PERIGEO - LA VALLE DEI TEMPLI - 1975

Having started as a traditional jazz ensemble in the late 60s, with the turn of a new decade Perigeo tuned in for the prog rock wave and expanded their style as they began their recording career. Not that they became less jazzy, but definitely they became more sensitive and receptive towards the jazz fusion influence of Return to Forever and Weather Report, post-Wyatt Soft Machine, and even some occasional colours of "Caravanserai"-era Santana latin jazz and a bit of prog-oriented psychedelic sounds. By the time they recorded this, their album no. 4, Perigeo was a well known act in the avant- garde jazz circuits of Italy. The catchy opening track is a perfect example of the band's ability to write attractive musical ideas and technical proficiency (perhaps this is the Perigeo album to start with). Then comes the title track, which starts with a brief orchestrated intro founded on a few gong bangs, and an exotic passage based on a Latin- like piano motif accompanied by soft electric piano, humming, and wind chimes; then comes the main motif, again, a well crafted exercise of jazz fusion. Other amazing examples of Perigeo stuff are 'Mistero della Firefly' and 'Periplo'. On the softer side of things, 'Pensieri' stands out as a piece of sheer beauty in a reflective mood, despite its short duration. On the other hand, '2000 e Due Notti' exposes a dense ambience created by somber synth layers, dramatic sax lines, and floating guitar leads, all of them assembled upon a languid tempo heavily carried on by the drummer and the bassist - a mesmerizing combination of exotism and dark mystery. Overall, the clever inventiveness shown in the guitar/sax/keyboard solos, avoiding gratuitous pyrotechnics in order to keep a focus on the essential composed ideas; meanwhile, the rhythm section works with solid effectiveness and fluid precision. Definitely, a Perigeo album is not something to be recommended to any prog fan that usually feels repelled by "too much jazz", but it sure can be a satisfying experience for those who crave for something other than only symph prog from Italy. Excellent!
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