ITALIAN PROGRESSIVE MUSIC page 3
Specific groups I played in "Psyche van het Folk" on Radio Centraal, Antwerpen,
With added links. Much more links and groups to come soon ! Only groups which are interesting
are being added. No neo-prog here, but a few new prog groups.
(Gradings used :

***** not to miss, classic, in its genre is no better item than this one, completely unique

**** extremely good but matter of taste

*** very good

** good

* ok

° upgrade for some reasons

' possibly even better
(dark green names are groups I'm still looking to hear their recordings)
P
Il Paesi dei Balocchi
Beautiful and varied item (****').
Panna Fredda
Vinyl Magic
Panna Fredda : Uno (IT,1972)**
OK prog, with some organ, some hard prog, some singing. Always just ok, but never special at side 1. Track 5 with harpsichord has some original approach. When organ finally becomes interesting in the last short track the CD ends.
Pierrot Lunaire
Pierrot Lunaire's first album **** contains really beautiful instrumentation. The second ("Gudrun"*****) is one of the most adventurous records of Italian progressive, and it is one of my favourite albums of all time too.
Picchio Dal Pozzo
Avant garde like prog. Their second is too avant garde for my taste.. Their third one is more chamber rio and is more pleasant to me. I shall give the other album some more time.
Premiata Forneria Marcorni (=P.F.M.): Per un Amico (RCA,1972)*****
First two items have an original refined and compact so also powerful Genesis style. "Ghosts" is an english version compilation.I did not hear their different work after that carefully yet.
Procession Fronteira ****°
With an incredible passage of electric/accoustic composition. Hard prog item.
Q
Quel Giorno di Uve Rosse
***° Fine conceptual religious rock opera with religious content with classical music arrangements (string orchestra or harpischord with wind instruments) soft progressive rock, with male and female vocals.
Quella Vecchia Locanda : Il Tempo della Goia (RCA,1974)*****
A combination of the finest progressive, classical influences,and even jazz with heavy prog.First album (****) is more Tull/classical music influences shorter songs. One of my top 10 favourites of Italy.
R
Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno
Warner Fonit
Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno : Per..Un Mondo di Cristallo (IT,1972 )*****
A classic gem of symphonic music with beautiful contrasts, building up of ideas. Strange similarities with Baletti di Bronzo, although this is less overloaded. Essential. Then follows a jazzrock track full of hard symphonic prog melodies, that goes over in a splendid complex hard/soft symphonic song full of musical ideas. Also the last tracks combines various ideas splendid until good.
Reale Accademia Musica ***°
The first track is very beautifully orchestrated, the rest less worked out but still good.
Il Reale Impero Britannico
Ricordi d'infanzia I don't know if this item from '73 is a good one.
I like most Viaggio *****, progressive singer-songwriting with experimental collage & Suoni de Fronteira ****°
Rocky's Filj
BMG
Rocky's Filj :Storie (I,1973)***°
Very good fusion prog. -(PS. This is in the Nurse With Wound list of influences)-
Il Rovescio Della Medaglia : Contaminazione (Ariola,1973)****'
Combination of all Bach melodies with 70's rock. Almost on the edge of being dated. It is however so professionally made that it will still remain a classic for all time.
Rusticelli & Bordini I don't know if this item from '73 is a good one.
S
Saint Just
Mellow Rec.
Saint Just (It,1973)*****
Their first album is not so often very appreciated as it deserves. For my it is one of my top 3 favorites. Satie like piano, open structure in playing, very emotional female voice, Comus like oddity at moments. Produced by Alan Sorenti. The second (La Casa del Lago ****) is more prog rock orientated. Easier for most listeners.
Semiramis : Dedicato a Frazz (Vinyl Magic,1973)****°
Complex classical arrangements with modern instruments. After some listening I began to appreciate this even more. It contains much melodic organ and synthesiser too, and many other elements. Synths sounds might make it difficult for some listeners, but the quality is too perfect to botter
Alan Sorrenti
His first albums (Aria *****, Come..****°) were very progressive Tim Buckley like voice and open composition experiments, highly recommended. Very different from his later work !
Jenny Sorrenti :
Sister of Alan leader of Saint Just. I like her first folk prog solo album (Suspiria, ***°).
