All Prog From Italy Appreciation Thread

My countryman Paolo Chiarandini (from Tricesimo, Udine) is one of the best piano players of Italy and for his first album (in www.paolochiarandini.it is present only this album) creates a tribute to Genesis using the versions for solo piano of David Myers.

In the sleevenotes of this album he wrote that in 70's when he was a student of the Academy of music listened 'Firth Of Fifth' and found in this song Bach, Shumann, Debussy, Bartòk! So, for one of the best Italian piano players (who has played in several important piano feltival) it is logical transport us in this spell. And he succeeds perfectly.

The piano versions of David Myers are perfect transcriptions of Genesis songs that are not simple songs. In fact Genesis plays these songs with a great natural that they seem easy. In these piano versions Rock is present but the songs becomes extraordinary pieces of Symphonic Classic music. But because thse songs are pieces of Classic music.

Interesting is the fact that Paolo Chiarandini is more close to Rick Wakeman to a Classic piano player and this because if his background is in Classic Music Paolo Chiarandini have a great background also in Genesis, king Crimson, ELP, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi, etc... and in the fact that he lives the 70's as piano student and so he study also Prog Music.

These songs are magical, for me better than the original versions. It is clear that these songs are not comparable to 100% to the original versions but it is clear that where Genesis are champions of magic, emotions and feelings, these piano versions (not only because istrumentals) are more magical and emotionals.

I note that Paolo Chiarandini able to talk her piano, not dominating. Loving the dialogue that he creates with his piano transpire in clearly and makes us fall in love with this CD.

It is clear that the tribute albums are often sterile attempts to copy the songs and make them its own. With poor results. Here is the opposite. Paolo Chiarandini, because is a classical piano player, manages to create the pathos that every pianist of Classical Music should be created with the compositions: has not written the songs that he performs, he just needs to execute to create the magic that the author has never even managed to create. In this case... Overcoming Genesis themselves.

For who love Genesis this album is a great must. But also for who love RPI I think that find food for his teeth.

Yes as honestly I say, at first I could not realize Terra (The earth) should be in Rock Progressivo Italiano genre. Already in the beginning are exotically percussive and sitar-like synth sounds active, and the smooth and gentle keyboard and bass can take you to 'East Asia' I feel. Although I have heard that MAPPE NOOTICHE could be much influenced by not only RPI but also Krautrock or Space Rock, this Egitti style should be, in my opinion, nearly Indo-rock or Japanese-folk one. Indeed they may have various styles of progressive rock, but without pasta & pizza they can push their experimental and improvised sounds onto you. And what an impressive and comfortable stream they can shoot! OK to give yourself to the stream. Dance and twist to Dub One, a very rhythmical but heavily drowsy song. May be suitable for a junkie party - as a dreamy state of mind, as a trance can I express the song? The sharp-edged guitar solo under the mainstream sounds is more psychically fragrant. Even here Oriental percussion can act extremely and naturally. The next Ti Ricordi? (Do you remember?) is a slow ballad with guitars' kindness in strong contrast to the previous one. Depressive atmosphere and spacey air are the same, though. Dreamy and aesthetic keyboard solo can make you safe and sound - in spite of the darkness. Very interesting I feel that darkness and brightness can simultaneously live together in this album. Paradossi (Paradoxes) is, as the title says, paradoxically heavy and ground-rumbling. The bass repetition is hypnotic and the synth stardust is brilliant - with growling guitar solo. Without your intention you should clap your hands to this song - paradoxically. Your dream will go on - Lacrime (Tears) has quiet guitar and eccentric synth sounds in the first part, voices with special effects and danceable percussion are very comfortable in the middle, and again quiet atmosphere with the synth, whispers, guitars can come in the last. You may dream with teardrops - your tears sometimes drop quietly and sometimes flow like a fall - not you? As the next song Frontiere (Frontiers) should be, their voices and whispers can be one of the instruments here - make the songs more impressive and dreamful. They can use all instruments (including themselves :-P) effective for this spacey psychedelia. Interludio (Interlude) is a short and graceful piano anecdote, that may remind you the next heaviness and darkness. You bet! Mura (Boundaries) can get started with heavy and fluttering bass solo. A bit irritating and tentative keyboard sounds and steady drums together should be mysterious for you - can feel, as it is said, like a scene close to danger. However, you can realize all they shoot can be your pillows, your brainstorms...with builder and breaker of your mind. Hmm, how should I say, about this free'n'easy acoustic guitar and warping synth one in the song Satellite Centro (Satellite center)? With really strange comfort you will rush to the end... E Le Stelle Siano Con Te (And the stars are with you) is, I wanna say, exactly fit for the end of the work. Various instruments by them can make a sound shower and a sound chandelier, with Oriental spices. As I've emphasized before, Italian progressive rock has some Oriental flavour! (Overestimating? No, no, we 'Eastern' countries love Italy so much! :-D)

You can be more and more immersed into Terra (the earth), splendid time is guaranteed for all!

 

Studio Album, 1973
4.50 | 113 ratings

 

< method=post name=CommentReview228572 =/post_commentreview.asp>Io Sono Nato Libero
Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by poslednijat_colobar
Prog Reviewer

Gigantic!

Io Sono Nato Libero like the previous Banco del Mutuo Soccorso's album - Darwin, just blowed away everything on his way... Perfect musicianship, perfect songwriting, perfect tracklisting, perfect art sense as well as perfect production. I truely believe it's one of the best albums in progressive rock of all time. There isn't much to say, about this great album. It can't be described, it has to be heard... A homogeneous blend of psychedelic rock, symphonic rock and strongly classical influence convert the album into pretentious-styled monster of progressive rock. Keyboard-saturated and complex-varied sounds are the main reasons for the greatness of this album. Most of the album contains two different keyboard instrument simultaneously - organ or synthesizer or piano or harpsichord. The vocals by Francesco Di Giacomo are also adorable.

Beauty!