November 29, 2017

Noodband With Greetje Bijma ‎– Shiver (1982, LP, Netherlands)

Crafty and antic Dutch R.I.O. shenanigans by a group whose unusual double trio format stacks up dual drum, bass and alto sax components and deploys them in a way that references both Downtown NY moves somewhere between the post-Etron Fou-isms of V-Effect and James Blood Ulmer's harmolodics and the whacked circus jazz escapades of Frenchmen Six Cylindres En V. Recorded live at the Moers Festival, this particular gig found them teamed with guest vocalist Greetje Bijma, whose touched-in-the-head gibbering improv gush peppers much of the proceedings here in a winning fashion. vdoandsound

Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Do A Bit'u Walkin' (4:37)
2. Movie (6:54)
3. Shiver (6:09)
4. Doon (4:35)
5. Nood (5:43)
6. Vietnam (5:38)
7. I Just Wanna Movie It (5:16)
8. Congo Andy (5:34)
Total Time: 44:26

Line-up / Musicians
Greetje Bijma / Vocal
Alan Laurillard / Alto saxophone
Frans Vermeerssen / Alto saxophone
Gerald Ammerlaan / Bass
Sybrand Hoeksema / Bass
Charles Huffstadt / Drums
Bert Kleijn / Drums

Moers 1094 Germany (Vinyl, 1982)

Look De Bouk ‎– Lacrimae Rerum (1985, LP, France)

LOOK DE BOUK formed out of the ashes of renowned French RIO act Hellebore headed by Denis Tagu. In the same year as 'Il a y des Jour' LOOK DE BOUK released their first album entitled "Lacrimae Rerum" on the AYAA label. Trending different avenues to their predecessors LOOK DE BOUK embraces a playful almost childish outlook to the sound they craft sounding like a cunning mix between 80's Residents, Pascal Comelade (thanks to their usage of toys), Aksak Maboul's first and ZNR. The combination results in an overly enjoyable experience (undeniably French) putting an affable face on these weird but charming RIO-esque experimentations. To date the band has released two full length albums plus two reissue albums with extra unheard material, amongst numerous feature pieces on an array of compilations.People deterred by the sinister side of RIO/avant-prog should find LOOK DE BOUK to be a breath of fresh air offering a more digestible and charming affair.

Studio Album, released in 1985
Side A
1. Ferdinand Cheval
2. Tracte Moi Bien
3. Un Ecrin De Fer Blanc Pour Le Noir De Tes Cils, En General ...
4. A Ma Soeur Pour Ses Chevaux De Basse-Saxe
5. Saint-Lõ-Les-Velos !?!
6. Ferdinand Cheval
Side B
1. Lacrimae Rerum
2. Engagee Comme Jockey
3. Demain Ou Ailleurs ...
4. La Grimace De Karenine
5. Ferdinand Cheval

Line-up / Musicians
Jean Caël / Bass
Jean-Marc Robbel / Bass, Guitar
Cedric Vuille / Clarinet, Ocarina, Guitar, Featuring [Spoons, Banduria]
Daniel Koskowitz / Drums, Cymbals
Etienne Himalaya / Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Piano, Melodica, Featuring [Toys, Radio]
Dorian Feller / Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Percussion
Denis Tagu / Piano, Organ, Synthesizer
Kwettap Ieuw / Piano, Organ, Synthesizer, Vocals, Percussion, Featuring [Yogurt Can]
Alain Casari / Saxophone
Martial Canterel / Synthesizer, Vocals, Saxophone (2)
Patrick Q-Wright / Violin
André Malraux / Vocals

Releases information: 1985 Ayaa Catalog#: DT 0885

November 25, 2017

Five-Storey Ensemble - Not That City + Night en Face (2013-2017, CD, Belarus)

Formed by talented instrumentalists and singers at the Academy of music in Minsk, several of them sharing a common experience in Rational Diet, this group of Belarusian Chamber composes and plays music too structured neo-classical inspired, with great richness and melodic harmonica, using primarily acoustic instruments classical and modern techniques.

