lauantai 17. maaliskuuta 2018

A = Abissi Infiniti (1975-81) – Automat (1978)


Abissi Infiniti (1975-81, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Claudio Liotto (vocals, piano)
o Andrea Zanatta (guitar)
o Alberto Cazzola (keyboards)
o Enrico Kötterl (keyboards)
o Lucio Negretto (bass)
o Paolo Fin (drums)
_________________________

o Claudio Liotto – vocals, piano
o Alberto Cazzola – keyboards
o Enrico Kötterl – Solina String Synthesizer (+ lyrics)
o Andrea Zanatta – guitars
o Lucio Negretto – bass
o Paolo Fin – drums

Guest musicians:
o Claudio C. – drums (1-3)
o Aldo Menti – bass (3, 4), violin (8), acoustic guitar (8), electric guitar (3)

A group from Vicenza, previously known as Black Magic and Stregoni, that only released this rare album in 1981, though the tracks had been composed between 1975 and 1980.

The sound is mainly pop-oriented, with few prog elements, the cover is very nice. The group was composed by young musicians, helped by the older Enrico Kötterl that wrote the lyrics for all their songs. He was, and still is, a film director and graphic designer and collaborated with another group from Vicenza, Gli Apostholi, writing the lyrics of a song on their LP Un'isola senza sole (1981).

¤¤¤Abissi Infiniti - Tunnel (1981, Prog Rock) 2.78¤ 4.00#

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Acid Group (1974-79, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Antonio Mandelli (vocals)
o Attilio Piazzi (electric guitar)
o Riccardo Bolis (acoustic guitar, vocals)

Later also for a short time also:
o Mauro Capitani (bass)
o Sergio Marchesi (drums)

A group from the Bergamo area, formed in 1974 as a trio, they later became a quintet for a short time with the entrance of bass player Mauro Capitani and drummer Sergio Marchesi.

The CD Dedicato (1998) dedicated to this group by the Giallo Records label contains recordings made between 1975 and 1977, live, from rehearsals or in the studio, with some demos prepared for CGD. Their style is mostly based on improvisation, long jams built on a repetitive acoustic guitar pattern with lead guitar solos, and vocal parts not always complete.

The group broke up in 1979, having had a good live activity with the likes of Franco Battiato, Eugenio Finardi, Perdio, Madrugada.

¤¤¤Acid Group - Dedicato (1998, rec. 1975-1977, Prog Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock)


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Acqua Fragile (1971-75, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Bernardo Lanzetti (vocals, guitar)
o Gino Campanini (guitar, vocals)
o Maurizio Mori (keyboards, vocals)
o Franz Dondi (bass)
o Pier Emilio Canavera (drums, acoustic guitar, vocals)

This five-piece from Parma was formed in 1971 from the ashes of Gli Immortali, a group that included singer Bernardo Lanzetti, just returned back to Italy after a living in the USA, guitarist Gino Campanini and drummer Piero Canavera. These musicians were joined by keyboardist Maurizio Mori and bass player Franz Dondi (who had played with I Moschettieri, that were among the young bands supporting The Rolling Stones during their Italian tour, but just released a single in 1967, ”Quando il tempo dell'amore”). In one of the last concerts with the old name, the five musicians were spotted by Premiata Forneria Marconi, that introduced them to their manager Franco Mamone.

With the new name Acqua Fragile and the professional management of Mamone, the group was able to play with important foreign names such as Soft Machine, Alexis Korner & Snape, Tempest, Curved Air, Audience, Uriah Heep, and above all, Gentle Giant.

Their first album Acqua Fragile was released in 1973 on the independent Numero Uno label, one of the very few Italian prog albums entirely sung in English. A good album with nice west-coast multivocal influences mixed with an English prog sound, especially inspired by the likes of Genesis and Gentle Giant. The LP included seven long tracks, with good instrumental parts and the nice original harsh voice of Lanzetti, not far from Family's singer Roger Chapman distinctive tremolo technique.

The choice of singing in English didn't probably help the group in achieving a good popularity in Italy, and the album wasn't released abroad as it was probably planned. Oddly the English lyrics weren't included in the album cover, that only contained the Italian translation.

Second album Mass Media Stars was from 1974 and also gained an US release, thanks to the English lyrics. Not dissimilar from their first but with a slightly better production, this contained six long cuts.

At the end of 1974 keyboardist Joe Vescovi replaced Maurizio Mori after The Trip's split. He stayed in for some months and his presence is documented in the bootleg-quality Live in Emilia - Spring 75 (live 1975, released 1994) CD. But the strongest hit to the group's stability came when Bernardo Lanzetti joined PFM, replaced for a while by Roby Facini, previously with I Top 4 and Dik Dik. Acqua Fragile split in 1975.

Bass player Franz Dondi and drummer Pier Emilio Canavera have played with Rocky's Filj, and in the Beatles-inspired band, Shout!, that released two CD's in the 1990's. Dondi formed in 2004 Acqua Fragile Project, with a new line up in which he was the only original member, playing the old group's songs. They were active until 2006. After his experience with PFM, Bernardo Lanzetti embarked in a long successful solo career. In the 2000's he has collaborated and then joined Mangala Vallis. In his live album from 2013, Vox40 (including a CD and a DVD, Ma.ra.Cash MRC 038) Lanzetti has rearranged with an orchestra part of the old Acqua Fragile repertoire and is joined in some tracks by his old cohorts Canavera and Dondi. The three original members were the nucleus of a new Acqua Fragile line-up that produced A New Chant in 2017, a good record that brings to mind the sound of the group in the Seventies.

Acqua Fragile - Acqua Fragile (1973, Prog Rock) 3.11¤


Acqua Fragile - Mass Media Stars (1974, Prog Rock) 3.23¤

Acqua Fragile - Live in Emilia - Spring 75 (live 1975, rel. 1994, Prog Rock) 4.00¤

Acqua Fragile - A New Chant (2017, Prog Rock) 3.31¤

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Acroama (1979-81, )

o Emanuele D'Angelo (vocals, guitar, bass)
o Giulio Gerardo (guitar)
o Emilio Riccardi (keyboards)
o Graziano Capponago Del Monte (keyboards)
o Marco Canevari (drums, percussion)

Formed in 1979 in Pavia, but their leader Emanuele D'Angelo was active since 1974, Acroama have been sometimes mentioned close to Janus, but they were in fact a totally different group, despite sharing the same political position.

The group had a limited live activity and only released a 33rpm single in 1981, containing two long tracks in a slightly progressive style, issued with two different label colours, light blue and orange.

Acroama - ”Ogni giorno vocando immagini di una cavalcata nel reale al cospetto del sole” / ”E diventeremo di nuovo limpidi” (1981, single, Prog Rock)

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Agorà (1974-1978, 2002-, Jazz Rock Fusion)

1974-1975:
o Roberto Bacchiocchi (keyboards, vocals)
o Ovidio Urbani (sax)
o Renato Gasparini (guitar, vocals)
o Paolo Colafrancesco (bass, vocals)
o Mauro Mencaroni (drums, vocals)

1976-78:
Paolo Colafrancesco quits, replaced by:
o Lucio Cesari (bass, percussion)
o Nino Russo (sax, percussion)

One of the few professional bands from the Marche, on the Adriatic side of central Italy, Agorà were formed in 1974 near Ancona, and played a jazz-rock very influenced by the likes of Weather Report or the Italian group Perigeo, with a very limited use of progressive sounds. Two of the band members, Bacchiocchi and Colafrancesco, had already made some records first using the name Paolo e Francesco and later as Oz Master Magnus Ltd.
Despite not being so popular they were contacted to play the famous Montreux international jazz festival in Switzerland that gave them a deal with Atlantic.

Their first LP Live in Montreux (1975) was a live album, recorded during that festival. Mostly instrumental and just 30 minutes long, the LP has its moments, with just four long cuts (one of which is curiously split between the two sides of the LP), that often resemble some English jazzy-prog bands of the early 1970's.

The second album Agorà 2 (1976) is much more jazz-rock oriented than the first. The band also played in the 1976 Parco Lambro festival and is featured on the live album Parco Lambro in June 1976 released at the time with ”Cavalcata solare”, from their second album and also released on single.

Agorà split in 1978. For a short time that year Pepe Maina played percussion with them, he's also featured in a concert filmed at Montreux but never officially released. Almost all of its members kept playing, among them Ovidio Urbani is still regarded as a very talented player in the jazz field.

In 2002 the group was reformed by four original members (Ovidio Urbani, Renato Gasparini, Mauro Mencaroni and Lucio Cesari), with newcomers Alessandra Pacheco on vocals, jazzmen Giovanni Ceccarelli on piano and Aki Montoya on percussion, and the collaboration of guitarist/producer Maurizio Mercuri. Since 2012 the line-up, initially called Agorà Unplugged featured Urbani, Gasparini, Cesari, guitarist Gabriele Possenti, cellist Gianni Pieri and drummer Massimo Manzi, who was in the 1977-78 line-up.

A new CD, Ichinen, already announced a few years before, was finally issued in early 2014, including new and old compositions played by the latest line-up along with some unreleased recordings from 1978. The same line-up released the live album Bombook, with a guest appearance by Patrizio Fariselli from Area, recorded at Progressivamente Free Festival in Rome in September 2015.

¤¤¤Agorà - Live in Montreux (1975, recorded @ Montreux Jazz Festival 1975-07-07, Jazz-Rock Fusion) 3.57¤

Agorà - Agorà 2 (1976, Jazz-Rock Fusion) 3.90¤

Agorà ‎- Ao Mesmo Tempo (1991)

Agorà ‎- Punto a capo (2012)

¤¤¤Agorà ‎- Ichinen (2014, Prog Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion) 3.45¤

Agorà featuring Patrizio Fariselli - Bombook (Live at Progressivamente Festival) (2016, Prog Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion)

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Aktuala (1973-76, Prog Folk)

o Walter Maioli (flute, harmonica, oboe)
o Daniele Cavallanti (sax)
o Antonio Cerantola (guitar)
o Lino "Capra" Vaccina (percussion)
o Laura Maioli (percussion)

Following the same path as Third Ear Band in England, Aktuala tried to mix together the western musical tradition with african and asian instruments, rhythms, cultures, with a result that can hardly be described as "progressive" in the classical sense of this word, and falls more in the psychedelic or avantgarde field.

