I Lautari

“We could make a record every three days but that’s not what we want. We make one once in a while to give form to our work and leave a legacy” | I Lautari

Thirty years of music together. Tradition was their source, innovation their objective. Between concerts, theatre and dance, they have collaborated with numerous artists, broaching a wide range of styles while remaining true to their sound and their acoustic instruments.
They have made six albums. Lazy but unstoppable. Five years after the last album, in March 2019 i Lautari started a crowdfunding campaign to make “Fora Tempu”, their new album.
The album’s title – which is also the name of the title track – stakes their claim to the right to not being around, not chasing after something, being true to their creed «never do today what you can put off till tomorrow», to continue to work their craft which is what they have always done in a musical career spanning 30 years.

Line Up

Puccio Castrogiovanni Vocals, Mandolin, bouzuki, mandola, Sicilian Jew’s harp
Gionni Allegra Vocals, Double bass, guitar
Marco Corbino guitar
Salvatore Assenza clarinet, sax, piva (bagpipes)
Salvo Farruggio Drums and percussions

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About Us

For thirty years I Lautari  have been performing their original version of traditional music balancing their search and arrangement of traditional Sicilian songs with the composition of their own songs that respect the form of the traditional repertoire.
The group is made up of experienced multi-instrumentalists, mainly acoustic and privileging traditional instruments: mandolin, mandola, mandocello, Sicilian Jew’s harp, guitar, double bass, accordion, button accordion, bagpipes, traditional whistles and percussion instruments.
Thanks to their versatility and considerable musical knowledge, I Lautari have performed at the highest levels for theatre, contemporary dance, film, and in pop and world music, a part from being for traditional and newly composed Sicilian music.
For the theatre they have collaborated with great masters such as Pino Micol, Gabriele Lavia, Giorgio Albertazzi, Armando Pugliese, Peppe Barra, Bruno Torrisi, Angelo Tosto and, in puppet theatre (Teatro dei Pupi), with the renowned Fratelli Napoli.
In 2004 i Lautari  initiate their collaboration with Due Parole – Narciso Records, a label based in Catania founded by Carmen Consoli, with whom they record three albums “Anima Antica”, “Arrè” and “C’era cu c’era”.
In 2006 they collaborate on Carmen Consoli’s  “Eva Contro Eva” album and subsequently on her international tour “Dal Simeto al Tamigi”. Together with the singer they work on a number of successful projects including “Musica antica del nuovo millennio” at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, “Etna-Music World” and the “Etna Orchestra”.
They perform to public acclaim at the Greek Theatre in Taormina for “Womad” (World of Music, Art and Dance), the itinerant world festival conceived by Peter Gabriel and collaborate on the Goran Bregovic album, “Karmen (With a happy end)”, that includes the track “Focu di raggia”, written by I Lautari.
They have performed at numerous events such as the Italia-Africa concert in Piazza del Popolo, the Giffoni Music Concept, Astimusica, together with Alfio Antico, the Mantova Musica Festival,  Musicultura at the Italian Embassy in France (Chambery), the Marrazzano Folk Festival at the Monastero dei Benedettini in Catania, Kals’ Art in Palermo, the Taranta Sicily Fest in Scicli, the Folk Fest in Frazzanò and the Festival Sete Sois Sete Luas,
They take part in the Festival of Sicilian Song on Antenna Sicilia performing “C’era cu c’era”, the title track of the album that was a candidate for the Targhe Tenco awards.
In 2016 they compose and perform live for the “I am beautiful” performance by the Compagnia Zappalà Danza, that premiered at the 26th Euro-Scene Festival, Festival zeitgenössischen europäischen Theaters und Tanzes al Schauspiel Leipzig und Oper  di Lipsia, in Germany.
They have contributed to a number of special projects over the years, among which “Canzoni corsare” stands out, inspired by a collection of writings by Pier Paolo Pasolini and “TRI” with Alfio Antico and Rita Botto, that premiered at the Umbria Folk Festival in Orvieto.
Their activities abroad include participating at important events in Spain, Israel, Portugal, Japan, and Argentina.

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