Five-Storey Ensemble - Not That City (2013)
After about a dozen years, with a handful of excellent releases to their credit, Belarus based Rational Diet has split up, or rather split into two bands, with most members from their last album On Phenomena and Existences ending up in Five-Storey Ensemble. Other members went to another band called Archestra, which this writer has not heard yet, but to confuse matters even more, some of the former Rational Diet members (specifically woodwind player Vitaly Appow and drummer / percussionist Nikolay Semitko) are in the lineup of both new bands. Five-Storey Ensemble seems to be doing an excellent job of carrying the style of their previous band forward, with an expanded lineup of ten members and plenty of additional instrumentation, they play a disciplined chamber-rock sound that might be reminiscent in some ways to the work of groups like Univers Zero, Aranis, Julverne, and others, although generally the tone is not dark and somber like UZ, but more light and playful. The compositions are all credited to Appow or keyboardist / vocalist Olga Podgaiskadja, with lyrics by Alexander Vvedensky, and as one might suspect, Five-Storey features more vocals that Rational Diet did, and also tends to rely more on scored compositions than improvisation, or so it seems, yet there are some notable exceptions, like “Amid the Smoke...” There’s a lot going on here, and after numerous listens I’m still hearing new surprises with every play. Heartily recommended for all fans of the acoustic based chamber-rock style.

Five-Storey Ensemble - Night en Face (2017)
 
Second episode for the Five Storey Ensemble. Natural pursuit of previous experience with Rational Diet. Much more complexity, more room for melodies, a real small orchestra, guides us between awkward and melancholy atmospheres. Chamber music with sounding solutions and interlocking sounds with unique style and elegance. A narrative that encapsulates the drama and pathos of a movie soundtrack. A disk of great maturity and quality.

November 20, 2017

Shadowfax - The Lost Years (1978, Unreleased, Usa)


Shadowfax unreleased recordings recorded in 1978, at Acme Studios in Chicago

Tracklist:
1. A Woman Most Precious (8:36)
2. Cubic Space Division (7:20)
3. Head On Fire (5:20)
4. Linear Dance (6:05)
5. Arc Force (8:11)

Musicians:
Chuck Greenberg - flute (1), saxophones (2, 5) lyricon (1, 2, 3, 5)
Phil Maggini - bass
Stuart Nevitt - drums
G.E. Stinson - guitar, vocals (4), compositions (3, 4, 5)
Bob Long - piano and synth (1)
 Doug Maluchnik - synthesizer (4)
*Update: published on cdr by Greenshadow Music

Shub-Niggurath / Sleaze Art - Dithyrambe (1988, LP, France)


Tracklist:
A1. A. Stewart - L'homme à l'habit gris (4:52)A2. Sleaze Art - Orgone (17:00)
B1. Shub-Niggurath - J'ai vu naguère en peinture les Harpies ravissant le répas de Phinée 2 (11:40)
B2. K.T. Toeplitz - Paysage foudroyé (9:30)

Musicians:
A.Stewart - Soprano Vocals (A1)
A.Ballaud, C.Carras, K.T.Toeplitz, P.Quesnay, P.Monteil - Electric Bass (A2)
V.Verdier - Bass Trombone, Percussion (B1)
A.Ballaud - Electric Bass (B1)
J.L. Hervé - Electric Guitar, Organ (B1)
A.Stewart - Soprano Vocals, Percussion (B1)
K.T.Toeplitz - Electric Bass (B2)


A compendium of gorgeously dour, sour and drear filled sturm und drang concocted by sinister sounding R.I.O. operatives Shub Niggurath and their immediate satellites. For many, Shub Niggurath's take on the forbidding chamber rock continuum enacted by the likes of Univers Zero, Art Zoyd and Present was a genre topper, their baleful spin on this terrain supplanting the Stravinsky/Bartok dimension undergirding UZ/AZ's rock vitriol with the atonal astringency of Penderecki and Ligeti and that tone of severity and desolation is writ large across their 11+ harrowing minutes here. Dithyrambe begins on a rather more spare note, though: Ann Stewart's plaintive a cappella operatic recital setting a tone of down-in-the-mouth austerity thats a harbinger of vibes to comes. It's follow-up, a brutal display by the Shub Niggurath-related all electric bass ensemble Sleaze Art carves a fearsome and seemingly endless vista of detuned squalling doom from their massed axes, a tack that Sleaze Art's K.T. Toeplitz re-enacts in solo form on the album closer "Paysage Foudroye" (Mutant Sound)

