OSCILLAZIONI ALCHEMICO KREATIVE (O.A.K.)

The Italian band O.A.K. (Oscillazioni Alchemico Kreative) is a musical project by multi-instrumentalist Jerry Cutillo, born and raised in Rome where he witnessed many Classic Prog in the early Sventies, from Genesis and King Crimson to Gentle Giant, Yes and Frank Zappa. At the age of 15 he joined his first band, then in the late Seventies he decided to cut his hair and colour it red in order to move to London and experience the era of the punk. Meanwhile he had also become a Jethro Tull fan, blown away by acoustic pearls like Wond'ring Again and Witch's Promise. After a serie of bands he created the one man band Moses and reached the European charts with the dance friendly song We Just, I remember the video clip on tv, and it even got a silver status! But in 1993 he went back to his roots and founded O.A.K, to make progressive rock, and he played Jethro Tull tribute shows,even with his hero Ian Anderson.

Not until 2015 O.A.K. released its first album entitled Viandanze and in 2018 the successor Giordano Bruno, a concept album. "After seven years of trial Pope Clement VIII declared Bruno a heretic and the Inquisition issued a sentence of death in 1600. He was hung upside down naked before he was finally burned at the stake. A very cruel and sad end for a man who nowadays is considered as a 'courageous free thinker' and a 'martyr for science'. Because his daring and innovative ideas and work had much influence on later scientists and philosophers." After this highly acclaimed second album Jerry Cutillo decided to present another concept album entitled Nine Witches Under A Walnut Tree (to be released on September 9th, 2020). "The legend tells that flying through the gorges of the Monti del Taburno, near the city of Benevento, the witches reached a walnut tree where they celebrated rituals. On 14th November 1572, whilst the earth shone with the light of the Tycho supernova, nine stories merged into one sublimating a bond of deep empathy tightened under the branches of that bewitched tree."

After a few listening sessions I conclude that O.A.K. delivers interesting and varied music, to me it sounds like an eclectic approach, blending 24-carat symphonic rock, folk, experimental and rock, with lots of own musical ideas, a genuine musical journey, with a lush instrumentation.

1. Chlodswinda (6:12) : This first composition is a captivating and compelling blend of folk and prog (reminding me of Ayreon and Led Zeppelin) featuring cheerful mandolins, delicate synthesizers, layers of sultry Mellotron violins, warm Italian vocals (to me evoking Angelo Branduardi), and in the end a pleasant flute sound, trademark Jerry Cutillo. An impressive start!

2. Gioconna (3:49) : This short instrumental is built around a catchy beat, embellished with tasteful work on flute traverse, synthesizers and again those majestic Mellotron violins. Halfway a break with an ominous atmosphere, including voices.

3. Dame Harvillers (5:10) : What a strong build-up, from dreamy with Grand piano and French vocals to sumptuous with awesome organ and synthesizer work, this part sounds like an exciting tribute to mid-Genesis at its symphonic peak!

4. Janet Boyman (3:32) : In this beautiful short piece we can enjoy a surprising duet between the tin whistle and the Mellotron choir section, a very nice musical idea.

5. Franchetta Borelli (6:25) : First an ominous climate with howling electric guitar, then mellow with whispering vocals, culminating in a bombastic outburst featuring emotional vocals with a strong, pretty desperate undertone. Tension builds with again howling electric guitar, then suddenly a shifting mood with swinging electric piano and a tight drum beat, another fine musical idea. Finally the return of the howling electric guitar and whispering vocals.

6. Polissena (4:41) : Now O.A.K. is going more experimental featuring lots of changing atmospheres (from mellow to bombastic) and a varied blend of instruments: a fiery claghorn (woodwind instrument) blended with percussion, orchestral keyboards, and in the end flute traverse and powerfull bass runs. This track has echoes from the distinctive King Crimson 'organized chaos theory', fascinating and creative.

7. Donna Prudentia (5:27) : A slow rhythm gradually turns into a more lush and dynamic sound with again a variety of instruments, from Mellotron choirs and tubular bells to spacey synthesizer flights and powerful saxophone play (from VDGG guest musician David Jackson). The music is topped by warm Italian vocals, again reminding me of Angelo Branduardi, very pleasant.

8. Nadira (5:30) : The first part sounds atmospheric with a variety of sounds, and whispering vocals. Halfway a break featuring a catchy bass, blended with delicate vibraphone, varied keyboards, cheerful flute and voices, this part showcases the more experimental side of O.A.K.

