VA - Ciao Bella! - Italian Girl Singers of the 60's - import

Various Artists
Ciao Bella! - Italian Girl Singers of the 60's
Ace International HIQLP 025 - import LP 

Connoisseurs of 1960s girl-pop have been well served in the CD era, particularly those with a preference for American or British singers. Good music, of course, is not exclusive to the English-speaking world, and collections devoted to the female vocalists of France, Japan, Spain and Germany are also available, but to the best of my knowledge their Italian counterparts have not been anthologised. If “Ciao Bella!”, released as a 24-track CD and a 12-track 180g white vinyl LP in gatefold sleeve, is the first of its kind, let’s hope it’s not the last.
In a country known for its song festivals, most notably the prestigious event held annually in Sanremo, lushly orchestrated ballads have always been especially popular, and a few exceptional examples are featured here. We open, however, with a selection of uptempo titles.
The album begins with Brunetta’s prized dancefloor-filler ‘Baluba Shake’. Star of the show is the prolific Mina, queen bee of Italy’s female singers, with two tracks, including ‘No’, a jangly folk rock nugget, and ‘Se Telefonando’, a sophisto-pop opus courtesy of maestro Ennio Morricone.
Other highlights include the sitar-embellished ‘Il Mio Posto Qual’è’ by Ornella Vanoni, a convincing cover of ‘Baby Please Don’t Go’ by beat girl Caterina Caselli,  and breathy-voiced actress Catherine Spaak’s bossa-flavoured ‘La Notte È Fatta Per Rubare’. -- Mick Patrick

      Includes:
Baluba Shake - Brunette e i suoi Balubas 
No - Mina 
Il Mio Posto Qual'e - Ornella Vanoni 
Sono Qui Con Voi - Caterina Caselli con Gli Amici 
Un Amore Inutile - Isabella Inannetti 
La Notte E Garra Per Rubare - Catehine Spaak 
Il Geghege - Rita Pavone 
Questa Sinfonia - Carmen Villani 
Ragazzo Triste - Patty Pravo 
Non E Mai Tardi - Rita Monica 
Se Telefonando - Mina 
Pa Diglielo A Ma - Nada 

NEW SEALED import LP in a gatefold jacket