November 18, 2017

Tasavallan Presidentti ‎– Lambertland (1972, CD, Finland)

The third album by Tasavallan Presidentti was also their first with the lead singer Eero Raittinen. Frank Robson was the lead singer on their first two albums. Both of those are really good albums but I prefer Lambertland as the ultimate Tasavallan Presidentti album. I still consider Robson as a better singer than Raittinen because Raittinen's English isn't that great.
However the instrumental work on Lambertlant is just superb five stars quality. Just like the songwriting too. Any of these six songs could be called as a highlight here but I still choose "The Bargain" and "Dance" as my favourite songs. "Dance" shows Tolonen's skills on the guitar once again. It's easy to understand why the instrumental work of Lambertland got so positive reviews at the time of it's release.
Lambertland is often considered as the magnum opus by Tasavallan Presidentti and I have to agree with that. This is five stars jazzy progressive rock record and one of the greatest albums from Finland ever. Their absolute best.
Tracklist:
1. Lounge (8:25)
2. Lambertland (6:59)
3. Celebration Of The Saved Nine (3:33)
4. The Bargain (7:17)
5. Dance (5:57)
6. Last Quarters (8:14)
   Bonus:
7. Selvä Näkijä (4:18)
8. Sisältäni Portin Löysin (4:57)

Musicians:
  Måns Groundstroem – Bass
Vesa Aaltonen – Drums
Jukka Tolonen – Guitar
Pekka Pöyry – Saxophone, Flute
Eero Raittinen – Vocals
Recorded April-May 1972 at Finnvox Helsinki, Finland and at Europafilm Stockholm, Sweden.
CD remastering: Finnox, Helsinki, Oct. 2009

Angelo Branduardi - Alla Fiera Dell'Est (1976, CD, Italy)

Songs:
1 - Alla fiera dell'est (5:22)
2 - La favola degli Aironi (3:43)
3 - Il vecchio e la farfalla (2:54)
4 - Canzone per Sarah (4:19)
5 - La serie dei numeri (4:28)
6 - Il dono del cervo (3:11)
7 - Il Funerale (8:06)
8 - L'uomo e la nuvola (3:44)
9 - Sotto il tiglio (2:52)
10 - Canzone del rimpianto (3:00)

Musicians:
Tiziana Botticini: Harp
Angelo Branduardi: Guitar, Violin, guitar Ottavino, Luth
Gigi Cappellotto: Electric bass
Bruno De Filippi: Buzuki, Cuica, Banjo, Sitar, Armonica bass
Maurizio Fabrizio: guitar, Luth
Mario Lamberti: Percussions
Gianni Nocenzi: Clarinet, Piano
Andy Surdi: Drums


Branduardi's most successful period started with this album which is really an encounter with medieval folklore arranged and performed with a strong classical taste on acoustic instruments ( including strings and brass ) and no "prog" or "rock"-music at all, so beware. 
The beautiful voice of Angelo can sound joyous as well as sad and languishing, as the music is a varied offer of uplifting celebrations and reflective ballads. Sometimes ( with the title track, "Il vecchio e la farfalla", "La serie dei numeri", "Il dono del cervo" and "sotto il tiglio" ) you almost feel like being a guest at a lively feast held on an old king's castle, other times you can imagine yourself a princess sitting in the tower with a minstrel standing underneath the window, trying to enchant you with soft melodies and sensitive stories about life and death ( "La favola degli aironi", "Il Funerale" ) and Lullabies ( "Canzone per Sarah" ), as if nature itself would weave the gentle sound of an orchestra around strange lovestories like the one about a man and a cloud ( "L'uomo e la nuvola" ). It's music to fall in love to ( and to fall in love with ) and meant to entertain in a rather contemporary way - but it's so charming and full of lovely little details that it ought to succeed.
Imagine a bunch of grown up children making noise for children of any age who are willing to listen and think about the stories they can hear - and then you get a glimpse of what Branduardi and his versatile ensemble were up to. Talking about himself in later years, the artist said he was "a fivehundred year old child"... well, that might be a fitting description ! This music is out to make you feel good and comfort you even when it's sad, it's a well of empathy and harmony in a world that more than often is giving you the opposite. Branduardi was just about finding his formula, and while there were better albums before ( "La Luna" ) and afterwards ( "La Pulce d'Acqua", "Canta Yeats" ) it still remains a classic in its own right and a five-star for fans. It established Branduardi as an artist who in his unique way held on to traditional values and didn't care about trends and fashion but nonetheless found the wider audience he deserved. A special mention must go his great guitar-duellist and arranger Maurizio Fabrizio - there could have been no better partner and it was always a pleasure when the both of them got together.
4 stars for the open-minded who are willing to lend their ears to something else than "prog" and five for lovers of folk and medieval music. 

