A few months ago, in November last year, he released the album "Mina Fossati", a project that the two "great absentees" of the Italian song had thought of since 1997. Soon, on March 25, he will turn 80. For more than 40 years, since August 1978, it has not appeared in public. Yet Mina, who in 2001 was named Grand Officer of Merit of the Republic by Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, has always remained present.
Just listen, as is happening now, to his voice playing with the simple melody of an advertising spot to feel the strength of one of the absolute myths of the Italian show. As everyone knows with "if" history is not made, so it is probably useless to think about what he gave up (apart from a lot of money) and consequently what we all lost, or if the construction of the myth has contributed precisely to his decision to withdraw from the scene to cultivate his private and family life and remain active through the production, more or less annually, of albums, anthological sets, forays into jazz, not to mention the two titles- best sellers engraved with his longtime friend Adriano Celentano, who is two years older. In reality everyone knows that Mina continues to keep herself informed on the things of the world and on the new ferments of music, which she follows carefully without ever losing the opportunity to collaborate with artists younger than her and also to take off some whims, such as the swing duet with Fiorello.
And it should not be forgotten that for many years now it has also offered novice authors the opportunity to publish his songs on his records, an attitude of openness that is truly a rarity. And that has made a rich anecdote grow on the calls received from his younger colleagues, regularly enthusiastic and excited to speak and collaborate with the myth. Her catalog continues to produce important figures, Liza Minnelli called it the largest. He has recorded songs in English, Spanish, German, Japanese, French, has covered a repertoire ranging from Naples to Frank Sinatra, from pop to rock'n'roll, from songwriting to opera to Christmas songs, has become even a Disney comic and its engravings continue to be among the most sought after pieces by collectors. In recent years she gives more and more space to her love for jazz, in this supported by her son Massimiliano Pani, who constantly surrounds her with some of the best Italian jazz musicians who have been among her most trusted collaborators for years. Five years ago, thanks to Vincenzo Mollica, overcoming his proverbial reluctance "to look at himself in black and white and in color", as Mollica affectionately writes, Mina put her hand to her story and chose her own hand, between music and images, that that she considers the best of her television appearances by publishing the box set "My favorites - Mina - The years of Rai".
There is no better way to understand why we speak of myth, to understand the uniqueness of a character who, thanks to his superior vocal skills and a natural charisma, has become a pop phenomenon in the noblest sense of the term. Just think of the performances in programs that are the history of Italian television, titles such as "Milleluci", "Senza Rete", "Canzonissima", "Teatro 10", "Studio Uno", "Il Musichiere" or concentrate on the variety of the repertoire that ranging from classics such as "Big, big big", "The sky in a room", "Brava", "What if tomorrow", "Nobody" to standards like "Georgia On My Mind", "Night And Day" and "Someday "to" Insesatez ". And then Battisti, De André, Kurt Weill and "Surabaya Johnny", "goodies" such as "Insane wind vane" and "Chihuahua". In addition, a series of duets that already represent the history of our show alone: with Giorgio Gaber, Ugo Tognazzi, Caterina Valente, Vittorio De Sica, Luciano Salce, Totò, Giancarlo Giannini, Astor Piazzolla, Franco Cerri, Renato Rascel and Lelio Luttazzi . But on television we also saw her alongside Alberto Sordi, Paolo Panelli, Ugo Tognazzi, Vittorio Gassman, Walter Chiari, Nino Manfredi, Peppino De Filippo, to name just a few names. His duet with Lucio Battisti remains one of the most beautiful and exciting musical moments in the history of our TV. We don't know what Mina Anna Maria Mazzini's 80th birthday will be like, born in Busto Arsizio but linked for everyone in Cremona: what is certain is that March 25 is a date marked in red by fans from all over the world.