Leonard Cohen, now 80, is topping the charts the world over with his new CD Popular Problems which has been hailed a masterpiece.  Here there are those who consider that at 60 one should retire and quietly sit in their dressinggown watching television. That may be for some, but certainly not for others. Peter Calamatta is not one for hanging around in dressing gowns. He is younger than Leonard Cohen and there's no stopping him fulfilling his dreams.  He's as active as ever both professionally and still busy with projects and ticking away at his bucket list. I admire his endless capacity to keep on moving always with a project in mind.

He recently launched his third CD - 22 Love Songs - in his usual generous style with drinks, eats and background music at the Compass Bar, Malta Hilton. Family and friends were there enjoying it all and contributing various sums of money towards the Millenium Chapel ,  Peter's pet project,  in exchange for this his latest CD.

My only grumble is that Peter,  that evening, did not burst into song.  I rather hoped he would.

 Peter and your diarist

Why a CD of 22 songs and say, not 20 or 24 I wanted to know? Says Peter "Because 22 is a perfect number which reminds me of two beautiful white swans courting each other on a golden pond." The songs he has selected are famous - some more so than others - and have been sung by such crooners as Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Andy Williams, The Platters, Frank Sinatra and so on. The first song is Unforgettable made famous by Nat King Cole and later with the help of modern technology,  in a duet with his daughter Nathalie. This much-loved song has been popular since 1951 and we don't tire of listening to it again and again. Another Nat King Cole favourite (although the first hit was by Doris Day way back in 1952) is When I Fall in Love.  Another is The Platters Only You. Peter also sings Strangers in the Night, sung famously by Frank Sinatra although it is said that he, in fact,  despised it.

At the top of my favourite three is most certainly Sway. Those of my generation will remember Dean Martin's version played at thé dansant and other get togethers where one hoped not to be a wallflower ­ - such outdated words, thé dansant and 'wallflower'. 'The children of those of my generation would certainly not recognize them.  Their world is discos I believe. Sway has retained its popularity also thanks to today's hearthrob Michael  Bublé whose version I love. And don't you remember Have I Told You Lately That I Love You, blaring out of our Rediffusion sets? I will end with As Time Goes By which is another immortal song.  This is the culminating song on Peter's latest CD. He could not have chosen better. I've seen the film Casablanca with screen legends Humphrey Bogard and Ingrid Bergman a dozen times. "Play it Sam... for old times sake... I'll hum it for you...."  Casablanca and As Time Goes By are now the stuff of  legend. Absolutely beautiful.  Peter is nobly accompanied  too but I have no idea whether it was a live orchestra or the sort of magic that can be done today by recording engineers.  I suspect it is the latter. But you may breathe a sigh of relief as I shall not be commenting on all twenty-two songs. The CD is accompanied by copious and interesting notes for each song edited by Narcy Calamatta.

That evening Peter presented his 'Oscars' to those who had helped his dream to become reality. Amongst those who received one was Ruth Casingena his voice coach and accompanying vocalist. Singing, says Peter, has been a dormant lifelong wish 'that was resting in my bucket list. It became a reality three years ago with my first CD, My Life in Song followed by the Christmas Collection a year later... a fourth one is in the pipeline." The songs and CD are dedicated 'to my wife of 45 years Simone.' At the Compass Bar there was a huge collage of photos of Simone from the early days of their courtship to now.

In the course of the evening I met Lesley and Emanuel Qasha who were visiting family and friends for they live in Australia. Emanuel  told me that he is working on a CD of Ghana which will be in a different format to the usual. I wished him luck. I am afraid Ghana is not my favourite kind of music.

I played this CD several times.  It is indeed worth more than one listen. It is on sale at the Millenium chapel , a truly worthwhile cause run by Fr Hillary Tagliaferro who needs no introduction. Peter tells me: "So far close to Euros 10,000 have been collected from charity projects at the Millenium Chapel."

So here's three cheers for Peter's latest CD.