Teddy Reno & the pre-history of Italian music invasion

Teddy Reno née Ferruccio Ricordi (born on 11 July 1926, in Trieste) was a fairly successful singer starting his career just after the end of WWII and being in the mainstream from 1948 to 1961. 

Teddy visited South America many-a time. He first performed at Teatro Nacional on Calle Corrientes, in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1950. According to his own words in his 2001 biography 'Teddy Reno, Ricordi' (Gremese Editore) he was mobbed by groups of girls in search of autographs and had a good time mixing up with the Italian expat society which was huge at that time. Argentina was living a dream with Domingo Perón as the President and his wife Evita Perón playing the role of a queen.

Mr Ricordi was back in Buenos Aires two years later, in 1952, having sung at newly-opened Tele Belgrano.

Four years later, in 1956, Teddy Reno was back in Buenos Aires and this time he took the time to stop over in São Paulo, Brazil where he performed at Boite Lord for a fortnight, sang at a TV station  and ended up recording a 78 rpm single 'Tarde fria' (Poly-Henrique Lobo), in Portuguese for independent label RGE which has since become a classic. 

3rd September 1960, Saturday - Teddy Reno at his last evening recital at Teatro Record at 9:30 pm.

1st September 1960 - Teddy Reno had 3 recitals at Teatro Record in São Paulo: he started on Thursday night (1st), had Friday off, then was back on Saturday, 3rd and a farewell concert on Sunday evening at 7:30 pm. 

4 September 1960 - OESP had a little note about the Italian crooner on its Sunday paper.  

14 November 1956 - Teddy Reno sings at the night club of Lord Hotel, on Avenida Duque de Caxias in downtown São Paulo. 

28 October 1956 - Norte-American journalist Mary Wynne prints a note about Teddy Reno's trip to São Paulo at her column at daily 'O Estado de S.Paulo'. Ms Wynne says Mr Reno was considered the 'greatest male singer in Europe' by none else than Elza Maxwell the doyenne of US social columnists. 

16 November 1956 - Mary Wynne tells all about Teddy Reno opening night at Boite Lord whose proceeds were reverted to the benefit of 'exiled children' a charity championed by Mrs Vitu Giorgi. Ms Wynne remarks the similitaries of the Italian crooner with Frank Sinatra of some 10 years past. 

29 November 1956 - Last days of Teddy Reno stint at Boite Lord, on Avenida Duque de Caxias.

29 November 1956 - On Monday, 26 November 1956, Boite Lord throws a cocktail party as a 'Thank you' note for Teddy Reno's successful stint at that night club. J.Walter Thompson who was the sponsor of Mr Reno's TV appearances chipped in. 

29 November 1956 - Mary Wynne mentions Teddy Reno, probably for the last time, since he was schedule to fly over to Rome soon.

2nd December 1956 - Ms Wynne in her rounds of São Paulo night-clubs entered Boite Lord a little too late on Thursday, 29 November 1956. Teddy Reno had already finished his performance and mingled with patrons and fans. Mary says Teddy made a lot of friends in São Paulo. There were a few couples dancing to the sound of Rubens Rodrigues' Hammond organ when all of a sudden Lana Bittencourt accepted an invitation to sing 'Stormy weather' the way Lena Horn does...

'Tarde fria' (Poly-Henrique Lobo) b/w 'Soy un extraño' (Gonzalo Curiel) were both recorded and pressed in São Paulo's RGE. 

'Uma voz, uma canção e Teddy Reno' (A voice, a song and Teddy Reno) a 10" album released by RGE by the time Mr Reno was touring Brazil. The liner notes tell wonders about this very popular Italian crooner who speaks French, English, Spanish and German fluently and has recorded for Philips in Paris, Polydor Deutsche Gramophone Gesellschaft in Hamburg, C.G.D. in Milano and R.G.E. in Brazil. 

1950s & 1960s Imported Italian magazines

Elizabeth Taylor at Oggi, 16 March 1961; Mina, 2nd February 1961.

Sophia Loren in Oggi, 28 September 1961; Mina Mazzini, 1963.

Claudia Cardinale in 'Il Musichiere', 15 Aprile 1961. 

Claudia Cardinale at Oggi, 7 February 1963; Cardinale at Sorrisi e Canzoni, 3rd April 1966.

Cardinale in 'Epoca', 17 Febbraio 1963; Rita Pavone & Peggy March in 'Oggi' 30 Jan 1964.

Philips Italiana nel Brasile

Philips is not the kind of label one usually would link to Italian hits. In 1967, when the Italian Invasion was on the wane, Brazilian Philips released a Fausto Leali single that would conquer the hearts of many people: 'A chi', a cover of 'Hurt' that Timi Yuro took to #4 on 31 July 1961. This single would play day and night at our record player. 

'Hurt' is a 1954 song by Jimmie Crane & Al Jacobs. It was originally recorded by Roy Hamilton, peaking at #8 on the R&B charts spending 7 weeks on it. 