The band was formed around 1972 in Milan by Walter Maioli, and signed to Bla Bla released their first album a year later. The band didn't play the usual open air concert circuit, preferring a different approach with their audience. Their sound was made with every kind of unusual instruments giving a highly original, though not always inspiring for untrained ears, result.

With second album La terra the band had some line-up changes, with Vaccina and Laura Maioli leaving, the entrance of Otto Corrado (sax, flute - from N.A.D.M.A.), Attilio Zanchi (acoustic guitar - coming from Come Le Foglie) and the dutch harpist Marjon Klok (harp, percussion), and the beginning of a collaboration with indian percussionist Trilok Gurtu. After the second LP Aktuala moved to Morocco, and the long experience produced their third album, Tappeto volante in 1976, one of the very first examples of real world music ever made in Italy.

After the band split, Walter Maioli has continued his search on the origins of musical instruments and traditions, and is still active now with "Il centro del suono" along with daughter Luce.

He released a self produced cassette in 1980 called Futuro antico (first issued on vinyl later, in 1990) along with keyboardist Riccardo Sinigaglia, still mixing eastern ragas with electronic music.

Percussionist Lino Vaccina played briefly with Mino De Martino (from I Giganti and later Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale) in Telaio Magnetico, released a solo album in 1978, Antico adagio, and has started a new recording career since 1992, always in the ethnic music field along with Claudio Rocchi and Juri Camisasca.

¤¤¤Aktuala - Aktuala (1973, World Music, Folk Rock, Jazz Rock Fusion) 3.88¤

Aktuala - La terra (1974, World Music, Folk Rock, Jazz Rock Fusion)) 3.68¤

Aktuala - Tappeto volante (1976, World Music, Folk Rock, Jazz Rock Fusion) 2.68¤

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Albatros (1974-1978, Pop)

o Toto Cutugno – voice, guitar, piano (1974-1978)
o Lino Losito – guitar (1974-1978)
o Mario Limongelli – keyboard (1974-1978)
o Giuseppe Pietrobon – bass (1974-1978)
o Nicola Cricelli – drums (1974-1978)
o Maurizio Cristiani – guitar, chorus (1974-1978)
o Massimo Viganò – guitar, chorus (1974-1976)
o Silvano Calefato – guitar, percussions (1977-1978)
o Gianangelo Calefato – sax, keyboard (1977-1978)
o Pietro Cardazzo – trumpet, percussions (1977-1978)
o Gilberto Trama – sax, flute (1977-1978)
o Giulio Caliandro – bass
o Cesare Capone – drums
o Daniele Albarello La Bassèe – drums

A melodic funk/pop/disco group. Their ”Africa” single was a big chart hit in 1975 and ”Volo AZ 504” in 1976.

Albatros - ”Africa” / “Ha-ri-ah” (1975, single, Funk, Soul, Disco)

¤¤¤Albatros - Volo AZ 504 (1976, Funk, Soul, Disco)

¤¤¤Albatros - “Gran premio” / ”Gran premio (strumentale)” (1977, single, Psychedelic Rock)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTpNT5HY1uE “Gran premio” Live video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbHcmTvR-NY “Gran premio” Live video

¤¤¤Albatros - “Stop-Stop Violence” / ”Oui-bon d'accord” (1977, single, Disco)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQT0lpmJJFk “Stop-Stop Violence” Live video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-FpFgFHl2c ”Oui-bon d'accord” Dj Troby Re Edit Mix

¤¤¤Albatros - “Santamaria de Portugal” / ”La mia isola” (1977, single, Funk / Soul, Pop, Ballad, Disco)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r8DdLPhB_U “Santamaria de Portugal”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXxnL1fr2ZI “Santamaria de Portugal”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NYt8LgJiLQ “Santamaria de Portugal”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84ViDPQQNQM “Santamaria de Portugal” Live video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_akBXTTmJcI “Santamaria de Portugal” longer disco version

Compilations:
Albatros - Il Meglio (aka 'Dove eravamo rimasti') (1998, compilation, Electronic, Pop, Disco)

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Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale (Progressive Electronic)

o Terra Di Benedetto (vocals)
o Mino Di Martino (keyboards)

After the huge success of his previous band I Giganti in the 60's, Giacomo "Mino" Di Martino totally dedicated to exploring avantgarde music, forming this duo with wife Edda "Terra" Di Benedetto after a short spell with a group called Telaio Magnetico. Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale was the name of a private club in Rome owned by them.

Their only album, privately released in 1978 but recorded a couple of years before, contains keyboard music in a similar vein as many German cosmic music LP's or some of Franco Battiato's experiments, with the organ as main instrument, only accompanied in some parts by Terra's voice.

The album was intended as an anti-nuclear message. The result is a difficult LP, that can be interesting for those into Battiato's early works. The 37-minutes long album is enriched, in the recent CD and vinyl reissues, by the dreamy bonus track Hymalaya, more accessible than most of the LP.

After the album Di Martino and Terra have followed their experimental path with many concerts until the 80's, and Mino also released in the mid 90's a theatrical piece, Le campane del gloria, based on film director Pier Paolo Pasolini's poetry with help from former Stormy Six keyboard/violin/guitar player Tommaso Leddi.Di Benedetto issued in 1982 an interesting single for It (ZBT 7252) with Angeli e dinosauri and Silenzio, il tempo gira, under the name Terra.

Two CD compilations of unreleased demos, mostly from the late 70's and early 80's, have been released by Giallo Records, entitled Angeli di solitudine and Cammino sotto il mare.

Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale - Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale (1978, Electronic, Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock, Experimental) 3.72¤

Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale - Angeli di solitudine - Provini inediti 1974-96 (2009, Electronic, Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock, Experimental) 2.00¤

Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale - Cammino sotto il mare (Idee per canzoni) (2011, Electronic, Rock, Classical, Ambient, New Age, Experimental)

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Alberomotore (Albero Motore, Prog Related)

o Maurizio Rota (vocals, percussion)
o Adriano Martire (keyboards)
o Fernando Fera (guitar)
o Glauco Borrelli (bass, vocals)
o Marcello Vento (drums)

A five-piece of very good musicians from Rome, Alberomotore (or Albero Motore as it was sometimes written) were aided and produced by 60's singer-guitarist Ricky Gianco who helped them with a recording deal with the newly born Intingo label. Their album had just been issued by the old Car Juke Box label and was soon re-released on the new label.

Il grande gioco (1974) seems one of those rock-inspired singer-songwriters' albums so popular in Italy during the 1970's, with much more space to the voice than to lead instruments, prog influences are minimal, with honky piano and excellent but short American-styled guitar licks to the fore, helped by a good voice, and the album is a nice listening though with no particular merits.

The only relevant tracks are ”Israele” with lyrics on the Palestinian people and the closing ”Provvisorietà”, introduced by a short instrumental (and much closer to a prog style, this time) called Capodanno '73.

After the LP, a single was released a year later, then the group disbanded. Some of the band members played in other artists' albums, with Fernando Fera being the most successful of them as a well known sessionman and film music composer. Fera also released an LP, entitled simply Fernando Fera Group (BB LP-8110) probably issued in 1981 and including 11 tracks between pop and library music.

Singer Maurizio Rota still has a good solo activity in the Rome area, and also sings in a Beatles-tribute band that includes former Libra and Buon Vecchio Charliekeyboardist Sandro Centofanti. He released a single in 1978, ”Un fiore contro il vento” / ”Strade de borgata”, (EMI 3C-006-18326), two tracks from the soundtrack of the film Non contate su di noi, that's interesting because all the members of Alberomotore play on it.

Marcello Vento has played for a while with Canzoniere del Lazio and Jenny Sorrenti's band and had a relevant activity in the jazz field and as drum teacher. He passed away in 2013.

Bassist Glauco Borrelli kept playing as sessionman after the band split, then he joined the band of singer-songwriter Pierangelo Bertoli, later he opened a recording studio in Rome.

Alberomotore - Il grande gioco (1974, Prog Rock) 2.28¤

¤¤¤Alberomotore - “Messico lontano” / ”Mandrake” (1975, single) 5¤

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Alia Musica / Ensemble Alia Musica (1975-87, Medieval Music 800-1300 AD)

Basic members until 1982:
● Fabio Soragna – vocals, santur, flauti diritti, ance (aerofoni)
● Piergiorgio Lazzaretto – vocals, organistrum
● Francis Biggi – vocals, oud, saz, lute, plucked instruments
● Alexandre Regis – vocals, zarb, naqqara, bendir, darbuka (goblet drum), percussion
● François Bedel – zarb, darbuka (goblet drum), percussion
● Giuliano Prada – flauti diritti e traversi, ance (aerofoni), gaita gallega
● Riccardo Grazioli – ghironda (hurdy-gurdy), vielle (European bowed stringed instrument)
● Gerard Lesne – countertenor (contra tenor voice type)
● Brigitte Lesne – vocals
● Patrizia Bovi – vocals
Basic members 1983 – 1987:
● Fabio Soragna – vocals, santur, flauti diritti, ance (aerofoni)
● Piergiorgio Lazzaretto – vocals, organistrum
● Francis Biggi – vocals, oud, saz, lute, plucked instruments
● Alexandre Regis – vocals, zarb, naqqara, bendir, darbuka (goblet drum), percussion
● François Bedel – zarb, darbuka (goblet drum), percussion
● Marco Ferrari – vocals, flauti diritti, double flute, ney, launeddas (triple clarinet or triplepipe), ance (aerofoni), tromba naturale
● Sigrid Lee – vocals, vielle (European bowed stringed instrument), ribeca
● Ulrich Pfeifer – vocals, symphonia (hurdy-gurdy), natural trumpet
Partecipazioni occasionali: Robert Barto, Mauro Palmas, Mauro Pagani, Marcel Pérès, Josep Cabré, Umberto Rinaldi, Christian Chauvot, Anne Auffret, Hervé Langlois, Richard Jones, Giancarlo Maniga, Marco Beasley, Flavio Sala, Lucio Biondi, Ermanno Vignati, Renzo Bez, Willem de Waal, Fu Chu-Huang.

With no less than 12 musicians involved, including Mauro Pagani as guest and producer, this group from Milan released only one rare album Alia Musica in 1979 of Spanish religious tunes from the 13th century, played with traditional instruments. Despite being far from this site's contents, the album is much sought-after by the Italian prog collectors; it had a deluxe laminated cover and a booklet with notes and lyrics. The same album was issued with the title Cantigas de Santa Maria and a different single cover by Ricordi.

