Silvio De Pra was born in Belluno, Northern Italy and in 1955 he moved to New Zealand. As an accordionist, Silvio was engaged to broadcast with 1XH Radio station band as a guest in the evenings and on the weekends he would entertain the crowds at The Riverlea Cabaret. After six months Silvio moved to Auckland and in 1958 he became a full-time entertainer. In 1987 Sir Robert Muldoon presented Silvio with the Benny Award from The Variety Artists Club. During his years in Auckland he continued broadcasting for Radio and Television and also performed at most classy Auckland restaurants and hotels and many private functions. Today you will find him still at private functions and performing at the “Santa Lucia” and “The Colosseo” restaurants. Well known New Zealand accordion entertainer, Silvio De Pra, offers us on this recording most enjoyable selection and variety of popular continental tunes, from Italian to Greek and Spanish. On most of the tracks Silvio is also a vocal soloist, and I found especially charming the ones he sings in Italian (which is his native language). I must mention excellent arrangements of the songs Silvio plays with a guitar as a backing instrument giving it a special, classy touch. The excellent sound quality of the recording makes it obvious the sound engineer did a great job. This is a very entertaining, easy listening recording, and I am sure you will enjoy it too. |
