CENTRAL DO PROG

November 20, 2020

Franco Mussida ‎– Racconti Della Tenda Rossa (1991, CD, Italy)

Tracklist:

1. Voci (1:44)
2. Orizzonyi Del Cuore (3:30)
3. Radici Di Terra (4:34)
4. La Cava Di Sabbia (5:22)
5. Himalaya (5:35)
6. Dance Classique (3:00)
7. La Tempesta (1:40)
8. La Discesa Di Michele (5:20)
9. Porti Lontani (1:20)
10. Zanoobia (5:24)
11. Tenda Rossa (4:29)
12. Caffè Concerto (1:30)

Musicians:

Franco Mussida / guitars, bass, keyboards & vocals
Massimo Longhi / keyboards
Attilio Zanchi / bass
Stafano Grasso / electric drums
Paolo Bolio / keyboards
Fabio Concato / vocals
Angelo Branduardi / vocals
Gianni Nocenzi / keyboards & violin
Mauro Gnecchi / percussion

Jon Driver / vocals
Pietro Stefanoni / drums
Naco / percussion
Tino Tracanna / saxes
Daniela Rando / vocals
Antonia Gidiuli / vocals
Cristian Mayer / alto sax
Giancarlo Parisi / sax, flute & bagpipes
Tony Mims / keyboards

Morse Code ‎– Je Suis Le Temps (1977, CD, Canada)

Bruce Ditmas ‎– Aeray Dust (1977, LP, Usa)

Tracklist:
A1. Aeray Dust 6:33
A2. Side Looking Radar Image 7:15
A3. Terminal Velocity 3:54
B1. Face To Face To Face 7:10
B2. Tactics Of Despair 2:54
B3. That's The Way It Is 9:40

Musicians:
Composed By, Drums, Drum Machine [Moog Drum], Synthesizer [Mini-moog, Arp 2600], Percussion – Bruce Ditmas
Trumpet – Enrico Rava
Voice, Percussion – Joan La Barbara

As an artist whose name has become mutually synonymous with the instrument he plays Bruce Ditmas is a very unique heavy musician from one of those special tight knit communities that tried (and almost succeeded) to change the facade of progressive pop music and jazz via musical technology. Raised in Miami (an unknown incubator for future synthesists) Bruce carved the image of a teen prodigy playing jazz drums at the most exclusive Miami Beach hotels. After being whisked off to New York by none other that July Garland he became immersed in free music, recording compositions by Annette Peacock and Carla Bley before setting up house with vocal artist Joan La Barbara (later Mrs. Morton Subotnick) in 1975, who, via her own label, encouraged Bruce to pursue his very specific experiments in heavy electronic rhythms.

This LP is compiled from the solo Moog Drum compositions from his only two albums both released in 1977 using a Mini-Moog (donated by Gil “Hendrix” Evans), an Arp 2600 and a wide range of treated percussive instruments that littered this enfant terrible’s bedroom floor throughout the 1970s. A later pillar of the Enja and ECM community, Bruce's later work in TV, film, sound sculpture and free music still renders truly unique recording to this very day. Meet your new favourite drummer, and the best Moog Drum record in your whole collection.

November 15, 2020

Verdaguer ‎– Humahuaca (1994, CD, Brazil)

Tracklist:
1. Danca Dos Dedos (3:56)
2. Nova Espanha (6:11)
3. Charara (4:33)
4. Humahuaca (5:15)
5. Pulomelu (10:46)
6. Galho De Arruda (5:29)
7. Montanhas (5:06)
8. Jogo Da Memoria (7:37)
9. Rara Vez (6:29)

Musicians:
Willy Verdaguer / bass, arrangements
Billy Bond / vocals (4,9)
Marcelo Pizzarro / guitar
Tadeu Passarelli / keyboards
Luiz De Boni / MiniMoog (4)
Marcelo Mig / flute
Derico Sciotti / sax
Gilberto Faveri / drums
Eduardo Avena / percussion

Willy Verdaguer, while Argentinean by birth, spent most of those years working in Brazil with his group Humahuaca. While most of the music here was written and performed between '76 and '79, it was all re-recorded in '93, and released last year. The music here is a flavorful jazz-rock, injected with symphonics and spiced with rhythmic and flamenco influences, actually not far from the likes of Crucis, but with a bit more local color and unbridled jazz energy. Other points of comparison might be mid-period Kraan or early Transit Express, given the overt penchant for funkiness (as in "Galho de Arruda" or "Jogo da Memoria") and melodic savvy (as with the slower "Montanhas"), maybe even a touch of Banda Elastika. The seven-piece lineup features Verdaguer on bass, plus guitars, drums, keyboards, sax, flute, and percussion. Most of the nine tracks are instrumentals in the five-to-seven minute range, high energy jammers with plenty of sax and flute soloing. The compositions include plenty of hairpin turns and brilliant melodic mood shifts. Three tracks that don't seem to belong: the title track and a bluesy number "Rara Vez" that closes the disc, both vocal tunes sung by guest vocalist and producer Billy Bond, and "Pulomelu," an eleven minute instrumental suite that reminds me more of the Brazilian band Quantum on their self-titled debut than anything else on this album — yet it was that track that caught my ear on the first listen, while the others took an additional play or two to discover. In all, though, this one's a winner, heartily recommended for all fans of high-energy jazz-rock music. (exposé)

Giovanni Tommaso ‎– Vivere A: Tokio Città Del Paradiso (1972, LP, Italy)

Music composed and directed by GIOVANNI TOMMASO

Originally released in 1972 on RCA Original Cast SP 8039

Drums – Gegè Munari
Organ, Bass – Giovanni Tommaso
Musical Assistance – Carlo Arden
Organ – Antonello Vannucchi
Recording Supervisor – Giorgio Loviscek
Technician – Ubaldo Consoli

Sensational and almost impossible to find in its original edition - Original Soundtrack for the documentary composed by Perigeo's bassist Giovanni Tommaso (Living in Tokyo: City of Heaven), very active and prolific in writing Library music during the '70s. This extraordinary Score was composed to be the soundtrack for a documentary focused on Tokyo city and his inhabitants, where Giovanni Tommaso added some typical elements of melodic/harmonic Japanese music and meltied them with a kind of 'Urban' music along the line of a Jazz-Rock style he would later encode in Perigeo project. Silvano Chimenti, Antonello Vannucchi and Gegè Munari are the uncredited artists who played in this session. Outstanding oriental Prog. Rock tunes are featured here and contributed to make this lost gem also sought-after by Progressive collectors.