Santa Taranta

Formed in 2013, Santa Taranta play the music of southern Italy — pizzica, tarantella, polkas, serenades and stornelli — alongside original writing that pulls in Celtic, Spanish and Argentinian folk threads.

The band was founded by Salvatore Rossano, an Italian musician and ethnomusicologist whose fieldwork has taken him across Europe, South America and Australia, and who fronts the group on vocals and accordion. He is joined by Australian linguist and vocalist Hayley Egan and Argentinian bassist Emiliano Beltzer, with guest musicians rotating through the line-up.

Their 2019 album "Sonu: Songs from the Homeland" traces the Italian migrant experience in Australia, weaving live performance together with archival recordings held by the National Library in Canberra. They have toured nationally and internationally and played major Australian festivals including the National Folk Festival and Fairbridge Festival.