For the first time in his career, Checco Zalone steps away from acting and emerges as a pure musician to accompany the voice of Francesco De Gregori on the piano in a surprising album: “Pastiche,” releasing on April 12.
The tracklist is full of surprises starting with “Right or Wrong,” the unreleased single that precedes the album's release.
The tracklist, 15 tracks for a double album, is a generous foray into the best of Italian music, where De Gregori's songs alternate with those of authors like Paolo Conte, Pino Daniele, Antonello Venditti, and Zalone himself: 1. Right or Wrong by De Gregori – Zalone – De Gregori 2. Pieces of Glass by Francesco De Gregori 3. Sunday Painters by Paolo Conte 4. Rimmel by Francesco De Gregori 5. If Only It Were True by Pino Daniele 6. Atlantis by Francesco De Gregori 7. The Story of Pinocchio by Nino Manfredi 8. The First Republic by Checco Zalone 9. Things of Life by Antonello Venditti 10. False Movement by Francesco De Gregori 11. Alejandro by Checco Zalone 12. Sunday Painters (piano and voice) 13. Right or Wrong (with orchestra) 14. Goodnight Little Flower by Francesco De Gregori 15. Bye Bye by Francesco De Gregori The soul of the entire album, recorded live in various sessions between 2023 and 2024, is Checco Zalone's piano, which here proves to be an excellent and eclectic musician, capable of moving with ease and without mannerisms between blues, jazz, and classical music, thus restoring to De Gregori's singing its most lyrical and intimate dimension. The band of Francesco and other musicians from various backgrounds have contributed, along with the Italian Cinema Orchestra, to create a soft sound that envelops the entire album in an unexpectedly vintage atmosphere. Francesco De Gregori, who had already hosted Checco Zalone on the occasion of some concerts in the past, stated: «I have always been a fan of Checco the filmmaker, we have been friends for many years and I couldn't wait to have him by my side as a musician in this strange and beautiful adventure.»
On June 5, the two will perform in a unique concert together, "Voice and Piano (& band) at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. Tickets on presale from today, at 16:00 on TicketOne.