Salento.

Salento (Salentu in local dialect) is the south-eastern extremity of the Apulia region of Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the main Italian Peninsula, sometimes described as the "heel" of the Italian "boot". It encompasses the entire administrative area of the province of Lecce, a large part of the administrative area of Brindisi and part of that of Taranto. The peninsula is also known as Terra d'Otranto, and in ancient times was called variously Messapia, Calabria, and Salentina.

History[link]

This section requires expansion with: section.

Messapia (from Greek Μεσσαπία) was the ancient name of a region of Italy largely corresponding to modern Salento. It was inhabited chiefly by the Messapii in classical times. Pokorny derives the toponym from PIE *medhyo-, "middle" and PIE *ap-, "water" (Mess-apia, "amid waters"; Note: the asterisk before a word indicates that it is a hypothetical construction, not an attested form). Pokorny compares the toponym Messapia to another ancient Italic toponym, Salapia, "salt water", a city in Apulia.

Geographic perspective[link]

XVI century tower in Roca Vecchia, Adriatic Sea, part of Melendugno's "marina".

Torre dell'Orso, part of Melendugno's "marina".

Beach in Conca Specchiulla, north of Otranto.

Otranto harbour.

Santa Maria al Bagno seaside.

Salento peninsula is a rock of limestone dividing the Adriatic Sea from the Ionian Sea. Known also as "peninsula salentina", from a geo-morphologic point of view it encompasses the land borders between Ionian sea and the Adriatic sea to the “Messapic threshold”, a depression that runs along the Taranto-Ostuni line and separates it from the Murge. Its borders are:

• Taranto, in the province of the same name;
• Pilone, in the territory of Ostuni (province of Brindisi),
• Santa Maria di Leuca, in the province of Lecce.

Language[link]

Salento, from a cultural and linguistic point of view, does not include the city of Taranto (where the Tarantino dialect is spoken), nor the rest of Taranto province to the west of the city (where Pugliese-Apulian is the dialect generally spoken), nor the rest of the province of Brindisi to north of Ostuni (where the accent is influenced by the dialect of Bari). Beside these borders, the language can be defined generally as “pugliese” (Apulian), belonging to “the southern” tipology. To the south and east, the Griko and Salentino dialect are spoken, belonging to the “extreme” southern tipology and more similar to the Sicilian or Calabrian languages.

Tourism[link]

A number of places, the coasts above all, are remarkable landscapes and environments, among them the Alimini Lakes, on the Adriatic coast, and Porto Selvaggio, on the Ionic coast.

The soil is very fertile: some of the finest olive trees and grapes grow here, and their products are exported worldwide.

Salento's coasts are varied, and can be sandy or rocky, but all boast pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters. Some of the most renowned locations in Salento for summer holidays (from May/June to September) are: Ostuni, Oria, Ugento, Manduria, Porto Cesareo, Gallipoli, Torre dell'Orso, Otranto, Santa Maria di Leuca, Lizzano, Pulsano, Santa Cesarea Terme.

Salento is a peaceful land full of history and traditions whose strong points are its natural and architectural beauties, hospitality, atmosphere, and of course sea and its coast.

Transportation[link]

The nearest international airports are those of Brindisi and Bari (the latter is out of Salento but not far).

A 2-lanes freeway connects Salento to Bari. The main railway line ends at Lecce. Other locations are served by regional railroads.

Leisure ports are those of: Taranto, Brindisi, Campomarino di Maruggio's tourist and leisure Marina, Gallipoli, Santa Maria di Leuca, Otranto.

Cities and towns in Salento[link]

Province of Lecce
Acquarica del Capo, Alessano, Alezio, Alliste, Andrano, Aradeo, Arnesano, Bagnolo del Salento, Botrugno, Calimera, Campi Salentina, Cannole, Caprarica di Lecce, Carmiano, Carpignano Salentino, Casarano, Castri di Lecce, Castrignano de' Greci, Castrignano del Capo, Castro, Cavallino, Collepasso, Copertino, Corigliano d'Otranto, Corsano, Cursi, Cutrofiano, Diso, Gagliano del Capo, Galatina, Galatone, Gallipoli, Giuggianello, Giurdignano, Guagnano, Lecce, Lequile, Leverano, Lizzanello, Maglie, Martano, Martignano, Matino, Melendugno, Melissano, Melpignano, Miggiano, Minervino di Lecce, Monteroni di Lecce, Montesano Salentino, Morciano di Leuca, Muro Leccese, Nardò, Neviano, Nociglia, Novoli, Ortelle, Otranto, Palmariggi, Parabita, Patù, Poggiardo, Porto Cesareo, Presicce, Racale, Ruffano, Salice Salentino, Salve, San Cassiano, San Cesario di Lecce, San Donato di Lecce, San Pietro in Lama, Sanarica, Sannicola, Santa Cesarea Terme, Scorrano, Seclì, Sogliano Cavour, Soleto, Specchia, Spongano, Squinzano, Sternatia, Supersano, Surano, Surbo, Taurisano, Taviano, Tiggiano, Trepuzzi, Tricase, Tuglie, Ugento, Uggiano la Chiesa, Veglie, Vernole, Zollino.

