Nicola Arigliano

Nicola Arigliano
Born(1923-12-06)6 December 1923
Squinzano, Province of Lecce
Died30 March 2010(2010-03-30) (aged 86)
Calimera, Province of Lecce
OccupationSinger

Nicola Arigliano (6 December 1923 – 30 March 2010) was an Italian jazz singer, musician, and occasional actor. Born in Squinzano, Province of Lecce, at young age he ran away from home because of the humiliations received even by family members due to his stuttering and moved to Turin, where he was hosted by fellow immigrants.[1] He later moved to Milan and later to Rome, where he held several jobs.[2]

After studying music theory, learning to play the saxophone and singing as an amateur in several orchestras, Arigliano became first known in 1952 thanks to the participation at the Newport Jazz Festival (at the suggestion of Marshall Brown), which back in Italy got him several television appearances and which gave the way to his professional career.[2] After some 78 rpm released in 1956 for RCA, in 1958 he took part at Canzonissima,[2] and in 1960 he got his first hit with the song "I Sing Ammore", which reached the ninth place on the Italian hit parade.[3] In 1961 he got his major success with the song "Sentimentale", which peaked on first place at the hit parade,[3] while in 1964 he entered the main competition at the Sanremo Music Festival with the song "20 Km Al Giorno".[4]

His song Permettete signorina also knows a version in English by Nat King Cole: Cappuccina. In 1968, Arigliano moved to Magliano Sabina and significantly slowed his activities.[2] In 2005 he came back at the Sanremo Music Festival and won the Critics' Award with the song "Colpevole".[4] Arigliano sang in Italian and in English, sometimes playfully mixing the languages.

  1. ^ Amaduzzi, Marina (20 August 2003). "I miei 80 anni a ritmo di swing". La Repubblica. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d Redazione (9 December 2008). "Nicola Arigliano, la voce antica del jazz italiano". Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b Salvatori, Dario (1989). Storia dell'Hit Parade. Gramese. ISBN 8876054391.
  4. ^ a b Anselmi, Eddy (2009). Festival di Sanremo: almanacco illustrato della canzone italiana. Panini Comics. ISBN 978-8863462296.