{"id":5573,"date":"2022-12-20T18:17:50","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T17:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thestoryinst.com\/2022\/12\/20\/int10-interview-with-africa-unites-historic-percussionist-papa-nico\/"},"modified":"2023-01-04T13:42:38","modified_gmt":"2023-01-04T12:42:38","slug":"int10-interview-with-africa-unites-historic-percussionist-papa-nico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thestoryinst.com\/en\/2022\/12\/20\/int10-interview-with-africa-unites-historic-percussionist-papa-nico\/","title":{"rendered":"PAPA NICO the percussionist of Africa Unite band"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe  style=\"display: block; margin: 0px auto;\"  id=\"_ytid_72264\"  width=\"480\" height=\"270\"  data-origwidth=\"480\" data-origheight=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8fiO1xl1h5U?enablejsapi=1&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=it&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&rel=0&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&hl=en_US&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&disablekb=0&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">40 years of Africa Unite and more than 35 spent with <strong>Papa Nico<\/strong> on percussion.<br \/>\nNot only was <strong>Nico<\/strong> very kind to grant us an interview, but we also &#8220;disturbed&#8221; him while he was at rehearsal for the record. The<strong>&#8220;People Pie<\/strong>&#8221; we know, <strong>Africa<\/strong>&#8216;s historic record, will have new life and new sounds, and the percussion will as always be <strong>Papa Nico<\/strong>&#8216;s, the same percussion he took us to meet and introduce during our musical chat.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>THE PERCUSSIONS.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I have to say that many of the sounds of these instruments I had heard before, but never had I gotten so &#8220;into&#8221; the intent of this world, despite the fact that I have been listening to reggae for years, and that says a lot!, but thanks to <strong>Nico<\/strong> today I can put a &#8220;face&#8221; to it and associate many of these sounds with instruments such as the Guiro, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.it\/gp\/product\/B000OF8YKY\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=thestoryinst7-21&amp;camp=3414&amp;creative=21718&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B000OF8YKY&amp;linkId=da67428f73dbd71301c20590a9c7bef5\">Cabasa<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.it\/gp\/product\/B007JLJMY8\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=thestoryinst7-21&amp;camp=3414&amp;creative=21718&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B007JLJMY8&amp;linkId=2407af4f72b56a9367410cc1248e2cbe\">Agogo<\/a>, Wah Wah tube and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.it\/gp\/product\/B0007CXIG4\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=thestoryinst7-21&amp;camp=3414&amp;creative=21718&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B0007CXIG4&amp;linkId=c55af9e20650a911a286b9616beb88ff\">Vibra Slap<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But listening to <strong>Nico<\/strong> in recounting part of his artistic career, how he went from being a drummer to becoming a percussionist, how <strong>Africa<\/strong> has and still is part of his family , was a real honor. His simplicity and friendliness attracts me even more to this reggae journey I have been on for years, it may be the music, it may be the vibe, or it may simply be him&#8230;who knows.<\/p>\n<h3>THE TRAIN.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All I know is that I had the pleasure of meeting all the <strong>Africa<\/strong>, from <strong>Bunna<\/strong> a <strong>Madaski<\/strong>, from <strong>Pakko<\/strong> a <strong>Benz<\/strong>, to <strong>Alex Soresini<\/strong>, and as <strong>Papa&#8230;.<\/strong> says he took the <em>Pinerolo-Kingston<\/em> train with them years ago, but dear <strong>Nico<\/strong> even though I am not on the stage with you, I can assure you that I am on board!!!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>AFRICA UNITED (from wikipedia)<\/h3>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-4815 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thestoryinst.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/africa.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"958\" height=\"226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thestoryinst.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/africa.jpeg 958w, https:\/\/www.thestoryinst.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/africa-300x71.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.thestoryinst.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/africa-768x181.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.thestoryinst.