The Italian legend Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino (CGS) is celebrating 50 years of existence in full force. Their new album, “Il Mito” (released in early 2026), confirms their world-class stature, immediately ranking among the top-rated recordings in the prestigious Transglobal World Music Chart.
As Italy’s oldest and most renowned world music ensemble, CGS marks its half-century on the scene in grand style. “Il Mito” (The Myth) is not merely a retrospective; it is living proof that the traditional music of the Salento region remains deeply relevant in 2026.
Tradition That Doesn’t Sleep in a Museum
The album features eleven landmark tracks from across the group’s fifty-year history. However, do not expect archival recordings. The current line-up—the same ensemble that dominated the charts with the album Meridiana (overall #1 on the World Music Charts Europe for 2021)—has newly arranged and recorded these songs.
“Tradition is not something to be reconstructed, but something to be lived,” the band conveys through this project.
Between Generations and Families
At the heart of the album is the title track, Il Mito, written by CGS founder and writer Rina Durante and set to music by Daniele Durante (father of current leader Mauro Durante). Intergenerational connection is the key motif of the entire record.
The album features guest appearances by founding members such as Roberto Licci and Rossella Pinto. Parents sing and play alongside their children, creating a unique bridge between the past and the present. Songs like Kali Nifta or Lu rusciu de lu mare are tracks that have echoed through courtyards and village squares for decades, now reimagined with a modern touch.
From Ritual to Modern Sound
The album’s sound is warm, physical, and inviting. In addition to traditional frame drums, violins, and bagpipes, the production features subtle touches of synthesizers. A true highlight at the end of the record is the remastered version of the track Taranta, a collaboration between Mauro Durante and the famous pianist Ludovico Einaudi. Einaudi’s piano serves as a bridge between the ritual healing rhythm of pizzica and modern composition.
Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino confirm they are a global phenomenon. Their music functions simultaneously as a ritual—referencing the roots and healing power of dance—while their concerts possess an incredible energy that has moved audiences from Europe to America.
Top album February 2026:
- Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino · Il Mito · Ponderosa Music [-]
- Neba Solo & Benego Diakité · A Djinn and a Hunter Went Walking · Nonesuch [-]
- Nusantara Beat · Nusantara Beat · Glitterbeat [1]
- Noura Mint Seymali · Yenbett · Glitterbeat [2]
- Syran Mbenza · Rumba Africa · Hysa Producitons [4]
- Tuuletar · Maammo · Nordic Notes / CPL-Musicgroup [-]
- Omar Sosa · Sendas · Otá [19]
- Antibalas · Hourglass · Daptone [3]
- Wesli · Makaya · WUP [7]
- Amadou & Mariam · L’Amour à la Folie · Because Music [6]
- Stelios Petrakis · Lyric / Lyrikon · Buda Musique [-]
- Muluken Mèllèssè · Éthiopiques 31 · Buda Musique [12]
- Sanam · Sametou Sawtan · Constellation [8]
- Either/Orchestra & Ethiopian Guests · Éthiopiques 32: Nalbandian l’Éthiopien / The Ethiopian · Buda Musique [28]
- Crossing: Petit Solo Diabaté | Nino Martella | Marco Schiavone · The Path Between Us · Circular Music [-]
- Hami Hamoo · Siya – Accords Croisés / Pias [-]
- Gangbé Brass Band · From Ouidah to Another World · Salt’n Ginger [23]
- Lamia Yared & Efrén López · From Minho to Euphrates · Worlds Within Worlds [-]
- Catrin Finch · Notes to Self · Bendigedig [-]
- Cristina Branco · Mulheres de Abril · Locomotiva Azul [-]
- Radio Tarifa · La Noche · Buda Musique [5]
- Guitari Baro · Guitari Baro · Chrysalis Global [11]
- Ana Crismán Arpa Flamenca · Arpaora · Andalouse Alhambra [-]
- Silvana Estrada · Vendrán Suaves Lluvias · Glassnote [13]
- Ragna · Ragna · GO Danish Folk Music [-]
- Mama Sissoko · Diamond Fingers · One World [-]
- Casapalma · Jotas · Raso Estudio [25]
- Mariama & Vieux · Ntèry · Korafola Production [-]
- Hamouna Isewlan · Talle Talyadt · Remote / Studio Mali [10]
- Jasdeep Singh Degun · Jogkauns · Real World [22]
- Cheikh Lô · Maame · World Circuit [9]
- Saha Gnawa · Saha Gnawa · Pique-Nique Recordings [16]
- Yilian Cañizares · Vitamina Y · Planeta Y [-]
- Nancy Vieira & Fred Martins · Esperança · Galileo Music Communication [14]
- Marco Grancelli · Camino Trunco · Marco Grancelli [34]
- Adir Jan · Al Mast · Trikont / Unsere Stimme / Verlags [18]
- L’Antidote · L’Antidote · Ponderosa Music [20]
- Veronika Varga · True Picture · CPL-Music / CPL-Musicgroup [27]
- Yeko · Miwe · Back2Bam Production [-]
- Le Vent du Nord · Voisinages · La Compagnie du Nord [31]
NMR (photo: press Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino)
Founder members and administrators Transglobal World Music Chart:
Ángel Romero (US), Araceli Tzigane (ES), Juan Antonio Vázquez (ES)
Current active members:
Kutay Derin Kuğay (TR), Robert Gregor (SK), Yatrika Shah-Rais (IR/US), Armen Manukyan (AM), Rolf Beydemüller (DE), François Bensignor (FR), Eleni Ziliaskopoulou (GR), Marija Vitas (RS), Jaïr Tchong (BE), Enrique Blanc (MX), Tiago Lucas Garcia (BR), Zekeriya S. Şen (TR), Benjamín Muñiz (PR), Daryana Antipova (RU), Mika Kauhanen (FI), Luisa Piñeros (CO), Toni Pennacchia (US), Chen Hanzi (CN), Takuya “Salam” Unagami (JP), Janaína Ávila (BR), Ankur Malhotra (IN), Alexis Herrería (MX), Ula Nowak (PL), Banning Eyre (US), Magda Tejchma (PL), Tatiana Naryshkina (RU), Andrii Polianskyi (UA), Michael Rossi (UK), Nicky Blumenfeld NickyB, Loris Böhm (IT), Ben Wheeler (GE/US), Seth Jordan (AU), Tony Hillier (AU), Charlie Crooijmans (NL), Nigel Wood (IE), Dore Stein (US), Roger Holdsworth (AU), Madan Rao (IN), Gil Medovoy (US), Chris Heim (US), Ciro De Rosa (IT), Scott Stevens (US), Hendrick T S Foh (MY), Cliff Furnald (US), Rob Weisberg (US), Toni Polo (FR/ES), Nicolás Falcoff (AR), Masakazu Kitanaka (JP), Jordi Demésenllà (ES), Rafael Mieses (DO/US), Luís Rei (PT), Jean Trouillet (DE), Evangeline Kim (US), Alejandro López (ES), Jon Kertzer (US), Ken Stowar (CA), Jiří Moravčík (CZ), Mu Qian (CN), Gil Rouvio (IL), Bouna Ndiaye (SN/US)
More at: https://www.transglobalwmc.com/
