Biography
An appealing and emotive vocalist, Aldo Dona entered the Italian music scene in the early '40s. His initial output appeared exclusively on 78 rpm discs, though by the '50s and '60s he had moved to 45 rpm singles, among them the double-sided hit pairing "I Balli Sudamericai" with "La Danza Dello Scoiattolo." The Italian pop market has so far shown little urgency to restore his catalog on compact disc, yet observers expect this situation to change before long. A once-circulating anecdote captured his determination by claiming that, if necessary, Dona would have pressed records on panini, the common sandwich rolls of the day.
In his formative years the Cetra label shielded him from such improvisation by supplying its own ensemble, the Orchestra Cetra. The group was frequently led by the enigmatic B. Mojetta, himself the composer and performer of the lip-smacking instrumental "Clarinet Marmalade." With this orchestra Dona cut the track "La Danse Du Spirou," a title recorded well before any conceivable reference to Spiro Agnew could have been intended. In 1947, Dona and Cetra joined the worldwide rush to cover the original Cuban song "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas," known in English as "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps." Two rival Italian interpretations soon emerged: Dona’s version and a competing rendition by Wilhelme la Sua Orchestra Tipica issued on the Durium label.
In his formative years the Cetra label shielded him from such improvisation by supplying its own ensemble, the Orchestra Cetra. The group was frequently led by the enigmatic B. Mojetta, himself the composer and performer of the lip-smacking instrumental "Clarinet Marmalade." With this orchestra Dona cut the track "La Danse Du Spirou," a title recorded well before any conceivable reference to Spiro Agnew could have been intended. In 1947, Dona and Cetra joined the worldwide rush to cover the original Cuban song "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas," known in English as "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps." Two rival Italian interpretations soon emerged: Dona’s version and a competing rendition by Wilhelme la Sua Orchestra Tipica issued on the Durium label.
Albums