A Night in Italy might really have been more accurately titled One Night 40 Years Ago in Italy. The most recent track is from 1973, and most are from the 1950s and 1960s. On the relatively sedate and charming "'A Tazza 'e Caffe" (1956),
Nicola Arigliano comes across something like an Italian fadisto with a mandolin;
Ferruccio Tagliavini's "Non Ti Scordar di Me" features a gorgeous accompaniment conducted (and, one suspects, arranged) by the genius
Ennio Morricone; and there's simply no arguing with the charms of
Domenico Modugno's "Volare." But low points include
Vittorio de Sica's unforgivably moist "Munasterio 'e Santa Chiara" and
Nini Rosso's rather creepy "La Ballata della Tromba."
Sophia Loren does acquit herself quite nicely on "Che M'e 'Mparato a Ffa," though. This disc might make for some good, ironic fun at a hipster party. ~ Rick Anderson