, this is a dessert, traditionally prepared at Christmas time in Apulia. It’s basically small pieces of dough, fried and honey-dipped. Find the full recipe here.