In today’s episode, I sit down with Dj Ma Nu to discuss Italian Bossa Nova, the Bossa Ligure Sound.
Did you know Brazilian music has deep connections to the Liguria region, Italy?
Let me tell you.
Liguria’s historical ties with South America, date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
During this period, numerous Ligurians migrated to South America in hopes of finding improved economic prospects.
From that moment, the Italian city of Genova (Liguria) became one of the most important migratory hubs of the country.
In fact, from half of the nineteenth century to the First World War, most of the emigration traffic from Italy to America flowed through Genova’s port.
Just to give you an idea of the traffic, Brazil is positioned in third place (after the United States and Argentina) among the countries that, during the period 1876-1990, received the highest number of Italians.
The Americas in general were almost a mythical land back then; before the 1900s almost everyone in Europe and Asia thought of the Americas as a place of wonder and abundance where everyone could build a new life away from the hardships of the old world.
Bossa Ligure – Italian Bossa Nova
This migration, combined with interconnections during the discovery of the New World, led to a cultural exchange between Liguria and South America, with influences flowing both ways.
As a result, a fresh new musical movement emerged, the Italian Bossa Nova (Bossa Ligure) Sound.
A musical and cultural expression which reveals a strong influence and connection to the Brasileiro sound.
I had the opportunity to discuss these topics with Italian DJ, curator and researcher Manuele Roberto aka Ma Nu.
Ma Nu is a renowned DJ in the underground scene of northern Italy, and he has gained recognition as one of the resident artists at the prestigious Jazz Re:Found Festival.
In our conversation, we talked about Liguria Transatlantica, a collectanea that highlights the influence of South American Jazz and Bossanova in Liguria, Italy – the album features tracks from the 60s and 70s that showcase these musical flavours.
In addition, the compilation has also evolved into a festival known as the Liguria Transatlantica Festival, held in Genova, the capital city of Liguria.
Meeting Ma Nu was a wonderful opportunity to explore a musical movement that deserves your attention, shedding light on the inspiring link between Italian music traditions and black music.
Take pleasure in listening! 🎧
In addition, read this blog article: Jazz:Re:Found Festival with Denis Longhi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3:42 Starting to be a DJ at the age of 14, developing a music taste
9:44 Manuele’s focus on how music and culture work together
17:43 Finding musical connections between Liguria and Latin America
29:26 The Bossa Ligure Sound
32:56 Liguria Transatlantica: a cultural research, collectanea, and independent festival
46:15 Bossa Ligure’s suggestions: Natalino Otto, Fabrizio De André, Gino Paoli, Bruno Lauzi
EPISODES LINKS
Italian Jazz with South American flavours with Ma Nu
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