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/africa-585x138.jpeg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 958px) 100vw, 958px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"1981-1990:_Esordi_e_prime_pubblicazioni\" class=\"mw-headline\">1981-1990: Beginnings and first publications<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Africa Unite was formed in 1981 as Africa United, the brainchild of <a title=\"Bunna\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bunna\">Bunna<\/a> and <a title=\"Madaski\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Madaski\">Madaski<\/a>, both from Pinerolo, for a Bob Marley tribute night, with the lineup completed by drummer <a class=\"new\" title=\"Ras Cas (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Ras_Cas&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Ras Cal.<\/a> Activity continued piecemeal, with only Bunna managing the unstable staff and Madaski engaged in post-punk area bands (Suicide Dada the main one), and in 1984 was documented by the four-piece <a title=\"Demo\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demo\">demo<\/a> <i>Peace, Love, Freedom<\/i><sup id=\"cite_ref-Rizzi_1-1\" class=\"reference\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-Rizzi-1\">[1]<\/a><br \/>\n<\/sup><sup id=\"cite_ref-Guglielmi_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-Guglielmi-3\">[3]<\/a><br \/>\n<\/sup>. In 1986, with the return of Madaski, the group, supplemented by Ras Cal and bassist Mario &#8220;Doc&#8221;\/&#8221;Mista Drake&#8221; Manduca, began to get serious, and in 1987 they self-produced under the Spliff A Dada label the mini-LP <i><br \/>\n<a class=\"new\" title=\"Mjekrari (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Mjekrari&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Mjekrari<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i>; the title, meaning <i>barbershop<\/i>, takes its cue from a store sign in <a title=\"San Basile\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/San_Basile\">San Basile<\/a>, a small town of origin <i><br \/>\n<a title=\"Arb\u00ebresh\u00eb\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Arb%C3%ABresh%C3%AB\">arb\u00ebresh\u00eb<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i> of the Cosenza area in which Africa United often performs.<sup id=\"cite_ref-Deregibus_4-0\" class=\"reference\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-Deregibus-4\">[4]<\/a><br \/>\n<\/sup>. The album is inspired by <a title=\"Bob Marley\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bob_Marley\">Bob Marley<\/a> &#8216;s reggae and also contains a song in Italian<i>(Nella mia citt\u00e0<\/i>); acclaim established the group on the Italian reggae circuit and led them to open <a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"U Roy\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/U_Roy\">U Roy<\/a>&#8216;s Roman concert.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1988 came the second self-produced mini-LP, <i><a class=\"new\" title=\"Llaka (the page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Llaka&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Llaka<\/a><\/i>, on the heels of its predecessor, dedicated to South African poet Benjamin Moloise<sup id=\"cite_ref-Rizzi_1-2\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-Rizzi-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup>; in the ensemble, alongside Bunna, Madaski and Ras Cal, there are now bassist Ciro Cirri and percussionist Papa Nico, with backgrounds as a punk drummer in some Turin bands such as <a title=\"Rough (music group)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rough_(gruppo_musicale)\">Rough<\/a> e <a title=\"Blue Vomit\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Blue_Vomit\">Blue Vomit<\/a>. During this period, the band opens some Italian dates of <a title=\"King Sunny Ad\u00e9\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/King_Sunny_Ad%C3%A9\">King Sunny Ad\u00e9<\/a> and <a title=\"Linton Kwesi Johnson\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Linton_Kwesi_Johnson\">Linton Kwesi Johnson<\/a> and plays in a concert in Padua for <a title=\"Amnesty International\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Amnesty_International\">Amnesty International<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"1991-1995:_Il_reggae_in_lingua_italiana\" class=\"mw-headline\">1991-1995: Reggae in the Italian language<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The next work, <i><a class=\"new\" title=\"People Pie (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=People_Pie&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">People Pie<\/a><\/i>, arrived in 1991 and increased the group&#8217;s success, offering a more refined sound open to other Caribbean influences<sup id=\"cite_ref-Rizzi_1-3\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-Rizzi-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup>; on the record, the first with former Deafear and future leader of the <a title=\"Subsonica\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Subsonica\">Subsonica<\/a>) <a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Max Casacci\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Max_Casacci\">Max Casacci<\/a>, formerly an external collaborator, as guitarist, author and co-producer, and saxophonist <a title=\"Paul Parpaglione\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Paolo_Parpaglione\">Paul &#8220;The Angelo&#8221; Parpaglione<\/a>, several drummers took turns including Sergio Pollone (aka Drummy Sir Jo), later a permanent member. In the same year, a busy schedule of performances, including the festival <a