An exceptional musical project, an ever-evolving experience of musical and cultural blending: this is Hàndala, an ensemble of musicians from Italy and Palestine.

 The band, founded in 1989 and headed by David Petrosino, provides a peculiar formula of global contamination between Middle-eastern and Western musical traditions and intentions, a novel way of imagining a feasible world where different ideas, cultures, traditions join to give birth to something new.

Through the years Hàndala have seen the participation of many musicians, both Arabs and Italians and have made links of collaboration with various artists.

Hàndala have been active in Europe and they took part in many Festivals and concerts, always winning attention from public and critics.

Arab voices floating an a sound born from the magic fusion of traditional middle-eastern and Mediterranean instruments (such as ud, bouzuki, doff, mismar, naj) and modern ones.
A show of great impact, enriched with clear melodies and obstinate rhythms.

The tale of the band Hàndala, for it’s nature of merger, for it’s human and artistic ‘blending’, is a chance to see Palestine and the middle-east from a different point of view.
At the same time the contaminated and contaminating nature of Handala’s work let them share this sight and this exchange in widely various sites: European Festivals, Schools, Clubs, the UN building in Geneve, the little Church, Social Centres, Theatres, the Campidoglio in Rome, Universities, Events, public Squares…

Hàndala have released six albums and a cd single:
“Handala” (Sud-Nord Records – 1990),
“Amani” (Sud-Nord Records – 1991),
“Raia” (Tide Records – 1993),
“Holom” (Il Manifesto, Tide Records, Finisterre – 1997),
“El deeb” (Finisterre – 2004),
"Famatà?" (RAI Trade, Blonde – 2005)
“7” (Finisterre - 2007)
and some of their songs have been included in many compilations.

 “Something extraordinary going on here, Palestine meets the gig beat in Rome (…) This group produces intelligent, stirring music that shifts easily between Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Their version of Come Together, thoroughly rejigged, sung in Arabic ,if anything adding to the tension and release of the original. I imagine an intrigued and pleased John Lennon.” (Rick Sanders - FOLK ROOTS Magazine - UK)