Giovanni Costello & SWR Big Band - True Italian Stories (2019)

His songs tell stories, mostly romantic, but always honest. With “lo dico di no”, he says “no” to the seductions of life, well – mostly. The song “Meglio Stasera” by Henry Mancini, which he wrote for the film “Pink Panther”, is a tribute to the 60s. With Eros Ramazotti’s hit “Se bastasse una canzone” he jumps into the 90s.

Paolos Conte’s “Via con me” should especially captivate the lovers of the Italian Cantautores, as dedicated and free as he performs this song. And with a wink he sings Fred Buscaglione’s “CheBambola”. He already sang the German version of the song together with Götz Alsmann on stage. Conversely, Costello translated the “Illusionen” of the great Udo Jürgens into Italian for “Non avessi te”.

Of course, his song “Roma” must not be missing. It is a subtly political and socio-critical, yet extremely loving tribute to this beautiful historical “eternal” city, thriving from its contrasts, its chaos and all temptations on the one hand and the relaxed Dolce Vita on the other. Of course, the Catholic Church plays a big role and furthermore, the city is shaped by the many politicians and their street convoys. In the general hustle and bustle one discovers again and again beautiful women who just wait to be discovered by a producer for the next Hollywood blockbuster.

For all this, Costello has chosen the big show: a cooperation with the SWR Big Band. He collaborated with the legendary German Jazz Orchestra for the first time in 2014 and the common wavelength was so obvious that this cooperation was deepened in 2016 and 2017.

The best of the joint live concerts is gathered on “True Italian Stories”, refined by such experienced arrangers as the Stuttgart native Ralf Hesse, Hamburg’s Markus Voigt or the Canadia.