title=\"Arezzo Wave\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Arezzo_Wave\">Arezzo Wave<\/a> and a <a title=\"Negril\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Negril\">Negril<\/a>, in <a title=\"Jamaica\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Giamaica\">Jamaica<\/a><sup id=\"cite_ref-Testani_5-0\" class=\"reference\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-Testani-5\">[5]<\/a><br \/>\n<\/sup>, as an opener for <a title=\"Gregory Isaacs\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gregory_Isaacs\">Gregory Isaacs<\/a>, led to a deal with the Milanese label <a title=\"Vox Pop\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vox_Pop\">Vox Pop<\/a> and the 1992 release of the EP <i>Cant\u00e8<\/i>, the band&#8217;s debut with the name changed to Africa Unite<sup id=\"cite_ref-Testani_5-1\" class=\"reference\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-Testani-5\">[5]<\/a><br \/>\n<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1993 it was the turn of. <i><br \/>\n<a title=\"Babylon and poetry\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Babilonia_e_poesia\">Babylon and poetry<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i>, the first album sung almost entirely in Italian, which was followed by concerts in <a title=\"France\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Francia\">France<\/a>, the <a title=\"Netherlands\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Paesi_Bassi\">Netherlands<\/a>, the <a title=\"United Kingdom\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Regno_Unito\">United Kingdom<\/a>, and the <a class=\"new\" title=\"Babylon Festival (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Festival_di_Babilonia&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Babylon Festival<\/a> in <a title=\"Iraq\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Iraq\">Iraq<\/a><sup id=\"cite_ref-Testani_5-2\" class=\"reference\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-Testani-5\">[5]<\/a><br \/>\n<\/sup>. After the tour, <a title=\"Acoustic bass guitar\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Basso_acustico\">bassist<\/a> Cato<a title=\"Gianluca Senatore\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gianluca_Senatore\">(Gianluca Senatore<\/a>) joined the band. In 1995, the song <i>Il partigiano John<\/i> was included in the compilation <i><br \/>\n<a title=\"Durable material\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Materiale_resistente\">Durable material<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i> and then taken up on the album <i><br \/>\n<a title=\"A burning sun\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Un_sole_che_brucia\">A burning sun<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i>. Take over on drums <a class=\"new\" title=\"Davide Graziano (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Davide_Graziano&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Davide Graziano<\/a>, formerly in <i>People Pie<\/i>, and the band plays at the festival <i><br \/>\n<a class=\"new\" title=\"Les Transmusicales (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Les_Transmusicales&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Les Transmusicales<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i> of <a title=\"Rennes\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rennes\">Rennes<\/a>. In 1996, following the tour later documented by the album <i><br \/>\n<a class=\"new\" title=\"Live from the sun (the page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=In_diretta_dal_sole&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Live from the sun<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i> (published by <a title=\"PolyGram\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/PolyGram\">PolyGram<\/a>), Casacci abandoned the lineup. <sup id=\"cite_ref-Deregibus_4-1\" class=\"reference\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-Deregibus-4\">[4]<\/a><br \/>\n<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"1996-2010:_Da_Il_gioco_a_Roots\" class=\"mw-headline\">1996-2010: From <i>The Game<\/i> to <i>Roots<\/i><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1997 he released. <i><br \/>\n<a title=\"The Game (Africa Unite)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Il_gioco_(Africa_Unite)\">The Game<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i>, with new guitarist <a class=\"new\" title=\"Ru Catania (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Ru_Catania&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Ru Catania<\/a>; the record was followed by numerous concerts, including one at the fourth edition of the <a title=\"Rototom Sunsplash\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rototom_Sunsplash\">Rototom Sunsplash<\/a> festival. A <a title=\"Trombone\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Trombone\">trombonist<\/a>, Gigi De Gaspari aka <a title=\"Mr. T-bone\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mr._T-bone\">Mr. T-bone<\/a>, joins the group, and in 2000 the following was released. <i><br \/>\n<a title=\"Vibra\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vibra\">Vibra<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i><sup