Week of September 16, 2007
Albums:
Il grande gioco 1974
CD: Vinyl Magic AMS 118
This long out-of-print record is finally available again courtesy of Vinyl
Magic! A five-piece band consisting of very good and capable musicians from
Rome, Alberomotore (or Albero Motore as it was sometimes referred
to) were aided and produced by the 1960s singer/guitarist Ricky Gianco.
At different stages of their career, they were involved with various acts such
as Il Ritratto di Dorian Gray,
Raccomandata con Ricevuta di
Ritorno, Samadhi,
Goblin, Libra,
Quella Vecchia Locanda
and Carnascialia. On "Il grande gioco" they collaborated with
Gianco (owner of the Ultima Spiaggia label), Carlo Siliotto (Carnascialia),
Giuliano Illiani (also known as Donatello, a well-known Italian singer),
Luigi Cinque, who played with
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso for awhile, and Gianni Nebbiosi. For this album
the band recorded tracks that might not be immediately recognizable as classic
Italian prog, and instead having a rural and genuinely hard-rocking edge, full
of suspense, showcasing the excellent, rough and ready vocals of Maurizio Rota.
Also the record has solid musical continuity and is still an excellent listen
all these years later. After disbanding, most members of Albero Motore
were involved in folk and world music projects: Marcello Vento played in
Carnascialia and Canzoniere del Lazio and also for Antonello
Venditti and
Loredana Bertè; Marcello Vento - with Pierangelo Bertoli and
Jenny Sorrenti, Adriano Martire - with Pietro Brega. The CD reissue
is a deluxe papersleeve edition with extended liner notes.