LA DIVINA COMMEDIA

This CD release from the 1973 album by Italian band Il Giro Strano is dedicated to their singer Mirko Ostinet who sadly died in 1983. He was one of the most promising and acclaimed Italian voices: powerful, melodic and emotional. His contribution on this album sounds as the most original from all members because the organ reminds me of The Nice and ELP, the (sometimes) a bit screamy saxophone evokes King Crimson and the flute play is in the vein of Jethro Tull and Focus. The structure of the five (mainly) long compositions sounds simple: lots of organ waves and many soli on saxophone, guitar and flute. The tracks "Il 13 transistor" ("Pictures at an exhibition"-like climate), "Il corridoio" (echoes from The Nice) and "La divina commedia" (sounds like a Keith Emerson tribute) feature an omnipresence of the Hammond organ. The song "Il vecchio Oldsea" starts with guitarwork in the vein of Jimmy Page, then an accellaration with Jethro Tull-like flute and in the end a jazzrock inspired guitar solo. The vocals are very strong. The composition "Il pianeta della verita" delivers swinging duets between the organ and saxophone. A good album from the Mellow Records label.