Although his career took off and flourished in France, Italian saxophonist Stefano Di Battista never forgets that he grew up in Rome in the late 1960s. After helping us rediscover maestro Ennio Morricone’s film scores four years ago, in *La Dolce Vita* he explores Italian popular music—the music that shaped his childhood, including the vast variety of songs that never hesitate to blend bel canto with sentimental melodies. Italian cinema is there, too, ever-present, and this time, it’s Nino Rota who makes an appearance. Paolo Conte’s “Caruso,” Andrea Bocelli’s ’60s hits, and the films of Roberto Benigni and Federico Fellini all feature prominently. Italy is a musical land of contrasts, where people are unafraid of either feelings or emotion. Stefano Di Battista comes from there: “It’s a challenge to highlight the melancholy of a song like ‘Volare’ or the joie de vivre of ‘Tu vuò fa l’americano,’ which embodies the Neapolitan spirit.” At the heart of a lavish and dynamic Franco-Italian quintet, the virtuoso saxophonist—who also knows how to surrender to Italian-style lyricism—brings this musical culture, of which he is also a product, to life better than anyone else. Italianissimo!