I SANTONI

While not actually a prog album, ''Noi: I Santoni'' shows the clear tendency of this obscure band towards elaborate and artistic compositions, despite they are all delivered in very short forms.The sound of the group is led by the constant use of Hammond organ and the discreet presence of flutes and saxes.The work is characterized by a strong melodic content, somewhat close to the more accesible tracks of BLOCCO MENTALE, DELIRIUM and DALTON with a vintage-styled organ leading the way, while guitars are used carefully.Some light interplays with flute, sax and piano in evidence can also be detected.But the overall result is in fact an album full of song-structured pieces, having some minor yet delicate instrumental themes with a slight Proto-Prog color.The vocals of Mosti are certainly good, a typical Italian voice with an instant expression, and the vocal harmonies belong among the highlights of the album.

The sole release of I Santoni was not particularly succesful, still it was good enough to give the band the opportunity to tour Italy and even play abroad.Sadly they disbanded a couple of years after the release of the album.

This is some Italian Art Rock, not at its best but definitely at a very decent deegree.Melodic, emotional and sophisticated with 60's psych and proggy touches all the way.Recommended for fans of the easier side of Prog music.

I Santoni were a beat band formed in Florence in the mid 1960s. Cited among their biggest influences were If and Procol Harum. Unlike so many of the bands gracing our pages, Santoni did not blossom into an RPI band. Instead, their one album from 1972 is actually regressive in a sense, ignoring the wild experimentations happening around them in favor of a dated (even for then!) late 60s rock sound. They would have a good live schedule of activity until their breakup in 1974. One of their members told me that despite being mentioned on progressive rock sites, Santoni were a mix of the Italian beat with European psych-rock and jazz. I'd have to agree with that assessment. I Santoni is a basic hard-working gigging band adorned with keyboards, sax, and flute. Despite being a collection of rather "groovy" beat tracks in the 3-5 minute range, as opposed to progressive rock, "Noi" is an upbeat and enjoyable spin. Some tracks are sweatier rock numbers with a very basic feel, while others have a more romantic Ital-pop sound. But most offer melodic flute passages or vintage organ sounds to flesh them out. A few tracks have extended solo passages which get distinctively jazzy. The vocals are warm and all of the playing is of absolute professional standards. The problem for the prog fan is that the most spirited stuff pulls back to the song proper before anything too exciting happens. You have this feeling that they are holding back a bit here while their gigs were probably much more jamming. But if you enjoy groups like Raminghi or Equipe 84, you will almost assuredly enjoy this one too. It's a fair album mostly "for fans" of the Hammond and Italian beat scene. I personally enjoy it, but just be aware it sounds like the 1960s, not the 1970s Italian scene. 5/10.