Tracklisting:
1. Via Con Me (2:29)
2. Sotto Le Stelle Del Jazz (3:33)
3. Elisir (2:23)
4. Boogie (5:52)
5. Sparring Partner (4:11)
6. Come Di (4:00)
7. Azzurro (2:46)
8. Gelato Al Limon (4:29)
9. Happy feet (Musica per i vostri piedi, madame) (3:23)
10. Gli Impermeabili (3:55)
11. Max (3:44)
12. Gong-Oh (3:16)
13. Colleghi Trascurati (3:39)
14. Bartali (2:19)
15. Alle Prese Con Una Verde Milonga (6:22)
16. Dragon (4:12)
17. Hemingway (4:53)
18. Ho Ballato Di Tutto (2:51)
19. Quadrille (2:48)
20. Genova Per Noi (3:16)
Released 1996.
Italy’s leading singing-songwriter Paolo Conte released his American debut in 1998 with The Best of Paolo Conte. Already a very popular artist throughout Europe at the time, Conte creates music that blends the heart and soul of jazz to the powerful sounds of the Big Band era coupled with the complex and exotic rhythms of the tango and milonga.
A poet, painter, musician, and lawyer from the northern Italian city of Asti, Conte’s success has spread far beyond his native land. In Italy, audiences are drawn to his beautiful poetic lyrics, while in other European countries they are captivated by his dramatic music and its theatrical images.
Describing his music Conte said, “I carefully craft each of my songs to create imagery that evokes an emotional response from my listeners. This type of music transcends national boundaries and touches audiences everywhere.”
Listening to Conte’s music, one is taken through musical allusions and imitations from everything from a South American dance hall to a Louisiana juke-joint. In this collection of old favorites, Conte has created a mixture of songs celebrating Big Band like in “Boogie” and “Sotto le Stelle del Jazz”; his hometown as depicted in “Gelato al limon” and “Azzarro”; and his nostalgia toward remembered moments in “Bartali.”