Jula de Palma: Jula in Jazz 1 &2 (1958-59) / Whisky e Dixie (1967) / Jula al Sistina (1970) / Jula Presenta (1974)

Jula de Palma, one of the best jazz singers coming from Italy, started to work in the early ‘50s as a singer in radio next to pianist, composer and showman Lelio Luttazzi. In the early of her career she preferred to sing french songs, but her powerful and sophisticated voice started to become famous thanks to her interpretations of many jazz classics like ‘I've Got You Under My Skin’, ‘One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)’ and ‘Blues in the Night’. In 1959 she sang in Festival di Sanremo and shocked the press and the audience because of her passionate performance of the song ‘Tua’, considered "too sexy". Due to this fact she didn't appear on the national television (RAI) for a few years, but the attention of the public on her grew incredibly. In 1970 she wonderfully performed in a concert at the famous Sistina Theatre in Rome, accompanied by a big band conducted by the great musician Gianni Ferrio, in which she faced with her refined vocal abilities many jazz standards (‘That Old Black Magic’, ‘I Won't Dance’ and ‘St. Louis Blues’), a bossa nova tune (‘Desafinado’) and a lot of great Italian songs, two of them made famous by Mina (‘Bugiardo e incosciente’ and ‘Non credere’). The recording of this successful performance was available on the long playing Jula al Sistina. This hit record would follow with a second one called Jula Presenta, in 1974. Both albums, together with Jula in Jazz (1958) and Jula in Jazz 2 (1959) on the Columbia label, and the delightful Whisky and Dixie - that Jula recorded in 1967 with The New Orleans Jazz Band conducted by Carlo Loffredo for the Cetra label - are now among the most precious and sought after collector's items. I have compiled here all five records in one single file for your listening pleasure. If you also want her fantastic 1959 EP containing her classic ‘Tua’, go HERE. In 1974, celebrating the 25th anniversary of her career and after many years of success, she retired from music and moved with her family to Canada. Jula de Palma was the only Italian singer who was on the same level with the great American and French entertainers of her time, singing the same songs in the same languages, but always being an original. Her modernization of the Italian song paved the way for a new generation of Italian singers after her to be accepted internationally, and she is recognized by many for this achievement. I need to thank Sasha for letting me know this wonderful singer I had never heard about before. Of course, this post is dedicated to him! http://en.wikipedia.org/

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Jula de Palma performing her polemic big hit 'Tua', in 1968:

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