WESTERN EUROPE ITALY

Italian music is broad and bold and has always been open to exploration. Other than during the Fascist years of the '20s and '30s when the regime tried to make music a tool of the State, Italian musician have always welcomed the influence of genres from all over the world, taking pride in their interplay with French, Spanish, Slavic, Greek, Arab and other cultures.    

Folk music in Italy has a distinct identity that depends on the region of its origin. Music of the North has a  Celtic flavor, hinting at cross-continental communication. Italy's center is an urban heart of the nation and, while it has fewer honed folk traditions, has been a hub for the modern folk revival. Judging from their shared forms of group a capella, folk musicians on the island of Sardinia communicated less with the mainland than with nearby Corsica. Southern Italians interacted with their Mediterranean neighbors to create music that has many influences from the region, like North African minor key melodies and bold Slavic brass.  

In Sicily, which the narrow Strait of Messina separates from the mainland, the steamy climate creates just the right condition for the tarantella, a dance that requires passion, commitment and the throwing of caution to the sultry Mediterranean wind.