Vinicio Capossela Essentials

Although he hails from the backroads of Campania rather than the seedy byways of Venice Beach, Vinicio Capossela is a Tom Waits disciple worthy of the comparison—and not just because both vocalists revel in a growling basso profundo delivery. Like Waits, Capossela collects folk idioms and regional customs, gathering up wide swaths of tango, mambo and Weimar cabaret into one unseemly whole. Alongside every accordion flourish and nylon-stringed glissando, you'll notice a poet's gift of gab, whether he's indulging in Greek mythology or just scatting a little beatnik jive.