The Liberation Project arrives in Naples for the preview of the 24th edition of the Ethnos Festival on Friday, July 12. The courtyard of the Maschio Angioino Castle will host the "Friendship and Solidarity Tour" of the South African musical collective created by Dan Chiorboli, joined by artists from various countries. This band, which in Italy features the extraordinary participation of Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music and Pink Floyd), N'Faly Kouyate (Afro-Celt Sound System and Peter Gabriel), Cisco Bellotti (formerly of the Modena City Ramblers), and Roberto Formignani (The Bluesmen), aims to spread the message of freedom and harmony among peoples throughout the world through the songs that inspired the most important liberation struggles in Italy, Cuba, and South Africa. The group and the concept are approved by the South African Ambassador to Italy, Shirish Soni, and have the full support of the Department of Arts and Culture and the backing of the South African Government, as well as being supported by the Cuban Embassy in Rome.
During the Neapolitan live, at the festival directed by Gigi Di Luca, “Songs That Made Us Free” (Just Music/Sony ATV) will be presented, the new triple album that fuses rock and world music into a single genre. An up-tempo, emotional and full of great musicality, composed of 37 songs and featuring 142 musicians from 18 different countries.
The common thread of this project is Dan Chiorboli, who, having been born in Italy and raised in South Africa during the apartheid era, knows all too well the struggle that took place on his doorstep. The vision for this project emerged from his visit to his hometown of Ferrara, exploring his family’s role in the partisan resistance. His passion for music and both countries led to a strong desire to collaborate with South African and Italian artists to produce an album that could represent liberation. Produced by Neill Solomon, Dan Chiorboli and Phil Manzanera, the album features the collaboration and support of international music greats such as Juan de Marcos (musical icon of the legendary Buena Vista Social Club and Afro-Cuban All Stars), Cyril Neville (the esteemed Neville Brothers of New Orleans), Italian icons Cisco Bellotti, Roberto Formignani and pioneer DJ Miki the Dolphin as well as Guinean griot and kora master N’Faly Kouyate. Both Manzanera and de Marcos grew up in Cuba and spent their childhoods during the height of Fidel Castro’s Cuban revolution, sharing the journey of freedom and liberation.
From 9 to 23 July 2019, the month in which South Africa annually celebrates the figure of Nelson Mandela, The Liberation Project will perform in a long series of concerts in Italy. The confirmed dates: 9 in Ferrara (Spazio Grisou), 10 in Rimini (Jova Beach Party), 12 in Naples (Ethnos Festival – Maschio Angioino), 13 in Castel Volturno (Jova Beach Party), 14 in Genoa (Teatro Strada Nuova), 15 in Collegno (Flowers Festival), 18 in Reggio Emilia (Mandela Day), 19 in Milan (Biblioteca degli Alberi), 20 in Bologna (BOtanique Festival), 21 in Gubbio (Teatro Romano), 22 in Rome (Villa Ada) and 23 in Fallo (Viale della Rimembranza).
Tickets to attend the concert in Naples are available at a cost of 12 euros + presale fees on the TicketOnLine – Azzurro Service circuit (tel. 0815934001).
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