Quartetto Cetra
| Company type | Vocal ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1941 |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Rome , Italy |
| Products | Jazz and swing vocal music |
- ) was an Italian jazz vocal ensemble established in the early 1940s, remaining active until 1988.
Career
Drawing inspiration from the Mills Brothers, the group originally formed as Quartetto Egie, a name derived from the initials of its founding members: Enrico Gentile, Giovanni Giacobetti, Iacopo Jacomelli, and Enrico De Angelis.[1] Their repertoire included American standards such as "Tiger Rag" alongside original Italian compositions and scat singing. Their first public appearance occurred on 27 May 1940 at Rome's Teatro Valle, where they performed "Bambina dall'abito blu." Following personnel changes—with Virgilio Savona replacing Jacomelli and Felice Chiusano taking Gentile's place—the group adopted the name Quartetto Cetra in 1941 and gained recognition through the radio program Riepilogando.
In October 1947, Enrico De Angelis departed to fulfill military service and was succeeded by Lucia Mannucci, Savona’s spouse, solidifying a lineup that endured for approximately forty years. Their inaugural performance as this ensemble featured the song "Dove siete stata nella notte del 3 giugno?" In 1948, they provided vocal dubbing for the Italian edition of Disney’s Dumbo, receiving commendation from Walt Disney himself. This led to further dubbing projects for films such as Make Mine Music, Melody Time, and The Wizard of Oz tailored for Italian audiences.
Quartetto Cetra made their theatrical debut in 1951, starring in Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini's musical comedy Gran Baldoria at Milan’s Teatro Nuovo, initiating numerous collaborations in musical theater. They shared the stage with notable Italian performers including Wanda Osiris and Alberto Sordi. Throughout the 1950s, drummer Rodolfo Bonetto frequently contributed to their recordings prior to gaining prominence as a leading industrial designer in post-war Italy.[2][3]
With the advent of Italian television in 1954, Quartetto Cetra appeared on the show In quattro si viaggia meglio. They had previously been featured on British television’s Café Continental in 1948. Over time, their television presence expanded to include various programs, featuring parodic adaptations of classic literature such as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers.
Their initial musical approach echoed the Mills Brothers’ style, emphasizing jazz and swing vocal harmonies with collaborations involving artists like Franco Cerri and Gorni Kramer. As their style evolved toward memorable melodies combined with witty lyrics and refined arrangements, their commercial appeal grew, enabling them to establish a strong foothold across radio, stage performances, and television. Their extensive catalog encompasses more than a thousand songs, predominantly penned by Giacobetti and Savona. Among their celebrated pieces are "Il Visconte di Castelfombrone," "In un palco della Scala," "Un disco dei Platters," "'Nella vecchia fattoria" (the Italian adaptation of Old MacDonald Had a Farm), "Vecchia America," "Che centrattacco" (a tribute to footballer Virgilio Levratto), "Un bacio a mezzanotte," and "I ricordi della sera." The track "Crapa Pelada (Testa Pelata)" was featured in the concluding episode of season three of the American television series Breaking Bad. Quartetto Cetra’s final live appearance occurred on 1 July 1988 in Bologna, Italy.
Members
- Felice Chiusano (†1990) – vocals, drums (1941–1988)
- Tata Giacobetti (†1988) – vocals, double bass (1941–1988)
- Lucia Mannucci (†2012) – vocals (1947–1988)
- Virgilio Savona (†2009) – vocals, piano (1941–1988)
- Enrico De Angelis (†2018) – vocals (1941–1947)
Discography
- 1955 – I successi internazionali del Quartetto Cetra (Cetra, LPA 16)
- 1955 – Lettere dal Sud America (Cetra, LPA 40)
- 1956 – Le canzoni del festival di Sanremo 1956 viste dal Quartetto Cetra (Cetra, LPA 58)
- 1957 – Le canzoni del festival di Sanremo 1957 viste dal Quartetto Cetra (Cetra, LPA 99)
- 1957 – Hot Club per otto (Cetra, LPA 107)
- 1961 – Il Quartetto Cetra alla TV (Dischi Ricordi, MRL 6011)
- 1962 – Quartetto Cetra (Dischi Ricordi, MRL 6014)
- 1962 – Le favole del Juke-Box (Dischi Ricordi, MRL 6024)
- 1967 – Ieri oggi (CBS, 62995)
- 1968 – Non cantare, spara (CBS, 63325)
- 1971 – Un LP per te (Carosello Records, CLN 25014)
- 2006 – Il quartetto Cetra (Twilight Music, TWI CD AS 06 28)
- 2009 – Tutto Cetra – Un bacio a mezzanotte (Rhino Records, 5051865-6726-5-4)
Bibliography
- Virgilio Savona, Gli indimenticabili Cetra, Sperling & Kupfer, Milan, 1992
- Matteo Ceschi, Singing What We Were to Know What We Are: The Quartetto Cetra and National History in Italian TV Entertainment, conference paper, London, 2009