world music

Cross-cultural Currents

As the grandson of an immigrant from southern Italy, Dan has a great respect for the folk music traditions of that region, and was proud to play and tour for over a decade with the IMA-winning band Newpoli, critically acclaimed as one of the leading ensembles in North America for traditional Italian music. He regularly explores connections between Mediterranean musical cultures with the quartet Zafarán, and with various other groups has performed music from Spain, Latin America, The Republic of Georgia, Egypt, Turkey, and from both the Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jewish traditions.

Traditional Italian Instruments

  • Recorders

  • Zampogna

  • Ciaramella

  • Ocarina

  • Tamburello

  • Scacciapensieri (jaw harp)

  • Other Italian folk percussion (nacchere, cupa cupa, etc.)

Other Folk/World Instruments

  • Gaita gallega (Galician bagpipes)

  • Bansuri

  • Duduk

  • Arab & Turkish hand percussion (riqq, darbuka, tar, etc.)

  • South American hand percussion (cajón, guiro, capachos, quijada etc.)

  • Castanets (Flamenco style)