Pepe Maina ‎– Scerizza (1979, LP, Italy)

Describing his musical style on his website's home page as "ambient and prog rock music for dreams and illusion", Pepe Maina, born in Milan, has been working since the mid 70's in his Nonsense Studio releasing no less than 14 official albums along with a few unreleased records.
Absolutely progressive music, though not rock at all, Maina's style was heavily influenced in his beginnings by ethnic rhythms and compositions, releasing with his first album Canto dell'arpa e del flauto an early example of world music. With little use of percussion his music is meditative and based on keyboards, harp, flutes, acoustic guitar and indian instruments, the artist himself mentions the English band Jade Warrior as a strong influence. One of the album tracks, the long Two balls, was recorded live at Milan's Leoncavallo.
Around 1978 Pepe collaborated with Agorà playing percussion in their last concerts. One of these was also filmed, at Montreux, but never had a commercial release.
Second album came out in 1979, Scerizza (the name of a little town near the lake of Como in northern Italy where Maina lives), and also featured bass guitar, and folk leanings with typical southern Italy instruments and choirs.
Later compositions have also been used for some soundtracks and advertisements, and the prolific artist is still producing interesting music today. Subsequent releases in his long discography show a stronger use of guitars and some spacey influences from time to time.
Along with his solo career, Pepe Maina also collaborated with other artists, among which Enzo Maolucci, an unfortunately little known singer-guitarist, in his second album Barbari e bar (1978). Italianprog

Side A

A1 Coro Di Nava

A2 Scerizza (Parte 1)

A3 Cocoon Star (Parte 1 & 2)

A4 La Danza Dei Pulcini

A5 Sorpresa

Side B

B1 Scerizza (Parte 2 & 3)

B2 Canzone Di Maggio

B3 Al Contadino Non Far Sapere Quanto Sei Cretino

Musicians:

Electric Bass – Massimo Spinosa

Keyboards, Bagpipes, Vibraphone, Percussion, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Piano, Zither, Flute, Psaltery – Pepe Maina

Fagotto, Contropancione – Sri Boomotooni

Voice – Carlo Maina, Maria Corsello

Producer – Livia Cerini, Pepe Maina