Nicola Conte
"Other Directions" live Cisternino (Brindisi) 14 Agosto 2004

In the not very large but welcoming clock square of Cisternino (Brindisi), there are more people than during the patronal feast. This alone gives an idea of the ever-growing fame that Nicola Conte is achieving. To be honest, it must also be said that on this evening, he was "playing at home" for the grand finale of the "nu-mood festival" (which he directed in past editions), but you can bet that the result would not have been different elsewhere.

Therefore, he couldn’t disappoint the expectations of the numerous listeners (among whom there was a strong presence of tourists) who were, consequently, educated by him to these new sounds.
Almost no one, therefore, was unprepared for the nu-jazz sounds of which he is now a beacon not only in Italy. More or less everyone knew his track (Love me 'till Sunday), which was the soundtrack to a famous commercial with Sean Connery. More or less everyone remembered the captivating, never boring rhythms of the remixes of his "jet sounds" by people like Thievery Corporation, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Koop, Nu Spirit Helsinki. More or less everyone was aware that for his new album "Other Directions" (coming out in September), he secured a contract with the renowned Blue Note of New York.

Thus, the sounds of the new tracks begin to flow, preceded by the introductory comments of the composer-DJ. The atmosphere, as Nicola himself informs us, is one that could be experienced between the 50s and 60s when jazz was reinterpreted in a pop key, the more melodic trend making it immediately assimilable, rendering it pleasant, never boring.
Emotions alternate with more rhythmic phases (Nefertiti) and more reflective, almost melancholy moments (Sea and Sand), not lacking improvisations by the impeccable musicians surrounding Nicola Conte (among whom is Fabrizio Bosso, a fine trumpeter already at the court of Sergio Cammariere).
Two covers are also part of the "new directions," among which is a piece written by Krzyszstof Komeda who composed music for Roman Polansky films, revisited in a bossanova key.

To close the evening, not before two "bonus tracks" loudly requested by the audience, Nicola chose the single extracted from the new album. More or less everyone already remembered the pressing, almost dance-tinged drive of "Kind Of Sunshine." At one point, a lady asks me who Nicola is among the eight people on stage... already... more or less everyone knew him...