November 16, 2017

Hellebore ‎– Musique Nouvelle (1983, Tape, France)

French experimental, alternative/left-field band born out of the indie/new-wave scene of the early 1980's. Some members were also in Look De Bouk. They are often grouped in the wider "Rock in Opposition" field, due to comparisons with Albert Marcoeur, Henry Cow and This Heat.

Side A
A1. Film di Ripratoria (8:28)
A2. Warne Wasser Mit Grass (3:22)
A3. Rupture (4:39)
Side B
B1. Perceval - Umanak (9:28)
B2. Perceval - Artefact (13:34)
B3. Perceval - Film di Ripratoria (4:09)

Musicians: 
A. Casari - Alto Saxophone
J. Caël - Bass, Handclaps, Tape
D. Koskowitz - Drums
A. Gindt - Guitar, Flute, Percussion
D. Tagu - Piano, Organ, Electric Piano, Flute, Guitar

Note:
A1 & A2 home rec. 9/1/83
A3 home rec. 8/3/82
B Concert 3/3/82
Comes with a 12 page booklet / portfolio of Hellebore. Hand Made cover

Commuters (Dagmar Krause, Harold Schellinx, Ronald Heiloo) – Commuters (1982, CD, England)

Dagmar Krause, Harold Schellinx, Ronald Heiloo

Recorded 28th September to 5th October 1982 at Ark Studio, Kingston-upon-Thames. Cut November 1982 at Utopia, London.

The EP Commuters, a one-time collaboration between Slapp Happy vocalist Dagmar Krause and Amsterdam avant-garde composers Harold Schelinx and Ronald Heiloo, was first released as a limited pressing on Amphibious Records in 1983. Soon deleted, it quickly became the Holy Grail fans of Krause were all after. The album was reissued in 2000 on La Cooka Ratcha (a Voiceprint imprint). Although it runs for only 16 minutes, Commuters contains ten songs and really should be perceived as a full album. Schelinx's short stories are set to dense piano pieces taking elements from Erik Satie, Charles Ives, and Kurt Weill. Krause's voice delivers the text in angular melodies in a way similar to her work with News From Babel (on Work Resumed on the Tower). These 60- to 120-second half-cabaret/half-atonal pieces are as complete as can be and the listener comes out of them as if the experience had taken an hour. The simplicity of the piano/voice setting is constantly challenged by the obscurity of the lyrics, the complexity of the melodies, and the sparse but very concentrated piano parts.

November 12, 2017

The Ghoulies ‎– Dogged By Dogma (1982, LP, England) Repost!



Side A
A1. Listening To My Neighbour Singing
A2. Sexist Conversation
A3. Social Workers
A4. Hollow Cost
A5. Make Sure Your Garage Is Large Enough
Side B
B1. Stabbing Cats
B2. CS's
B3. Look Mum No Hands Parts 1-3
B4. A Large Lounge And Yawn

GROUPE ONE
(play on Listening To My Neighbour, Singing Social Workers, CS's)
Phil John - Bass, Backing Vocals
Nigel Harris - Drums, Percussion
Charlie Summers - Vocals, Guitar, Organ, Flageolet
Simon Smith - Organ, Backing Vocals
Spike Reptile - Violin, Guitar, Voice
Ben Wilson - Backing Vocals, Bits Of Bass (B2)

