To honor goddesses of Italy and Brazil

Two events presented by Alessandra Belloni:

Southern Italian Gypsy Music and Ritual Dance
Friday July 9, 9pm

Mehanata Bulgarian Bar
113 Ludlow (between Rivington & Delancey), Manhattan
212-625-0981

A fiery "journey" through the South of Italy featuring magic rituals and tarantellas used as music therapy and exorcism, healing chants in honor of the Black Madonna, lullabies, and love ballads, as well as original songs by Alessandra Belloni inspired by the rituals and rhythms of Brazil. Featuring Alessandra Belloni, vocals, percussion and ritual dance, drummer Vinnie Scialla, guest violinist Susan Aquila, acoustic and electric violin, guitarist Wilson Montuori.

Honoring the Sea Goddess: A Very Special Women Drumming and Dance Celebration
Friday July 16, 8pm

The New York Open Center
22 East 30th Street, Manhattan
212-219-2527

The concert is inspired by two geographically distant but thematically parallel traditions. Southern Italian and Brazilian purification rites and procession performed in the summer to honor the archetypical sea goddess. In Brazil she comes from the West African Yoruba culture and is called Yemanja, in Italy she is called the Black Madonna of the Sea (once called Aphrodite).

For further information on these and other events on Belloni's schedule, visit her website.

Listen to my 2007 Body and Soul podcast interview with Belloni (iTunes).