CORTE DEI MIRACOLI

CORTE DEI MIRACOLI was one of countless 70s Italian prog bands that released a single album before its demise even though more material was recorded. This band formed in Savona in 1973 and stuck it out until the waning prog year of 1976 when it released its only self-titled album although an archival release of recordings from 1973-74 would be released in 1992 as "Dimensione Onrica." The band's name which means "Court Of Miracles" refers to an area of a city where beggars and social outcasts would traditionally gather in organized groups most notably in the 17th century.

The band was connected with another Savona band Il Giro Strano which keyboardist Alessio Feltri played in simultaneously. That band existed from 1971-79 and never released albums during its run but also would find archival interest in the 90s. CORTE DEI MIRACOLI was distinct in that it featured two keyboard players (Alessio Feltri, Riccardo Zegna) and no guitarist. The band also featured Graziano Zippo on vocals, bassist Gabiele Siri and drummer Flavio Scogna. The band played the live circuit for its entire existence and it was only just before the recording of this album that original keyboardist Michele Carlone was replaced by jazz pianist Riccardo Zegna.

A typical symphonic prog band in many ways CORTE DEI MIRACOLI featured the same style of romantic vocals, adventurous instrumental excursions that alternated from dreamy folk oriented passages to more bombastic hard rock. The double use of keyboards is taken to its extreme as the album opens with the beginning flurry of sound with "E Varrà L'Uomo" but the album features a lot of intricately designed softer motifs as well, equally at home with lush classically inspired piano runs. The band like so many in the Italian prog scene were all seasoned veterans in their retrospective field and although similar to other Italian prog bands such as Banco, PFM and Le Orme still delivered a rather distinct sound.

Although the band was not successful in the least as it dropped its sole album on the market the very same year it disbanded, this one has become a second tier favorite amongst many intrepid explorers of 70s Italian prog and for good reason. The album provides all the instant connections of a great Italian prog album with exquisite melodic developments that are fortified with all the excessive instrumentation and creative heft that a prog lover could hope for. Perhaps the vocalist could have been a bit more robust in his performances or better yet incorporate a more unique stylistic approach to his singing style but still manages to get the job done adequately enough. The album also offers some interesting percussive deviations form the norm. The guitar is not really missed at all as the two keyboardists fill the space commendably.

While i do not believe this is a concept album, the science fiction themed cover art is one of my favorites from the Italian 70s scene. Overall this is an excellent album. Not quite up to the level of the greatest Italy had to offer during this era but certainly a very competent band that delivered its own version of the style that made Italy a center of masterful progressive rock. This one is definitely recommended to those who love a double doses of symphonic splendor as the two keyboardists are on the top of their game and offer some excellent dueling moves when they get down and dirty. A rather unique experience in the greater Italian prog scene even if it doesn't reach masterpiece status. The band's earlier recordings though with the first lineup would have to be shelved for many years before seeing the light of day but as the prog revival of the 90s take hold, even the more obscure bands like CORTE DEI MAIRACOLI finally appealed to a greater audience.

Another hidden Italian gem, albeit not in the highest league with PFM, Le Orme or Banco. The most interesting asset of the band is the warm sound with two keyboards and absence of guitars. There are clear RPI traces, some jazzy elements, great keyboard layers and even unusual approach with percussions. Vocals have a very good colour and are in Italian, of course. The rhythm section is proficient too, it can get really busy like during the Hammond solo in the first track. "Verso il sole" has a nice jazz-inspired piano, the voice is a tad too dramatic to my taste. "Una storia fiabesca" has great moog, synths and organ in the background, the percussions are annoying as they don't fit to the serious music. "Il ritualle notturno" is an atmospheric ballad in its first half before turning into a dynamic piano jazz-rock greatly seconded by moog. "I due amanti" has the most adventurous rhythm, crazy drum pattern. It is compositionally the most advanced piece on the album. After hearing the album several times, I can say that the keyboard sound and dynamic parts click most in my memory.