GROUPE TWO
(appears on rest of album)
Jake Bowi - Fretless Bass
Elaine Morgan - Lead + Backing Vocals
Pip Pyle - Drums
Dave Stewart - Keyboards, Sound Armonic Advice
Charlie Summers - Guitar, Vocals
James Driscoll Jr. - Vocals


In 1982, a strange album, Dogged By Dogma, appeared under the name of The Ghoulies, a project masterminded by one Charlie Summers, and featuring no less than Dave Stewart and Pip Pyle alongside a host of anonymous Welsh session musicians. The music itself bore more than a passing resemblance to that of Hatfield and the North, a major influence of Summers, who got in touch with Stewart through mutual acquaintance Green Gartside (Scritti Politti's vocalist, whom Stewart had approached to sing on his debut solo single What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted?). With his regular drummer Nigel Harris having moved to London, Summers also managed to get Pyle involved, and recording sessions took place in Cardiff sometime in 1981. He then founded his own label, Lounging Records, ultimately selling around 3000 copies, which unfortunately was not enough (in spite of John Peel's support) to envision doing more projects under the Ghoulies banner. Summers, however, still has vague plans for a follow-up.

November 11, 2017

Roberto Colombo 3 Albums: Sfogatevi Bestie (1976, CD), Botte da Orbi (1977, CD), Astrolimpix (1980, LP)

Born on April 29, 1951, Roberto Colombo is a keyboard player, artistic producer and arranger and has worked with bands such as Le Orme, PFM, Finisterre and many other prominent Italian musicians.
He's often considered one of the underrated gems in Italy. His solo albums from the 70's have a lot of Frank Zappa influences. In 1976 his first solo album, "Sfogatevi Bestie," was relesead. This album includes collaborations from notable musicians such as Walter Calloni (PFM), Ricky Belloni (Nuova Idea, New Trolls), Paulo Donnarumma (together with Eugenio Finardi former member of Pacco, and even today an esteemed session man), and Claudio Fasoli (Perigeo). It´s a good quality piece of work, well received by the press and still regarded as one of the most wanted items by numerous record collectors. This is a great example of vital experimental progressive jazzrock, with hints of Spiral Staircase by Supersister. A flawlessly produced album, way ahead of its time.
1977 saw the release of "Botte da Orbi." This work verges on progressive and jazz-rock, but is marked by light-hearted ironic tones. He gathers together an all-star band of more than thirty musicians, featuring essentially the cream of the Italian music scene: from Mauro Pagani (PFM) to Walter Calloni (PFM), Ronnie Jackson to Lucio Violin Fabbri (PFM), Stefano Cerri (considered one of the best bass player of those days) to Tullio De Piscopo (another legendary drummer who have been playing with New Trolls on Tempi Dispari), and Ivan Cattaneo (a songwriter who was backed on one album by PFM). It´s a dynamic and clever intuitive record with rock solid technique. 1980's "Astrolimpix" is a record attributed to Roberto Colombo and Mark Harris, of less interest to prog fans, being more commercial. He has recently in 2008 recorded an album with his wife Antonella Ruggero entitled "Pomodoro Genetico," a techno pop album also of very little interest of prog fans.
Aside from his solo albums, Colombo has had played with many progressive artists. He played keyboards on PFM's album "Passpartú," on Battiato's "L'Era del Cinghiale Bianco," and on Mauro Pagani's first album. He participated on a long tour with PFM as backing band to Fabrizio De André, from which came the first and most famous live record of the late singer songwriter.
As a producer, he has worked with artists of the likes from Le Orme, to Miguel Bosé, et. al., and has also produced some albums for Italian band Finisterre. Colombo is the musical director of the "Liberamusic" music label, which will renew, among its products, the works of guitarists Maurizio Colonna and Frank Gambale, that of the percussionist Ivan Ciccarelli, as well as Antonella Ruggiero's music.

