CORTE DEI MIRACOLI

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.