On 9 July 1989, Italian singer-songwriter Paolo Conte performs with his big band at the Casino de Montreux, as part of the Montreux Jazz Festival. An unclassifiable figure of jazz-tinged Italian song, the former Asti lawyer unfolds his repertoire of elegant, nostalgic vignettes, carried by his gravelly voice, his piano and brass-laden arrangements. Joined notably by Andrea Allione on guitar and Claudio Capurro on clarinet and saxophone, Conte conjures his world of Mediterranean ports, faded ballrooms and bittersweet irony. This filmed live concert illustrates the singular alchemy of his writing — between swing, tango and music-hall — that earned him international recognition well beyond Italy. Running over an hour, the capture is a precious document of the artist on the Montreux stage in the late 1980s. A live set ideal for discovering or rediscovering one of Europe’s greatest songwriters in a setting worthy of him. Filmed on one of jazz’s most prestigious stages, this full concert is a rare chance to see a European songwriting master at work, in a setting that matches his quietly sophisticated craft.
Personnel & credits
- Paolo Conte — chant, piano
- Andrea Allione — guitare
- Claudio Capurro — clarinette, saxophone
