Tenores de Oniferi | ja

"I Tenores di Neoneli" (The Tenors of Neoneli) are an italian vocal group who sings in sardinian dialet using the technique of the "Tenores" vocal singing style, typical of Sardinian folk tradition. .

Tenores de Bitti are a chorus from Bitti, Sardinia. They sing traditional songs in the "cantu a tenore" style. This style, typical of the inner and most remote areas of Sardinia, has a very ancient origin, possibly dating from pre-historic times, and has changed very little across centuries. The "cantu a tenore" choruses comprise four elements, a leading singer ("sa Boghe": the voice) and three other singers with different vocal ranges (su Bassu, sa Contra, sa Mesu Boghe). Some think, although there is controvery on this topic, that these other three singers were meant to mimic the sounds of different...

I first heard the tenores from Oniferi on the small Italian Taranta label (see our Ballos Sardos Vol.1 review), and so it's good to find them being given some international exposure by this larger American one. It's also good that the general record buying public now has the chance to hear something other than their opposition from Bitti. Because what you get here is quite different - the Oniferi singers are younger, faster and harder ... both more suited to a 'World Music' audience and closer to (my experience of) the tradition. It's a good trick if you can do...