Banditaliana was founded by internationally renowned composer and concertina player Riccardo Tesi (see byography below) , rated as one of the most daring and authoritative musicians in the European world music scene, having collaborated with ethnic music exponents like Elena Ledda, Justin Vali, Kepa Junkera, John Kirkpatrick and Patrick Vaillant, jazz musicians such as Gianluigi Trovesi and Gabriele Mirabassi, as well as with great songwriters Ivano Fossati, Fabrizio De Andrè and Gian Maria Testa.

Guitar virtuoso and vocalist Maurizio Geri, blending in his style Mediterranean features with swing-manouche improvisation, and saxophonist Claudio Carboni, provided with a clean and accurate phrasing developed according to the liscio (Italian popular dance music) tradition, have been irreplaceable members of the band since its debut in 1992. Ethnic percussion virtuoso Marco Fadda has recently replaced percussionist Ettore Bonafé, an original member of the quartet.

The fresh and sunny music resulting from Banditaliana's kaleidoscope of sounds is regardless of categories, searching for innovation but sticking to its roots, as a wide synthesis of forms and rites drawn from the Tuscan tradition, Mediterranean flavours, jazz improvisation and songwriting. Original compositions, instrumental virtuosity, precious rhythmic grooves and refined arrangements represent the stylistic features of the group, that over the years has gained a reputation as one of the most interesting bands in the international world music scene and has achieved great success while touring Europe and Canada, taking part in some of the most important folk&jazz festivals.

Banditaliana has released two albums: the first one, "Banditaliana", produced in 1998 by Stefano Melone (a collaborator of Ivano Fossati), gained wide recognition from specialized magazines all over the world and was appointed "Album of the Year" by the Folk Bulletin referendum. The second one, "Thapsos", released in 2000, was chosen as "record of the month" by the Jam and Rockstar magazines, won the "Bravo" prize of the TradMagazine, "Choc de la Musique" and got a special mention by Repertoire.

Several musicians have contributed to the recording and concerts of Banditaliana: clarinet player Gabriele Mirabassi, saxophonist Daniele Sepe, drummer Claudio Fossati, bass players Silvano Lobina and Daniele Mencarelli, cellist Damiano Puliti, singers Nando Citarella, Lucilla Galeazzi and Mancuso brothers, while Carlo Muratori wrote the lyrics.

In 2001 Banditaliana was mentioned as "best live band" by the German specialized magazine Folker. In 2002 Banditaliana reached the sixth place in the Canadian CKUA Music Network Top Ten and was the only Italian group running for the BBC World Music Awards.

Main Festival
Festival d’Etè QUEBEC (Canada)
Falun Folk Festival FALUN (Sweden)
Taiga Folk Festival HELSINKI (Finland)
Haapavesi Folk Festival HAAPAVESI (Finland)
Festival di Saint Chartier CHARTRE (France)
De Bouche a Oreille PARTHENAY (France)
Glatt&Verkehrt VIENNA (Austria)
Expo LISBONA (Portugal)
Urkult Folk Festival URKULT (Sweden)
Paleariza REGGIO CALABRIA (Italy)
Notte della Taranta SALENTO (Italy)
La Nuit du Jazz CAEN (France)
Festival Sete Sois Sete Luas  PORTOGALLO (Portugal)
Mediterraneo Festival IZOLA (Slovenia) 
Festival Jazz VENLO (Holland)
Fabbrica Europa FIRENZE (Italy) 
Mundus REGGIO EMILIA (Italy)
Dromos ORISTANO (Sardegna-Italy)
S.Arcangelo dei Teatri S.ARCANGELO (Italy)
Le Grand Soufflet RENNES (France)
Festival d’Automne MAURIAC (France)
L’Europeenne PARIGI (France) 
Cabaret sauvage PARIGI (France) 
Festival Fisarmonica VIENNA (Austria)
Folkest SPILIMBERGO (UD) (Italy)
Lithos SIRACUSA (Italy)
Suoni dal mondo CEGNI (Italy)
Printemps des bretelles STRASBOURG (France)
Festival delle Colline FIRENZE (Italy)
Festival Re Appennino REGGIO EMILIA (Italy)
Itinerari Folk TRENTO (Italy)
Musicus Concentus FIRENZE (Italy)
Isola Folk BERGAMO (Italy)
Festival Villa Ada ROMA (Italy) 
Festival Folk delle Dolomiti BELLUNO (Italy)
Jazz à Luz-Saint-Sauver LUZ-SAINT-SAUVER (France)
Festival Convivencia HOMPS (France)
Festival Garonne TOULOUSE (France)
Festival de Cornouailles QUIMPER (France)
Les traverséer de Tatihou  ILE TATIHOU (France)
Festival Sete Sois Sete Luas VALENCIA (Spain) 
Festival Folk Isola del Liri FROSINONE (Italy)
Tele Capodistria CAPODISTRIA (Slovenia)
Les temps Chauds CHATILLON SUR SEINE (France)
Festival Internazionale della Fisarmonica  CASTELFIDARDO (Italy)

