There are few equivalents to Paolo Conte's body of work in English-language pop. The Italian songwriter may be closer to the chanson tradition of Jacques Brel or the grumpy balladry of Leonard Cohen, but his musical world is different, an arthouse movie soundtrack imbued with self-mocking humour and nostalgia for an imagined past.
Each song suggests a fragment of a screenplay: an encounter, a missed opportunity, tall stories told through a haze of alcohol and smoke. Though the concert programme helpfully includes English translations, Conte's orchestrations illuminate each scenario like a master cinematographer.
The craggy, 60-something Conte sits at the piano and sings, accompanied by a septet of superb multi-instrumentalists with the expressive faces of Caravaggio extras. A clever lighting programme picks out individual soloists, helping us to follow the scores.
With a large palette of instruments, including bandoneon, marimba, synthesizer and many woodwinds (his bassoon-player doubles on oboe, drums and percussion), Conte conjures up circus bands, seaside dancehalls and spaghetti westerns - shades of Nino Rota and Ennio Morricone.
Conte's best known song, the breezy Via Con Me ("Come Away With Me"), a provincial dreamer's song of escape, prompts warm recognition from the near-capacity crowd. He sings several numbers from his latest album, Elegia, including the hustling Sandwich Man ("Cinema poster walking through the city ... laden with images") and Molto Lontano ("Far, Far Away").
All the songs feature prominent instrumental melodies - a smart move given Conte's limited vocal range. Bamboola has an affecting melody for Massimo Pitzianti's baritone sax, while Chissa has a Satie-like piano part. A new arrangement of Max, another Conte favourite, moves its haunting theme around the soloists over a minimalist pulse.
This is a courteous, accomplished and grown-up music of the highest quality, without the slightest hint of rock'n'roll. The whole performance feels like a generous gift to the audience, who jump to their feet in gratitude and admiration. On record, Conte's music is enigmatic, an acquired taste. Heard live, it's a revelation.
