Otherlands Collaboration #28
Date: May 7, 2022 • Location: Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
Guitarist Beppe Gambetta had invited me for a concert series in his hometown of Genoa, Italy, and as soon as I landed, I veered off to find the ferry to Sardinia. It’s one of two islands directly south of Genoa, and I’d heard the traditional music there was the most different of the regional styles in Italy. Say no more! Beppe, I’ll be back in a couple weeks for your shows.
I picked up a few essentials at the ferry terminal (meat, cheese, wine, chocolate, pesto, bread) - and boarded the overnight trip. Floating across the Genoan Sea and having my “dinner,” I was transported by Sonos de Memoria [WATCH], a captivating live music/cinematic mix project by Gianfranco Cabiddu of 1930s Sardinia silent film footage featuring the “voice of Sardinia” soprano Elena Ledda. She was about to be the first collaborator on this trip, along with her longtime musical partner, 10-string mandola player Mauro Palmas.
To learn more about their music, please visit:
Elena Ledda: Facebook & Spotify
Mauro Palmas: Facebook & Spotify
Fresh off the ferry in the morning, I rendezvoused with Gianluca Dessi to jumpstart the day with pastry and coffee. Gianluca was a guitarist friend of Beppe’s who’d helped arrange my upcoming meet. And then I headed south, driving the full length of Sardinia to Pula, a small town just outside the capital of Cagliari to stay in an old horse stable-turned-Airbnb for the next few days.
Sardinian traditional music has a very distinct rhythm and cadence—the “Sardinian rhythm” as my new friends would soon say—which comes from the launeddas, a fascinating instrument unique to the island. Believed to be the predecessor of the bagpipes, this acoustic powerhouse is made of two reeds of different lengths from a local plant which are played simultaneously, with each hand fingering countermelodies on separate reeds, complete with circular breathing. My second Sardinian collaboration will feature this instrument but I’m mentioning it now because I thankfully spent the night before meeting Elena and Mauro trying to figure out how to bow the rhythm.
It rained all the following day, but thankfully our meeting was inside at a studio Mauro shared with his brother. Arriving at the same moment and meeting for the first time, Mauro helped me schlep my gear up the stairs and out of the rain. With little common language, we rearranged the furniture and set up for our trio. We even played our first music together to break the ice before Elena arrived. I immediately felt connection with his 10-string mandola, tuned exactly like my 5-string fiddle. Then he handed me his mother’s violin and asked if I’d play a tune for her while he filmed. I felt honored.
When Elena walked in, her warm presence and kind smile filled the room, and making me feel welcome even though I sensed I was about to be way out of my musical element. We did our best to communicate with Spanish and phone translation, accompanied by many smiles.
My Sardinian initiation began with a dance tune in the same (and still uncomfortable rhythm) that I had been practicing the night before. Based upon groups of quick 3’s that resolve in a place initially awkward to me, the least uncomfortable way I could bow it was down-up-up. However, Mauro used an incredible picking technique of down-down-up. During the tune, he played many different variations of short themes, similarly to how I would for an American fiddle tune like Sally Goodin’, and traded sections with Elena singing. Eventually I understood she was singing the national anthem of Sardinia, superimposed with their folk rhythm.
I struggled to hold it together musically and found maintaining the rhythm very challenging, while at the same time trying to pick up bits of melody and chords. After three times through I start to grab a few, but we moved on.
Up next was a ballad written by Elena’s sister and it had elements sounding a bit more familiar to me. We played it a few times through like the first song, but again I don’t feel great about my role. Without being taught the tunes, I just tried to stay afloat, hopefully landing on a satisfactory performance on instinct. For the third piece I suggest Incanti, a title track of Elena’s I had been listening to that musically resonated with me. It was fun, but I felt more like I was copping Mauro’s awesome parts than contributing or collaborating much.
A couple hours passed. Spirits seemed good, but I felt really challenged and wondered if I had a version of anything I could feel happy enough with to put it out in the world, all while remaining of their time. As our session felt like it was nearing the end, I asked if we could play the first tune just one more time.
I don’t know what happened (perhaps it was all the “practice” on the other tunes) but I was able to hold on, and it was an intense extended version. I almost lost it a few times but just tried to give myself over to their energy, even taking a few chances! This was by and far the best music we made together, and we all felt it. I had just played the national anthem with two of the strongest Sardinian traditional musicians alive.
Back to the horse stable, I backed everything up, enjoyed a few glasses of local wine, reflected on the day, and was reminded that something always goes wrong during these sessions. As I learn the gear in challenging ever-changing on-location scenarios and try to manage everything on my own—while trying learn music, communicate, play, and stay present—this time I accidentally muted Mauros effects pedals on the recording…for the whole session!!! I was horrified when I discovered this. Thankfully we decided to also add a mic on his instrument at the last moment. I know he was using some octaves and delay so I did my best to tastefully add that to my mix. Live, learn, and grow. It was still an amazing day.
CREDITS
Song: Su patriotu sardu
Composers: Ellena Ledda, Mauro Palmas
Arranged by: Elena Ledda, Mauro Palmas, Casey Driessen
Voice: Elena Ledda
Mandola: Mauro Palmas
Fiddle/Audio/Filming : Casey Driessen
Video Editing: Lauren Balthrop
Special Thanks
Gianluca Dessi, Beppe Gambetta