TEMPI DISPARI

"Tempi Dispari" is a magical live album from 1974 by the ATOMIC SYSTEM variation of The NEW TROLLS, led by guitarist Vittorio De Scalzi after three members left to form what would end up being IBIS. De Scalzi is joined by future Nova keyboards player Renato Rosset, who influences this variation in a more jazzy oriented way than any other NEW TROLLS incarnation. The band play here two side-long suites with side 1 really exploring the Jazz theme and side 2 including a theme from "Concerto Grosso 1" of excellent and innovative music with very heavy Miles Davis-like jazz prog rock influences. This is actually an unbelievable album to be honest and a real severe departure from the traditional NEW TROLLS sound delving more into the modal aspects of early SOFT MACHINE and early Herbie Hancock... mostly I think due to the addition of sax. Although jazz rock dominated this album also contains some pretty spacey/trippy segments. Side 2 is more of I guess what you would expect from the TROLLS with heavier guitar and more of an electric prog direction sound but still the freaked out sax really bring new sound to this group... a great album which I love.

The Trolls blast off for worlds unknown.

So, it's the live space-jazz experimental one. First off, this is the second release by the De Scalzi branch of the old Trolls, the ones that did Atomic Systems. Apparently they (or the public) were underwhelmed by A.S. because this album is a complete 100% departure, a live album of instrumental rock that is a combination of jazz and space-rock avenues. And it works. There are two side-long tracks that slowly and deliberately explore one idea after another with jamming electric guitar work by De Scalzi and back from Atomic Systems line up, Rosset on keys, D'Adamo on bass, Baiocco on sax and flute, and D'Episcopo on the kit. Side 1 focuses more on the saxophone. Side 2 is a bit more interesting with some really subtle guitar passages ever so delicately weaved into the keyboard work. Unlike earlier Trolls instrumental mouth-foaming, the chops here are nuanced and well conceived. This is not the greatest improvisational fusion you are going to hear, but since this album is hidden away under Italian Symph, I'll use this as a chance to recommend this to Jazz/Fusion genre lovers as a hidden gem. It's a rather unique live album and the re-issued Japanese mini features decent (though not outstanding) sound. So this, the least typical of the New Trolls albums I am reviewing turns out to be my favorite one, with 3 unqualified stars.

Oh, sorry...I have listened to the album again and again, then my evaluation of it has been higher and higher.

At first, I suggest it's just kidding. Pure live album, not partially recorded in the studio? It can be natural that I should think so. The sound is so jazzy and clear, the play is so perfect, stable and improvisational, but amazingly alive. The wave and stream born from these songs are absorbed me strongly.

Several times I have listened and found. Just because this is a live album, this can bear the ALIVE sound with stability and rigidity (of course, it's very important that the quality of this band was very high). I'm glad to meet this ALIVE live album and New Trolls Atomic System.

This is my favourite NEW TROLLS related album. Quite a change in styles from all that has gone before with this band as they wander over to the Jazz-Rock genre on this one.Two side long suites in this all-instrumental recording.

"7/4 (Settequarti)" has some impressive atmosphere early as sax, bass and drums come and go. It kicks in before 2 1/2 minutes. It settles again a minute later with intricate guitar which turns fairly aggressive 4 1/2 minutes in. Nice. Sax is prominant then piano 6 1/2 minutes in. Horns lead before 9 minutes then the tempo picks up with sax and bass leading. It settles with piano and guitar 12 minutes in then the sax and drums join in as it builds. Sax and keys dominate after 15 minutes. Excellent track.

"13/8 (Trediciottavi)" is a more intense track but not to start out as the keys and guitar echo. Bass 5 minutes in as the tempo picks up. Distorted guitar after 6 minutes and it's building. They let it rip after 7 1/2 minutes. Organ before 10 minutes in an intense section with sax and drums dominating. Guitar is back 11 minutes.

This cd will definitely go in my Jazz / Fusion section and for me it's an easy 4 stars.

Is this really New Trolls? The N.T. Atomic System album from 1973 was recorded while legal wrangling were going under way, basically who should own the New Trolls name. It seems that Vittorio De Scalzi won, as the second album with this new lineup, Tempi Dispari, bears the New Trolls name (OK, so the percussionist and female backup singers had left, but the rest remain). Don't expect a continuation of the New Trolls sound as you expect, like from the previous album, or anything else (UT, Searching for a Land, Concerto Grosso per 1). What you get here is full-on jazz rock/fusion. In fact, had this been their only album, this album would have easily fit in the "jazz rock/fusion" category of Prog Archives, but the group rightfully belongs in the RPI section, for rather obvious reasons (their other, prog-oriented albums). This was recorded live, and unlike the second disc (the last four cuts if you own the CD reissue) of Searching for a Land, there's no disputing that is an actual live recording. Searching For a Land featured a bunch of overexcited crowd cheers sounding more like a soccer game than a rock concert, and rumors that the cuts on the second disc were studio recordings and crowd cheers added on afterwards. At least with Tempi Dispari, the crowd cheering is much more normal and the album does tell you where it was recorded. So, given this is a jazz rock/fusion album, you get a more jamming feel, with saxophone and electric piano dominating. Low key synths occasionally pop up, and even some Hammond organ, but it's never the dominant instrument here. At one part you hear the theme to Concerto Grosso Per 1, and the audience rightfully became excited. I can hardly believe that just a year before the band released N.T. Atomic System, because it sounds nothing alike, just the occasional hint. I can imagine a few bewildered fans who bought Tempi Dispari and hearing fusion. On the other hand, those familiar with the fusion of the time I'm certain warmed up to it. More those expecting a more traditional Italian prog sound might stay away, but if you love fusion, this album is a must!