"The second record of Jenny, in 1979, is not progressive. It is an excellent record, but with folk sonorities. (I have a vinyl copy). Her last work (medieval zone, in 2001) seems to be a mixture between melodic and celtic music. Alan Sorrenti: his 3rd record, in 1974, is a good work of avant-garde, but it is no more progressive. Subsequently, Alan knows the notoriety of the public with Sienteme... The start of Alan's commercial period. From that record on his production becomes cheap" Tino
Later I heard her latest album : nice and gentle Celtic/Medd. flavored acid folk. Review will be added soonat seperate webpage.
Webpage with covers and playlist with comments (extra reviews will follow soon) at next page
St.Tropez
off-shoot Celeste /Il Systema
Standarte
Stormy Six :
The first album was with Claudio Rocchi : Le Idee di Oggi Per la Musica di Domani (1969)** Fst side is still too much (folk) "pop" to categorize amongst the prog albums. It has nice elements though. Especially the last 4 tracks (Rocchi's work) I like a lot more.
Tale Cue
not so interesting neo-rog band
Toto Torquati's "Gli occhi di un bambino" (1973,akarma records)**°
This item is Italian prog pop not easy to get a grip upon but is most pleasant to listen to..
Torre del Alchemista
Triade
Kaliphonia Rec.
Triade : La Storia di Sabazio (IT,1973)***°
Side 1 has a lot of organ and some other keyboards dominated symphonic (+ guitar, bass guitar, cello, drums). Music that stands on its own, so somewhat original. For keyboard based symphonic lovers. It has a good classical music composition. Side 2 added nice singing, and thus the style becomes more song oriented, with nice piano with classical guitar added and some symphonic interludes, beautiful arrangements. I only listened to this in headphones so far.
(Trip First time I heard them I found it too 60's for my taste, but never mind.
U
Uno
L'uovo di Colombo
Mellow Rec.
L'Uovo Di Colombo (IT,1973)***'
More melodic, electric ? organ driven symphonic songs oriented music. Possibly less essential, and in parts slightly dated. For lovers of organs it will mean a lot more, because the playing itself is good, driven, the compositions are ok, the overall quality is very professional.
V
Il volo
BMG Rec.
Il Volo (IT,197 )****°
Very good (somewhat jazz) fusion melodic symphonic with also very interesting percussion, keyboards, as nicely balanced music. A classic item of mostly instrumental music. I only listened this to headphones so far. This nead a second different listen, because I don't think it's one of the easiest Italian progressiv items.
W
X
Y
Z
Zauber
Vinyl Magic Zauber : Il Sogno (1978)****
Original classical composed item (with influences of Bach) as a cross between Emtidi and Pierot Lunaire. Other items have synths and are less interesting. Essential.
Some playlists with Italian progressive you can find (2001, April 25th) here.
and (at 2002,03-13) here and (at 2002-03-20) here
Questions, remarks, suggestion ? Feel free to E-mail me.
My 35 favourite items in order of preference (couldn't include less -it was a difficult task !-) :
1 Saint Just 73 Saint Just ****°
2 Tardo Pede in Magiam Versus 74 Jacula ***°°
3 Introspezione 74 Opus Avantra *****
4 Gudrun 77 Pierrot Lunaire *****
5 Suspiria 76 Goblin *****
6 Il Tempo della Gioia 74 Quella Vecchia Locanda *****
7 per..Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno 72 Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno ****°
8 Palepoli 73 Osanna *****
9 Campo Di Marte 73 Campo Di Marte *****
10 Devil Doll 9? Sacrilegium *****
11 Banco del Mutuo Soccorso 72 Banco del Mutuo Soccorso *****
12 Alphataurus 73 Alphataurus ****°
13 Dedicato a Frazz 73 Semiramis *****
14 Principe di Giorno 76 Celeste *****
15 Corte dei Miracoli 76 ****°
16 Cervello 73 Melos ***°°
17 Arbeit macht Frei 73 Area *****
18 Aria 72 Alan Sorrenti ****°
19 Io Non So da Dove Vengo... 72 De De Lind ****°
20 Viaggio 71 Claudio Rocchi ****°
21 Ys 72 Il Balletto Di Bronzo ***°°
22 Pollution 72 Franco Battiatto *****
23 Analogy 78 The Suite ****°
24 An Escape from a Box 72 Circus 2000 ***°°
25 Per Un Amico 72 Premiata Forneria Marconi ****°
26 Festa Mobile 73 diario di viaggio ****°
27 Contaminazione 73 Il Rovescio Della Medaglia ***°°
28 Io sono nato Libero 73 Banco del Mutuo Soccorso ****'
29 Colonna sonora del film "Milano Calibro 9" Preludio,.. 72 Osanna ****
30 Felona e Sorona 73 Le Orme ***°°
31 Metamorfosi 73 Inferno *****
32 Biglietto Per L'Inferno 74 Biglietto Per L'Inferno ****
33 Il Sogno 78 Zauber ***°°
34 L'Uomo" 72 Osanna ****°.
35 Quella Vecchia Locanda 72 Quella Vecchia Locanda ****°
The chosen items are both personally favourite and outstanding technically & musically.
updated 2002, August 11th ; new links, groups added 2003, December 29th
PS. I also have a seperate page
with
the World Folk and Italian Folk
see also the Italian Mizmaze label with (non Italian progressive) music
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