The Caterina Valente thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by shicorp, Jan 12, 2021.

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  1. shicorp

    shicorp Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austria
    I think a thread about this outstanding singer is well overdue on this forum. Caterina will celebrate her 90TH Birthday on the 14TH of this month.

    Caterina Valente started her recording (and movie career) in Germany in the early 1950s. The rise to international stardom came when she recorded an arrangement of Lecuona's "Malaguena" (created for her by Werner Müller) for Polydor. Decca picked up this very recording and distributed it in the US. The recording rocketed to the top tiers of the US charts despite its German language. Then called the "Malaguena girl", Caterina had guest appearances on many of the best-known US TV shows.

    Her second recording contract with Teldec improved the distribution of her records which by then included recordings in (among others) English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French. Many of these recordings (most of which have thankfully been anthologized by Bear Family) are now classics. Caterina remained a major recording artist (as well as movie and TV star) in Germany, covered hundreds of standards and had major influence on the South American music scene (recording with Edmundo Ros and her brother Silvio Francesco).

     
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  2. shicorp

    shicorp Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austria
    At the end an amazing live version of "Malaguena". There are even better ones, though.

     
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  3. SquaRoots

    SquaRoots The North Star Grassman

    Location:
    AM✫dam.nl
    Third post in and we already have a fab4 connection:

     
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  4. Someone In A Tree

    Someone In A Tree Crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples

    Location:
    Pennsylvania, USA


    When bossa nova was the rage. (A lot of patter before song starts at 1:15.)
     
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  5. speedracer

    speedracer Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cascadia
    New to me. Fantastic singer, thx! An explosion of talent.

    She started out in Germany, but was she native to Germany? Or the daughter of a foreigner - her accent sounds Italian?
     
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  6. Adam9

    Adam9 Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Caterina Valente sings The Kinks:

     
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  7. shicorp

    shicorp Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austria
    You're really in for a treat ;)

    Both of her parents had Italian roots, but she was born in France. She used to joke about that in her concerts. There's a brief clip about it on her webiste:

    Eraki Entertainment

    Some further examples of her versatility:

    Recording with Sy Oliver



    If you are into classical music, Caterina recorded an album which feature (abbreviated) versions of famous classical pieces - followed by a vocal "pop" version ("Classics With A Chaser"):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uejs0fUb7qU

    "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" with Edmundo Ros (on Decca Phase 4):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcP5M_SCW2U

    In Japanese:

    https://youtu.be/f0r8oRu6BHE

    Cole Porter in French (lyrcis by Charles Aznavour):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq2nEhhS3lk

    Finally, two of her most famous songs in German: "I Love Paris" in German

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjRV7bcL0MU

    and a duet with Austrian singer Peter Alexander (who started his career at about the same time as she):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06GQhFqc1oQ
     
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  8. shicorp

    shicorp Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austria
    She seemed to work in pretty every genre effortlessly (or at least it looked that way; it was hard work).
     
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  9. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    I first came across her when hearing The Breeze and I on the radio one morning about 20 years ago.

    Must have half a dozen cds of her recordings by now. Thanks for posting about her, it wouldn't have occurred to me to wonder if she was still alive :(
     
  10. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    Secret Love by Caterina Valente from the 1950s might still catch a few ears.

    Some nice finger popping too :)

     
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