Roberto Colombo ‎– Sfogatevi Bestie (1976)
CD, Album, Ultima Spiaggia/ 2004 Limited Edition

Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Sono Pronto (2:20)
2. Caccia Alla Volpe (10:20)
3. Entreneuse (6:37)
4. Sfogatevi Bestie (4:26)
5. Assurdo Pt. I (1:57)
6. Metronomo 138 (8:27)
7. Assurdo Pt. II (4:30)

Line-up / Musicians
Roberto Colombo / spoken word, filtered voice, grand piano, Fender Rhodes, Moog, ring modulator, percussion (6), arrangements & direction
Marco Ferradini / vocals (7)
Maurizio Martelli / lead guitar (3,4)
Ricky Belloni / guitar solo (4)
Pepè Gagliardi / grand piano (6)
Alberto Mompellio / violin, organ, Moog programming
Claudio Fasoli / tenor, contralto & soprano saxes
Gigi Belloni / bass
Paolo Donnarumma / bass (1,4)
Flaviano Cuffari / drums (1,2,5)
Watler Calloni / drums (3,4,6)
Mario Lamberti / percussion, timbales, congas
Gianni Zilioli / xylophone (6)

Roberto Colombo: Sfogatevi bestie (John's Classic Rock)
Se è vero che nel 1976 “tutto cominciava ad essere il contrario di tutto” e le contaminazioni stilistiche avevano ormai raggiunto un punto di non ritorno verso la globalizzazione, allora anche un disco quale “Sfogatevi bestie” del tastierista milanese Roberto Colombo ebbe sicuramente un suo senso storico, vista pelomeno la sua levigatezza e la sua poliedricità.
All’epoca della release del suo primo album, Colombo ha 25 anni ed è già abbondantemente inserito nel giro musicale per aver già collaborato a due album di Patti Pravo ("Mai una signora" e "Incontro"), collaborato più volte con la Premiata Forneria Marconi e rivestire un importante ruolo di compositore - arrangiatore presso la discografica Ultima Spiaggia di Ricky Gianco.
Tanto quanto basta insomma, per mettere insieme sette brani di grande spessore tecnico e compositivo ed assemblare una line-up di musicisti tali da abbracciare tutto il passato e il futuro del jazz-prog italiano tra cui il chitarrista Ricky Belloni, i batteristi Walter Calloni e Flaviano Cuffari, il sassofonista Claudio Fasoli, i bassisti Paolo Donnarumma e Gigi Belloni, il vocalist Marco Ferradini e persino il produttore discografico Nanni Ricordi in veste di cantante.
E se questa formazione può sembrare già numerosa, nell’album successivo si sarebbe ancora ulteriormente dilatata a dimostrare che sin già dal suo esordio discografico, il Colombo aveva le idee chiare sul concetto di “musica estesa” che voleva produrre. E in effetti, all’ascolto, “Sfogatevi Bestie” restituisce un compendio di sensazioni tanto vasto quanto estremamente moderno e raffinato.
Certamente, come spesso accade per le opere d’esordio, le influenze esterne (diciamo un certo gusto avanguardistico di matrice “newyorkese”) e una certa contrazione creativa – o “timidezza”, se vogliamo - hanno avuto un certo peso, ma in ogni caso Colombo e soci dimostrarono di non aver nessun timore reverenziale nei confronti di un genere che, si sente, avevano nel dna ed erano comunque in grado di giostrare con smisurata scioltezza.
Nel groove generale comunque, spicca una certa predisposizione al jazz-rock con poco spazio alle improvvisazioni e molto levigato nei suoni al punto da richiamare il rigore di certi lavori strumentali di Frank Zappa.
C’è anche però molta inventiva mediterranea nell’esplicito riferirsi ad un certo prog di casa nostra, specie in quella vivace scomposizione metrica che fu propria in particolare della Premiata Forneria Marconi.
Non mancano neppure strizzate d’occhio alla sperimentazione (“Assurdo”), anche se più ammiccante e infinitamente meno provocatoria di quella che proposero Battiato o i Dedalus negli anni che furono.
Del resto, da lì a pochi mesi il Progressive italiano sarebbe stato riassorbito dalle nuove mode o parzialmente addomesticato da cantautori quali Finardi, Gianco, Camerini o Cattaneo (di cui lo stesso Colombo sarà arrangiatore) , per cui (forse) era anche lecito iniziare a proporne una versione meno politicizzata o avulsa da un ambiente che non esisteva quasi più.
Si profilava dunque la figura del “produttore-turnista” o comunque di un ruolo tale da invertire i riferimenti consolidati da almeno cinque anni di pop italiano, nel senso che la responsabilità creativa di un prodotto sarebbe passata da un livello collettivo di gruppo, a uno più gestionale in cui il peso del manager, dell’ideatore e dell’arrangiatore e in generale del marketing, avrebbero gestito e diretto tutto il percorso produttivo.
Questo naturalmente, portò a una spersonalizzazione di molte realtà progressive che da quel momento in poi cessarono di esistere.
Il fatto che poi, come disse Alberto Radius “la riconversione / non mi sembra una ragione / per confondere lo schiavo col padrone”, quello fu un altro nodo cruciale che però non si risolse facilmente, anzi: stando ai successivi sviluppi della storia, possiamo dire che non si risolse affatto.
Almeno nel ’76 però, c’era ancora la forte consapevolezza di aver lottato a lungo e di dover continuamente rimettersi in discussione per non soccombere all'incalzante spettro della "musica in serie" a cui anche Colombo cedette nell'arco di pochi anni diventando uno dei principali produttori italiani di technopop.