Alia Musica e Mauro Pagani - Alia Musica (aka 'Cantigas de Santa Maria') (1979, Neo-Classical, Medieval, Avantgarde, Contemporary)

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Le Ali del Vento (1969-71, ) / Gli Astrali (1967-69, Psychedelic Rock / Beat)

Gli Astrali
o Dante Menotti (vocals, guitar)
o Angelo Presti (keyboards, vocals)
o Terry Fanelli (bass, guitar)
o Vito Salice (drums)

Le Ali del Vento
o Anna Serena (vocals, guitar)
o Angelo Presti (keyboards, vocals)
o Terry Fanelli (bass, guitar)
o Vito Salice (drums)

Starting with the name of Gli Astrali and after a line-up change (with Anna Serena replacing singer/guitarist Dante Menotti), this quartet from Turin recorded an album in 1970, but this was never released. Reputedly this included prog-influenced tracks along with a keyboard-led 15-minute suite. An interesting LP by Gli Astrali exixts in psych/beat style, Viaggio allucinogeno, recorded in 1967 and only issued in 1995 on Destination X.

Gli Astrali - Viaggio allucinogeno (rec.1967, rel. 1995, Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock)

Le Ali del Vento - Unissued album / Le Ali del Vento 69-71 (1970. rel. Psychedelic / Prog Rock

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Gli Alisei (“Trade Winds”, 1969- circa 1995, 2012-, Soft Prog, Pop Rock)

1969 – ca 1995:
o Carmelo Lucà (vocals, keyboards)
o Salvo Papale (keyboards
o Tony Miosi (guitar, vocals)
o Michele Sidoti (flute, sax, vocals)
o Enzo Ranieri (bass)
o Enzo Guagliardo (drums, vocals)

2012-:
o Carmelo Lucà (vocals / Hammond organ)
o Ninni La Mattina (piano)
o Salvo Valenza (guitar)
o Carmelo Palumbo (bass)
o Gabriele Palumbo (drums)

A sextet from Palermo that is often described as soft prog, gli Alisei were formed by Carmelo Lucà and Michele Sidoti in the mid 1970's, with various musicians around the nucleus of the two founder members, still active in the early 1990's.

They released some commercial singles (one of which, ”L'amore non ha età”, sold around 300,000 copies) and an LP at the end of the 1970's.

The group also backed a popular actor, Franco Franchi in his tours, and appeared in two of his films.

¤¤¤Carmelo e Gli Alisei - ”Senza di lei” / ”L'ultima donna” (1971, "Without Her"/ "The Last Woman", Prog Rock, Pop Rock)

¤¤¤Gli Alisei - ”Io mi vendo a lei” / ”Cambia l'arma, ma non la mente” (1973, ”I Sell to Her” / ”Change the Weapon, but Not the Mind”, single, Pop Rock)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKuKS_L8x3U ”Cambia l'arma, ma non la mente”

¤¤¤Gli Alisei - ”Fessta” / ”Onuri Siciliano” (1973, single, "Party" / "Sicilian Onuri", Pop, Folk, Chanson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03bKl0wQqb4 ”Cambia l'arma, ma non la mente”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph9wu-ChIS8 ”Cambia l'arma, ma non la mente”

¤¤¤Alisei - ”L'amore non ha età” / ”Emigrazione” (1977, single, ”Love Has No Age” / ”Emigration”, Pop Rock)

Gli Alisei - Gli Alisei (1979, “Trade Winds”, Pop Rock, Prog Rock, Power Pop)

Alisei - Noi Siciliani (1980, ”We Sicilians”, cassette, Soft Prog RockFolk)

Alisei - "Giù" / "Ne vale la pena" (1980, "Down" / "It's Worth It", Italian Progressive Rock / Electronic / Italo-Disco)

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Alluminogeni / Gli Alluminogeni (1970-72, 1991-, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Patrizio Alluminio (keyboards, vocals)
o Enrico Cagliero (guitar, bass)
o Daniele Ostorero (drums)

A trio from Turin, formed in 1970 by keyboard player Alluminio (hence the name of the band) and drummer Ostorero with various guitarists (Guido Maccario, Aldo, Andrea Sacchi, Piero Tonello, then Enrico Cagliero), they only lasted for a couple of years and their only album, Scolopendra (1972), was issued when they had already split.

The group had obtained their record deal by a lucky chance, a demo tape was sent around and they were contacted by Fonit for a single and to play the Cantagiro festival with no previous live experience, in front of 15000 people audiences.

After four singles released between 1970 and 1971, in which the band limits are evident, the album is very well made, mainly based on Hammond organ and other keyboards, with good instrumental parts even if the voice is a bit thin and the sound seems dated now. First side has more vocal parts and is lightweight in comparison, the second side is more instrumental and much better.

Despite a long time spent in rehearsing the album tracks, the group was totally unsatisfied by the production work made by Fonit to transform it into a more commercial product, and this was one of the main reasons for them to split.

The band reformed in 1993 and released two CD's for Vinyl Magic, with good results. The last of these, Green grapes (this has been the name of the group before changing it to Alluminogeni) is a compilation of old and new unreleased recordings, and also includes an English version of their first single L'alba di Bremit.

Keyboardist/singer Patrizio Alluminio also released a solo single, Tu anima mia on Fonit in 1975, that was in fact an unreleased cut from the Alluminogeni LP.

¤¤¤Gli Alluminogeni - “L'alba di Bremit” / ”Orizzonti lontani” (1970, single, Prog Rock)

¤¤¤Gli Alluminogeni - ”Dimensione prima” / ”La vita e l'amore” (1970, single, Rock, Pop)

¤¤¤Gli Alluminogeni - ”Solo un attimo” / ”Psicosi” (1971, single, Prog Rock)

¤¤¤Gli Alluminogeni - ”Troglomen” / ”Costruendo astronavi” (1971, single, Prog Rock, Soundtrack)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmkF4tMwuQU ”Costruendo astronavi” video

Gli Alluminogeni - Scolopendra (1972, Prog Rock) 3.09¤

Gli Alluminogeni - Geni Mutanti (1993, Prog Rock) 2.07¤

Gli Alluminogeni - Green Grapes (1994, Prog Rock) 2.02¤

Gli Alluminogeni - Metafisico (2008)

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o Mario Poletti (vocals)
o Piero Messina (guitar)
o Gianmaria Mingoni (keyboards)
o Luciano Benedetti Vallenari (bass)
o Francesco Casale (drums)

Alpha Centauri, from Verona, released a single “Dai treno dai” / “Immagine bianca” on Numero Uno in 1969, in a similar style to Formula Tre. Both tracks are cover versions, the A-side was originally ”The Train” by 1910 Fruitgum Co., on the other side ”Throw Down the Line” by Cliff Richard. Some say that Lucio Battisti played on these tracks, as he was recording at the same time in that studio.

The group was formed by the members of I Tornados, a beat group active since the early 1960's and the line-up included, at the time of release of the single, Mario Poletti (vocals), Piero Messina (guitar), Gianmaria Mingoni (keyboards), Luciano Benedetti Vallenari (bass) and Francesco Casale (drums). Another softer single exists by a group with the same name, but it's likely that this was a different band.

¤¤¤Alpha Centauri - “Dai treno dai” / “Immagine bianca” (1969, single, Classic Rock)

Alpha Centauri - “Deserti di creta” / “Stasera che si fa” (1973, Prog Rock)


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Alphataurus (1970-73, 2010-)

o Michele Bavaro (vocals)
o Pietro Pellegrini (keyboards, vibes)
o Guido Wassermann (guitar)
o Alfonso Oliva (bass)
o Giorgio Santandrea (drums)

A group from Milan born in 1970, Alphataurus were one of the many unknown Italian bands who suddenly had a recording deal, made an album and disappeared into oblivion. Having played in some important festivals in 1972, the group was offered by Vittorio De Scalzi of New Trolls a recording deal for his new label, Magma.

Their one and only album, Alphataurus, the first on the newly born label, is a masterpiece, so well crafted and played that it seems impossible that's been made by a group of unknowns. The singer Bavaro has a very original voice, keyboard player Pietro Pellegrini plays with competence and no self-indulgence, guitar-playing of Guido Wassermann is well cared and the rhythm section of Oliva and Santandrea creates a powerful background.

The album includes five long compositions of which Peccato d'orgoglio and La mente vola are the best, the latter featuring a nice moog intro and a stunning vibes solo.

Soon after this the band split while preparing the second album. A 1992 CD entitled Dietro l'uragano includes some demo recordings of unreleased instrumental parts with no vocals, the result is good though it obviously sounds incomplete at times.

Drummer Giorgio Santandrea was briefly in Crystals, while keyboardist Pietro Pellegrini has long collaborated with Riccardo Zappa and PFM.

Singer Michele Bavaro, from Bari, released a commercial solo album in 1988 (Surplace - Macaroni MAC 64701) and various CD's of Italian songs, playing throughout the world.

In 2010 three of the original members (Pellegrini, Wassermann, Santandrea) reformed Alphataurus to play at the Progvention held in Mezzago (near Milan). The new line-up, which includes singer Claudio Falcone, keyboardist Andrea Guizzetti and bassist Fabio Rigamonti, has stayed together for a few concerts, and at the end of 2011 the original drummer Giorgio Santandrea left his place to Alessandro "Pacho" Rossi.

The nice 2010 reunion concert has been issued on CD and LP in 2012 with the title Live in Bloom. In the same year the second official studio album by Alphataurus has finally seen the light, entitled AttosecondO, an album of eccellent quality.

¤¤¤Alphataurus - Alphataurus (1973, Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock, Symphonic Rock) 4.11¤

Alphataurus - Dietro l'uragano (1973 unreleased demos & rehearsals, rel. 1992, Art Rock, Prog Rock) 2.84¤

Alphataurus - Live in Bloom (2012) 4.05¤

Alphataurus - The Early Years (compilation of unreleased 1973 demos & rehearsals, rel. 2012)

Alphataurus - AttosecondO (2012, Prog Rock) 3.91¤

Alphataurus - Prime Numbers (2014, live DVD + rarities CD album, Prog Rock) 3.73¤

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A group that only released a nice single in New Trolls style.

