Bio

Progressive folk in all senses

Instruments from many cultures, places and times

A blend of tradition and innovation

An electro-acoustic mix

Languages and authors reborn

 

For "As long as there is a good story and someone to listen, we'll get by"

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• Fabio Briganti (Italy): bell cittern, fiddle, lapsteel guitar, harmonica, voice

• Fiorenzo Mengozzi (Italy): drum, darbuka, bodhràn, noises

• Filippo Fiorini (Italy): didjeridoo, dan moi, nefir, kalimba

• Marie Rascoussier (France): electric bass, dulcimer, cigarbox guitar, voice

 

The Marcabru project was born in 2004 from the ashes of I Musici, a band founded in Forlimpopoli in the early 90s. Marcabru is a French name of a 13th century Provencal troubadour of humble, proletarian origins... one of the few. He was an important innovator within the poetic movement of the troubadours because he invented the "trobar clus", a form of hermetic poetry completely unusual for his time. Due to his origins, his originality and his craft, the band has chosen him as their own ancestor and protector. The sonority of the name: Marcabru (pronounced in French with a virtual accent on the u) was also liked immediately.

Marcabru are: Fabio Briganti and Marie Rascoussier (members of I Musici) with Filippo Fiorini and Fiorenzo Mengozzi.  Each of them have their own musical history and points of reference and together they arrange traditional melodies with a contemporary and experimental attitude.

 

It is not easy to define the music that they propose ... some called it progressive folk, others folk-rock. In their music scents of Celtic folk (Irish, Scottish, Breton, English) can be found, but also elements of European popular music (from the scandinavian North, to the Mediterranean, passing through Italy); all this enriched by acoustic and electric sounds obtained with an original use of instruments often created by Fabio Briganti. An essential element that binds everything together is the didjeridoo, a rhythmic and hypnotic drone. What label to use then? They like to define themselves as “folk randagio” (stray folk).

 

Awards

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• 3° place – “Musica nelle Aie” Folk Festival ed. 2018

• Winners of “Musica libera. Libera la musica” Folk section - ed. 2013-14

• Winners of “Musica nelle Aie” - ed. 2013

• 3° place – “Suona la Poesia” contest (International Poetry Festival of Genova + MEI) ed. 2011

• 2° place – “Suona la Poesia” contest (International Poetry Festival of Genova + MEI) ed. 2010 

• Winners of “Musica nelle Aie” Folk Festival ed. 2010 

• Special mention – “Musica nelle Aie” Folk Festival ed. 2007 

• Special mention – “Musica nelle Aie” Folk Festival ed. 2005