Italy's folk traditions are tremendously rich, and there has been a revival in recent years at the hands of young musicians and researchers who have sought to restore and rejuvenate traditional cultural expressions. It is not uncommon for young, urban Italians to state that "Italy has no traditional music," since it is not widely heard on radio stations nor sold in most record stores and its role in daily life has been eroded due to assimilation and modernization. A little investigation reveals, however, that Italy's folk music scene is more vibrant and creative than it has been in years. Yet it remains largely an underground community, and you would be hard pressed to find many people in the street who have heard of most of the artists on this collection.

Italy's location in the center of the Mediterranean and its long history as a commercial hub has enabled it to absorb influences from North Africa, Greece, the Balkans, Turkey, and further east. The Italian landscape has hosted numerous empires and cultures, from the Greeks to the Romans, the Phoenicians to the Carthaginians, the Normans to the Catalonians, and many others, all of whom left their mark on local cultural expressions.

Italy's long and rich history belies the fact that it is one of the youngest countries in Europe, and until very recently consisted of a number of independent regions, each with their own unique government, culture and history. Regional differences can be observed in everything from food and language to music, and these differences are proudly defended and promoted as a source of identity. Regional dialects are often distinct languages that are not generally understood by Italians from other areas.

In general, Italian music can be divided into four different broad regions. In the north, including the provinces of Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, and Emilia Romagna, Celtic influences can be heard and the popular ballads are often in a narrative style. In the south, including Naples, Sicily, Calabria and Puglia, Greek and Arabic influences have contributed to the instrumentation, rhythms and melodies of the region. In Central Italy, the folk music reflects a blend of northern and southern styles although there are many song forms that are unique to the area. The island of Sardinia is a fourth main region, and its separation and isolation from the mainland has resulted in music traditions that are very distinct from the rest of Italy.