MILVA in Brasile

Talking to a friend of mine who's very partial about Milva, I told him Milva had been in Brazil twice in the 1960s. As I could not pinpoint the actual date I started on a quest to discover when Milva actually visited Brazil.

Milva actually missed the 'Italian invasion' of Brazil (1963-1967) altogether. In fact, Celly Campello, Brazilian queen of rock from 1959-1962, covered Milva's 'Flamenco rock' in 1962, as her last single before she got married and retired from the limelight. Celly's recording played a lot on the radio but Milva's original was never heard.

'Nessuno di voi' (Gorni Kramer-Pallavicini) was the first time I heard Milva. It was a track in a compilation album recorded live at the Festival di San Remo in 1966. 'San Remo '66' was produced by Brazilian DJ Miguel Vacccaro Netto using tapes of Radio Montecarlo which broadcast the event live. 

'Flamenco rock' (Malgoni-Carlaggi) becomes ' Flamengo rock' (Malgoni-Romeu Nunes) 

recorded 'live' straight from San Remo's Casino Auditorium.

original Cetra single.

I researched 'Intervalo' magazine for an answer and got it.

'Intervalo' n.221 says Milva would visit Brazil in April or May 1967.

six weeks later 'Intervalo' n.227 claims Milva had been signed by TV Tupi to perform in Sao Paulo, Rio, Brasilia and Porto Alegre. 

'Intervalo' n.229 says Milva received a lot of money for her Brazilian tour; a 2nd note says Juca Chaves was Milva's constant partner while she stayed in Sao Paulo.

'Intervalo' n.230 actually shows photos of Milva while she visited the weekly magazine offices in May 1967.

These were the most popular TV programmes in Rio de Janeiro in the week Milva toured the country; 'Intervalo' n.230. As one can see Channel 4, TV Globo was already the top TV station in Rio. Channel 13 was TV Rio came as the runner-up. 

Milva in the pages of 'Melodias' during her May 1967 visit; Milva met with Enza Flori and orchestra conductor Spósito both signed to Chantecler which distributed Ricordi in Brazil.

Milva was born Maria Ilva Biocalti in Goro, Italy on 17 July 1938, having enjoyed the height of her fame throughout the '60s and ’70s, also cultivating a fan base around the world. Famously referred to as “La Rossa” (the Redhead), given the colour of her hair, she recorded 173 albums throughout her life.

Milva died on 23rd April 2021, at home in Milano after a somewhat long illness. 

Brazilian movie star Norma Benguel holds a copy of Milva's album at her home in Rome in 1963. La Benguel was impressed with Milva's style of singing and it shows in her smiling face...

NICO FIDENCO

Looking back at the chart action of Italian acts in Brazil during the so-called 'Italian invasion' (1963-1967) one can clearly see that Rita Pavone was the #1 act followed by Sergio Endrigo, Bobby Solo. Pino Donaggio and Nico Fidenco.

Nico Fidenco was actually the first act to break through the Brazilian charts with 'Legata a un granello di sabbia' in 1963.

Fidenco's first 2 albums sold a lot of copies and he had quite a few hits with 'Tutta la gente' (1963), 'Se mi perderai' (1964), 'Con te sulla spiaggia' (1964) and finally 'A casa d'Irene' in 1965.

by May 1965, the Italian wave was abating but Nico Fidenco went up the charts with 'A casa d'Irene' which tells the story of a mysterious brothel in a world resembling 'Blade runner'...

Nico Fidenco née Domenico Collarossi on 24 January 1933, in Rome. He made the grade circa 1961, when 'Legata a un granello di sabbia' went to #1 in Italy and crossed over to the European continent as well as Latin America. 

1960 - What a Sky / Su nel cielo (RCA Serie Europa – PM45 1109)

1961 - Non è vero / Una voce d'angelo (RCA Serie Europa – PM45 1127)

1961 - Il mondo di Suzie Wong / Tornerai... Suzie (RCA Serie Europa – PM45 1144)

1961 - Legata a un granello di sabbia / Ridi, ridi (RCA Serie Europa – PM45 1166)

1962 - Tutta la gente / Lejos me voy (RCA Serie Europa – PM45 3133)

1963 - Una donna nel mondo / Perché non piango più (RCA Italiana – PM45 3167)

1963 - Tutta la gente / Mondo meraviglioso (RCA Serie Europa – PM45 3169)

1963 - Se mi perderai / Goccia di mare (RCA Italiana – PM45 3199)

1963 - Cleopatra / Non mi chiedi mai (RCA Italiana – PM45 3222)

1963 - Hud / Ciò che rimane alla fine di un amore (RCA Italiana – PM45 3224)

1964 - Con te sulla spiaggia / Mi devi credere (RCA Italiana – PM45 3255)

1964 - A casa d'Irene / Ma dai (RCA Italiana – PM45 3299)

1965 - L'uomo che non sapeva amare / Tu non sei l'altra (RCA Italiana – PM45 3311)

Nico Fidenco visits Brazil for the 2nd time; sings at Teatro Record from 12 to 16 May 1965.