Album Notes

Songs of Trinacria is the debut album of Michela Musolino on which she captures the earthy warmth of traditional Sicilian folk music. Michela has performed in such New York City landmark venues as the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center and Saint Mark's Church in the Bowery. She has been researching and performing Sicilian ethnic music for many years and presents the first sampling of this repertoire in her new CD, Songs of Trinacria.



The enormously talented acoustic guitarist Wilson Montuori, who is known both in Italy and in the USA for his work with Livio Guardi, accompanies Michela. Together, Wilson and Michela create a powerful presence that evokes the hardscrabble Sicilian life and the music that its people used to celebrate every aspect of that life.



Also appearing as guest artist on Songs of Trinacria is the acclaimed musician Alfio Antico, who lends his pulsating Sicilian percussion to the music. A bonus track offers a vocal duet of Michela and Alfio. Working with Alfio Antico is the natural evolution of Michela's drive to preserve and present to the world, the rich tradition of Sicilian music.



Michela believes that while ethnic music may foster nationalistic pride, in reality, it is a music that belongs to the whole world. This is especially true of Sicilian folk music in which one can hear the rich influences of many cultures including Arabic, Hellenic and Norman. Through this robust repertoire of songs ranging from tender lullabies to compelling work chants to lively popular tunes, Michela reacquaints listeners with a history long forgotten. This CD offers a true rendition of Sicilian music and conjures images of the rugged hills of Trinacria, the ancient name for the island of Sicily.