Born in 1977, La Lionetta have long been one of the most popular and appreciated among the Italian revival-folk bands, as well as the less orthodox. Indeed the group has always preferred a creative interpretation, free from the schemes characteristic of the repertoire of the northern-Italy traditional music.
La Lionetta performed in many of the most important european folk festivals: 1978 -1980 Lenzburg, 1982 Nyon (CH); 1977-1982 Tubingen,1982 Ingelheim (D); 1980 Salzburg,1981 Kufstain (AUT); 1979 Bruxelles, 1980 Ostende (B); 1981 Lille e 1980 Maurienne (F); ecc… The group appeared in not few TV shows in Italy, Autriche,Germany and Belgium and played in the soundtracks of Tv and theater commedies.

First LP produced : “Danze e Ballate dell’Area Celtica Italiana” (Dances and Ballads from the Italian Celtic Area), published in 1978 was warmly welcome both by critics and public (more than 10.000 copies selled) and was considerated one of the ten best italian record of the year by the music magazine” Ciao 2001”, the most popular rewiev at times. A couple of years after their second work "Il gioco del diavolo" (Devil's play), published in 1981, the band slowly reduced its activity until it stopped.

La Lionetta was formed again in 1995 starting a new their repertoire which is characterised on one hand by autonomous composition of music and texts and on the other hand by strengthen an unconventional attitude towards tracks. Actually composed by 6 musicians, the band maintains an acoustic atmosphere, rithmically supported by drums, percussion and brass tuba, melting different instruments from european and mediterranean musical traditions.

Single tunes was published in many compilation in Italy and Europe (see Discography) and an instrumental version of “Ottoni & Settimini” acts as soundtrak for the films “Il Mestiere del Guardiaparco” (The Forester Job), produced by the Gran Paradiso National Park and directed by Guido Boccaccini (G.B. Film & Video).

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LA LIONETTA IN CONCERT

It’s difficult to define the new concert of La Lionetta. May be you can call this: folk music. Certainly folk are the roots of the band, as witnesses its story and the permanence of traditional tunes, even if largely rearranged.
But you can immediatly note the sound horizon is larger, full of mediterranean suggestion: from Balkan to Middle East pursuing gipsy echoes. Influences of meetings and exchanges with musicians coming from different traditions, during years of tours and festivals in Europe. But also and mostly the city where La Lionetta has its roots: Turin and its multiethnical sides, melting of cultures that are preparing to be the traditiono of tomorrow.
All respecting an acoustic sound rithmically supported and energized by percussions, drums and brass tuba. But it should be a mistake to consider only the musical point of view about this concert: because La Lionetta tells stories: Ironical stories, angry stories, almost epic stories; by a mix of languages and dialects, loocking at the great traditon of europen ballad but also at songwriters songs; between werewolves and illegal immigrees waiting along a border, between upside-down worlds and middle-class men terrorized by new saracens, between brass musicians & healers.

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