Genre
Sacred world music and Mediterranean folk. Entirely acoustic, the album draws on the devotional song tradition of southern Italy — in particular the hymns of Saint Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori — blending Neapolitan liturgical chant, Sardinian launeddas, and ancient processional music into an introspective spiritual meditation.
Release
Released in 2006 by Musiche Migranti and CNI, co-edited by both labels.
Production
Produced by Andrea Aragosa, Avitabile's long-standing collaborator and manager. The album was conceived as an entirely acoustic project, featuring Luigi Lai on launeddas, Maurizio Martinotti on hurdy-gurdy, the Cantori del Miserere of Sessa Aurunca, and the Quartetto Polifonico Alphonsiano.
Reception
Sacro Sud was praised by the international world music press for its spare acoustic settings, which critics noted evoke both wonder and sorrow in equal measure. CDRoots commended its "sparse, all acoustic settings that evoke wonder and passion." The album accompanied a highly successful live touring project of the same name. It was recognized as part of the body of work that earned Avitabile four BBC World Music Award nominations in 2005 and 2006, consolidating his standing as one of the foremost voices in contemporary world music.
Enzo Avitabile
Enzo Avitabile (born March 1, 1955, in the Piscinola–Marianella district of Naples) is an Italian saxophonist, flautist, composer, and singer-songwriter. He built his early reputation as a session musician alongside Pino Daniele and Edoardo Bennato in the late 1970s. His solo career, launched in 1982, evolved from soul and funk toward an ever-deeper engagement with the musical traditions of His accolades include two Targhe Tenco, two David di Donatello Awards, three Nastri d'Argento, and four BBC World Music Award nominations. In 2012, director Jonathan Demme presented the documentary Enzo Avitabile Music Life at the Venice Film Festival.
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