Savana Funk

by Claudio Lancia

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Savana Funk were formed in the spring of 2015 in Bologna when Aldo, Blake and Youssef crossed paths. Their first three albums, the self-released "Musica Analoga" (2016), "Savana Funk" (2017) and "Bring In The New" (2018), won immediate praise from critics and audiences alike, embodying from the start the band's essence: a blend of funk, rock, blues and African music. Groove is their language, and the stage is their home.

In the summer of 2019 they were invited to play several dates of Jova Beach Party, Jovanotti's summer concert series: they performed in front of tens of thousands of people, taking part in long onstage jam sessions with Lorenzo. During the following winter months they appeared on Propaganda Live on the TV channel La7.

In June 2021 the album "Tindouf" was released, distributed internationally as well, followed by the "Tindouf Tour", over 100 dates around the world, including appearances at major festivals such as Firenze Rocks, where they opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, A Cielo Aperto with Kokoroko, Jova Beach Party, Tallinn Music Week and the Pin International Music Conference in Skopje.

In October 2022 "Ghibli" was released, preceded by the title track of the same name, which landed on numerous international playlists. The album was presented with a club tour that notched up many sold-out shows and confirmed Savana Funk as one of the most compelling live bands on the Italian circuit. In the spring of 2023 they took the special project "Savana Funk feat Willie Peyote" on the road: 5 sold-out dates showcasing their original fusion of funk and rap.

In April 2023 came "Ghibli – The Remixes", an EP of remixes by producers and DJs such as Bruno Belissimo, Dj Rocca and Frank Sativa, preceded by the track "Lipari–Cosmic Remix", created by Gaudi. The new material infused the band's groove-oriented sound with clubbing influences, further broadening their audience. The summer of 2023 saw Savana Funk tackle a new Festival Tour, with thousands of spectators packing venues such as the Sherwood Festival (with Seun Kuti), Sziget in Budapest, and Tanta Robba (with NuGenea). Between late 2023 and early 2024, Savana Funk devoted themselves to the Savana Sound System project, a club tour of jam sessions with international DJs and producers such as Gaudi, Rocca, Zingabeat and Loopus in Fabula. The Savana sound took on even more precious new flavors.

In 2024 Savana Funk teamed up with Gaudi for the EP "Raha", released on the Record Kicks label, exploring the sound of Afro-Cosmic Disco, aired by stations such as BBC, Radio FIP France and KCRW in the United States. In September 2024 Savana Funk released the single "Samsara", mixed by Tommaso Colliva, which ushered in a new chapter for the band, followed in October by the single "Wa Zina" feat. Willie Peyote and by the Samsara Tour, a packed schedule of shows across Italy. In 2025 came the single "The Invisible Man", a new version of the track already featured on "Tindouf", deliberately old-style in spirit, a tribute to soul classics.

This is the year that marked the band's tenth anniversary, an intense period that strengthened the project's international dimension: the band performed at Sziget Festival, in Indonesia, the UK and across Europe. On the recording side, they began a collaboration with the New York label Putumayo.

In 2026 Savana Funk will release "Behind The Eyes".

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Savana Funk are:

Aldo Betto: Guitars

Blake C. S. Franchetto: Bass

Youssef Ait Bouazza: Drums

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Discography:

2016 – Musica Analoga (self-released)

2017 – Savana Funk (Brutture Moderne / Audioglobe)

2018 – Bring in the New (Brutture Moderne / Audioglobe)

2021 – Tindouf (Garrincha GoGo)

2022 – Ghibli (Garrincha GoGo)

2023 – Ghibli – The Remixes

2024 – Raha (EP, Record Kicks)

2026 – Behind The Eyes (No Music)

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