Continuing the retro aesthetic restyled for the contemporary, Nicola Conte (& friends) transform what was once old into something brand new. His latest release for ESL Music entitled Jet Sounds Revisited is a collection of reworks from Conte's ESL debut LP Bossa Per Due (ESL043).
Conte's musical career began in earnest after he graduated university and founded the Fez collective in Bari, Italy. For nearly a decade the Fez collective were the new modern sound coming out of Italy. The visual and musical references of the Italian films of the '60s and '70s were transformed with a sophisticated and intellectual approach that won the collective worldwide recognition.
Taking inspiration from the Fez, Conte began the work that would lead to his debut album. He was involved in the international new jazz scene as both a DJ and producer. He produced records for a variety of artists including the Paolo Achenza Trio, Quintetto X and Balanco among others. While quickly making a name for himself as a producer, Conte felt that he needed to define his own sound as well. He decided to join Schema Records in Italy, a label that continues to experiment with the retro sounds of jazz, bossa nova, and Brazilian music.
ESL Music released Bossa Per Due in June of 2001 to great critical fanfare. Conte scored an underground hit with the title track. The sultry velvety bossa appeared on an endless number of compilations and was used for the prime-time national television campaign for Acura automobiles. The album incorporated a wide range of styles from '60s jazz to bossa nova to Brazilian to psychedelic sitar themes. With updated arrangements and gentle use of electronics, the album sold over 10,000 copies in the US.
