From the moment he emerged on the international stage with his 1973 debut album “Crazy Life,” Gino Vannelli has been an iconoclast and an innovator, -a risk taker with his own unique, defined musical direction and a commitment to his truthful artistic vision. But it was his 1978 breakthrough commercial triumph, the platinum-selling “Brother to Brother,” featuring the #1 pop hit, “I Just Wanna Stop,” that established Vannelli’s musical superstardom and enduring musical legacy.
With the release of CANTO (July 1, Victor), Vannelli takes another turn in his remarkable career and creates an unexpected, rich and gorgeous fusion of musical depth and mastery, passion, heart and soul. CANTO is a grand sweep of -lush, symphonic and contemporary music, spanning and combining musical styles as diverse as pop, classical, Celtic and flamenco. In composing this CD, Vannelli let go of his own preconceptions and let the music take him in new directions, which eventually led him to sing not only in English, but also in Italian, French and Spanish. The material, he says, opened up his vocal range and allowed him to explore and express new lyrical, emotional and spiritual territory.
