Review: Gabriele Poso - Maraviglia (AG Records)

Gabriele Poso brings us his own view of the 3 wise monkies as "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" as a dancefloor promotion of moral integrity and avoidance of negativity.

Nearly a year to the day that Mr Bongo released the compilation, Gabriele Poso presents Ritmo Italiano ‘Unspoken Sounds of Italian Tamburo’ (see review HERE), renown digger Poso brings his sixth album in his own right.

Like the Soundway album 'Batik', you've got a mix of dancefloor friendly jazz, Latin, world, folk where the multi-instrumentalist plays percussion, guitar, kalimba as well as vocals like on the previous single 'Contifo Mi Vida'.

And then there's a leaning toward 70s Italian disco (like '01 Am' that should be like twice as long as a 'Salsoul' percussion workout), the even more space-synthed Candido-esque 'Drum Flow' and the slo-mo-funked title track.

The 7 tracks of his trade-mark "global rhythm traditions, the record blends Mediterranean warmth, Afro-Caribbean percussion and jazz sensibility" were recorded live to tape in an analog studio in southern Italy, with Rhodes, Hammond and full brass sections like a Mediterranean mix of Mod-Nicola Conti vs. GUTS vs. Kiko Navaro, the album "delivers an organic, joyful sound built for both deep listening and global dancefloors"; like 'Be Water My Friend' (Ed. think Bruce Lee) and 'Me Parece Un Sueño'.

As Ramrock's Jo Wallace once told me, 'Italo new went away' - I think we can now safely say, 'Italo is definitely back' as 'Maraviglia' and in the 'extended' (nearly 9 minutes) track 'Therapy', it's got the wise monkies doing the 2026 Afro-jazzdance!

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: https://gabrieleposo.ffm.to/maravigliaalbum

Artist: Gabriele Poso

Title:   Maraviglia 

Release date: 19th June, 2026

Label : AC Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: LP / Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: Various - Gabriele Poso presents Ritmo Italiano ‘Unspoken Sounds of Italian Tamburo' (Mr Bongo)

Mr Bongo hits the beach with Gabriele Poso and his  Ritmo Italiano ‘Unspoken Sounds of Italian Tamburo'; and I don't want to talk about it as it's so good.

Gabriele Poso is a renown digger for compilations as deep as 'The Languages Of Tambores (A Spiritual Journey Through The Cultural Heritage Of Drums)' to his own albums like 'Batik', you can guarantee that his mix of jazz, Latin, world, folk will be percussion heavy and dancefloor friendly.

Poso, the Sardinian multi-instrumentalist, percussionist and producer has dug deep into thost Italian Libraries and he goes in at top and as hard as you can get with a cover version of the classic jazz dance 'Caravan' by Puccio Roelens E La Sua Grande Orchestra TV: and in true 'unspoken' style, I'm not going to tell you how it goes but it's a surpise.

Equally, Gegè Munari Percussion Modern's 'Pollice Man' suits a TV theme with a rockin' guitar.  What's far more obvious is samba-infused ‘Napulitano D' 'O Brasil’ by Don Marino Barreto Jr. and the mambo of Vico Anthony's Percussion Paesanos' 'Mambo Ravioli'.

Tony Espositio's 'Pagaia' is very much in the Jonny Trunk 60s library sound whilst Rosario Jermano's 'Grand Oceano' slips into North Africa for some jazz refreshment in the souk; a little bit Weather Report. But hang-on, you need Agostino Marangolo's jazz-funk monster 'Certi giorni mi sento bene, certi giorni mi sento male' - why haven't people been talking about this?

Tony Cercola's 'Lumumba' appears in original and Clap!, Clap! versions which is all a bit of fun and Poso has his own track, 'Ritmo Italiano' which fits perfectly into a disco in Rimini

The 12 tracks are a fabulous selection from the leftfield and it's a happy sit next to some recent Italo, like 'Bruno Boogie' by Euro Nettuno & Bruno Belissimo (see review HERE), La Dune's 'Sugar' (see review HERE) and even Roy Inc & Darren Morris' 'Credit Me' (see review HERE).

As Ramrock's Jo Wallace told me, 'Italo new went away' - I think we can now safely say, 'Italo is definitely back' with Ritmo Italiano ‘Unspoken Sounds of Italian Tamburo': I can tell you!

BUY LINK: https://bfan.link/gabriele-poso-presents-ritmo-italiano-unspoken-sounds-of-italian-tamburo

Artist: Various

Title:  Gabriele Poso presents Ritmo Italiano ‘Unspoken Sounds of Italian Tamburo' 

Release date: 20th June, 2025

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRBCDLP317

Format: LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp