Jula de Palma

Biografia di Jula de Palma
(English biography below...)
Jula de Palma , il cui nome completo è Iolanda de Palma (Milano 21 aprile 1932), è una cantante italiana di musica leggera, ma soprattutto una raffinata interprete jazz, con doti vocali e interpretative paragonabili alle grandi voci d’oltreoceano del periodo che abbraccia gli anni cinquanta, sessanta e settanta.
Scoperta da Teddy Reno e dal maestro Lelio Luttazzi, debutta in radio negli anni ’50 con un repertorio e uno stile assolutamente innovativi rispetto agli standard italiani dell’epoca: alla melodia e alle cesellature dei cantanti tradizionali, Jula contrappone la sua vocalità moderna e il suo senso dello swing, interpretando con gusto ed eleganza un repertorio fatto di canzoni francesi e americane.
Oltre a cantare con la famosa "orchestra d’archi ritmica" di Luttazzi, Jula de Palma è in svariate trasmissioni la voce solista del gruppo di Carlo Loffredo e dell’orchestra di Gorni Kramer.
Partecipa a molte edizioni del Festival di Sanremo tra il 1955 e il 1961 e incide numerosissimi brani musicali, tra cui ricordiamo alcune composizioni degli stessi Luttazzi e Kramer (Quando una ragazza a New Orleans, Souvenir d’Italie, Mia vecchia Broadway, Simpatica, Non so dir ti voglio bene), canzoni tratte da film (Que sera sera, A woman in love, Estate violenta), pezzi francesi (Domino, Majorlaine, Paris canaille), americani (Mister Paganini, All the way, That old black magic), napoletani (Anema e core, Vieneme ’nzuonno).
Molte anche le interpretazioni di canzoni in portoghese, spagnolo, e addirittura arabo.
La canzone che tuttavia rimane indissolubilmente legata al suo nome è Tua, eseguita in coppia con Tonina Torrielli al Festival di Sanremo 1959.
Grazie alla sua interpretazione memorabile, Tua verrà premiata dalle giurie (che le attribuiranno un meritatissimo quarto posto) e dal pubblico (che le decreterà un ottimo successo commerciale), ma verrà sommersa dalle polemiche, perché giudicata troppo sensuale dai funzionari RAI e da certa stampa bigotta. Secondo le critiche, la canzone lascia sottintendere un rapporto fisico tra un uomo e una donna e Jula la interpreta con eccessiva sensualità e realismo.
Bandita dalla Rai, la canzone dello scandalo venne difesa poi dall’Osservatore Romano e trasmessa dalla radio vaticana (stessa cosa succederà qualche anno dopo al cantautore Fabrizio De Andrè).
Senza tradire il suo stile musicale, Jula parteciperà ancora ad altre manifestazioni canore.
Tra queste ricordiamo diverse edizioni di Canzonissima, un Festival di Napoli, un Festival delle Rose.
Ospite fissa di molte trasmissioni radiofoniche e televisive, come l’acclamata "Buone vacanze" al fianco del Quartetto Cetra e di Jonny Dorelli.
A partire dalla seconda metà degli anni ’60 Jula dirada le sue apparizioni televisive, continuando ad incidere numerosi dischi dove si affina nello stile arrivando a momenti di grazia paragonabili solo ad interpretazioni di artiste americane, come nel brano "Find a place to die" (contenuta da una colonna sonora composta da Gianni Ferrio).
In questi anni incide anche alcuni dei brani che poi diventeranno famosi cavalli di battaglia di Mina, come "Bugiardo e incosciente" e "Non credere".
Nel 1972 inaspettatamente arriva la decisione di ritirarsi dalle scene.
Il suo concerto d’addio viene tenuto al Teatro Sistina di Roma, con l’orchestra di Gianni Ferrio, al cospetto di un pubblico in delirio.
Dall’avvenimento fu tratto un long playing (Jula al Sistina - RCA PSL-10456), oggi ricercato dai collezionisti.
Dopo un’ultima apparizione televisiva nella trasmissione Milleluci (1974), Jula De Palma si trasferisce con la famiglia in Canada, dove vive tuttora.
Il reperorio di Jula de Palma si compone di centinaia di incisioni, molte delle quali veramente di grande pregio, ma stranamente da decenni la maggior parte di esse (e sicuramente quelle di maggior pregio artistico) restano chiuse negli archivi delle case discografiche che ne detengono i diritti.
Jula de Palma Biography
(with extracts from the Encyclopedia of Italian Music)
Jula (pronounced "Yula") de Palma was born in Milan on April 21, 1931. Her given name is Jolanda Maria de Palma but everybody called her Jula and the nickname would also be her name as a singer.
Jula graduated from the Ginnasio Liceo G. Parini and, through the British Institute in Milan, obtained a Cambridge Degree in English Language and Literature. But her dream is to be an actress. She auditions for Director Irma Vassia and is immediately given the lead in two plays that Vassia’s company is entering in a contest with forty other amateur players’ companies from all over Italy. Jula and the leading actor - Alberto Lionello - win first prize in the contest as does the company, named "La Baracca."
Despite her immediate success as an actress, it is her passion for singing and especially for jazz and for american songs that will lead Jula to another branch of the entertainment world.
By chance, one day in 1948, while shopping for records with her mother and her sister, she meets an italian singer, Teddy Reno. He is also the owner of a Record Company, the CGD. Jula’s mother mentions to him her daughter’s contralto voice, her passion for jazz and for the french new wave of songs, and her admiration for Mo. Lelio Luttazzi, a young and very talented pianist and conductor, under contract with the CGD. Almost as a joke, Teddy makes an appointment for Jula to audition with Lelio Luttazzi. The audition turns into a jam session and immediately afterwards, Teddy Reno signs the young singer with CGD.
In January 1949, Ms. de Palma debuts on the italian radio - RAI - singing the very popular french song "La Vie En Rose" in french. For the first two years of her career, Jula will record only French songs.: she loves them and she feels very much at ease singing them, partially because she’s fluent in French, a language she learned as a child from her mother, a professor of French and English.
She takes part in many popular musical shows on the italian radio, with orchestras conducted by Luttazzi, Barzizza, Savina, Kramer, Trovajoli and other musicians. She doesn’t find immediate popularity because of her refined vocal art and unusual repertoire for the times, but she quickly comes to be known as the modern singer ’par exellence’, the one who, among the italian singers of the moment, will be considered the most admired internationally .
Her knowledge of languages - she is fluent in five of them - her talent for different styles of light music and her international repertoire will quickly bring her success and recognition all over the world.
The attractive and talented young singer appeals to the most refined of audiences, as well as to musicians and entertainers who see in her the one who will start modernizing the italian song and making the italian light music, through her eclectic interpretations, less old-fashioned while maintaining its passionate and melodic charm.
During the early ’50s Jula de Palma wins the Grand Prix du Disque in Paris with the song "Mon Pays" by C.A. Rossi, a popular and talented young musician; she is cast in successful radio programs like "Gran Varietá", "Nati per la musica" "Il Motivo in Maschera" (the first italian radio show introducing Mike Bongiorno); she is the first italian singer to appear on a live show on the newly born italian TV. She travels extensively in Europe and has her own show at the famous night clubs "Carrol’s" and "Drap d’or", in Paris. She appears on the french TV with Gilbert Bécaud, Charles Aznavour, Line Renaud and Henry Salvador.
She signs with Columbia/His Master’s Voice and Lelio Luttazzi follows her there. Her best records are from this time in her career, among them two of her favourites: "Jula in jazz No.1" with Lelio Luttazzi and "Jula in jazz No.2" with Franco Cerri. Some of the best italian jazz soloists accompany her in these two 45XP.
Jula de Palma is already a very strong and innovative presence in the italian entertainment world, not only for her style and for the choice of her repertoire, but also because she has veered away from the easy line of the popular traditional song. She will remain consistent to her own musical preference when invited in 1955, for the first time, to the famous Festival della Canzone Italiana in Sanremo, at the time, the "temple" of the traditional song.
Jula introduces four songs, a blues and three slows, which she performs with her great sensuality, her style of great vocalist and her belief in the new, modern wave of composers. She has no hope of winning and she doesn’t. But she has great success with the audience and the critics, particularly with the blues song, "L’ombra".
Jula will never win the Festival of Italian Song in Sanremo, but she will always be among its protagonists, taking part in another four Festivals with songs written by young and modern musicians and paving the way for the new wave of italian songs.
She will appear very frequently on italian TV in popular shows like "Buone vacanze", " Piccolo concerto" "Studio Uno" "Milleluci" etc.. In 1956, Jula will be the leading lady, with Ugo Tognazzi and Raimondo Vianello, of the musical comedy "Campione senza volere" by Scarnicci e Tarabusi with music by Lelio Luttazzi, touring Italy for almost a year.
During that year, Carlo Lanzi, a young musician and hotelier from Rome, is introduced to her by mutual friends. Being one of her fans, he hopes that she will sing one of his songs. Jula likes the song - "Vecchio pino di Villa Borghese" - and makes a successful record of it. They are the same age and they become friends. After a few months the friendship turns to love. Carlo proposes and Jula says "yes". They get married in the beautiful church of Santa Francesca Romana, by the Roman Forum, on June 3rd 1957. Jula says goodbye to her beloved Milan and starts her married life in Rome.
After a short honeymoon in Amalfi, Carlo and Jula leave on a long tour. Jula will have great success singing in night clubs and television shows in Athens, Madrid, Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, San Paulo, Caracas, Los Angeles and, introduced by Nat King Cole, at the renowned "Tropicana" in Habana, Cuba.
Over the next few years Ms.de Palma will collect the most prestigious music Prizes in her Country and cut many hit records.
In 1959 her interpretation of the song "Tua"(Yours) at the Sanremo Festival has unparalleled success with audience and critics. The song finishes only fourth, but the picture of the singer is on many magazine covers and even on the first page of daily newspapers. As a matter of fact, the italian RAI finds the song too "provocative’ and vetoes any broadcasting of it.
The record sells furiously and the press has a ball. But Jula does not want her name to be mixed up in an unmerited scandal caused only by her personal and passionate interpretation of a love song. During a press conference she threatens to sue anybody who talks or writes of the incident again. Little by little the press gives up and the RAI cancelles its veto.
"Tua" will be the song that Ms.de Palma will have to sing even twice every concert, everywhere she goes. And every year, for years to come, when it is time for the Sanremo Festival to start, journalists will remind people, with appreciative comments, of her…"scandalous" interpretation of "Tua"!
At this point in her career Jula is no longer just a "jazz singer" to her italian audience; she sings and records some of the most beautiful neapolitan songs and during her concerts all over Europe she sings in Italian, Spanish, German, French and, of course, American with great success.
In 1963 a long awaited and desired baby is born to Jula and Carlo Lanzi. Her name is Simonetta and she will be one of the reasons why the singer will voluntarily bring her career to a close ten years later.
In March 1970, one of Ms.de Palma’s dearest dreams will come true. She’ll be the first italian singer to have a "One woman show" at the Teatro Sistina in Rome, where all the great artists she loves have appeared, from Ella Fitzgerald to Oscar Peterson, to Juliette Greco, to Tony Bennett and so on.
And she will sing accompanied by a big band conducted by the great musician Gianni Ferrio (whom she calls "Genius") with his own arrangements. The show will include a mixture of italian songs, jazz standards, bossa nova and french ballads. The Italian Television will tape and broadcast the show at a later date, naming it "Gala Evening for Jula de Palma".
