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Ivano Fossati

About:

21 september 1951

Ivano Alberto Fossati was born in Genova, Italy. At a young age Fossati learns to play piano, guitar and flute. The sound of the Beatles make him interested in popular music. To complete his musical education he attends the conservatory where he already tries to make a connection between classical and beat music.

In 1971 he starts the group Sagittari, quickly renamed in Delirium. A band that focuses on the then popular Italian prog rock. With Delirium Fossati enters the San Remo festival in 1972 with the song Jesahel. This success leads to a cooperation with singer Oscar Prudente for his album 'Poco prima dell’ aurora'. One of the many artists that Fossati would write material for. In 1973 he releases his first solo album called 'Il grande mare che avremmo traversato'. This album is followed by 'Goodbye Indiana' and 'Il casa del serpente' of which the title song is made popular in a version by Mina. In the meantime Fossati works and writes for several Italian artists of which (among others) Renato Zero, Patty Pravo, Fiorella Mannoia, Gianni Morandi and Anna Oxa. But the most long lasting relationship is with the Berte sister Mia and Loredana. He also has success abroad when French singer Dalida records a version of the Berte single 'Dedicato' in 1980.

Personal success has to wait until his 1979 album 'La mia banda suono il rock'. The record send Ivano on an extensive tour through Italy. In the eighties he leaves his pop songs to be sung by Loredana Berte while he more and more focuses on his passion to gap the bridge between classical and rock. In 1990 he teams up with Fabrizio De André for the album 'Mégu megùn e a çimma'. The collaboration seems to please both singer songwriters since it is continued in 1996 for the album 'Anime salve'. Fossati also starts writing film and theatre scores. For instance for the film 'Il toro, a cavallo della tigre' by director Carlo Mazzacurati and with Nanni Moretti in 'Caos calmo' by Antonello Grimaldi. In 2006 his contract with Sony BMG ends and fossati moves to EMI Italiana.

In 2008 he releases the single 'L'amore trasparente', from the movie 'La canzone'. The song is also featured on a new album to be released later this year. For the album he works together with Luvi De André, son of Fabrizio. In 2011 he released the album 'Decadancing', on which he reflects on the declining state of society. He announces that it will be his last album and that he will retire after the following tour.

On the web:

- Ivano's website: http://www.ivanofossati.it
- Another Ivano website: http://www.ivanofossati.net

What do we think:

PR: Ivano Fossati is one hell of a 'cantautori'. A highly respected songwriter - a lot of Italian artists have coverd his songs (Vanoni, Loredana Berté, Alice, Mina) - and a great singer. He has tha specific Italian way of singing, that almost becomes a kind of talking. Fossati makes intelligent popmusic, with touches of folk, ethno and jazz. Even though you might not understand the Italian language, you will probably appreciate these great meldodies.

DB: I know Fossati almost completely from the songwriting he did for others. The songs he did for Bertè and Vanoni are superb. Turns out he made some good records himself. And quite diverse. Starting out in the true progrock tradition popular in the Italian underground in the seventies he delivered the best rock-meets-cantautori albums with Casa del Serpente and Mia banda suona il rock. In the eighties he slowly became a true cantautori, well produced but maybe to slick for some.

If you like this, you probably like.. / european counterparts:

Jacques Higelin (France)

Albums:

Dolce aqua (with Dilerium) - 1971

Il grande mare che avremmo traversato - 1973

Poco prima dell'aurora (with Oscar Prudente) - 1974

Good-Bye Indiana - 1975

♪♪♪♪ - La casa del serpente - 1977

♪♪♪♪♪ - La mia banda suona il rock - 1979

Panama e dintorni - 1981

Le città di frontiera - 1983

♪♪♪ - Ventilazione - 1984

♪♪♪♪ - 700 giorni - 1986

♪♪♪♪♪ - La pianta del tè - 1988

♪♪♪ - Discanto - 1990

Lindbergh - 1992

Il toro - colonna sonora - 1994

Macramè - 1996

♪♪♪♪ - La disciplina della Terra - 2000

Not One Word - 2001

♪♪♪♪ - Lampo viaggiatore - 2003

♪♪♪ - L'Arcangelo - 2006

♪♪♪♪ - Decadancing - 2011

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided