NAPOLI CENTRALE - MATTANZA - 1976

NAPOLI CENTRALE were formed by James Senese (saxophone, flute, vocals) and Franco DEL PRETE (keyboards), although initially with two foreign members (american keyboardist Mark HARRIS and english bass player Tony WALMSLEY). The sound veered toward a jazz-rock in the typical mid-Seventies manner, with dominating saxophone, electric piano, and a few vocals. Similar to CHICAGO, BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, BRAND X and NOVA.

The first debut album convincingly combined Jazz and progressive rock. The second release was in the same style as the first one. Third album came in 1977, with the founding duo helped other musicians, and was more jazz-oriented than their previous works. The new release "Zitte! Sta arrivanne 'o mammone" is their comeback rock album. I would highly recommend their second album to any progressive rock fan who likes the Cantebury or jazz prog side of this genre.

One listen to this album and you will simply not believe that it was recorded back in 1976! NAPOLI CENTRALE are now just being re-discovered by today's exploration of listeners into fusion-jazz. What is hard to believe is that they were doing this kind of modern sounding stuff back then. On this second album released - "Mattanzo", NAPOLI CENTRALE expanded their soundscape by adding more instrumentation and took another big step towards that fusion jazz prog perfection. Band leader James Senese (sax, vocals and woodwinds) made some lineup changes adding Giuseppe Guarnera on fender piano, Kelvin Bullen on bass and Agostino Marangolo on drums and in doing so has offered a different angle to their music. I must admit that this album took a lot longer for me to get into and deeply appreciate as did their debut album but in many ways now I do prefer this album to it. Best way I could describe their music would be to take a handful of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew (minus the trumpet) , blend in a few cups of (early 70's) Herbie Hancock and then a litre of Frank ZAPPA.
http://www.progarchives.com