Search - Renzo Arbore :: Napoli Puento E a Capo 1

Bella Napoli!

Carol Ann De Albero | 01/31/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This isn't Jerry Vale or Connie Francis......this is the real Napoli! It's been forty-some years since I left Naples after a two year tour there and this CD brought the real Naples back with clarity. Luna Rossa alone is worth the price of the CD. Thank you Renzo Arbore, grazie! Ken Livingston"

THE REAL DEAL, UPDATED AND SLIGHTLY "TWISTED"

VINCENT P TARSITANO | PORT ORANGE, FL USA | 06/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Neapolitan music has a long and rich tradition within Italy, for most Italians, and perhaps, especially, expatriots. Something about living in the shadow of Vesuvius that helps create emotive singers and such wonderful songs. That's what you're starting with here!



And, as a big bonus, you have the wonderful, special musical sense and direction of the great bandleader, Renzo Arbore. An extra big bonus is the fact that Mr. Arbore has assembled real musicians and singers, quite a large and significant group, at that. This collection was not made "on the cheap," as many other recent sets of Neapolitan music. [The GOLD OF NAPLES series comes to mind here. And while that series has its merits, it does feature mostly synthesized instruments, which doesn't completely do justice to Neapolitan music.] Here, you're getting the fully-loaded treatment. An extra, extra bonus is getting a fresh [and refreshing] twist with each of the songs...a twist which shows obvious reverence for the songs, but that updates tempos and textures, with absolutely delightful, and in some cases, stunning results.



CAUTION: You may want to chuck your other Neapolitan music after one listen to this fantastic set. AND, as another reviewer noted, this is not Italian-Americans mangling the language. [No disrespect intended to Connie Francis, who mostly did a good job on her Italian!]



HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION FOR FANS OF NEAPOLITAN MUSIC, LOVERS OF ROMANTIC ITALIAN TUNES (though this collection is so much more than that), AND LOVERS OF GREAT MUSICIANSHIP AND MELODY."