9. Rebecca Lemp (6:02) : This final composition matches with Jerry his eclectic muscial attitude, it's far from the usual prog rock conclusions, more close to the final of a rock opera. It starts with a slow and hypnotizing rhythm, and contains slightly distorted German vocals by Jerry Cutillo (in the tradition of David Bowie and Peter Gabriel), in between German spoken words by the long term O.A.K. fan Gerlinde Roth. 'Warum nur soll ich eine Hexe sein? Lasst mich frei, lasst mich frei! Was in aller Welt haben wir getan? Wann h'rt's auf mit diesem Wahn? Warum nur sollen wir Hexen sein? Lasst uns frei, lasst uns frei.' To me this sounds as a metaphor for the dark side of the human being, horrible. In the second part a build-up to a more bombastic conclusion with female vocals singing 'lalala'.

After his highly acclaimed second album Giordano Bruno (just read al those positive reviews on the international progrock websites, PA has only mine) O.A.K. has delivered a captivating successor, with strong own musical ideas, and lots of variety, in musical climates and instrumentation, this is an album to discover!

After current Italian progrock sensations Andrea Orlando and DAAL here's another stunning new Italian progrock effort, named O.A.K. (Oscillazioni Alchemico Kreative). The prime mover, composer and musical brainchild is multi-instrumentalist Jerry Cutillo. In the early Seventies he witnessed Genesis, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Yes and Frank Zappa in the legendary Roman venue PalaEUR, as a young adolescent. This inspired him to learn to play organ, acoustic guitar and flute, his first bands was Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale when he was 15. In the Eighties he had a hit single with We Just, under the name Moses. Early 1993 Jerry founded O.A.K., in 2015 the band released their debut entitled Viandanze and in 2018 the second album Girodano Bruno.

Giordano Bruno was born as Filippo Bruno in 1548, in the Kingdom of Naples, Italy, as a son of a soldier. He studied at a monastry (he was taught about Aristoteles) and became a priest in 1572. His taste for free thinking and forbidden books soon caused difficulties and in 1573 he fled from Italy and Giordano started a long journey through Europe. When he finally returned to Italy a few months later he was arrested for blasphemy and heresy, and put in prison in 1593. After seven years of trial Pope Clement VIII declared Bruno a heretic and the Inquisition issued a sentence of death in 1600. He was hung upside down naked before he was finally burned at the stake. A very cruel and sad end for a man who nowadays is considered as a 'courageous free thinker' and a 'martyr for science'. Because his daring and innovative ideas and work had much influence on later scientists and philosophers.

This awesome musical project named O.A.K. has succeeded to translate Giordano Bruno his fascinating and eventful life in a captivating, varied and dynamic musical journey. And isn't that what genuine progressive rock is about?! Especially the variety in the 14 tracks, and within the songs is incredible. The one moment dreamy with warm twanging acoustic guitars and strong Italian vocals (evoking Jethro Tull's Aqualung era) or tender piano and delicate flute traverse. The other moment bombastic with fat synthesizer flights, powerful Hammond organ runs and majestic Mellotron layers or a mid-tempo featuring a propuslive rhythm-section. The variety in styles is also a very pleasant element: from obvious acoustic Jethro Tull inspired atmospheres or Classic Italian Prog (echoes of PFM) to avant-garde with swirling flute traverse and sumptuous Mellotron violins or hints from the Italian troubadour Angelo Branduardi (in Sandali Rossi, including a beautiful Mellotron choir sound). And O.A.K. delivers a superb rendion of Camille Saint Saens his Dance Macabre: a cheerful and dynamic climate with sparkling flute play and dreamy Mellotrons, blended with the sound of cynical laughs, classical meets prog, how exciting!

The instrumentation on this album is breathtaking, not only Jerry Cutillo as a very versatile multi-instrumentalist, from guitars and keyboards to flute, mandolin, tubular bells and tin whistle. But also his wide range of guest musicians: David Jackson (VDGG) with powerful saxophone work, Sonja Kristina (Curved Air) with a celestial vocal contribution (reminding me of The Great Gig In The Sky from Pink Floyd) in Diana/Morgana, Maartin Allcock (Jethro Tull and Fairport Convention) his solid bass in Dance Macabre and Richard Sinclair (Caravan) with tender piano and melancholical vocals in the wonderful Dreams Of Mandragora. In order to emphasize the international journey by Giordano Bruno, Jerry has written the compositions not only for Italian vocals but also English (in Dreams Of Mandragora and The Globe) and even German (in the exciting and alternating Wittenberger Fuchstanz, also feauring passionate English vocals by Jenny Sorrenti).

I am glad this band is finally on Prog Archives, highly recommended!

The first edition of this review was published a while ago on Dutch progrock website Background Magazine.