someone please tell me more about PAOLO CONTE

a week or so ago, i made a request on this internet radio station i listen to at work. i REQUESTED a cocteau twins -- what i GOT, on the other hand, was this odd italian song with some old italian guy singing "SHOESHINA SHOESHINA" accompanied by piano, acoustic guitar, and a KAZOO. at first, we thought that it was just some kind of weird joke -- like some italian spike jones, or something that you'd hear on an italian benny hill's song (if an italian benny hill actually EXISTS). but the music was actually pretty GOOD (if a bit odd to my american ears), a neat little italian cabaret/vaudeville-type song. just yesterday, after being pestered about it, the station's owner played this odd little song again. another listener then ID'd the singer and the song -- "lo zio" by paolo conte. i did a quick check on this paolo conte fellow on wikipedia and allmusic.com -- apparently, he's an italian jazz/cabaret singer who's been around for a while over there (since the early 60s) and is described as a cross of jacques brel and tom waits. (never got an explanation as to how this got confused with the cocteau twins, for what it's worth -- only connection i can think of is that elisabeth fraser might as well be singing in italian for what i can make out of what she's singing on some old CT songs, but i digress).

anyway, i am sorely tempted to plunk down some cash on a Paolo Conte best-of (for sale on amazon!) but before i do so, any more info on this intriguing fellow would be much appreciated!