Some of the group members, including singer Ice, issued, again in 1971 a single under the name Ice & High Society Selection, featuring two cover versions: Uriah Heep's ”Bird of Prey” and ”Pretty Woman” by Juicy Lucy (Cooper CPI 7002). In the same year Ice recorded another single along with the singer from Analogy, Jutta Nienhaus, issued as Juta & Ice, containing a remake of the Sacco & Vanzetti film soundtrack, ”Here's to You” and a T.Rex cover, ”Hot Love” (Cooper CPI7008).

¤¤¤Alta Societá - “Occhi chiari“ / “Non hai capito“ (1971)

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L'Altro Mondo ('The Other World', Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Gigi Carosone (vocals)
o Bartolomeo Messina (guitar)
o Renato Rosset (keyboards, future keyboardist with New Trolls and Nova)
o Luigi Ogno (bass)
o Giorgio Tani (drums)

L'Altro Mondo only released this single, halfway between sixties and seventies rock styles. The group was formed by two musicians from Liguria (Ogno and Tani), one from Turin (future keyboardist with New Trolls and Nova, Renato Rosset), one from Milan (Carosone) and one from Sicily (Messina).

¤¤¤L'Altro Mondo - “Canta e balla” / “Sogno di te” (1970, "Sing and Dance" / "I Dream of You", single, Prog Rock)

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Gli Alunni del Sole / Alunni del Sole (1968-, 'Pupils of the Sun', Pop Rock)

o Paolo Morelli – vocals, piano (1968-2013)
o Bruno Morelli – vocals, guitar (1968-)
o Giulio Leofrigio – drums (1968-1979)
o Giampaolo Borra – bass (1968-1979)
o Antonio Rapicavoli – sax (1968-1970)
o Ruggero Stefani – drums (1979-, ex-Fholks, L'Uovo di Colombo, Samadhi, & Mediterraneo)
o Gianfranco Coletta – bass, guitar (1979-, ex-Chetro & Co., Banco del Mutuo Soccorso)
o Alessandro Saba – bass (1996-)
o Enrico Olivieri – keyboards (1996-, ex-Metamorfosi)

¤¤¤Gli Alunni del Sole - Dove era lei a quell'ora (1972, Pop Rock)

¤¤¤Gli Alunni del Sole - … E mi manchi tanto (1973, Pop)

+ many other LP's and singles

A melodic pop quartet from Naples, only notable for the long title track of their debut album, a 14-minute ballad structured like a progressive suite, and some soft-prog influences in their vast production.

In 2015 a CD was released with the original unreleased version of the album recorded at the time by the group leader Paolo Morelli (Produttori Associati PA/LP 201), who died in 2013.

The group is still playing nowadays. Since 1978 their drummer is Ruggero Stefani (from Fholks, L'Uovo di Colombo, Samadhi, Mediterraneo), while more recently keyboardist Enrico Olivieri (Metamorfosi) and guitarist Gianfranco Coletta (Chetro & Co., Banco del Mutuo Soccorso) joined the line-up.

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Alusa Fallax (1967-79, Rock Progressivo Italiano) / Blizzard (1977)

o Augusto "Duty" Cirla (vocals, drums, recorder)
o Guido Gabet (guitar, vocals)
o Massimo Parretti (keyboards)
o Mario Cirla (flute, sax, French horn, vocals)
o Guido Cirla (bass, vocals)

A five-piece from Milan, Alusa Fallax were formed in 1969 deriving from Gli Adelfi, and released their first single the same year, with a second one not long after. Also in 1969 one of the members (there were two of them with the same name) released a solo single as Guido degli Alusa Fallax (Guardarti negli occhi on West Side).

The band kept playing and released their one and only album in 1974 on Fonit; a great little-known gem, in the best Italian prog tradition, led by keyboards with classical influences, it reminds the best things Banco del Mutuo Soccorso ever made.

No less than 13 tracks are listed on the label, but these are connected to form two long suites very well played and sung, and with interesting lyrics.

Unfortunately the band had very little promotion and kept playing in the dance floor circuit until 1979, issuing a commercial single in 1977 under the name Blizzard.

¤¤¤Alusa Fallax - ”Dedicato a chi amo” / ”Charleston 1923” (1969, single) 4.50¤

¤¤¤Alusa Fallax - ”Tutto passa” / ”Cade una stella” (1969, single) 2.14¤

Alusa Fallax - Intorno alla mia cattiva educazione (1974) 4.02¤

¤¤¤Blizzard - “La Soffitta” / “Tu Donna” (1977, single)

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Analogy (1972-73, Psychedelic/Space Rock)

o Jutta Taylor-Nienhaus (vocals)
o Martin Thurn-Mithoff (guitar)
o Nicola Pankoff (keyboards)
o Wolfgang Schoene (bass)
o Hermann-Jürgen "Mops" Nienhaus (drums)

Even if four of the five musicians were foreigners, Analogy absolutely deserve a place here along with the other "Italian pop" groups, having spent their whole career in Italy and having released here their records.

The group was formed by four German musicians living in northern Italy, near Varese (three of them had grown up there, Thurn-Mithoff arrived in 1968), along with two italians, keyboardist Nicola Pankoff (originating from Arona) and bassist Mauro Rattaggi.

The initial name was The Joice, but it was changed by mistake by their record company to Yoice, and it was with this name that their first single was released by the small Produzioni Ventotto label, distributed by Messaggerie Musicali.

In 1972, when Rattaggi quit and rhythm guitarist Schoene switched to bass, the group changed its name to Analogy, and had the chance to play some very important concerts like Caracalla Pop Festival in Rome (first concert with the new name) or the Be-In in Naples, though they remained totally unknown outside Italy, apart from Switzerland.

Their only album, very rare and interesting, shows some rock-blues influences, with the nice voice of singer Jutta Nienhaus in strong evidence, and had a distinctive cover with the group members all naked.

In 1973 keyboardist Nicola Pankoff left the group, though he kept playing and also dedicating to painting, he was replaced by flutist Rocco Abate. The group split around 1974, after more than 250 concerts in Italy and around 60 in Switzerland.

Jutta Taylor-Nienhaus and Martin Thurn-Mithoff collaborated with Franco Battiato on his Sulle corde di Aries 1973 album, with the musician/composer Paolo Ciarchi and also with director/actor Dario Fo's Collettivo Teatrale La Comune in 1974 (they appear on a cassette called Cammina, cammina).

These two musicians then moved to England, where they formed a new band called Earthbound in 1975. The original group split in 1977 and soon reformed with new musicians, only releasing a rare EP, with a style not far from Curved Air but even some influences from the then popular new-wave. It's odd to notice that Nienhaus and Thurn introduced themselves in the press information sheets as past members of the "Italian group Analogy". During their career Earthbound also played some dates in Northern Italy, and split at the end of 1979.

The same two musicians recorded in 1980 in London an ambitious symphonic-influenced opera, The Suite, which had been composed and played live since 1974, but this was only released for the first time in 1993, again under the old name Analogy.

A new CD, 25 Years Later released in 1996 by the German Ohrwaschl label but recorded in Italy, includes reworkings of old songs by a line-up including the above duo of Nienhaus and Thurn and original bassist Rattaggi with other musicians. The album was intended as a homage to drummer Mops Nienhaus, passed away some years before.

In 2010 the band's career was celebrated by a nice 3 CD box set featuring the complete Analogy and Earthbound recorded works, including many unreleased studio and live tracks.

The first live appearance of the band after many years was in 2003 when Analogy (Jutta Taylor-Nienhaus, Martin Thurn-Mithoff, Mauro Rattaggi and Geoff Cooper, second drummer of Earthbound) played God’s Own Land in a club near Saarbrücken for Jutta's 50th birthday. It was the first concert ever by Analogy in Germany!

Later on, in February 2010, four of the band members (Jutta and Martin with Mauro Rattaggi and Rocco Abate) along with Dick Brett and Scott Hunter from Earthbound played together for a single show on the occasion of the launch of their The complete works box set.

Since 2011 Analogy are playing together again, adding to the line-up of Nienhaus, Thurn, Rattaggi and Hunter, keyboardist Roberto Carlotto (Hunka Munka). This line-up has played many times in Italy in 2012. In the same year AMS issued a DVD entitled The video collection, which includes all the existing video recordings with Analogy and Earthbound.
One of the 2012 concerts, in Lamezia Terme, was recorded for a live album issued in 2013, entitled Konzert.
The new studio album by Arti & Mestieri was finally released in 2015, after many international tours, a very nice record entitled Universi paralleli, with a guest appearance on two tracks by Mel Collins but no sign of founder member Beppe Crovella.


Analogy - Analogy (1972, Krautrock, Prog Rock) 3.09¤

Analogy - The Suite (rec. 1980, rel. 1993, Prog Rock) 3.38¤

Analogy - 25 Years Later (1996, Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock) 3.60

Analogy - Live in Lamezie Terme, Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy 2012-04-14

Analogy - Live @ The Roots of Rock Festival, Viterbo, Italy 2012-07-20 & 21

Analogy - Konzert (2013, Prog Rock) 3.00¤

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One of many groups that, in the 1970's, mixed Christian-inspired lyrics with a rock musical background, these Anawim recorded at least three albums for the Rusty label, all with multi-vocal parts (sometimes embarrassingly out of tune, especially in the first LP) and large use of flute and organ. Probably the most interesting for the prog fans is the third one, containing a side-long 20+ minutes ”Concerto di Natale”
Anawim - Quattro cristiani in giro per il mondo (1976, Ballad, Religious, Prog Rock)

Anawim - 2° Recital Degi Anawim / Missione: Uomo (1977, Ballad, Religious, Prog Rock)

Anawim - Concerto di Natale (1978, Folk, Prog Rock)

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Andromeda (1978, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Gianfranco Mentil (guitar, bass, vocals)
o Edi ”Eddy” Meola (sax, flute)
o Gianfry Lugano (keyboards)
o Giampiero Morsut (drums, percussion)

With:
o Piero Pocecco (bass)

A group from Friuli, whose 1978 LP Andromeda was produced by a recording studio from Udine. Even if it suffers from bad recording and performing quality, the album has some interesting moments, and contains original tracks along with two covers. There's a guest appearance in the album by bassist Piero Pocecco, who also played in concert with the band even if he was not a real member.

Of the band members, Eddy Meola and Gianfry Lugano followed their career as musicians, the latter also played in the Nascita della Sfera album. Meola also collaborated on the Mister Paperrock Orchestra album on the same label.

