Customer Reviews

Mel Bay presents Rhythm is the Cure, Southern Italian Tambourine

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This is an excellent book that not only teaches you the basics of different styles of pieces that Alessandra performs, but is an invaluable resource for information on the culture, Alessandra's journeys and research. I used this book in a class I taught, and the students loved it! Some even used it as the basis for their research papers. The dvd is an excellent resource as well as you can see what is happening at try it out for yourself. I recommend finding a drum of this particular style as a regular tamborine won't cut it. I recommend the book for anyone who is an enthusiast, an educator, a student, and a fan.

It's very refreshing to encounter a music instruction book that attempts to be --and succeeds at being-- more than a mere instruction book. Madame Belloni's book not only addresses the fundamental subject matter in several different ways, but also places the technique of tamburello (or "tammorra") in its traditional context, giving the prospective student a perspective that considers the past, present and future of the Tarantella.

In the USA, the Tarantella is generally understood to be little more than a goofy dance at Italian-American weddings. Belloni's scholarship and experiences, engagingly documented in the book between clear and relevant lessons, throw dazzling light on this mysterious tradition. As you learn, you get the sense of being a part of an ancient music therapy cult, since the lessons are immediately put in context.

The DVD is a valuable and inseparable part of the book, even if you have no problem reading the notated examples. The video lessons are fun and engaging, featuring players using various size tamburellos, so you can keep your eye on the player that has the instrument that closely matches your own. The video lessons move at a steady clip, so you don't have to fast-forward though tedious basics during re-viewing. Personally, I found the DVD most valuable for its demonstrations of the hand, palm and finger techniques: the book explains these in clear detail (with photos), but I needed a 'real-time' visual, and the DVD helped with that immensely.

I describe this method as "durable" because I can envision this percussion style and method as applicable in so many music contexts: Bluegrass, Freak Folk, Early Music, New Age, Music Therapy, Gospel, Jazz, Reggae... it's not just for the Southern Italian Tarantella. I bought this book through my interests in Early Music (which incorporates a fair amount of European traditions in performance practice), and I can see how relevant its information can be to many other styles of music as well. Show the opening tammorra solo from the DVD to the Heavy Metal aficionado in your life, and he might just be convinced, too! I know I am.

Stefan Dollak of Bartholomew Faire