After World War II and the end of fascism in Italy, Italy’s jazz scene exploded. The ‘50’s and ‘60’s were indeed a sort of renaissance for Italian jazz and swing. Presented here on this compilation are a mixture of current artists and some of those groundbreaking folks who helped propel Italy into the worldwide spotlight. Nicola Arigliano now over 80 years old is still performing and wooing crowds with his dynamic sound; as an artist who ran away at the tender age of 11 to play music in Milan, one would expect that he’d continue to play music until he physically cannot anymore. Quartetto Cetra and Renato Carosone are two other 1950’s era artists who make the compilation a compelling listen. Giorgio Conte’s two songs are amusing as one “Gne Gne” pokes fun at a movie star that he dated who never talked about anything of meaning while “Cannelloni” teases another woman about always being on a diet and not being able to enjoy delicious Italian pasta. The album whisks me away to my past memories of my honeymoon in Rome and makes me yearn for its cozy streets and beautiful cafes.

- J-Sin