Italy loved Pino Daniele (1955–2015) as one of its greatest singer-songwriters, but guitarists love him for something more specific: he was a superb player who poured the soul of the nylon-string guitar into popular music, fusing the song of his native Naples with American blues into a sound entirely his own.
The Naples sound
Self-taught, Daniele blended Neapolitan melody with blues, jazz and Mediterranean colour — a mixture he jokingly named "taramblu," from tarantella, rumba and blues. At the centre of it was his guitar playing: warm, fluid, deeply expressive, and often voiced on nylon strings whose softness suited the tenderness of his songs perfectly.
A restless search for sound
Daniele was forever chasing new tones, moving between electric, semi-acoustic and acoustic instruments. Among his classical guitars, one stands out for any lover of fine instruments: an antique Louis Panormo from the second half of the 1800s — a guitar built in London more than a century earlier, given to him by family, which he had restored and used on the album Mascalzone Latino. Read about Louis Panormo →
Why it matters
Daniele is proof that the nylon-string guitar can be the beating heart of a national popular music. For millions in Italy and beyond, the sound of his classical guitar is the sound of Naples — soulful, sun-warmed and unmistakably human.
FAQ
Did Pino Daniele play classical guitar?
Yes — the nylon-string guitar was central to his style, and he owned and recorded with classical instruments, including an antique Louis Panormo.
What was his style?
A personal fusion of Neapolitan song with blues and jazz, which he nicknamed "taramblu."
Which famous guitar did he own?
A Louis Panormo classical guitar from the second half of the 19th century, used on the album Mascalzone Latino.
More stars who play classical guitar → · Browse our classical guitars
