Quick Facts
Biography
Paolo Conte (born January 6, 1937) is an Italian singer, pianist, composer, and lawyer notable for his grainy, resonant voice, his colourful and dreamy compositions (evocative of Italian and Mediterranean sounds, as well as of jazz music, South American atmospheres, and of French-language singers like Jacques Brel and Georges Brassens) and his wistful, sometimes melancholic lyrics.
Career
Paolo Conte was born in Asti, Piedmont. He graduated in Law at the University of Parma, he started working as an assistant in his father's study, deciding, simultaneously, to extend to a semi-professional level his musical studies. During the mid-fifties he learned to play the trombone, then the vibraphone.His performing career began as a vibraphone player in local jazz bands. He began songwriting with his brother, guitarist Giorgio Conte early on, and eventually began writing songs of his own. As a poet, painter and lawyer as well as a musician, he first earned attention during the late '60s and early '70s as the creative force behind hits from Adriano Celentano and Patty Pravo. Conte began his solo career with a 1974 self-titled LP, with subsequent efforts like 1987's Aguaplano and 1990's Parole D'Amore Scritte a Macchina enjoying considerable success throughout Europe. 1998's Paolo Conte, a greatest-hits collection, was his first U.S. release. His compilation album is titled The Best of Paolo Conte.
Some of his hits were used in movies, for example "Come Di" in I Am David (2003), and Mickey Blue Eyes (1999), "Via con me" in French Kiss (1995), Mostly Martha (2001), Welcome to Collinwood (2002), and the "Fritz" Coca-Cola commercial that was widely shown in US movie theaters in early 2006. As well as in No Reservations (2007), "Sparring Partner" in 5x2 (2004) (French humourist Pierre Desproges used both in his Chroniques de la haine ordinaire.)
In the movie "Carnage", directed by Roman Polanski, husband and wife -existing in reality- call each other "doodle", ("toutou" in French) as a reference to Via Con Me from Paolo Conte "tu tu tu", one of their favourite songs.
Discography
Studio albums
- Paolo Conte (1974)
- Paolo Conte (1975)
- Un gelato al limon (1979)
- Paris milonga (1981)
- Appunti di viaggio (1982)
- Paolo Conte (1984)
- Aguaplano (1987, double album - the Japanese and German release was issued as two separate CDs, the second titled Jimmy Ballando in 1989)
- Parole d'amore scritte a macchina (1990)
- '900 (1992)
- Una faccia in prestito (1995)
- Razmataz (2000)
- Elegia (2004)
- Psiche (2008)
- Nelson (2010)
- Snob (2014)
- Amazing Game (2016)
Live albums
- Concerti (1985, live)
- Paolo Conte Live (1988, live)
- Tournée (1993 live)
- Tournée 2 (1998 live double CD)
- Paolo Conte Live Arena di Verona (2005, live double CD)
Compilation albums
- Come Di (1986, French release, compilation)
- Collezione (1988)
- Boogie (1990, compilation 1974 - 1982)
- Wanda, stai seria con la faccia ma però (1992, compilation)
- The best of Paolo Conte (1996, compilation)
- Reveries (2003, compilation)
- Wonderful (2006, compilation)
- Gong-oh (2011, compilation)
- The Platinum Collection (2014, compilation)
Awards
Paolo Conte received many awards and recognitions from numerous nations. On 24 March 1999, Paolo Conte was awarded with the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, by President Giorgio Napolitano for his "outstanding cultural achievements". On 15 May 2001 France ordered Paolo Conte Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Has also received several honorary doctorates, among which that of the University of Macerata (1990).