June 8, 2021

SPY VIBE RADIO: NICOLA CONTE

Greetings, Spy Vibers! Faculty meetings are finally over and another school year finished. It was great to see all my film and photo students wrap up their projects and now we can all settle in for some much needed rest. I'll be working on the upcoming Spy Vibe book and, unfortunately, also navigating some health stuff. I'm grateful for the time! And before much more time passes, I want to make sure to alert Spy Vibers to my most recent segment on the Cocktail Nation radio show from Australia. Posted on May 30th, my contribution this time around was to introduce the swinging sounds of Italian producer, Nicola Conte. Conte's area is a cool intersection between jazz, dance, easy listening, and classic soundtracks. His breakout album was Jet Sounds (2000), released again in the States as Boss Per Due (2001) on the Thievery Corporation's Eighteenth Street Lounge (ES) label. Spy Vibers might have caught some of the tracks used in TV commercials at the time. I first discovered Conte while browsing at Tower Records and HMV in Shibuya (Tokyo), where they had the re-mix album, Jet Sounds Revisited (2002), available for preview at the listening stations. That whole era was an exciting resurgence of Lounge culture, with artists like Shag painting swanky Mid-Century scenes, and the likes of Combustible Edison, Pizzicato Five, Man or Astroman, Ursula 1000, Dimitri From Paris, and Nicola Conte, integrating vintage themes into their music. Berlin label Crippled Dick Hot Wax was releasing great soundtracks by Gert Wilden and the 3CD series of Italian soundtrack comps, Beat At Cinecittà. Capital Records was releasing their massive Ultra Lounge collection. And even regional bands like Reverbivores and Agency EL84 were performing spy tunes from 007 and The Man From UNCLE. It was also the era of Roman Coppola's CQ, a cinematic love letter to Barbarella and David Holzman's Diary featuring a host of fab 60s references! The CQ soundtrack was also on heavy rotation at the Tokyo record shops (maybe I'll do a segment on that film next!). The Nicola Conte track I played on Cocktail Nation was "Mission to Bombay," which featured samples from "Popcorn" by Luiz Henrique and Walter Wanderley (1967) and phrases from Armando Trovajoli’s soundtrack for the cool heist movie, The Seven Golden Men Strike Again (1966). You can listen on Cocktail Nation here. Enjoy! Selected related posts: Astroman, Lupin Ska, Ryan Heshka Interview, Bosko Hrnjak InterviewSV Radio: Phantom Agents, SV radio: Phantom Agents pt II, Shane Glines InterviewSV Radio: Lupin III, SV Radio: Danger Diabolik, SV Radio: Johnny Staccato, Tiki Oasis