¤¤¤Andromeda - Volume 1 (1978, Prog Rock)

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Anonima Sound (1964-70, Psychedelic/Space Rock) / Anonima Sound Ltd. (1971-72)

1967-70 (as Anonima Sound):
o Ivan Graziani (guitar, vocals)
o Walter Monatti (bass)
o Velio Gualazzi (drums)

1971 (as Anonima Sound Ltd.):
o Massimo Meloni (guitar, vocals)
o Walter Monatti ( bass)
o Velio Gualazzi (drums)

1972:
o Richard Ingersoll (vocals, flute)
o Massimo Meloni (guitar, vocals)
o Lamberto Clementi (guitar)
o Peter Dobson (guitar)
o Piero Cecchini (bass, vocals)
o Velio Gualazzi (drums)
o Claudine Reiner (percussion, vocals)

Formed in Urbino, Marche in 1964, Anonima Sound were a beat-pop trio that released four singles until 1970, when their leader Ivan Graziani (from Teramo, Abruzzo) left to pursue a very successful solo career that lasted until his death in 1997. Their first single ”Fuori piove” was a hit at the time.

The others reformed the band in 1971, changing their name to Anonima Sound Ltd. and with a new member in guitarist Massimo Meloni, and released a good Italian-sung single in 1971, Io prendo amore. A year later a radical change in the line-up transformed the band into a seven-piece with two americans, singer/flutist Richard Ingersoll and percussionist Claudine Reiner, and englishman Peter Dobson on guitar, and a music heavily influenced by the English prog of the time. Their only album, on Arcobaleno label, is strongly influenced by the likes of Jethro Tull, with a good use of flute and totally sung in English.

Anonima Sound Ltd. - Red Tape Machine (1972, Prog Rock) 2.51¤

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Just a single for this group, on the same label as Ut. Their style is melodic prog, the A-side is better than the other track.

¤¤¤Anselmo e Gli Anemoni - ”La mente mia” / ”L'organista” (1973, single, Prog Rock, Pop)

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Antares (Crossover Prog)

o Joseph Kalì (guitar)
o Marco Tessitore (keyboards, vocals)
o Ennio Barone (bass, vocals)
o Lorenz Shulze (drums, guitar)

A little known group that only released an album and a single at the end of the 1970's, Antares were an Italian group signed to the Unifunk label, notable among collectors for producing one of the rarest items by Antonius Rex, the single released in 1971 as Invisible Force.

And the connection with Rex leader Antonio Bartoccetti is strong in the album, as two of the six tracks are co-written by him and the overall sound of Antares' music is not far from the 1978 album Ralefun by Antonius Rex.

The album was mainly based on keyboards, an electro-pop album sung in English and with light progressive leanings, and was recorded in Oslo. Nothing is known about the musicians, two of which were surely italians by name, but even the guitarist can be an Italian with a fake foreign name.

As in Automat's case, this is an Italian electronic prog group that has very little in common with the most part of other Italian artists of their time.

Antares - Sea of Tranquillity (1979, Italian Space Rock, Prog Rock, Symphonic Rock) 2.71¤

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Antonius Rex (1974-, Rock Progressivo Italiano) / Jacula (1969-72, Rock Progressivo Italiano) / Invisible Force (1971) / Dietro Noi / Deserto (1971)

Probably the most charismatic figure of all the Italian prog scene, Antonio Bartoccetti (Antonius Rex) began his career going to Milan from the Marche, forming Jacula, Dietro Noi Deserto (even with a single on Decca in 1971!), and Invisible Force (another lonely single in 1971). Not real bands but just a group of musicians working beyond the leading figure of Bartoccetti.

Their first album, in 1969, was recorded in London and only released in a strictly limited number of copies (300 + 10 promos) that were only partly distributed by the producer and label owner to sects. An album full of dark atmospheres, mainly based on guitar and church organ and with no drums, it has recently been reissued by Black Widow.

In 1971 two singles were released under different names: first as Invisible Force, with two tracks that later reappeared in Tardo pede in magiam versus and Zora; the B-side 1999 mundi finis, later re-released as ”U.F.D.E.M.” and ”Morte al potere” is one of their classics. The second single that year appeared under the name of Dietro Noi Deserto, this time Bartoccetti was the bass player and composer of both tracks; this seems to be the only proper group which he has played with, and the style is closer to late 1960's psychy beat than progressive.

Second album, and usually considered their first proper release, was Tardo pede in magiam versus, also released in limited number of copies for an unknown label (this seems to be a constant in all the Bartoccetti production) and housed in a cover sporting the same design as the previous one, but coloured instead of the original black and white. The medium Franz Parthenzy is also listed in the line-up along with the three official members Antonio Bartoccetti, Charles Tiring and Fiamma Dallo Spirito (whose real name was Vittoria Lo Turco, from Genoa and author of a single under the name Fiamma). Long instrumental spectral organ parts are the main ingredient of this album, that has in the suggestive ”U.F.D.E.M.” (also on the Invisbile Force single) probably their best track. Dark atmospheres abound and some tracks, like the spoken (in bad English) ”Long black Magic Night” can be boring for many listeners.

In 1974 a new name change to Antonius Rex and an album called Neque semper arcum tendit rex, first official appearance of Doris Norton, long time partner and musical collaborator of Bartoccetti. According to him, despite a contact to release it on Vertigo, the label considered it to be too outrageous, with the black and white cover reproducing a 17th century "diabolic" letter and strong lyrics, especially in the Devil letter track. The album was planned for release on drummer Albert Goodman's Darkness label, but it never went over a promo issue.

So the first real commercially released Antonius Rex album is Zora from 1977, on the small Tickle label and, again, with an outrageous cover that was replaced with a different one a year later. Zora is not a great album, despite its collectibility, and includes some reworkings of tracks from Jacula's Tardo pede in magiam versus (”Morte al potere” is a third revised version of ”U.F.D.E.M.”); their main elements are as usual church organ, dark atmospheres, lyrics dealing with occultism. The four tracks on the album were all composed by Bartoccetti along with Franco Mussita and Angelo "India" Serighelli from I Raminghi, both also listed among the LP contributors. The second issue includes an extra fifth track.

Ralefun is definitely much less dark than anything else they made, more varied and the sound is richer with the addition of flute and bass guitar (with guest appearences by Marco Ratti and Hugo Heredia), but some ventures into different music styles don't always work very well.

Very mysterious characters, Jacula/Antonius Rex never liked concerts, their only live appearance ever as Jacula has been made in Milan in front of a 45 people audience while Antonius Rex apparently had a tour in 1979, and have always liked to do what they wanted, without the record companies restrictions and obligations.

2001 has seen the official re-release of two of the rarest Jacula/Antonius Rex productions, In cauda semper stat venenum and Anno demoni, both by Italian independent label Black Widow. An official reissue of Antonius Rex' 1974 first album Neque semper arcum tendit rex has just been released in late 2002, while a reissue of Praeternatural is finally out in late 2003.

In 2005 the first Antonius Rex official video has been released, Magic Ritual, issued on DVD and CD. Latest studio albums by the prolific artist are Per viam issued in 2009, Pre viam in 2011, and Hystero demonopathy in 2012, all on Black Widow.

Antonius Rex - Neque semper arcum tendit rex (1974) 2.86¤

Antonius Rex - Zora (1977) 2.76¤

Antonius Rex - Ralefun (1978) 3.18¤

Antonius Rex - Anno demoni (1979) 2.20¤

Antonius Rex - Praeternatural (1980) 3.13¤

Antonius Rex - “Pig in the Witch” (1992, single)

Antonius Rex - Magic Ritual (2005) 3.26¤

Antonius Rex - Switch on Dark (2006) 3.61¤

Antonius Rex - Per Viam (2009) 3.14¤

Antonius Rex - Hystero Demonopathy (2012) 4.00¤

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Apologia Lupi (1970's, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Rosario Brancati (vocals, flute)
o Rocco Tolve (guitar)
o Enzo Cammarota (keyboards)
o Stefano Rubino (bass)
o Franco Sileo (drums)
o Filippo Parisi (percussion, vocals)

A group from Potenza, Basilicata that only released a good single in 1974. For the use of flute they have been compared with Osanna.

Some of the musicians came from I Lupi, active since the 1960's that had released a single, ”Cercare una donna” in 1969. Bass player Stefano Rubino had a solo career in the late 1970's, with many singles and LP's, the first two of which on Radio Records.

Apologia Lupi - “Pensieri d'aprile” / “Quel qualcosa di nuovo” (1974)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYlXOMe0ZSE “Quel qualcosa di nuovo”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buovYAYAuNc “Quel qualcosa di nuovo”

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Gli Apostholi (beat group 1964-69, pop with very light prog influences 1970-)

o Walter Bottazzi (vocals)
o Tullio Mazzaretto (guitar)
o Gigi Terzo (keyboards)
o Ivano Aldighieri (bass)
o Roberto Trentin (drums)

A beat group from Vicenza, together since 1964. Gli Apostholi broke up at the end of the 1960's, to reform as a trio in 1970 with just one of the original members, bassist and singer Walter Bottazzi, along with keyboardist Gigi Terzo and drummer Roberto Trentin.

Their live repertoire included self-penned songs and covers of British and American artists, but their albums, released in 1979 and 1981 are in pop style with very light prog influences (especially Un'isola senza sole); both are very rare and expensive.

On the first LP, Ho smesso di vivere (1979), the three musicians were helped by guitarist Franco Marchiori, who had been in the group in the 1960's. The line-up was expanded for the following album with newcomers Tullio Mazzaretto and Ivano Aldighieri.

The group is still active with a five-piece line-up, featuring Paolo Savegnago (vocals, already in the band during the Sixties), Walter Bottazzi (guitar, vocals), Alcide Ronzani (guitar), Gigi Terzo (keyboards) and Roberto Trentin (drums, vocals).

Gli Apostholi - Ho smesso di vivere (1979, Prog Rock, Pop Rock) 2.44.¤

Gli Apostholi - Un'isola senza sole (1981, Prog Rock, Pop Rock) 2.52¤

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Apoteosi (1974-75, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Silvana Idà (vocals)
o Massimo Idà (keyboards)
o Franco Vinci (guitar, vocals)
o Federico Idà (bass, flute)
o Marcello Surace (drums)

Coming from Palmi, Calabria, in southern Italy, Apoteosi were one of those minor bands that only released a single album before disappearing. The group was built on the nucleus of the three brothers Silvana, Massimo and Federico Idà, and their music was strongly based on the keyboards of Massimo (just 14 at the time!) and the thin voice of Silvana.

