Roy Paci

Like the previous reviewer, I bought this CD while on vacation in Rome. It more than lives up to the title of one of its tracks, "Toda Joia/Toda Beleza" -- all joy, all beauty. Paci, a trumpeter and bandleader from Sicily, and his band Aretuska, comprising Italians, Brazilians and Africans, make joyous,infectious dance music that celebrates cultural mixing and cross-cultural communication. Tuneful, irresistibly rhythmic (I find it impossible to sit still while the CD's playing), spirited and uplifting -- definitely one of the best albums I've heard this year (2007). Fans of Manu Chao should love this (Chao appears on "Toda Joia"), but I find Paci's sound even more enjoyable. Highly recommended.

I bought this while on vacation in Italy. I could not find any italian music I liked. As soon as the shopkeeper played a clip from this I was hooked. I KNEW this was the one! And it was! I am not big into foreign music. I tried with Ricky M. and Mark Anthony. But this blows them out the water. You can hear the influences of salsa, reggea and hip hop. It is in spanish, some itlaian, and even some jamaican lingo. (And coming from a Jamaican heritge, I was very impressed) A couple of tracks are also in English. I play this CD over and over and Over!

The music changes tempos, so it keeps you interested and MOVING!