The show is ready after only a month of preparation. The RCA (Jula is recording for them, now) will tape the whole concert live and will come out with an LP called "Jula al Sistina".
The evening is memorable.
"It will remain with me forever" Ms. de Palma tells the press after the show. "The flowers, the applause, the presence of so many celebrities, the wonderful orchestra and my dear Maestro Ferrio…it is all unforgettable!"
The record of "Jula al Sistina" is a hit and RCA will follow with a second one called "Jula presenta". These LPs, together with the two "Jula in jazz" on the Columbia label and the delightful "Whisky and Dixie" (that Jula recorded with The New Orleans Jazz Band conducted by Carlo Loffredo for the Cetra label ) are now among the most precious and sought after collector’s items on the Internet.
In the following years Jula will tour with her show throughout Italy and will make frequent appearences on TV, her favourite medium.
In 1974, celebrating the 25th anniversary of her career, Jula makes the decision to conclude it. She had promised herself in that faraway 1949, to leave the stage while at the top. She wants to follow her daughter’s growing up with total commitment and devotion.;Sshe wants to be simply "Mrs.Lanzi", at last. But the only way to do this is…cold turkey. Carlo and Jula decide to leave Italy and go to live in London, where her only sister lives with her family.
No "Good-bye Gala", no big announcements.
In harmony with her being a very private person, this singer who loved to sing but not to be a star, just says so long to her manager, to a few dear friends and relatives and to dear Maria, who has been Simonetta’s nanny since the child was born. It was not easy.
Even today, after so many years, it is not easy.
Jula’s passion for singing is still alive, her voice remains the same, there are still fans who ask for her. On her website there is a demand for her records and for new ones. But the singer wants to be consistent with her decision. She is happy that she still has followers, even among young people, but she has never regretted her decision.
After a year in London, the Lanzis moved to Toronto, Canada. Jula had been there twice as a singer and had fallen in love with this vast city, this land of trees and lakes that makes you even love its sky scrapers and enjoy them, sorrounded as they are by trees. Jula’s mother (her father passed away in 1969), her sister and her family moved to Toronto from London as well. Carlo’s mother and his brother with his family remained in Rome and it was a very sad good-bye. But now that almost all of them have passed away, Toronto has really become home.
In 2001, Paolo Limiti invited Jula to be a guest of honour on his popular TV program "Ci vediamo in TV". At first Jula said ’no’, but Paolo is an old friend and he wanted to have Jula for two consecutive programs and talk about her life and her career. So, at last, Jula accepted, considering this only a visit and not a come-back.
It was a beautifully emotional appearance. The press, the audience, everybody gave her a wonderful welcome. And she sang a medley of her hits, live, like in the old days.
Back to Toronto, Jula became "Mrs.Lanzi" again, with no regrets and lots of warm memories. Simonetta is now a lawyer and Jula’s dream of being near her and following her life is a reality. Carlo and Jula travel a lot, visiting Carlo’s sister and family in Oregon; driving around Canada for a never ending discovery of its natural beauty; taking cruises in different parts of the world; and going to Italy, every now and then, to meet again with their friends, to immerse themselves into the unrivalled beauty of this unique place in the world, and to revisit the sentimental memories of their youth.
Ms.de Palma was the only italian singer who was on the same level with the great american and french entertainers of her time, singing the same songs in the same languages, but never copying, always being an original. Her modernization of the italian song paved the way for a new generation of italian singers after her to be accepted internationally, and she is recognized by many for this achievement.
She is happy and grateful for the spontaneous creation of a website about her by young and enthusiastic people and she says "When I punch in "Jula de Palma" and I see my name come up, thirty years after I stopped singing, on the most faraway websites of the world, I am still surprised." She shouldn’t be, because Jula de Palma is still considered, today, a myth.
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