Though its members were very young, the group had played together for a long time, but the LP, Apoteosi, was only released in 1975 by the small local label Said and allegedly only had limited pressing and distribution, being now very hard to find. Apoteosi had a very good sound, reminding of some English bands such as Julian's Treatment but still retaining the typical Italian prog touch. Very nice piano playing all over. The beautiful album includes eight tracks, but the first side is a long suite with no breaks.

After the band split, keyboardist Massimo Idà has moved to Rome, and worked as session musician and TV music producer, he also plays in a funky/disco band, called Frankie & Canthina Band. He produced and played on Tito Schipa Jr.'s Dylaniato LP in 1982. Silvana Idà still lives in Palmi and has left the music (but her son plays in a rock band), while bassist Federico Idà died in 1992.

Guitarist Franco Vinci has kept playing and is still active in the blues field, a CD with the Bootleg Band came out in 2003, Boot tip. His current group is Franco Vinci Blues Band. Drummer Marcello Surace is still working as session musician in Italy and France, he also plays with Massimo Idà in the Frankie & Canthina Band.

Apoteosi - Apoteosi (1975, Prog Rock) 3.93¤

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o Filippo Trecca

Aquarium Sounds - Aquarium Sounds (1979, Funk / Soul, Stage & Screen)

Aquarium Sounds - ”Elena” / ”Buio” (1979, single, Soundtrack, Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock)

A mystery group that released a very rare LP, probably only issued in promotional form, and two singles. Under the name Aquarium Sounds hid Filippo Trecca, a well-known film and TV music composer, but some say that important musicians of the Rome progressive area may have helped him. The album includes 10 short instrumental tracks, mostly based on keyboards and closer to pop than to prog.

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Le Aquile (1971-73)

o Roberto Marini (vocals, guitar)
o Arnaldo Biondi (keyboards, vocals)
o Giorgio Merli (bass, vocals)
o Antonio Merli (drums, vocals)

After a first melodic pop debut with the original line-up featuring drummer Bruno Bizzi, this group from Sorano, near Grosseto released a second good single on the collectible Picci label. Their style is not far from Blocco Mentale, with organ-led sound and melodic vocals. The group disbanded soon after the release of the second single.

¤¤¤Le Aquile - ”Sonia” / ”E' lei” (1971, Beat Rock)

¤¤¤Le Aquile - ”Il tuo splendido amore” / ”Agnus Dei” (1973, Prog Rock)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLOIDPjK1dw ”Il tuo splendido amore”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkxcTTpW4HM ”Il tuo splendido amore”

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Maurizio Arcieri (30.4.1942 – 29.1.2015, Pop Rock, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

The former leader of I New Dada, a very popular beat group that even supported The Beatles in their legendary Italian tour, Arcieri left his old band for a highly successful solo career, and even had an interesting progressive release with the Trasparenze LP from 1973, an album with good instrumental parts.

Subsequently he formed in 1976 the Chrisma (later Krisma) duo with his wife Christina Moser, influenced by the punk image and veering toward electronic pop music.

After leaving the scenes, Arcieri passed away in January 2015.

Trasparenze (1973) has been reissued on CD in 2010 by Universal as part of the Progressive Italia - Gli anni '70 vol. 5 box set.

Maurizio Arcieri - Trasparenze (1973, Prog Rock)

+ many EP's and singles.

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Area / AreA / Area - International POPular Group (1972-83, 1993-2000, 2011-12, Rock Progressivo Italiano, Art Rock, Free Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Experimental, Electronic )

1973:
o Demetrio Stratos (vocals, organ, percussion)
o Paolo Tofani (guitar, synth)
o Victor Busnello (sax)
o Patrizio Fariselli (keyboards)
o Patrick Djivas (bass)
o Giulio Capiozzo (drums, percussion)

from 1974:
Victor Busnello and Patrick Djivas left, added:
o Ares Tavolazzi (bass)

Area were in fact an "international popular group", as the cover of their first album says, with greek singer Demetrio Stratos coming from the beat group I Ribelli, French bass player Djivas and belgian sax player Busnello.

The first line-up, in 1972, also included pianist Leandro Gaetano and the guitarist of hungarian origin Johnny Lambizi, the latter soon replaced by Paolo Tofani, a musician with the longest experience in the group, having played in 60's bands Samurai along with Formula Tre keyboardist Gabriele Lorenzi, I Califfi and for a short time with Noi Tre, that also included future Triade bass player Agostino Nobile.

Arbeit macht frei was an essential album in the Italian rock of the 1970's, full of different influences yet totally original in its sound. Stratos' voice is stunning, used like an instrument, and the backing band is powerful, formed by top quality and inventive musicians. Some jazz and eastern folklore influences are easily distinguished, and the music is not easy to categorise. The group image was characterised by the style of Cramps label designer Gianni Sassi, that added a distinctive visual style to their music.

Second LP, Caution radiation area (1974), was more experimental with tracks like Lobotomia and ZYG (Crescita zero) that show strong free-jazz influences.

The following album, Crac, released the same year, returned to a more prog style, with some of their best rock tracks in ”Gioia e rivoluzione” and ”L'elefante bianco”, yet retaining the long instrumental parts that were the group's trademark.

The strong political influences in Area music emerged in their rendition of the popular socialist hymn L'internazionale, released as a single in 1974 and a concert classic, as demonstrated in the 1975 live LP Are(a)zione.

1976 saw a radical turn in the group's style, with the help of external musicians such as sax player Steve Lacy and percussionist Paul Lytton, playing in Maledetti. The band was turning toward jazz and even the posthumous live recordings from 1976 concerts seem to demonstrate it.

Maledetti (Maudits) (1976) was the last chapter in the long Area/Cramps connection, with the group signing a recording deal with Ascolto and releasing less successful albums at the end of the 1970's.

1978, gli dei se ne vanno gli arrabbiati restano, their first on the new label, contained a couple of interesting prog-inspired tracks, like the opening ”Il bandito del deserto!” and ”Hommage à Violette Nozières”, mixed with others in a stronger free-jazz direction.

Demetrio Stratos died in 1979, probably one of the most important singers and music researchers of all the Italian (and probably european) musical scene. The day after his death a big concert, with 60000 people, was held at the Arena Civica in Milano to honour him (this had been originally organised to collect funds to support Stratos expensive medical therapy), and a double album was taken from the event.

Another group called Area II appeared in the mid 80's, this was in fact a group built by original Area drummer Giulio Capiozzo with session musicians. Much closer to jazz than any previous Area incarnation, the group lasted for two albums in 1986-87.

A new CD by Area, Chernobyl 9771 was released in 1997, the line-up included this time another original member, Patrizio Fariselli, along with Capiozzo. This was probably the last time the Area name has appeared on an album of new recordings, the group kept playing until 1999 then split. Drummer Giulio Capiozzo has sadly died in August 2000.

The name Area has been resurrected by Patrizio Fariselli, Ares Tavolazzi and Paolo Tofani with Tuscan drummer Walter Paoli for a series of concerts since 2010, including dates in New York and Japan. This line-up produced a double CD, entitled Live 2012, featuring a guest appearance on one track by singer Maria Pia de Vito. The quartet continued the long reunion tour in 2013.

Area - Arbeit Macht Frei (Il Lavoro Rende Liberi) (1973, Prog Rock) 4.27¤

¤¤¤Area - Caution Radiation Area (1974, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock, Experimental, Avantgarde) 3.95¤

Area - Crac! (1975, Prog Rock, Jazz-Rock, Art Rock, Experimental) 4.25¤

Area - Are(A)zione (1975 live, Avantgarde, Art Rock, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 4.04¤

Area - Maledetti (Maudits) (1976, Free Jazz, Avantgarde, Free Improvisation, Prog Rock) 4.03¤

Area - 1978 (gli dei se ne vanno gli arrabbiati restano!) (1978, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock, Experimental, Avantgarde) 3.88¤

Area - Event '76 (live 1976, rel. 1979, Jazz-Rock, Free Jazz, Prog Rock, Experimental, Free Improvisation, Art Rock, Avantgarde ) 2.61¤

¤¤¤Area - Tic & Tac (1980, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 2.87¤

Area - Area 1979 - Il Concerto (1980, 2CD) 3.17¤

Area - Concerto Teatro Uomo (live 1976, 2CD, rel. 1997, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock, Avantgarde) 3.56¤

Area - Parigi-Lisbona (live 1976, rel. 1997, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock, Avantgarde, Experimental) 3.05¤

Area - Chernobyl 7991 (1997, Prog Rock) 2.55¤

Area - Live concerts box (2002, 3CD box set including 'Concerto Teatro Uomo' & 'Parigi-Lisbona')

Area - Live in Torino 1977 (live 1977, 2CD, rel. 2002) 3.80¤

Area - Outsider (2007)

Area - Absence (2009, EP)

Area - Live 2012 (2012, Jazz, Rock, Avantgarde) 4.40¤

Area - Live Bootleg 2013-07 (2013)

Compilations:
Area - Anto / Logicamente (1977, compilation)

Area - Gioia e Rivoluzione (1996, compilation)

Area - Area (2013, 3CD compilation)

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Aries (late 1970's Pop Rock, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Massimo Vita – vocals
o Valter Azzollini
o Giorgio Casartelli
o Dario Baserga

A pop group active in Como (Lombardy) in the late 1970's, they only released some singles on the PDU label, in a melodic prog style not far from Odissea (with a voice similar to that group's singer). The line-up included singer Massimo Vita, Valter Azzollini, Giorgio Casartelli and Dario Baserga.

¤¤¤Aries - ”Soli noi” / ”Donna straniera” (1977, single, Pop Rock, Prog Rock)

¤¤¤Aries - ”Vivere come noi” / ”Io adesso” (1978, single, Pop Rock, Prog Rock)

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Ars Nova (1974-89, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

1974-78:
o Luigi Piergiovanni (vocals)
o Pietro Eugeni (guitar)
o Stefano Piergiovanni (bass)
o Stefano Riccioni (drums)

1978-89:
o Luigi Piergiovanni (vocals)
o Romano Carboni (guitar)
o Riccardo Gnerucci (keyboards)
o Pasquale del Duca (keyboards)
o Stefano Piergiovanni (bass)
o Stefano Falcone (drums)

Quartet from Rome, formed in 1974 by the Piergiovanni brothers, coming from Cassa del Comune Accordo. Ars Nova only recorded two singles during their career, which has been documented by Mellow with a posthumous CD, which includes studio and live tracks and a cover inspired from the legendary Picci LP's. Musically the group is often compared with Officina Meccanica, with progressive-inspired tracks along with more pop-oriented songs.

