DESCRIPTION:
https://itunes.apple.com/it/album/o-sole-mio-ep/id1158909957?app=itunes&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Richie Stephens is a popular jamaican singer and producer , GRAMMY AWARD winner; with Motown and other prestigious label background, where also Rihanna recently sampled the “Sail Away” riddim produced by his own label Pot of Gold in her single Work, interpret the song that symbolizes the Neapolitan repertoire.

More Than one year ago the unstoppable reggae singer created, in conjunction with ADRIATIC SOUND, young label owned by producers and singers Rankin Lele & Papa Leu (grown up artistically with Sud Sound System), and an ensamble of 9 of the most renowed musicians in Salento and involving them in the RICHIE STEPHENS AND SKANATION project.
From this collaboration they come up with the album “INTERNATIONALLY", released last april and entirely dedicated to ska, original music genre originated in Jamaica. Internationally has been promoted in Tokio, Japan, last may and in few months the tour reached Haiti, Jamaica and Italy where Richie Stephens and Skanation performed many time to promote their new project.
“ INTERNATIONALLY” had an excellent international feedback and has been on the top of many chart, same as 2 singles Fire Fire and Internationally videoclip, especially Internationally has gone as viral dance in japan where is actually smashing up every reggae party.
Internationally, also, has been played and still being played in various radio station worldwide like BBC1xtra in London, IRIE fm, KOOL fm, VYBZ fm in Jamaica, Linkaje Radio New York, 90.9FM New Jersey, Wavs 1170 Florida, played in many other radio in California, Caribbean and south america.
Still in many chart I TUNES, BBC1xtra, New York top 40 chart, Weekly Star top 10.

After 2 months in Salento , costantly close to Skanation, Richie already lover of italian opera singers sound, started to get close to opera and traditional music , especially neapolitan and salentina. Totally lost in these genre with strong cultural roots that those genre represent, decided again with the inseparables Rankin Lele & Papa Leu.

Poliedric Richie Stephens pay tribute to our country through one of the most popular song worldwide “O SOLE MIO” released officialy back in 1898.
This is the first time in history where a jamaican artist performed a song entirely in old neapolitan language.
In Less than a week Richie studied at his best the way to use his voice , pronunciation and the magic mean of the song and recorded the song in only 45 minutes.

To perform the song at the best, Richie Stephens , collaborated with some of the greatest master and teachers : the mandolin player Antonio Calsolaro (one of the major frontman of the salento traditional music by 3 generation, violin player Roberta Mazzotta which has been member of Cherubini Orchestra (directed by Riccardo Muti), the Tenor singer Raffaele Pastore from La Fenice in Venice and Petruzzelli theater in Bari.

Strong by his project with the duo Rankin Lele & Papa Leu , Stephens wanted to propose this new version of “O SOLE MIO” in Ska key,
Skanation band created the perfect sound capable to blend and harmonizes to the maximum with a song so popular on a planetary level.

A tribute to italian’s music heritage and culture that states the stong legacy between Jamaica and our country.
It will be available in all the major online store and platform from the 25th of september: the single, dancehall remix and videoclip directed by Federico Giannace, shoot between the GIOVANNI PAISIELLO theater in lecce and the old village of Specchia in Lecce.


Copyright Control
Produced by Richie Stephens, Papa Leu, Rankin Lele
for Pot of Gold and Adriatic Sound
Arranged by: Raffaele “Papa Leu” Leo,
Alessandro “Maestro” Garofalo, Luca Manno
Recorded at Adriatic Sound Studio, Trepuzzi (Lecce) Italy
by Raffaele “Papa Leu” Leo
Studio Assistant: Vincenzo “Morello Selecta” Morello
1 & 2 - Mixed & Mastered at:
Le Dune Studio, Ravenna, Italy, by Riccardo “Ohm Guru” Rinaldi,
3 & 4 - Mixed at:
Big Yard Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica by Kamal Evans
Mastered at:
GrooveBox Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica by Rohan Dwyer
Artwork: Emmanuele “Rankin Lele” Tafuro
Photos: Federico Giannace

Musicians:
Mandolin: Maestro Antonio Calsolaro;
Keyboards: Alessandro “Maestro” Garofalo
Sax: Luca Manno, Bass & Guitar: Papa Leu; Violin: Roberta Mazzotta;
Tuba: Gianluca Ria, Tromba & Trombone: Giancarlo Dell’ Anna;
Drum: Antonio “Fossa” Miglietta
Backing Vocals: Richie Stephens, Paola Pierri

many thanks to:
Comune di Lecce,
The members of Orchestra Tito Schipa di Lecce
who kindly appear in the video
Arch. Gianluca Negro for the coordination
MollyArts


Richie Stephens and The Ska Nation Band
officialwebsite: www.skanationband.com
mail: skanationband@gmail.com
social:
https://www.facebook.com/theskanationband
https://twitter.com/skanationband
https://www.instagram.com/skanationband
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTIlBEzUUoXFendisXpkDGg