Paolo Conte

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2011) 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 edit: Paolo Conte was born in Asti, Piedmont. His performing career began as a vibraphone player in local and touring bands (Saint Vincent Jazz Festival). He began songwriting with his brother 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 many 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 most preferred song.