Since the end of 1978, when the original guitarist and drummer left, the group became a six-piece, with brothers Luigi and Stefano Piergiovanni joined by the guitarist Romano Carboni, twin keyboardists Riccardo Gnerucci and Pasquale del Duca, drummer Stefano Falcone, and this line-up survived until the break up at the end of 1980.

Luigi Piergiovanni still works in the record business with the independent label Interbeat created with his brother, sadly passed away in 2001.

¤¤¤Ars Nova - ”Who Are You Kidding?” / ”A Virgin Case” (1977, single, Prog Rock, Funk)

¤¤¤Ars Nova - ”Due corpi in armonia” / ”Moquette” (1978, single, Prog Rock, Funk)

¤¤¤Ars Nova - Ars Nova (rec. 1974-79, rel. 2002, Prog Rock) 2.34¤

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Art Fleury (1976-83, RIO/Avant-Prog, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Augusto Ferrari (keyboards)
o Maurizio Tomasoni (trumpet, horns)
o Giangi Frugoni (bass, guitar, clarinet)

Though their record debut came in the new wave era, Art Fleury from Brescia can now be considered much closer to some avantgarde groups of the progressive era than anything else released in Italy in 1980.

The beginnings of the group are from the mid 70's, when AMG (from the initials of the group members), still in their teens, had the chance of playing before Areaat Milan's Parco Lambro Festival in 1976, and then opening some Italian dates of Henry Cow, thanks to their collaboration with Cooperativa L'Orchestra. The name Art Fleury was adopted around 1977, but their first record came out only in 1980, through Italian Records, a small label from Bologna aimed at promoting new wave groups.

I luoghi del potere can easily be compared to early Faust, and their later works oscillated between electronic wave and avantgarde music with no commercial decline. Their debut album has finally been issued on CD in 2007 in a deluxe box set with booklet and poster.

¤¤¤Art Fleury - I luoghi del potere (1980) 3.12¤ 2#

Art Fleury - The Last Album (1981) 2.86¤

Art Fleury - Hard Fashion Girls (1981) 2.00¤

Art Fleury - New Performer (1983) 2.00¤

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A Sicilian group that released at least two singles around the end of the 1970's, the first one being in a Ping Pong style with very light progressive influences. On the second single the first song is sung in Italian, the other in English.

Arte 2000 - ”Vuoi proprio me” / ”Serenità” (1976, Pop)

Arte 2000 - ”Ritratto di una donna in premaman” / ”Beatles' Song” (1978, single, Pop)

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Arti & Mestieri (1974-, Jazz Rock Fusion, Rock Progressivo Italiano) / Arti e Mestieri / Arti + Mestieri

1974:
o Gigi Venegoni (guitar, synthesizer)
o Beppe Crovella (keyboards)
o Giovanni Vigliar (violin, vocals, percussion)
o Arturo Vitale (sax, clarinet, vibes)
o Marco Gallesi (bass)
o Furio Chirico (drums, percussion)

1975:
o Gianfranco Gaza (vocals) added

One of the bands from the Cramps label, Arti & Mestieri from Turin were formed around 1974 by ex-Trip drummer Furio Chirico (he had previously played with I Ragazzi del Sole and Martò e i Judas) with other musicians from various musical experiences. Venegoni, Vigliar and Vitale had previously played with Il Sogno di Archimede, a jazzy-prog group.

Often playing with Area, they shared with them the same interest in fusing jazz-rock with prog elements, and their first album, Tilt, is a very good result, even if the limited vocal parts were their weakest point. The album includes only two vocal tracks, and the rest is mainly instrumental.

The group had a good live activity, supporting the likes of PFM and even Gentle Giant, as demonstrated by the good and now deleted Live CD released in 1990 (another live CD with a different 1974 recording has been released in 2002, see below for details).

On the second album, 1975's Giro di valzer per domani, a singer was added, Gianfranco Gaza from Procession, and the album has a much better sound and production than the previous one, in a similar style as the previous one but with stronger jazz rock influences. Two of the album's best cuts, the instrumental ”Valzer per domani” and the vocal ”Saper sentire” were also released as a single.

In 1979 another Arti & Mestieri album was released, Quinto stato, with an open line-up featuring only Chirico and Gallesi from the original group, with Marco Cimino (keyboards - from Errata Corrige and Esagono), Claudio Montafia (guitar and flute) and other collaborators, more in a mainstream jazz-rock vein, while subsequent releases strongly veered towards fusion.

Fourth album, Acquario, is not a live album as declared on the front cover, just a live-in-studio recording. Like its follower, Children's blues, it was released on a small label with local distribution only.

Guitarist Venegoni also released two solo albums on Cramps as Venegoni & Co., always in the same jazz-rock style as later Arti & Mestieri. Drummer Furio Chirico has continued playing and teaching his instrument, also releasing solo albums and some drum playing tutorials. He's the first Italian drummer ever playing at the Modern Drummer Festival in USA (2002 edition). Keyboardist Crovella has played and taken production role on new prog bands' albums such as Romantic Warriors, Tower, Mosaic.

In 2001 a revived Arti & Mestieri, led by original members Venegoni, Crovella, Gallesi and Chirico aided by Marco Cimino (from Errata Corrige, he had already joined the band on Quinto Stato and was with Gallesi also in Esagono) and violinist Corrado Trabuio released a new CD Murales on the Electromantic label. Mostly instrumental and somehow influenced by jazz and world music, the CD also included reworkings of a couple of tracks from the early albums, Gravità 9,81 and Nove lune prima.

In the same year 2001 another CD release called Articollezione was issued, a compilation of unreleased tracks from their first period, more in a progressive style than later works.

The double Live 1974/2000 CD, released in 2002 included, as suggested by the title, a whole 1974 concert (all the tracks from the previous Vinyl Magic Live CD are included here along with others from a different concert) with a second CD containing 1999 and 2000 live recordings.

In the summer 2003 the group, now stably active, appeared at ProgDay 2003, in North Carolina, at the end of August. Founder members Furio Chirico and Beppe Crovella were now helped by Corrado Trabuio (violin, vocals), Slep (guitar, vocals) and Roberto Cassetta (bass, vocals), with a powerful live show entirely based on their 1974-75 albums. The 2004 album Progday special, with the new line-up, was a 4-track CD collecting old tracks recorded live in studio to promote the band in their new journey abroad. The Electromantic label also released in 2004 the first solo album by the original bass player Marco Gallesi, entitled Riff.

In 2005 another new studio work, called Estrazioni, strongly connected with the earlier productions starting with its cover design. The record included some tracks written for a never released third album in 1977 along with more recent compositions, and is on a varied level. The line-up now included Marco Roagna (guitar) replacing Slep, and Alfredo Ponissi (sax), along with a guest appearance by the original guitarist Gigi Venegoni. The band was augmented in concert by guests Warren Dale on sax and flute and singer Iano Nicolò, frontman of the group Cantina Sociale, from Piedmont. In the same year the band played in Japan, at Tokyo's Club Città, and a live CD taken from those concerts, entitled First live in Japan, was released at the end of 2006.

A box set meant to celebrate the first album Tilt and the entire group's career, entitled 33 was released in early 2008, a nice package including an LP, a CD, 2 DVD's and various inserts.

In 2009 Arti e Mestieri started working on a concept album entitled Piramidi - Quadri di un'esplorazione, inspired from the life of the explorer Giovanni Belzoni. An EP, Il grande Belzoni, was released, taken from this project, but the album was never issued.

Arti + Mestieri - Tilt (Immagini per un orecchio) (1974, Prog Rock) 4.23¤

Arti + Mestieri - Giro di Valzer Per Domani (1975, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 3.81¤

Arti + Mestieri - Maledetti (1976)

Arti + Mestieri - 1978, gli dei se ne vanno gli arrabbiati restano (1978)

Arti & Mestieri - Quinto Stato (1979, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 3.00¤

Arti + Mestieri - Event '76 (1979)

Arti + Mestieri - Tic & Tac (1980)

Arti & Mestieri - Acquario (Live in Studio) (1983 Contemporary Jazz, Fusion) 3.23¤

Arti & Mestieri - Children's Blues (1985, Jazz, Folk, Fusion) 3.59¤

Arti + Mestieri - Arti e Mestieri Live (1990, Live in Torino 1974, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 3.47¤

Arti & Mestieri - Murales (2001, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 3.22¤

Arti & Mestieri - Prog Day (2003, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock ) 2.33¤

Arti & Mestieri - Live / 1974-2000 (2003, live 1974 & 1999-2000, 2CD, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 3.94¤

Arti & Mestieri - Live @ Prog Festival di La Spezia 2004 (Video)

Arti & Mestieri - Estrazioni (2005, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 3.74¤

Arti & Mestieri - First Live in Japan (Club Citta 2005, rel. 2006, , Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 3.62¤

Arti & Mestieri - Il Grande Belzoni (2009, EP, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock)

Arti & Mestieri - The Live (2013, live CD, 2011-11-05 @ Club Città, Kawasaki, Japan (2011, DVD live 2011-09-02 @ 2Days Prog+1, Veruno, Italy, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 3.30¤

Arti & Mestieri - Universi Paralleli (2015, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 4.24¤

Arti & Mestieri - Arti e Mestieri al Festival Jazz 2015 - Moncalieri

Arti & Mestieri - Live in Japan (2016, live 2015-07-05 @ Theater Club Città, Tokyo, Japan, 2CD + DVD, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock)

Compilations:
Arti & Mestieri - Articollezione (2002, compilation, Jazz-Rock, Prog Rock) 3.08¤

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Ash

o Monica (vocals)
o Guitar Duck = Antonello Gabelli (guitar, vocals)
o Mike Arge = Piero Argela (keyboards, strings, vocals)
o George Hush = Giorgio VIncenzi (grand piano, synthesizer, keyboards)
o Emil Horse = Emilio Cavallo (bass)
o Roby Benedini = Roberto Benedini (drums)

An obscure Italian group that only released an inconsistent English-sung rock album with strong foreign influences under false names. A rare single under their name, sung in Italian but without a release date, also exists.