Riccardo Tesi Discograhy
2003 Riccardo Tesi Acqua Foco e Vento Dunya records
2001 Riccardo Tesi Acqua, foco e vento LIVE VM301
2000 Riccardo Tesi & Banditaliana Thapsos Il Manifesto CD063
1998 Riccardo Tesi Banditaliana Il Manifesto CD028
1995 Riccardo Tesi Un ballo liscio Auvidis Tempo A 6242
1994 R. Tesi, G. Trovesi, P. Vaillant Colline Silex Y225048
1993 R. Tesi, K. Junkera, J. Kirkpatrick Trans Europe Diatonique Silex Y 225026
1991 R. Tesi, P. Vaillant Veranda Silex Y 225002
1988 R. Tesi, P. Vaillant, J.M. Carlotti, D. Craighead Anita, Anita Silex Y 225037
1986 Ritmia Forse il mare New  Tone 6726 2
1983 Riccardo Tesi Il ballo della lepre Musica and Words CD 4001

Riccardo Tesi Collaborations
Giorgio Gaber La mia generazione ha perso CGD EW 857387992-2
Fabrizio De Andrè Anime Salve Ricordi TDCMRL 74321392352
Ivano Fossati La disciplina della terra Sony COL 495072 2
Ivano Fossati Macramè Sony  COL 4841742
Ornella Vanoni Argilla CGD EW 3984 20403-2
Gianmaria Testa Lampo Warner Bros
Tosca Sto bene al mondo Ala Bianca ABR 128553855-2
Miyazawa Kazufumi Sixteenth Moon  TOCT 10214
Justin Vali The Sunshine Within Bush Telegrafph Rec. BTRCDE 01
Skiantos Doppia Dose RNR128553814-2
Kepa Junkera Tricky ! ERPCD 5928
Gabriele Mirabassi Cambaluc Egea SCA 064
Vincenzo Zitello Aforismi  RTI 13042
Maria Pia De Vito Fore Paese Polo Sud 009
Tamburi del Vesuvio Vaffaticà Alfamusica AFMCD 102
Maurizio Geri Manouche e dintorni Dunya Records 8010 2
Maurizio Geri A cielo aperto VM 302
Arlo Bigazzi 2 Maso  90076
Beppe Gambetta Good news from home Green Linnet GLCD 2117
Elena Ledda Sonos Biber 66390
Elena Ledda Incanti Silex Y 225029
Elena Ledda Maremannu Biber 76691
E. Ledda & M. Palmas Sonos Langanos Codaghes 002
Mauro Palmas Cainà Playgame CDP  3002
Zitello, Tosca, Melone, Tesi, Parravicini, Sanesi Musica Caeli Famiglia Cristiana FC0001
Rosapaeda In forma di rosa Sott A 107
Enzo Favata Jana Project Isla New Tone NT6737 2
Enzo Favata Il cielo è sempre più blu San Isidro SND 1001-2
Canta u Populu Corsu Sintineddi Albiana CDAL 001
A.Balia-E.Frongia Argia New Tone 6713
Dodi Moscati Bacio di cane bacio di gatto Il Manifesto STB 11997
G. Trovesi Dances and variations MJCD1097
Alberto Cesa Fogli Volanti Il Manifesto CD 067
Riccardo Tesi  Flatus Calami  Circolo della zampogna 2002
La Macina Aedo malinconico ed ardente, fuoco ed acque di canto Storie di note
Giorgio Cordini  Disarmati Music Runner 
Rocca De Rosa Rotte distratte  Il Manifesto 
AAVV Contrabbande Il Manifesto 2002
AAVV Mediterranean Travelogue 2002 
AAVV Italia L'espresso 2003 
AAVV Canti Randagi Ricordi TDCMRL 6509
AAVV Laudate Domine CGD 0630 13272-2 
AAVV Trasmigrazioni Il Manifesto 001
AAVV Au fil de l'air Chic
AAVV Aia da respia LTGE 1/99 2/99
AAVV Celtica Vol 5
AAVV A musical journey to Italy Weltwunder Rec. 502-2
AAVV Bar Italia Nascente NSCD 062
AAVV Festival d’etè du Quebec FEQ 2000
AAVV Geo World Italie BMG 74321731352
AAVV The Rough Guide to the music of Italy RGNET 1042 CD
AAVV Italie: musique populaire d'aujourd'hui Buda 92702-2
AAVV Italian Music Odissey PUTU 159-S
AAVV World Fusion Silex Y 225063
AAVV Blues de France Silex Y225052
AAVV Musique traditionelle d'aujourd'hui Silex Y225999
AAVV Italia mia Selezione dal Reader's Digest