Province of Brindisi
Brindisi, Carovigno, Cellino San Marco, Ceglie Messapica, Erchie, Francavilla Fontana, Latiano, Mesagne, Oria, Ostuni, San Donaci, San Michele Salentino, San Pancrazio Salentino, San Pietro Vernotico, San Vito dei Normanni, Torchiarolo, Torre Santa Susanna, Villa Castelli.

Province of Taranto
Avetrana, Carosino, Faggiano, Fragagnano, Grottaglie, Leporano, Lizzano, Manduria, Maruggio, Monteiasi, Montemesola, Monteparano, Pulsano, Roccaforzata, San Giorgio Ionico, San Marzano di San Giuseppe, Sava, Taranto, Torricella.

Coastal towers[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Coastal towers in Apulia

Salento is dotted with coastal watchtowers, as the coast was long the subject of attacks. The first towers may have been Norman. The remaining towers are mostly from the 15th and 16th centuries, and many of these towers are now in a very poor condition.^[1]

Panoramas[link]

View of Torre Sant'Andrea, part of Melendugno's "marina".

Alimini Grande Lake, near Otranto.

See also[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Salento

• Salento on Dmoz

v t e Grecìa Salentina (Salentinian Greece) Calimera • Castrignano de' Greci • Corigliano d'Otranto • Martano • Martignano • Melpignano • Soleto • Sternatia • Zollino

Coordinates: 40°20′00″N 18°00′00″E / 40.3333333°N 18°E / 40.3333333; 18

René Aubry is a French composer born in 1956. He is a multi-instrumentalist known for blending classical harmonies with modern instrumentation. Aubry has composed for choreographers such as Carolyn Carlson, Pina Bausch and Philippe Genty. He has also scored for films and released many of his own albums.^[1]

He composed the music for the 2009 animated film of The Gruffalo.

Discography[link]

• Libre parcours (1988)
• La révolte des enfants (1991)
• Après la pluie (1993)
• Killer Kid (1994)
• Ne m'oublie pas (1995)
• Signes (1997)
• Plaisirs d'amour (1998)
• Invités sur la terre (2001)
• Seuls au monde (2003)
• Projection privée (2004)
• Mémoires du futur (2006)
• Play time (2008)
• Refuges (2011)

^[2]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Hopi Mesa biography
• The French René Aubry Wikipedia article

This article about a French composer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for music. Please help to establish notability by adding reliable, secondary sources about the topic. If notability cannot be established, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted. (January 2010)

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2010)

Gappy Ranks is a dancehall musician of Jamaican and Dominican origin, also known as Jacob Lee Williams. He has worked with American rapper Twista, UK MC Lethal B, Zimbabwean dancehall artist Winky D, producers Kray Twinz and dancehall collective Suncycle.

He has received radio air from the likes of Mista Hooli (http://www.mistahooli.co.uk) on Bang Radio 103.6 and wearebang.com and Robbo Ranx on the BBC as well as appearing on the A List of the BBC 1Xtra playlist with the song “Heaven In Your Eyes”. Other releases include “Stinkin Rich” and “What We Do Is” and an album is expected to follow in 2010.

After growing up in Harlesden, north-west London, Gappy Ranks dealt with obstacles such as homelessness and issues with the police after leaving school, which resulted in his music taking a back seat. However, after overcoming this, he enlisted the help of radio stations such as Unique FM and spent time in the studio to hone his musical talent.

Ranks has performed at Earl’s Court in front of a crowd of 17,000 as well as at the televised Kiss Awards. on Boxing Day 2009, he performed at the celebrated annual Sting event in Jamaica.^[2]

He signed with Greensleeves Records. His album "Put the Stereo On" was released on 23 August 2010.

Gappy Ranks was nominated for the 2010 MOBO awards in the best reggae act category - although the award went to Gyptian.

References[link]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/mobos/2010/winners

External links[link]

• Myspace.com