Drummer Benedini, from Brescia, had been in La Bottega del Fabbro and also played with singers Marcella and Gianni Bella.

¤¤¤Ash - Ash (1979, Prog Rock, Psychedelic Rock)

¤¤¤Ash - ”Lei città” / ”Foto di gruppo” (1980, single, Space Rock, Italo-Disco)

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Gli Aspidi (1966-72, Beat, Rock Progressivo Italiano) / Ricordi d'Infanzia (1972-76, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

1966-1969:
o Emilio Mondelli (vocals)
o Franco Cassina (guitar)
o Giorgio Sette (organ)
o Mimì Filardi (bass)
o Glauco (drums)

Circa 1969-72:
o Emilio Mondelli (vocals)
o Franco Cassina (guitar)
o Maurizio Vergani (keyboards)
o Tino Fontanella (bass)
o Glauco (drums)

A group from Lombardia which included most of the future members of Ricordi d'Infanzia. They were formed in 1966 and played together as Gli Aspidi until 1972 when they changed name to Ricordi d'Infanzia after the entrance of the new drummer Antonio Sartori. They only appeared with ”Forse amore non è” on the Fonit compilation LP Nuovi complessi d'avanguardia da Radio Montecarlo, and as backing band of the singer Graziella Ciaiolo on ”Svegliarsi una mattina” (B-side of the 1972 single ”Lontano vicino”, Cetra SP-1472).

Gli Aspidi - ”Una chiesa vuota” / ”Cerco l'amore” (1969, single, Rock, Pop, Beat)

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Assemblea Musicale Teatrale (1975-81, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Giampiero Alloisio (vocals, guitar)
o Enzo Cingano (keyboards)
o Gianni Martini (guitar)
o Bruno Biggi (bass)
o Mauro Arena (percussion, vocals)
o Alberto Canepa (percussion, vocals)

● Alberto Canepa – vocals, percussion (1975–1981 & 2002)
● Gian Piero Alloisio – vocals, guitar (1975–1981 & 2002)
● Lilly Iadeluca – vocals (1975–1979)
● Giorgia Marzano – vocals (1979–1981 & 2002)
● Gianni Martini – guitar, vocals (1975–1981 & 2002)
● Ezio Cingano – keyboards (1975–1981 & 2002)
● Bruno Biggi – bass (1975–1981 & 2002)
● Gino Ulivi – drums, percussion (1975–1979)
● Mauro Arena – drums, percussion (1979–1981 & 2002)

More progressive in its intentions than in its record production, this group from Genova was created to mix music and image giving their concerts a strong theatrical appearance. Musically speaking their LP's are rather thin and far from the rock-inspired taste.

Assemblea Musicale Teatrale - Dietro le sbarre (1977, Pop, Stage & Screen) 2.48¤

Assemblea Musicale Teatrale - Marilyn (1977, Folk, Stage & Screen) 2.95¤

Assemblea Musicale Teatrale - Il sogno di Alice (1979, Comedy, Folk, Pop Rock) 3.00¤

Alloisio e Assemblea Musicale Teatrale - La rivoluzione c'è già stata (2002)

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Le Ali del Vento (1969-71, ) / Gli Astrali (1967-69, Psychedelic Rock / Beat)

Gli Astrali
o Dante Menotti (vocals, guitar)
o Angelo Presti (keyboards, vocals)
o Terry Fanelli (bass, guitar)
o Vito Salice (drums)

Le Ali del Vento
o Anna Serena (vocals, guitar)
o Angelo Presti (keyboards, vocals)
o Terry Fanelli (bass, guitar)
o Vito Salice (drums)

Starting with the name of Gli Astrali and after a line-up change (with Anna Serena replacing singer/guitarist Dante Menotti), this quartet from Turin recorded an album in 1970, but this was never released. Reputedly this included prog-influenced tracks along with a keyboard-led 15-minute suite. An interesting LP by Gli Astrali exixts in psych/beat style, Viaggio allucinogeno, recorded in 1967 and only issued in 1995 on Destination X.

Gli Astrali - Viaggio allucinogeno (rec.1967, rel. 1995, Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock)

Le Ali del Vento - Unissued album / Le Ali del Vento 69-71 (1970. rel. Psychedelic / Prog Rock

_______________________________________________________________________

Asterix (Rock)

Though its title, cover and label (the same as Antonius Rex's Zora album) can give the impression of a progressive record, this is in fact the work of a rock inspired singer-songwriter Mario Miranda.

Asterix - Poligrafici, pensionati, trombai e santi (1977, Pop, Folk)

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o Giorgio Di Paolo (bass, flute)
o Mario D'Amicodatri (keyboards)
o Armando Gasbarri (violin, viola)
o Maurizio Toto (drums)

Asuma Rimna from Chieti were formed in 1973 and played together until 1978 with an intense live activity mainly in their area. Their style was strongly inspired by the Canterbury groups.

_______________________________________________________________________

Atlantide (1972-76, Heavy Prog, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

o Mimmo Sanseverino (guitar, vocals)
o Leonardo Sanseverino (organ, synth)
o Mario Sanseverino (bass)
o Matteo Sanseverino (drums)

Coming from Cirigliano, Basilicata, in Southern Italy, the four brothers Sanseverino already used to play together in Italy, before moving to Germany, in Rottweil, since 1973. In that country they supported such major bands like Message, Atlantis, Scorpions, gaining a good live experience and press reviews.

Despite all this they decided to release their self-produced album, only issued in Germany in 1976, singing in Italian, and with a very different style from the typical production of the time, being a hard-rock album with very small prog influences and based on the good fuzz guitar playing of Mimmo Sanseverino. Italian listeners may find the singer's strong dialect accent a bit disturbing, but the record is very well played and includes six long tracks varying in length from 5 minutes to the 11:15 of the long La luna.

The album had no commercial success at all, and was sold in very few copies, most of them directly from the band members.

The Sanseverino brothers all stayed in Germany, where they still live. One of them, Leonardo, died in 2006.

This group has nothing to do with another band called Atlantide from France, that released an eponymous LP in 1976 on Crypto.

Atlantide - Francesco ti ricordi (1976, Prog Rock, Hard Rock) 2.67¤ 3#

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Aurora Lunare (1977-1981 & 1982-1987, Rock Progressivo Italiano)

1977-1981:
o Mauro Pini (vocals, keyboards, flute, percussion)
o Corrado Pezzini (keyboards)
o Simone Catellacci (guitar)
o Luciano Tonetti (bass, acoustic guitar)
o Marco Santinelli (drums)

1982-1987:
o Mauro Pini (vocals, keyboards, flute, percussion)
o Antonio Salina (keyboards, vocals)
o Luciano Tonetti (bass, acoustic guitar)
o Riccardo Billeri (drums)
o Giacomo Salina (percussion, vocals)

One of many Italian bands that never had the chance of releasing an album in their lifespan, Aurora Lunare from Livorno were formed in 1977 and had a good live activity in their first period, even supporting some big names like Alan Sorrenti, PFM and Ivan Graziani, though their concerts were only held in Tuscany.

A radical change in the band line-up around early 1982 turned their progressive sound towards a more melodic style. Various musicians played in the line-up, among them shortly Alessandro Corvaglia, now singer with La Maschera di Cera.
In 2002 two CD's containing old recordings by the band were sold through a website:

Evasione di un'idea contains eight tracks recorded in 1981, half live and half studio, and though the recording quality is not perfect, this can be an interesting chance to hear a good group (sadly unknown outside their home town, at the time).

The second one, Sorgenti di energia, is a 12-track compilation of track recorded between 1982 and 1991, but the drum machine and more synthetic sounds make it far from their prog roots.

Around 2003 the group reunited with some of the original members (Pini, Tonetti and later Santinelli), with keyboardist Stefano Onorati, who already played with them in the 80's and newcomers Valentina Cantini (violin), Greta Merli (vocals) and Daniele Pistocchi (guitar).

With these musicians Aurora Lunare appeared with new recordings on some tribute CD's published in 2010-12, and a new album, has been finally released in 2013 on the Lizard label.

The record has been released with help from Alessandro Corvaglia, and the final result is very good. The album also includes a cover of Ritorno al nulla By Le Orme with a guest appearance by Tolo Marton.

Aurora Lunare - C oncerto della Goldonetta (1980, Live @ Teatro La Goldonetta di Livorno 1980-04-29 & 30) 3.00¤

Aurora Lunare - Evasione di un'idea (1981 live, rel. 2002) 4.12¤

Aurora Lunare - Sorgenti di energia (1982-1991 recordings by second line-up, rel. 2002)
_______________________________________________________________________

Automat (Progressive Electronic)

o Romano Musumarra (keyboards)
o Claudio Gizzi (keyboards)

Rather unusual choice for an Italian 70's band, Automat were a studio group from Rome, featuring two keyboardists and a third member, Mario Maggi, helping on keyboard programming. Maggi was also the builder of the MCS70 synth used on this record, and the new instrument's sounds and capabilities were the main source of inspiration behind this album.

During their short life Romano Musumarra also had a very different musical career being a member of the well known pop group La Bottega dell'Arte, that was active between 1975 and 1984 with many chart hits. The other musician, Claudio Gizzi, had a classical background.

Their 1978 album Automat is a rather unique example of instrumental electronic music from Italy, totally built on synthesized sounds and rhythms, it's in the same rank as contemporary works by Kraftwerk and Jean Michel Jarre, whose Oxygene was recorded in the same period and released just a few months before this, so it can be an interesting surprise for fans of this musical style.

Side A is totally taken by the long ”Automat” suite by Claudio Gizzi, while the B side contains three shorter tracks by Musumarra. One of these, ”Droid”, was a leading theme on the brazilian Globo TV.

Musumarra has kept composing keyboard music in the 80's, with soundtracks (he's particularly active in France) and production works. Claudio Gizzi appeared with a single track, as arranger and conductor in the My Favourite Tones LP, issued in 1973 by the legendary Picci label.

¤¤¤Automat - Automat (1978, Electro, Ambient, Disco) 3.82¤

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klo

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Italian Progressive Rock – Web Links

Italian Prog: http://www.italianprog.com ( an accompaniement to Augusto Croce's book ''Italian Prog - The Comprehensive Guide ...