Roberto Colombo ‎– Botte Da Orbi (1977) 
CD, Album, Reissue/ Additional support to ['mju:zik] magazine: not to be sold separately
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Ascolta Si Fa Sera (5:13)
2. Botte Da Orbi (1:52)
3. Fiato Alle Trombe (5:42)
4. Dai Non Fare Il Romantico (4:36)
5. Alegher Alegher (5:42)
6. Danza Disumana (4:53)
7. Il Ritorno Di U Kembe (6:07)
8. Fine Del Trentatre (1:20)

Line-up / Musicians
Roberto Colombo / vocals (1,2,6), keyboards, percussion, arrangements & direction
Ivan Cattaneo / vocals (6,7)
Massimo Pezzera / vocals (5)
Nanni Ricordi / vocals (1,3)
Patty Pravo / vocals (3)
Ricky Gianco / vocals (8)
Stefano Cerri / vocals (6)
Maurizio Martelli / guitar (1,4,6,8)
Ronnie Jackson / guitar (4)
Giancarlo Barigozzi / alto saxophone (5)
Glauco Masetti / alto saxophone (1) 
Hugo Heredia / alto saxophone (1,5,6) 
Giorgio Baiocco / soprano saxophone (6-8)
Leandro Prete / tenor saxophone (1)
Attilio Donadio / clarinet (1)
Sergio Rigon / clarinet (6)
Sergio Rigon / bass clarinet (3,7)
Lino Brandolini / bassoon (1,3,6)
Renata Ferri / flute (1)
Giancarlo Barigozzi / concert flute (6)
Mario Gioventù / concert flute (6,8)
Doriano Beltrami / flugelhorn (3)
Luciano Biasutti / flugelhorn (6,7)
Giuseppe Crott / horn (4,5,8)
Marcello Masi / oboe (6)
Marco Pellacani / trombone (4,8)
Rodolfo Migliardi / trombone (1)
Doriano Beltrami / trumpet (3,6)
Emilio Sorra / trumpet (1)
Giuliano Bernicchi / trumpet (3,6)
Luciano Biasutti / trumpet (3)
Umberto Moretti / trumpet (1)
Luigi Astori / tuba (4,8)
Lucio Fabbri / violin (5)
Mauro Pagani / violin (1)
Franco Rossi / cello (4-6,8)
Paolo Salvi / cello (4-6,8)
Bruno Crovetto / contrabass (4,6)
Gigi Belloni / bass (5,6)
Stefano Cerri / bass (1,3,7)
Flaviano Cuffari / drums (3,6,7)
Tony Rusconi / drums (4)
Tullio De Piscopo / drums (1,2,8)
Walter Calloni / drums (7)
Roberto Haliffi / percussion
Gianni Zilioli / xylophone & vibraphone (1,5)
[’mju:zik] presenta: ROBERTO COLOMBO "Botte Da Orbi"
Disco del 1977, "Botte Da Orbi" è il secondo lavoro solista di Roberto Colombo. Si tratta di un’opera che grazie all’apporto di un’impressionante allstars band (che tra gli altri comprende: Mauro Pagani, Walter Calloni, Lucio "Violino" Fabbri, Tullio De Piscopo, Patty Pravo, Ricky Gianco, Gigi
Belloni, Stefano Cerri, Hugo Heredia, Ronnie Jackson...) sviluppa un coraggioso itinerario musicale che si avvicina a certi capolavori del grande Frank Zappa, ricco di tecnica ma giocato sul filo della giocosa ironia.
Roberto Colombo - autore di tre dischi a suo nome - si è distinto come musicista divenendo parte della Premiata Forneria Marconi nel 1978, registrando nello stesso anno "Passpartù" e nel 1979 il celeberrimo doppio album dal vivo "Fabrizio De Andrè In Concerto", che coronava la trionfale
