Piero Umiliani

Piero Umiliani, born in 1926 in Florence, showed a passion for music from a young age, learning to play the piano and developing an interest in jazz. He began his career as a journalist, but his passion for music led him to perform as a pianist in clubs frequented by Americans during World War II.  After the war, he graduated from law school but decided to follow his true passion and graduated from the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory in 1952. He moved to Milan and recorded some bebop records, becoming one of the first Italian musicians to explore this genre.  The turning point in his career came with the composition of the soundtrack for the film "I Soliti Ignoti" in 1958, becoming Italy's first entirely jazz soundtrack. Since then, he has collaborated with numerous Italian directors and worked on more than 150 soundtracks for films of all genres.  For Cinevox Record he signs several works, most notably "Death Knocks Twice" and "Five Dolls for the August Moon."  Umiliani also distinguished himself as a composer for television and radio, contributing to the spread of jazz in Italy. In 1969, his song "Mah Nà Mah Nà" became the theme song of the famous TV show "Muppet Show" and achieved international success.  In the following years, Umiliani continued to work on innovative musical projects, experimenting with electronic instruments and collaborating with artists from different disciplines. His impact on Italian and international music is lasting, with many of his compositions still appreciated and reinterpreted by contemporary artists.  Despite his death in 2001, his work continues to be celebrated and rediscovered, confirming his status as an iconic figure in Italian and international music.