BALLETTIROSADIMACCHIA - BALLETTIROSADIMACCHIA - 1974

История этого альбома полна загадок. Поверьте, я бы не стал рыться в Интернете, пытаясь выудить подробности этого «мутного» проекта, если бы не классные композиции, а это девять треков симфо-прогрессива. Начнем с «фамилии» группы - названия. Длинная вереница букв разбивается на BALLETTI ROSA DI MACCHIA и, упуская ошибку, переводится примерно как БАЛЕТ В РОЗОВЫХ МАЗКАХ. Пластинка была выпущена в Канаде немецким продюсером в середине 70-х (по другим данным уже в 80-х). Четверо участников были явно не итальянцами, поскольку пели с акцентом, а примечания и тексты изобиловали ошибками. Западные исследователи предполагают, что их имена, всего лишь псевдонимы, а сами музыканты выходцы из Германии, имеющие итальянские корни. Музыкальный материал пластинки - классическая линия итальянского рока 70-х в стиле Le Orme, PFM, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, куда неплохо вписывается высокий голос Тонино Уччи (бас, флейта, клавиши, акустическая гитара), величественный меллотрон Джанни Мацци и яркая гитара Антонио Сассада. Наиболее интересные треки: Altre Guei Calli (5:29), инструментальная Interludio (2:29) и Se ti Piace (7:17). Раритет на виниле переиздавали японцы и корейцы (вечно впереди планеты всей), причем конверты отпечатали на белом картоне. С компактами дела хуже - только бутлег на Tachika (Япония).
http://rockarchives.ru

"Let´s hope the real story about this group leaks out one day, but it's such an obscurity that I wouldn't be surprised if the mystery remains exactly that. I would be surprised if it was recorded in the '80s, though, as the sound is so very '70s, with no telltale signs (at least to my ears) that it was produced a decade later, although it seems quite certain that the band weren't actually Italian, at least not by residence. Japanese? I don't think so - German seems far more likely, particularly given Ulrich Zichter's production. Maybe the 'Germans of Italian parentage' story is actually true?"
http://planetmellotron.com


Now, here's an oddity for you; an album by a bunch of (allegedly) Italians, also allegedly dating from the mid-'70s, though no-one seems quite sure exactly when. Augusto Croce, of the highly estimable Italian Prog site, has this to say about it:
"Little is known about this mysterious group, whose only good album changes hands for incredible prices and has never been reissued on CD.
Even the year of recording is not sure. Some say it is from 1974-75, but it seems likely that it is from the mid 80's.
The album has been released in Canada with a German producer, the music is good organ and Mellotron-led prog sung in Italian with a strong foreign accent and often incomprehensible lyrics: this is almost certainly a foreign group, German or probably Japanese, playing under fake Italian names".

So, how weird is that? Mind you, the also estimable Mauro Degrassi, who's made me a beautiful CD copy of this rarity, is of the opinion that it was recorded by a bunch of Italian ex-pats living in Germany in the mid-'70s, who probably spoke German as their first language, or maybe that's just the story that's going round? Anyway, it has to be said that Ballettirosadimacchia (a composite of 'balletti rosa di macchia') is actually very good, even if it is, technically, a 'fake'. None of the tracks is that long (apart from the seven-minute closer Se Ti Piace), in keeping with many other Italian bands of the era, and the album certainly has 'that Italian sound', with mellifluous guitar leads, occasionally gutteral vocals, slightly jazzy drumming and swathes of Hammond and Mellotron.

Oddly enough, despite having a full-time keyboard player in Gianni Mazzi, the 'Tron is played by bassist Tonino Leo Ucchi and drummer Marcello Taddeo Matteotti, although I can't imagine how they could've reproduced the parts on stage, assuming they ever played live. It's difficult to pinpoint any outstanding use, as it's used mostly for chordal string backdrops, with the odd bit of flute, complementing Ucchi's real one (he also sang and played acoustic guitar). The only real variation in approach is the heavily phased 'Tron on Suono, which actually sounds more like an overdubbed synth part; speaking of which, the only obvious Moog (?) part on the album is on Se Ti Piace.

So; who knows this album's real provenance? I hope the real story leaks out one day, but it's such an obscurity that I wouldn't be surprised if the mystery remains exactly that. I would be surprised if it was recorded in the '80s, though, as the sound is so very '70s, with no telltale signs (at least to my ears) that it was produced a decade later, although it seems quite certain that the band weren't actually Italian, at least not by residence. Japanese? I don't think so - German seems far more likely, particularly given Ulrich Zichter's production. Maybe the 'Germans of Italian parentage' story is actually true? Anyway, unless someone sees fit to put this out on CD, you ain't going to just stumble across a copy (note: now out on CD), at least not at a sensible price, so it's probably all rather academic anyway. If you do, though, grab it before its owner realises its true value.
http://www.planetmellotron.com