Pino Daniele was one of the most influential and original Italian musicians of his generation. His music style was a unique blend of pop, rock, blues, jazz, and traditional Neapolitan music, which he called “tarumbò”, a word that combines tarantella, rumba, and blues. He was also known for his expressive and poetic lyrics, often written in a mixture of Italian, English, and Neapolitan dialect.
Pino Daniele was born in Naples in 1955, to a working-class family. His father was a harbor worker and his mother was a housewife. He learned to play the guitar by himself, listening to records by artists such as Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. He started his musical career as a session musician for other singers, such as Edoardo Bennato and Pino Presti.
In 1977, he released his debut album Terra mia, which was the first example of his tarumbò style. The album was praised by critics and audiences for its innovative fusion of Neapolitan tradition and blues sounds. The songs also contained social and personal themes, such as the hardships of life in Naples and the search for identity.
His second album, Pino Daniele (1979), confirmed his talent and popularity. He achieved his greatest success with his third album, Nero a metà (1980), which was considered by some as the rebirth of Neapolitan song. The album featured songs such as “Quanno chiove” (“When it rains”), “Je so’ pazzo” (“I’m crazy”), and “Napule è” (“Naples is”), which became classics of Italian music. In the same year, he opened for Bob Marley at the San Siro stadium in Milan.
In the following years, Daniele expanded his musical horizons, exploring different genres and cultures. He collaborated with renowned musicians such as Alphonso Johnson, Wayne Shorter, Richie Havens, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, and Eros Ramazzotti. He also experimented with world music influences, especially from Latin America and the Middle East. Some of his albums from this period are Bella 'mbriana (1982), Common Ground (1983), Bonne Soirée (1987), and Schizzechea With Love (1988).
Daniele also composed soundtracks for films by his friend and fellow Neapolitan Massimo Troisi, such as Le vie del Signore sono finite (1987) and Pensavo fosse amore invece era un calesse (1991). He also acted in some movies, such as Ricomincio da tre (1981) and No grazie il caffè mi rende nervoso (1982).
In the 1990s and 2000s, Daniele continued to produce albums that reflected his eclectic and personal style. He also collaborated with other Italian artists, such as Francesco De Gregori, Ron, Fiorella Mannoia, Jovanotti, Claudio Baglioni, and Giorgia. Some of his albums from this period are Mascalzone Latino (1989), Un uomo in blues (1991), Che Dio ti benedica (1993), Non calpestare i fiori nel deserto (1995), Dimmi cosa succede sulla terra (1997), Medina (2001), Iguana Café (2005), Il mio nome è Pino Daniele e vivo qui (2007), Electric Jam (2009), Boogie Boogie Man (2010), La grande madre (2012), and Nero a metà Live (2014).
Pino Daniele died of a heart attack in Rome on January 4th 2015. He was 59 years old. He left behind a legacy of music that touched millions of people around the world. His songs are still played and sung by many artists and fans who admire his creativity and originality. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Italian musicians of all time.