"Standing ovation for the minstrel, activist, poet and musician Luca Bassanese, who slays austerity by summoning Trans-alpine fanfares and tarantellas in a grand Fellini operetta, in a style that is both musical and theatrical. For all ages and creeds.'' Since: 2006 Similar to: Fabrizio De Andre, Manu Chao, Goran Bregovic Albums: 15 Followers on FB: Over 100 000 Highlights: Paleo Festival (CH), Sziget Festival (HU), Fete de l'Europe, Eurofonik, Cabaret Sauvage, Nuits Metis, Festival de Paimpol (FR), Festival Cansion Mediterrania (SP), Dranouter Festival, Festival Esperanzah, Labadoux Festival, Airbag Festival (BE) TFF Rudolstadt, Bardentreffen (DE), Jazz & The City (AT), Budapest Ritmo (HU), Spancirfest (Croatia), and many more The musical heroes of Italy aren’t that known outside of the green-white-red borders. But that ought to change. Luca Bassanese is without question one of the main characters of the new committed Italian popular music and the next hero to be watched up. A fusion between Fabrizio de André, Goran Bregovic and Manu Chao, with a Fellini-inspired mindset, Luca Bassanese has released twelve albums since 2006. Minstrel, poet, singer-songwriter, and social/environmental activist, Luca is on a mission and can be seen as a romantic warrior of our modern times. Luca’s interest for social change has lead to a sprawling set of many-coloured songs: to poke fun at some of the damn foolishness going on in the world; songs of love and faith in mankind and the future; songs to needle our conscience; and songs to take a constructive stand in our life. ​ Luca Bassanese grew up listening to Fabrizo de André and the legendary protest singers of the 1970’s. Enlivened by the powerful folklore of both sides of the Adriatic, he then created his own brew. His cocktail of poetry, love stories infused with Italian folk music, transalpine tarantellas and Balkan hints of brass put people in a good mood and take them to the fantasy world of ecotopia. Luca's shows are circassian, ruffling and full of positive energy.​ Luca has already won several honorary awards in Italy. He has collaborated with artists from various fields and countries, including the Original Kocani Orkestar of Macedonia, the Berber artist Bachir Charaf (nicknamed The Voice of the Desert), the satirical artist Antonio Cornacchione, and the playwright, actor and Nobel Prize Dario Fo, to name a few.​ ​Abroad, Luca has received standing ovations at some of the major European live music events, incuding Sziget and Paleo, in France, Spain, Benelux, Austria, Switzerland and Hungary. He has demonstrated that his performances are accessible to people of all ages, nationalities, creeds and backgrounds - and non only to Italians. ​ In 2019, Luca published a new video clip every month until the release of his studio album “Liberiamo l’elefante” (Free the Elephant Within Us). In February 2020, he won the Viareggio Carnival Music Awards for the best soundtrack of the street parade with his song “Home Sweet Home – Save The Planet”.​ All this has been possible thanks to his long time collaboration with Italian producer and guitarist Stefano Florio. ​ Luca is continuously producing new works.