tournèe del cantautore genovese accompagnato dalla stessa PFM (ed è proprio Colombo a riarrangiare per l’occasione un paio i brani di De Andrè, "Sally" e "Via Del Campo").
Dall’inizio degli anni ’80, forte delle sue doti di tecnico e arrangiatore, Roberto Colombo decide di ritirarsi dietro le quinte e "dirigere" artisticamente tutti quei talenti che hanno lasciato un segno - anche grazie al suo apporto - nella storia della musica rock e leggera italiane.
Tra coloro che hanno beneficiato del suo prezioso lavoro di produzione troviamo Franco Battiato, Fabrizio De Andrè, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Le Orme, Enzo Jannacci, Miguel Bosè, Eugenio Finardi, Alberto Camerini, Ivan Cattaneo, Antonella Ruggiero, Francesca Lago, Matia Bazar (i dischi "Tango" - che contiene "Vacanze Romane" - e "Aristocratica", baciati dal successo e acclamati dalla critica, sono frutto del suo "trattamento" di studio)... e si tratta solo dei primi nomi che ci vengono in mente, per una lista lunghissima ed estremamente qualificata.
"Botte Da Orbi" - mai precedentemente ristampato e presente finora solo sul mercato del collezionismo a cifre esorbitanti - è stato rimasterizzato presso uno dei più prestigiosi studi italiani, i Profile Studios di Milano, ai quali - solo per fare un esempio - la BMG Ricordi ha commissionato la
rimasterizzazione dell’intero catalogo di Fabrizio De Andrè. Il packaging ha inoltre portato al miglioramento dell’art work originale: con tanto di copertina gatefold (apribile come i vecchi Lp) in cartoncino e foto dell’epoca.
Ricordiamo che il Cd è allegato esclusivamente al mensile musicale [’mju:zik] e viene pertanto venduto solo insieme alla rivista (nei prossimi giorni in edicola) al prezzo di 19.900 lire.
Chi avesse problemi a reperire la rivista o semplicemente volesse maggiori info od essere inserito nella nostra mailing list può contattarci direttamente via e-mail: in...@mjuzik.it

Colombo - Harris ‎– Astrolympix (1980)
(Vinyl, Ciao CIA 1005)

Side A
A1. Harlequin (5:55)
A2. Man On The (Hot) Spot (4:12)
A3. The Mighty Team (3:22)
A4. Glad You Could Come (4:56)
Side B
B1. Gimme Lovin' (3:30)
B2. Keep Movin' (3:50)
B3. Nobody To Love (3:48)
B4. Finale (3:55)
Line-up / Musicians
Mark Harris / Lead Vocal
Roberto Colombo / Keyboards, Background Vocal
Bernardo Lanzetti / Lead Vocal (B1), Background Vocal
Alberto Radius / Guitars
Walter Calloni, Tullio De Piscopo, Gianni D'Aquila / Drums
Ares Tavolazzi, Julius Farmer / Bass
Music By – Alberto Radius (tracks: B2), Bernardo Lanzetti (tracks: B1)
Roberto Colombo (tracks: A1 to A4, B3, B4)
Producer – Alberto Radius
Producer, Arranged By – Roberto Colombo