Zucchero 'All The Best' album

The Verve Music Group announces the January 22, 2008, release of “All The Best”, a collection of hits from the multi-million-selling Italian singer-songwriter Zucchero. “All The Best” is an affectionate compilation of 15 tracks whose original releases span from 1986 to the present, including four new tracks recorded specifically for this release. Several tracks contain stellar guest performances from artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, Miles Davis, John Lee Hooker and Vanessa Carlton.

Perhaps no other recording artist in the world has recorded as many successful – and diverse – collaborations as the singer-songwriter from Emilia-Romagna. “All The Best” features Zucchero’s first such collaboration with jazz legend Miles Davis. In 1988, Davis came through Italy on a world tour and was very impressed when he heard Zucchero’s song Dune Mosse, which was a radio hit at that time. The obvious blues influences that Zucchero mixed unabashedly with romantic, Italian melodies appealed to Davis so much that he proposed that they record Dune Mosse together in New York. Ali D’oro, recorded in 2001, also features another great American musician, John Lee Hooker, in the last recording of his career.

In a recent interview Zucchero confided that he was proud of the close bonds he’s formed with English-speaking artists such as Eric Clapton, Bono, Ray Charles and Miles Davis. “It’s not easy,” he says, “for a continental European artist to get the respect from an English or American artist. I think it’s different for me because my music is a little bit different. I have a lot of influences coming from the blues, soul, gospel and Italian melodies. It’s a mixture of things they find interesting.”

Zucchero has also made lasting friendships at home. The ‘neighbor’, as Zucchero liked to call his fellow provincial from Emilio Romagna, Luciano Pavarotti, first recorded with him in 1992 resulting in the hit song Miserere. The pair worked together on annual charity events for over twenty years involving their many friends from the worlds of classical and pop music. “He left a great void in my life,” admits Zucchero. He dedicated his recent concert at Carnegie Hall to his long-time friend.

“All The Best” includes a 1995 version of Senza Una Donna, the song that brought Zucchero international fame when he recorded it with Paul Young in 1990. Additional tracks include Baila, Nel cosi’ blue, Bacco, Un kilo, Il volo, Diavolo and Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime, featuring Vanessa Carlton. New tracks include Wonderful Life, a cover of the 1980s hit by the British band Black, as well as I Won’t Let You Down, Amen, and You Are So Beautiful.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Zucchero continues to seek the recognition in the United States that he enjoys in the rest of the world. He admits that it’s difficult for a European artist to break into the American market but adds, “I think that the times are changing. Americans are more open to Italian music now. And we are trying to do our best.” Zucchero plans to woo Americans yet again with a US tour in fall 2008.

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Zucchero - All The Best