Il Giardino dei Semplici

The group was formed in Naples by Gianni Averardi and Gianfranco Caliendo, in June 1974; it was officially launched in 1975 under the production of Giancarlo Bigazzi and Totò Savio.

[1] They attended at the popular music competition Festivalbar three times, scoring smash-hits: M'innamorai (1975); Vai (1976); Concerto in La Minore (dedicato a lei) (1978).

[1] Their bestseller in the Eighties was the album Ed è subito Napoli, which revisited classic Neapolitan songs through acoustic, electric and electronica music arrangements.

In 2012, co-founder, frontman, lead singer, guitarist and composer Gianfranco Caliendo left the band to pursue a solo career, releasing three albums so far.

Tommy Esposito, drummer of the band since 1980, is one of the lyricists and composers of the smash-hit song Grande amore, performed by Il Volo in 2015.