Corte Dei Miracoli, is one of the best lost in times albums of RPI, it's actually my favourite album of all the sub-genre, since i heard it 4 years ago. Every time that i listen this album i can't evite to feel a great emotion, it's very sad that CORTE DEI MIRACOLI wasn't published another album afther this, a lot of the most classic RPI classic bands had a lot of albums like PFM, BMS, Le Orme and Area, and there are great works, majestic albums of the sub-genre, but to me, Corte Dei Miracoli, always be my favourite.

"...E Verrà L'Uomo", it's a great piece, the best way to open the album, seven minutes promissing that it's going to be a masterpiece. After this, the whole album is full of the most pure sounds, really soft songs, "Verso Il Sole" & "Una Storia Fiabesca" had for short moments clearly elements of jazz, and a little bit of symphonic style. "Il Rituale Notturno", is my favourite piece, when it's over, the entrance of "I Due Amanti" it's simply perfect, the longest song of the album, close it with the golden botton.

If you're searching for RPI, you can't miss the oportunity of listen this majestic album, i recommend it for fans of PFM, BMS, Le Orme, Area, Alphataurus, New Trolls, Il Balletto Di Bronzo & Osanna.

3.5 stars really

Corte Dei Miracoli is another one of those unnoticed symphonic prog bands from Italy in mid '70s with great potential right from the beggining of their short career. Selftitled debut from 1976 is a mixture of Banco, Le Orme, Campo di marte or ELP, with great musicinship but fails to be very original. Never the less some pieces are quite strong like opening ...E Verrà L'Uomo, top notch pieces, plenty of complicated instrumental passages, specially the keyboards are killer. Symphonic prog is all about here, elaborated arrangements, and in places they reach the grandeur of over mentioned bands, melodic lines combined with more complex ones, always give an enjoyble listening in the end. Not a masterpieces, but definetly one of the better albums from Italy in the golden years of prog, nice art work aswell.3.5 stars.

What an album! This is an extraordinary album, one of the best things that could have been created in the italian prog scene. Corte Dei Miracoli presents us their first album and in an impressive way of playing. The instruments used in here are based on keyboards, bass and drums. The guitar appears in some songs with the participation of Vittorio De Scalzi (New Trolls), but the keyboard is the predominant and incredible instrument in the entire album. All the songs are really powerful, progressive, with some quiet moments. My favorite tracks are definitely "...E Verr' L'Uomo", "I Due Amanti" and "Il Rituale Notturno", but the other two tracks are excellent as well!

How I've said in some reviews, I stay a little sad when I think about how many lost pearls simply had disappeared in the 70's for various motives, but, the case of CORTE DEI MIRACOLI "Dimenzione Onirica" be very sad ! I think sincerely... if this record demo had been less "careless" ... certainly this album, although, cannot be considered a "Masterpiece"... at least had deserved a 4 stars quotation ! The disk is prodigious in virtuosity for all musicians... in spite the guitar player simply don't appears in some tracks... when he play, his melody is very enjoyable. Some influences comes from their countryman LE ORME and CAMPO DI MARTE (in more heavy parts) and "invocations" from Dutch band TRACE.. The best tracks (mainly for audio quality) are: track 1 " Dimensione Onirica part 1", track 3 " Volando Nel Sole ", track 4 "Il Volto Sconosciuto Della Terra", track 6 " Dimensione Onirica (Part 2) " ( including a "brilliant" Drum Solo) and the track 7 "Breve Esistenza". My rate is 4 stars !!!

The early material of Corte Dei Miracoli, as taped on ''Dimensione Onirica'', gave promises for a great future for the band.Unfortunately, just before the recordings of the debut, keyboardist Michele Carlone left the band and was replaced by Riccardo Zegna, an experienced musician in the Jazz field.Eventually the band's self-titled debut saw the light in 1976 on the small Grog Records label.

The style of Corte Dei Miracoli seems linked with the Classical/Symphonic Rock stylings of LE ORME and LATTE E MIELE, featuring dual keyboard attacks and a sound split between romantic melodies and bombastic, complicated exercises.With heavy use of organs and moog synthesizers they manage to come up with a very intense, passionate atmosphere full of jazzy dynamics, complex textures and inventive breaks, that often seem hard to follow.Vocals by Graziano Zippo are warm and sensitive, but the majority of the album is dedicated to the impressive solos, the tight instrumental performances, while there are also some short improvised passages thrown in for good measure.Still the arrangements are pretty tight with solid musicianship and a phenomenal coexistence of the jazzy piano paces with the floating Fusion-esque synths and the big symphonic sound of the Hammond organ.The long ''I due amanti'' is a very good example of dramatic, keyboard-based Italian Symphonic Rock.

