Celso Fonseca and Tony Canto revisit Jobim, Modugno

A double single with “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Voando)” arrives Jan 9, ahead of the “Jobim-Modugno” album on Jan 23.

A new project bridges Brazilian and Italian songwriting as Celso Fonseca and Tony Canto spotlight two defining composers: Antônio Carlos Jobim and Domenico Modugno, both key influences on the artists behind the recordings.

Recorded at Biscoito Fino’s studio in Rio de Janeiro, the album “Jobim-Modugno” brings together classics from the two catalogs, with tracks performed both together and separately. The approach moves between original arrangements and bilingual interpretations, conceived by Italian producer Max De Tomassi.

Before the full album, a double single reaches streaming platforms this Friday, January 9, pairing two signature songs: “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare)/Voando”.

On “The Girl from Ipanema”, the recording keeps Vinícius de Moraes’ original verses while also featuring the Italian version by Giorgio Calabrese. On “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare)/Voando”, the original lyrics blend with Rita Lee’s Portuguese adaptation.

The double single features a special appearance by the Camerata Jovem do Rio de Janeiro. The full album “Jobim-Modugno” is scheduled for January 23 via Biscoito Fino.

Tony Canto previously released two albums built on Brazilian-inspired harmonies and rhythms paired with distinctly Italian melodies. His most recent record, “Casa do Canto”, recorded in Rio, included a duet with Celso Fonseca on “Parlami d’amore Mariu’”, a 1932 classic of Italian music.

Celso, who wrote “Slow Motion Bossa Nova” with Ronaldo Bastos—an evident nod to Jobim’s bossa nova language—also has a long-standing connection to Italian repertoire. He has recorded a Brazilian-style reading of “La piu’ bella del mondo”.

Jobim (born 1927) and Modugno (born 1928) were born one year apart, both in January, and both died in 1994. Their legacies still span generations, now reimagined through the partnership of Celso Fonseca and Tony Canto.