id=\"cite_ref-Guglielmi2_2-1\" class=\"reference\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-Guglielmi2-2\">[2]<\/a><br \/>\n<\/sup>. At that time Africa Unite were active against the death penalty, and included on the album an outspoken song entitled <i>Under Pressure<\/i>, the video for which was filmed in collaboration with the humanitarian associations Amnesty International, <a title=\"Community of Sant'Egidio\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Comunit%C3%A0_di_Sant%27Egidio\">Comunit\u00e0 di Sant&#8217;Egidio<\/a> and <a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Nobody Touch Cain\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nessuno_Tocchi_Caino\">Nessuno Tocchi Caino<\/a>. In 2001, the following was released. <i><br \/>\n<a class=\"new\" title=\"20 (Africa United) (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=20_(Africa_Unite)&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">20<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i>, an album dedicated to Bob Marley on the 20th anniversary of his death. Later, <a class=\"new\" title=\"Kikke (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Kikke&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Kikke<\/a> on <a title=\"Electronic keyboard\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tastiera_elettronica\">Keyboard<\/a> and <a title=\"Paul Baldini\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Paolo_Baldini\">Paolo Baldini<\/a> of <a title=\"B.R. Stylers\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/B.R._Stylers\">B.R. Stylers<\/a> on <a title=\"Acoustic bass guitar\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Basso_acustico\">bass<\/a> joined the group to replace Cato. With these new members the band made two new albums, <i><br \/>\n<a title=\"While it's raining outside\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mentre_fuori_piove\">While it&#8217;s raining outside<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i> in 2003 and <i><br \/>\n<a title=\"Guitar Controls\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Controlli\">Checks<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i> 2006.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nel 2010 esce <i><a title=\"Rootz\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rootz\">Rootz<\/a><\/i>, definito dal gruppo stesso il disco &#8220;del ritorno alle origini&#8221;, per le sonorit\u00e0 <a title=\"Roots reggae\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Roots_reggae\">roots reggae<\/a> nonch\u00e9 i testi di denuncia (<a title=\"Political reggae\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Political_reggae\">Political reggae<\/a>), realizzato con la collaborazione di diversi artisti, tra cui <a title=\"Alborosie\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Alborosie\">Alborosie<\/a>, <a title=\"Franziska\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Franziska\">Franziska<\/a>, <a title=\"Mama Marjas\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mama_Marjas\">Mama Marjas<\/a>, <a title=\"Mellow Mood (musical group)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mellow_Mood_(gruppo_musicale)\">Mellow Mood<\/a> e <a class=\"new\" title=\"Patrick Benifei (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Patrick_Benifei&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Patrick Benifei<\/a> dei <a title=\"Casino Royale (music group)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Casino_Royale_(gruppo_musicale)\">Casino Royale<\/a>. Also in the same year, <a title=\"Alessandro Soresini\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Alessandro_Soresini\">Ale Soresini<\/a>, former drummer of <a title=\"Reggae National Tickets\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Reggae_National_Tickets\">Reggae National Tickets<\/a>, conflated in the group to replace <a class=\"new\" title=\"Davide Graziano (page does not exist)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Davide_Graziano&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">Davide Graziano<\/a>.<sup id=\"cite_ref-6\" class=\"reference\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-6\">[6]<\/a><br \/>\n<\/sup><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"2011-in_poi\" class=\"mw-headline\">2011-onwards<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2011, the band celebrated its 30-year career, celebrated with the autobiographical book <i>Thirty years in upbeat. History of the history of Africa Unite<\/i> (Chinaski Editions) signed by Bunna and Madaski and with a European tour; including dates in <a title=\"Berlin\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Berlino\">Berlin<\/a>, <a title=\"Brussels\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bruxelles\">Brussels<\/a>, <a title=\"London\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Londra\">London<\/a>, <a title=\"The Hague\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/L%27Aia\">The Hague<\/a>, <a title=\"Dublin\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dublino\">Dublin<\/a>, <a title=\"Paris\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Parigi\">Paris<\/a>, <a title=\"Madrid\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Madrid\">Madrid<\/a>, <a title=\"Barcelona\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Barcellona\">Barcelona<\/a>, <a title=\"Valencia\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Valencia\">Valencia<\/a> and the final one in <a title=\"Lugano\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lugano\">Lugano<\/a>, in which the departure from the band of guitarist Ru Catania was announced.