UPDATE August 2002
New releases from Mr Conte include the Jet Sounds Revisited remixes double 10", due out on cd October 2002 (thru ESL Music, Thievery Corps label), a remix by Conte of Montefiori Cocktails tune 'Sophisticata', and a tasty bossa-meets-drum'n'bass offering called 'Maria Moite', pairing Conte with singer Rosalia de Souza (her album is on the way too). Niceness.


Bio adapted from http://www.eslmusic.com

Over the last decade the Fez introduced a new model for modern sounds out of Italy.

A retro aesthetic restyled for the contemporary. The visual and musical references of the Italian productions from the 60's and 70's were transformed for the first time with a sophisticated, almost intellectual approach. The Fez collective from Bari, Italy has gained worldwide recognition for their music and concepts, yet the mind behind it all was that of Nicola Conte. Classically trained, Nicola first became involved in the international new jazz scene as a DJ and record producer. He assembled and designed a sound for the Paolo Achenza Trio, Quintetto X, Fez Combo, Intensive Jazz Sextet, Balanco and many more. Nicola named and gave an identity to the Schema label, possibly the highest profile label in Italy.

Fez was the first to bring bossa nova back into the public eye in Italy and the first to combine jazz elements with club culture. Fez also created some of the slickest artwork around, all of which helped to build the strong image of the bands and DJs on the label.

Sometimes regarded as an exclusive set the Fez movement is once again getting into an experimental stage. The Italian retro sounds from jazz to soundtracks are reconstructed to a new perspective. Nicola Conte is not only A&R for Schema Records, he is a recording artist as well.

His first single "Bossa Per Due" gained international recognition ,and has been used for an Acura commercial in the USA and has been included on a host of lounge compilations worldwide. His remix of Yoshinori Sunhihara for Bungalow is considered to be among the best remix tracks on the scene.

A few remixes are in the works from Thievery Corporation and Kyoto Jazz Massive. The "Jet Sounds" album is announced for early September 2000 (in Italy) and it has been licensed to ESL for he USA (and NZ thru Border Music). It will be released early 2001, under the title Bossa Per Due. At the present time, Nicola is remixing a Mo'Horizon tune for Stereodeluxe.






Here's what Dustygroove.com says about Conte's Bossa Per Due album...
"Essentially the US release of Nicola Conte's Jet Sounds LP on Schema -- with a few different tracks, but mostly the same lineup.
Conte's a genius, and the album's a breathtaking mix of 60s bossa, soundtrack, and easy themes -- put together with never a dull moment, and always a focus on the kind of mid and uptempo grooves that have been pushing the Italian and German scenes for the last 5 years.
The record features tracks from a few of Nicola's 12" singles, plus a wealth of excellent new material that really expands his groove wonderfully -- with a totally real, totally honest sound that pushes past the gazillion retro remix throwaway albums that you'll find stuffing the listening stations at the megastores! Tracks include "Fucco Fatuo", "Il Cerchio Rosso", "Dossier Omega", "Arabesque", "Mambo De Los Dandies", "Jazz Pour Dadine", and "The In Samba".