Fausto Papetti born 28 January 1923

Fausto Papetti (28 January 1923 – 15 June 1999) was an Italian alto saxophone player. 

He was born at Viggiù in Lombardy. His career began in 1957 when, having been part of some jazz orchestras, began playing with the group “I Campioni” (The Champions), which at the time was accompanying on disk and in concert the singer Tony Dallara.

He left the group in 1959, signing a contract for the Durium as a session man, then playing in disks of various artists of that recording house. One day, however, the director of the big orchestra, of which he was part, did not want to record the B side of a single (45 rpm) record because the piece chosen, "Estate violenta" (Violent summer) from film Homonymous, had not a satisfactory arrangement. The producer, eager to finish, then decided to do without the orchestra and to convene immediately the rhythm section of the same formation, which consisted of four parts: bass, drums, guitar and sax.  

The young saxophonist to whom the song of the film was entrusted, was indeed Fausto Papetti who during the tests improvises a personal elaboration of the melody, which the rhythm section highlighted with perfect intuition. After the test Papetti claims to be ready to start but the registration had already been made, without the four boys knowing it, during the test itself. 

The single "Estate violenta" was published in 1960 under the name "Fausto Papetti Sax and rhythms", and had such a successful sale, exceeding that of the original soundtrack of the film, convinced Durium to let him record, in the same year, his first album, simply titled "Raccolta" (Collection). Starting with this disk, all his other ones will have the same title, changing only the numeration. Among the musicians accompanying him there was the famous drummer Pupo De Luca, who, in the years following, will play with Adriano Celentano and Enzo Jannacci. 

                      Here's "Intermezzo" from above album.

Papetti became well known for all the 1960s and 1970s, and all his new albums reached the top of the hit parade; he was also popular in the Latin American market. During the 70's Papetti also produced two collections a year, the best-selling being the 20th one, which was released in 1975. His recordings, sometimes under the pseudonym "Fausto Danieli", are also characterized for the sexy covers on which girls posed rather scantily clothed or nude. 

He became a founder of a genre, and in the 70s had many imitators, like Johnny Sax and Piergiorgio Farina. As well as his famed Collections, he recorded many other albums including "Old America", "Evergreen", "Bonjour France", "Made in Italy", "Rhythms of Latin America", "Cinema anni '60","Cinema anni '70". His performance of the song "Love's Theme" (originally by Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra) was featured on the break beat compilation "Ultimate Breaks and Beats".

In 1985, after 25 years, he left the Durium to go to CBS, which from 1988 onwards was acquired by Sony Music; since 1989 he recorded for the Fonit Cetra. Fausto continued working until his death in San Remo (Italy) on Jun.15th 1999, at the age of 76. He is buried in Ospedaletti, where he lived for over twenty-five years. (Info edited from various sources mainly www.keros.it)