In the Apennine area known as the "Four Provinces", where the provinces of Alessandria, Genoa, Pavia and Piacenza meet, a centuries-old tradition of dances, songs, ritual festivities and calendar rites is alive and still very popular. This extraordinary musical corpus is animated by the pair of piffero (popular oboe) and accordion. Deeply linked to this territory and in particular to Cegni, the village of Giacomo and Ernesto Sala (the most important pipers of the last century), Stefano VALLA with his piffero and Daniele SCURATI with his accordion are the direct successors of this ancient repertoire. Their activity is aimed at keeping alive the music and culture of this mountain area and at stimulating its diffusion through dances fests, concerts, stages and conferences. The duo carries out a dual activity by playing in the Apennine villages, where dancing is still one of the fundamental moments of aggregation (parties, weddings, carnivals) and at festivals and concerts in Italy and abroad (Concerts at Quirinale, Canada, China, France, Conzerthause Vienna). Thanks to their attention to contemporary cultural stimuli, and through experiences in other musical fields, they interpret this music by renewing it and expressing its vitality. This new album, the latest in a valuable and long recording history, contains the sum of their art, best exemplified here with traditional dances and songs but also with convincing new compositions. The album is enriched by the guest participation of some of the best performers of the tradition (Alessandro Losini, Francesca Vercesi, Diego Dobrilla and Fabio Rinaudo) and the extraordinary American violinist Casey Driessen.

From a very young age Stefano VALLA dedicated himself to the study and improvement of piffero playing techniques, of which he is now a recognized master and exemplary teacher. He was the driving force behind local musical groups (I Suonatori delle Quattro Province, Bellanöva), a collaborator of the French group Une Anche Passe, as well as a singer with the vocal groups Squadra Valpolcevera and La Squadra (Genoese trallalero) and Voci del Lesima (chorus of the Apennines). Daniele SCURATI began his piano studies under the guidance of Maestro Pierantonio Meroni and then began accordion studies, subsequently participating in national and international festivals. The duo has collaborated in various musical fields with Aldo De Scalzi, Enzo Draghi, Gianni Coscia, Umberto Petrin, Kalman Balogh, Pascal Comelade, Guo Yue.