Corte Dei Miracoli existed until the summer of 1976, when they disbanded.Alessio Feltri and Gabriele Siri were involved to a second unsuccesful incarnation of Il Giro Strano, which lasted for a couple of years, while Zegna continued in the Jazz field, forming Gialma 3.

Among the goodies of Classic Italian Prog, ''Corte Dei Miracoli'' is an album with a bombastic, obscure and professional sound, ready to please all fans of keyboard-led Symphonic/Progressive Rock.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

Being a big fan of their first album, I was happy to find this album in use CD store. I got difficulty to find their first album, so finding a live one from 1974 with 2 unrelease track on it, I tought I made a real bargain in buying this... How wrong could I be! It's the most horrible live recording I have ever eard! Being a big fan of live album and recording, it's not the first bootleg I have eard, and I eard a lot of bootleg recording, some really bad, some ok and other really good, but this one is beyond bad. Avoid at all cost, you've been warn ;)

Despite making it into the top 100 RPI albums (just) here on PA I don't hear the name Corte Dei Miracoli mentioned much. That's a shame as while this eponymous and only album from the band (unless you include the 1992 released Dimenzione Onirica, which was a collection of early demos) is not a classic, it's certainly worthy of investigation to all but those with only a passing interest in the genre.

Corte Dei Miracoli produce a lush symphonic sound with jazz elements thrown in here and there. The music often has a melancholic feel with strong melodies and notable for a dual keyboard line-up with no guitar. The five compositions are to a large extent busy and quite complex, the most obvious reference being Banco, though it has to be said not quite in their league. Nevertheless this is an enjoyable album with a high standard of musicianship and well above average vocal work sung in Italian, naturally, as all great RPI albums with one or two exceptions are.

For those who've exhausted the first division of Italian prog bands and still hungry for more, this 1976 release is one you should get round to sooner or later. As I said earlier, not a classic but still a very good addition to any Italian prog collection. 3 ½ stars.

This is one of those albums that has emotion and complexity all rolled into one. Dual keyboards and an excellent rhythm section. Actually the bass player played with IL GIRO STRANO.The vocals are emotional and romantic and I like them a lot. Then add in guest guitarist Vittorio De Scalzo from NEW TROLLS who is a killer guitarist and you have an RPI classic, although coming in a little late as it was released in 1976.

"...E Verra L'uomo" is my favourite. Love that intro that reminds me of BANCO with the dual keyboards and an all out blitz. So impressive. A calm after 1 1/2 minutes as the vocals come in. Nice. The tempo picks up 3 1/2 minutes in. So good. It settles again as contrasts continue. A moving track. "Verso Il Sole" is led by drums, organ and piano early on. Vocals before a minute. Lots of synths when the vocals stop. Pulsating organ and percussion before 3 minutes as the bass throbs. Piano joins in. Vocals are back after 4 1/2 minutes. A nice jazzy section 6 minutes in to the end.

"Una Storia Fiabesca" opens with keys and organ as light drums join in. Vocals before 2 minutes.The instrumental section after 4 1/2 minutes is great. Vocals are back 6 minutes in then we get more instrumental music a minute later. "Il Rituale Notturno" has these almost orchestral-like strings then the song kicks in before a minute. Keyboards after 2 1/2 minutes as the tempo picks up in this instrumental section. A calm 4 minutes in then it builds. Vocals follow. "I Due Amante" is the over 13 1/2 minute closer.The percussion, drums and synths sound pretty cool to start. Organ is added. Piano 2 minutes in. Vocals 3 1/2 minutes in. Solo piano after 5 1/2 minutes followed by organ and drums. Another killer instrumental section here that ends before 9 minutes.

This is an easy one to recommend to RPI enthusiasts, it has all the ingredients and the final product is fantastico.