Following World War II, the Italian public was ready for a more relaxed sound, including Jazz, swing and boogie-woogie. Merged with the Italian crooner tradition, the music marked Italy’s ‘La Dolce Vita’ in the 1950’s and 60’s. This captivating collection of a dozen classic and contemporary Italian songs will take you to the romantic cafes of Rome, Milan and Venice. Pick your choices from “Juke Box” (Fred Buscaglione), the bouncy “Un Bacio a Mezzanotte” (A Kiss at Midnight – Quartetto Cetra), the humor of “Cannelloni” (Giorgio Cente), the questioning “Che Cosse L’Amor” (What is Love? – Vinicio Capossela), and “Petali e Mirto” (Petals and Myrtle – Maria Pierantoni Giua). That’s just the half of it, as the Italian romance continues via “Gne Gne” (Blah Blah – Giorgio Conte), “Piccolissima Serenata” (A Very Short Serenade – Renato Carosone), the sexy “Dentro al Cinema” (In the Movies – Gianmaria Testa), the adoring “Le Cose in Comune” (The Things We Have in Common – Daniele Silvestri), and an instrumental version of Carosone’s 1956 worldwide hit “Tu Vuo’ Fa’ l’Americano” (You Want to Play the American) performed by the Austrian quartet Quadro Nuevo. Testa makes a second contribution with the soft-spoken “La Traiettorie della Mongolfiere” (The Trajectory of Hot-Air Balloons) and Nicola Arigliano finishes with “Carina.” Superb album!

-Bob Morello