In 1974 another album credited to New Trolls Atomic System was released on De Scalzi's Magma label.The front cover of course never had the ''Atomic System'' moniker, but the line-up was the same with the previous work of New Trolls Atomic System.The album consists of two sidelong tracks, both recorded live at the Teatro Alcione in Genova.

The opening piece is a huge but propably negative surprise for all New Trolls fans.While in the first album some jazzy elements were already presented, the so-called ''7/4 (Settequarti)'' is actually a long Jazz-Rock improvisation with few structured parts, completely unoriginal yet totally new for these Italians, with endless sax solos by Giorgio Baiocco and constant jazzy hooks by Vittorio De Scalzi.There are little connections between the numerous solos and the tracks ends up to be a long and loose performance by the group, nicely executed but with limited to zero interesting passages.The second track, entitled ''13/8 (Trediciottavi)'', has more in common with the old New Trolls sound, although the smooth jazzy guitar solo at the beginning gives the impression of another totally improvised experience.Certainly the music has again a very loose feeling as a whole, but the approach here is multiple and more interesting with an overall richer sound.De Scalzi & co. blend jamming Hard Rock with Jazz-Rock with also references to Space Jazz and Classical Music.Lots of sax interventions, heavy organ solos, fiery electric piano and crunchy electric guitars result to a nice piece of instrumental music with quite a few great ideas, especially when the pounding rhythm section accompanies Baiocco's spacier sax parts.

The biggest suprise of all though came with the reformation of the old New Trolls after this album with Nico Di Palo demising Ibis and rejoining De Scalzi for a fresh new start.After the story of New Trolls Atomic System ended, keyboardist Renato Rosset joined Nova and drummer Tullio De Piscopo had a succesful career as a session musician, even putting up a few personal albums.

''Tempi dispari'' will find place in any serious Jazz-Rock/Prog collection, especially for the very interesting second track, but do not expect something close to the classic New Trolls sound.Recommended.

Space fusion

While not the most refined of live recordings, Tempi Dispa still remains my absolute favourite release from The New Trolls. Well-renowned for their Grosso Concerto, which most people into the RPI scene seem to find their best, I personally think they made a far better album with Tempi Dispari.

Shimmying effortlessly from grand romantic symph prog, the New Trolls Atomic System dives into the deep end and starts playing spacey jazz rock. Slow, pensive, larval - jiving back and forth to a secret trance, the rhythm section here works so incredible well. Like a gentle heartbeat it propels this venture forth with cool calm and collected drive, that makes me think of the ol jazz masters of yesteryear.

Summoning up the fiery bits, the butterflies - the real juice of the album - you have dreamy passionate piano sprees, gentle evocative sections of guitar and reeds, that then again both come off distinctively more snarling and aggressive, when the moods change from the blue chill out of the old jazz club to swinging bebop fuelled fusion. Hell, there are even times on this record, where I feel completely certain that I'm listening to an early Canterbury release.

Imagine an early version of Colosseum run through a filter of Caravan and their German name brothers XHOL Caravan, and you're nearly there. Pour in 4 litres of Soft Machine and Gong, wait until the morning, caress the batter, put in stove on 700* and wait for the album to emerge from its shell.

Apart from all that, you too sense a meaty, well oiled engine running things - a dirty pulsing entity breathing heavily from within the music. It's a musical quality you normally only hear when old beat down blues men come together and speak about the world and beyond through the secret handshake of the guitar. On here there's a similar meeting happening. It feels like something which has been long under way, hiding from beneath old pillow casings and dirty mattresses of the road. It's a connection with these guys that you just don't get from their other releases. It genuinely feels like music that couldn't be held back - it wanted out!

If you enjoy fusion shadings to your space trips - the kinds that make your fingers naturally snap to the beat, the kinds that ebb softly out in utter gracefully played melodies that seem to lie on the edge of your subconsciousness, then go take a chance with this thing. It's an astonishingly good album for looking out windows nurturing hope for a red night with candles and wild entertaining people that dance furiously and talk like the wind. 3.5 stars.