Saturday, November 19, 2016

ITALY: Paolo Conte - Amazing Game - Instrumental Music (Decca 2016)

Paolo Conte has captivated audiences the world over for the past 4 decades. With his gruff voice and unmistakable style, he tells the tales of his humorous but poignant views of the world through his music.

Paolo Contes new release presents the first ever instrumental album by the Italian singer/songwriter.

This albums repertoire consists of recordings made at different times (from the 90s to the present day), for sound tracks of theatre productions and for study and experimental purposes.

The tracks are very varied in style and always performed with great conviction and energy. Tracks F.F.F.F. (For four free friends) and Fuga nell Amazzonia in re minore (Escape in Amazonia in D minor) show off the musicians skills of improvisation.

Paolo Conte celebrates his 80th birthday on 6th January 2017.

This repertoire consists of recordings made at different times (from the 90s to the present day), for sound tracks of theatre productions and for study and experimental purposes, that I had very carefully tucked away at the back of various drawers. And now they are being released in disc-form in agreement with Decca. Lots of words and lots of improvisation. One such track is F.F.F.F. (For four free friends), another is Fuga nell Amazzonia in re minore (Escape in Amazonia in D minor) in which the hard core of my musicians jam with me in a free session (I dont mean free jazz, just free) - Im on the piano leading with a few structured bits and spur-of-the-moment sequences and the others are following me and improvising with great skill and complicity, proof of what cloud level we were on at the time! The tracks are very varied in style and always performed with great conviction and energy.

This is how Ive celebrated a wonderful friendship between myself and my dear musician friends and the pride of happy times immersed in music. - Paolo Conte

A gruff smoker s voice, a piano style that wanders from honky-tonk to tango palace, to tony cabaret, and a weathered romantic s world view have made Paolo Conte a well-known songwriter in Italy. --The New York Times