Riccardo Tesi: diatonic accordion
Maurizio Geri: guitar, voice
Claudio Carboni: sax
Marco Fadda: percussions

Riccardo Tesi
A composer, an instrumentalist and a researcher: these are the aspects of the complex and multifaceted musical personality of Riccardo Tesi, a true pioneer of ethnic music in Italy.

From his debut in 1978 with Caterina Bueno, strongly rooted in the folk tradition, to the present day collaborations, the musical curriculum of Tesi, born in Pistoia, is characterised by a precious continuity based on eager passion and curiosity that have led him to compare his Tuscan heritage to the Italian, Basque, English, French and Madagascar traditions, as well as to jazz, liscio (Italian popular dance music) and songwriting.

His instrument, the diatonic accordion (melodeon), is an example of perfect symbiosis with his conception of memory. For the first time in Italy, he even dedicated a whole record to this instrument, a forerunner of the accordeon.

What is amazing about Tesi is his easily recognizable style, allowing his concertina to speak both an archaic and modern language, widening the vocabulary and the technique of an instrument for a long time preserved as part of a traditional heritage. A brilliantly outdated choice that places Tesi, thanks to his lyrical and virtuoso skills, among those who have brought the accordeon and all the instruments alike back to their dignity all over the world. In this respect, in 2002 he was given the "La voce d'oro" prize in Castelfidardo.

His musical experience with the Sardinian-Tuscan group Ritmia, his duo with mandolin player Patrick Vaillant from Nice, the Occitan song show "Anita Anita" with Vaillant and Jean-Marie Carlotti, the diatonic accordion (melodeon) trio Trans Europe Diatonique with Kirkpatrick, Perrone and Junkera, the jazz trio with Vaillant and Gianluigi Trovesi have broadened his geographic borders and musical frontiers, as well as other highly prestigious collaborations with Madagascar-born Justin Vali, Sardinian singer Elena Ledda, harp player Vincenzo Zitello, flat-picking guitarist Beppe Gambetta, ethnic jazz musician Daniele Sepe, and great Italian songwriters or singers such as Ivano Fossati, Fabrizio De André, Ornella Vanoni, Gianmaria Testa, Giorgio Gaber and Carlo Muratori.

In 1992 he founded Banditaliana, at present rated as one of the most important groups in the international world music scene. As separate chapters, Tesi has released two concept recordings designed to rework specific musical heritages.

The former, "Un ballo liscio", focuses on the world of Italian dance music and offers a rigorous and unprejudiced view on the most underrated Italian musical genre with the aid of a multi-ethnic orchestra composed by folk, jazz, classical and dance musicians.

The latter, "Acqua, foco e vento", released in 2000 in collaboration with Maurizio Geri and a tentet including some of the most important musicians in the Italian world scene, is dedicated to the traditional music from the Pistoia Apennines.

In 1996, upon commission of the French Ministry of Culture and the "Le Grand Soufflet" festival, Tesi composed the music of "Viaggio in Italia" for an eighty-piece orchestra. In 1997, on occasion of the Folkermesse Festival in Vercelli, he arranged and conducted "Transitalia", featuring Elena Ledda, Lucilla Galeazzi, Daniele Sepe, Carlo Muratori, Tenores di Bitti and others, under the direction of Moni Ovadia.

In 2001, as a resident composer, he wrote "Flatus Calami" for the festival of Scapoli (Isernia), placing emphasis on the zampogna (a sort of bagpipe). This work was recorded on the Cd bearing the same title.

In 2002 he composed the music for the opening ceremony of the Tour of Italy in Groningen (Netherlands), arranged by Mirko Guerrini and played by a 100-piece orchestra. In 2001 the Culture Office of the Province of Pistoia appointed him as musical director of the "Sentieri acustici" festival, taking place in the most attractive places on the Pistoia Apennines.

Since 1980 Tesi has devoted himself to teaching, searching for an adequate pedagogic approach to popular music instruments, with specific regard to diatonic accordion (melodeon), about which he wrote, together with Roberto Trombesi, the first Italian handbook, "L'organetto diatonico", published by Bèrben.