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Men's Adventure QuarterlyBilly May FrenesiGary NumanSpy Vader SpyChris Barber LegacyPhantom RetrospectiveAstro-ManCheck in with Japanese book designsSpy Vibe Radio: BatmanJames Bond LexiconRay CathodeSpy Vibe Radio: Johnny StaccatoMatt Helm BluCold War AuctionAvengers Francavilla PrintsAvengers 60th EventIrma Vep BluAvengers Keel DesignRonnie Scott's DocThe Avengers 60th DesignNew YearArt of Pan BooksJohn Le Carre R.I.P.Sean Connery R.I.P.New 007 VinylBurke's Law SkaDieter Rams Complete2-Tone DocSpy Vibe Radio: Vendetta Part 2Diana Rigg R.I.P.Moog Micky DolenzBeetle Bailey 70thRSD Spies VinylIan Fleming TributeFellini Box SetSpy Vibe Radio: VendettaThe Saint Podcast BonusThe Saint PodcastBarber LotusDiana Rigg at 82Trad RootsMorricone R.I.P.Fleetway Spy DesignsJohn Steel CasebooksPaul at 78ITC Podcast: The PersuadersDazzle ShipsSpy Vibe Radio: RaumpatrouilleRemembering Richard SalaCrime & Spy Jazz booksSoviet Space GraphicsNuman is FABBruce Lee BluJohn Barry EventRSD Vinyl SpiesJames Bond's DB5UFO CD SetSpy Vibe radio: Phantom AgentsSteranko is Revolutionary!Interview: The Saint I Ain'tDiabolik InterviewNew 007 SongDiabolik FiguresDiabolik SoundsDiabolik Set DesignDiabolik Park RideDanger Diabolik BluCount Arthur StrongHoney West Title CardsBowie DayNew Year CosmonautsNeil Innes R.I.P.Claudine Auger R.I.P.OHMSS at 50Italian Job 50th OSTCharles Schulz ModernPaul DesmondPython 50thRandall Hopkirk 50thThunderbirds DayLazenby Returns to MI6Dr. John R.I.P.Spy Vibe Radio: Lupin IIILupin SkaSpy Vibe PrimeZigomar TranslationThe Village: Part 1Monkey Punch R.I.P.Bubble Girl 63ITC SoundtracksSpy Vibe Radio: Public EyeUFO PrimeSpaceship to MarsModesty Blaise CompanionSpy Vibe Radio: FantomasGeorge DayFantomas BluDark Shadows DocBedazzled Blu-rayMary Quant ExhibitLaika CalypsoLost in Space JapanSpy Dust CalypsoAtomic CafeJohn Barry MonoInterview: John Barry BookLand of the Giants ScoreSkyfall ConcertDearest EmmaSpy Vibe Radio: UppersevenOgilvy at ElstreeMabuse PropagandaBond Beatles DaySpy Vibe Radio: LiquidatorDiabolik LPFab DressesEurospy Music CollectionBeetle Bailey in West BerlinWhy Mort Walker?Spy Vibe radio: The Beatles Help!Avengers Critical GuideThe SpotnicksBenny SpiesJames Pond 0017'Satire StonesAnnette Andre BookCat DaySpy Vibe Radio: Get SmartCaine: My GenerationInterview: Ian OgilvyHorror of Party BeachSylvie Vartan RenownRingo At 78Dark Shadows StripsSpy Vibe Radio: FlintArchie Batman 66Paul at 76Beatles Pac-ManSpy Vibe Radio: Jerry CottonThe Invaders007 Horowitz Book TourMcGoohan/Prisoner Event at ElstreeThe Prisoner Interviews Vol 1British Underground PressInterview: Fab4 ManiaBond Cocktail BookBond at BletchleySpy SmasherSpy Vibe Radio: Peter GunnAgent Zero MNew Prisoner ComicDr. No Villains EditionSpy Vibe Radio: Danger DiabolikDr. No 60thOy-Oy-SevenSpy Vibe Radio (UFO)Cold War Comic StripsThunderball EventMission to IndiaMort Walker CelebrationPeter Wyngarde CelebrationBatman 66 ExhibitPrisoner Fifty EventIan Fleming Publications 2017-2018Interview: Ed Hulse PulpAvengers Audio DramaInterview: Callan At 50Interview: Playboys, Spies, Private EyesTWA ReturnsSpy Vibe Radio 8Interview: Ryan HeshkaMid-Century Modern SchulzAgent WerewolfJohnny Sokko 50thInterview: Trina RobbinsEddie IzzardThe Prisoner Capt Scarlet 50thHugh Hefner R.I.P.Jack Good R.I.P.Interview: Shaken Not StirredCallan 50thSpy Vibe Radio 7The Prisoner 50th EventSpy-Fi EventKaho Aso 007Two MillionBo DiddleyCarnaby PopLe Carre EventsBilly Bragg SkiffleElvis 68Jack Kirby The PrisonerCasino Royale ConcertReview: The Prisoner Vol 2Interview: The Prisoner Essential GuideMaud Russell MottisfontSpy Vibe Radio 4Batman GallantsAdam West R.I.P.Village TriangleRoger Moore R.I.P.Spy Vibe Radio 3Sgt Pepper 50thSatanik Kriminal OST60s OverdriveMake Love in LondonSpy Vibe Radio 2Spy Vibe Radio 1James Bond StripsPropaganda MabuseInterview: Police SurgeonXTC Avengers1966 Pep SpiesBatman Book InterviewExclusive Fleming InterviewAvengers Comic StripsRobert Vaughn RIPUNCLE FashionsThunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview: Spy Film GuideLost Avengers FoundThe Callan FileMission Impossible 50thGreen Hornet 50thStar Trek 50thPortmeirion Photography 1Filming the PrisonerGaiman McGinnins ProjectIan Fleming GraveRevolver at 50Karen Romanko InterviewMod Tales 2Umbrella Man: Patrick MacneeNew Beatles FilmThe Curious CameraEsterel Fashion 1966Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview007 Tribute CoversThe Phantom Avon novels returnIan Fleming FestivalArgoman DesignSylvia Anderson R.I.P.Ken Adam R.I.P.George Martin R.I.P.The New Avengers ComicsThe Phantom at 80007 MangaAvengerworld BookDiana Rigg Auto ShowThe Prisoner Audio Drama Review.