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">2013 marks the 20th anniversary of <i><br \/>\n<a title=\"Babylon and poetry\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Babilonia_e_poesia\">Babylon and poetry<\/a><br \/>\n<\/i> and for this important anniversary, Africa Unite will, in April, take that record on tour with the same lineup as at the time<sup id=\"cite_ref-7\" class=\"reference\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Africa_Unite#cite_note-7\">[7]<\/a><br \/>\n<\/sup>. The following month they participate in the May Day concert in Rome<sup id=\"cite_ref-8\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2015 <i><a title=\"The starting point\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Il_punto_di_partenza\">il punto di partenza<\/a><\/i> was released, a totally self-produced album and distributed in free download on the band&#8217;s website<sup id=\"cite_ref-9\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span id=\"Formazione\" class=\"mw-headline\">Training<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"Attuale\" class=\"mw-headline\">Current<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Bunna\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bunna\">Bunna<\/a> &#8211; <a title=\"Singing\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canto\">voice<\/a>, <a title=\"Guitar\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chitarra\">guitar<\/a> (1981-present)<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Madaski\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Madaski\">Madaski<\/a> &#8211; <a title=\"Synthesizer\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sintetizzatore\">synthesizers<\/a>, <a title=\"Sampler\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Campionatore\">sampler<\/a>, voice (1981, 1986-present)<\/li>\n<li>Gabriele Peradotto &#8211; <a title=\"Saxophone\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sassofono\">saxophone<\/a> (2009-present)<\/li>\n<li>Stefano Colosimo (Piri) &#8211; <a title=\"Trumpet\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tromba\">trumpet<\/a> (2009-present)<\/li>\n<li>Marco Catania (Pakko) &#8211; <a title=\"Acoustic bass guitar\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Basso_acustico\">acoustic bass<\/a> (2015-present)<\/li>\n<li>Nicola Paparella (Papa Nico) &#8211; <a title=\"Percussion instrument\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Strumento_a_percussione\">percussion<\/a> (1988-present)<\/li>\n<li>Marco Gentile (Benz) &#8211; guitar (2015)<\/li>\n<li>Matteo Mammoliti (Mammolo) &#8211; <a title=\"Drums (musical instrument)\" href=\"https:\/\/it.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Batteria_(strumento_musicale)\">drums<\/a> (2017-present)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<div class=\"post-content-gallery grid columns4\">\r\n            <div class=\"post-content-gallery-item\">\r\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestoryinst.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/DSC_0120-scaled.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightcase:gallery-iPgw8d\" data-lc-title=\"\">\r\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thestoryinst.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/DSC_0120-585x372.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\r\n                    <div class=\"post-content-gallery-item-caption\"><\/div>\r\n                <\/a>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"post-content-gallery-item\">\r\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestoryinst.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/DSC_0121-scaled.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightcase:gallery-iPgw8d\" data-lc-title=\"\">\r\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" 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<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>40 years of Africa Unite and more than 35 spent with Papa Nico on percussion. Not only was Nico very kind to grant us an interview, but we also &#8220;disturbed&#8221; him while he was at rehearsal for the record. The&#8220;People Pie&#8221; we know, Africa&#8216;s&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7766,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568,645,619,569],"tags":[312,649,647,650,651,646,306,648,644],"class_list":["post-5573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews","category-percussion","category-reggae-en","category-yamaha-en","tag-africa-unite-en","tag-agogo-en","tag-cabasa-en","tag-chimes-en","tag-clave-en","tag-percussion","tag-reggae-en","tag-vibra-slap-en","tag-yamaha-en"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 5.0.3 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Interview with percussionists the membraphones and idiophones, by Africa Unite&#039;s historic percussionist PAPA NICO\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-image-preview:large\" \/>\n\t<meta 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