ROBERTO COLOMBO - BOTTE DA ORBI - 1977

Ну и псих же этот Коломбо!!! (восхищенно) Играют закрученный прог с джазом и авангардом. Используют множество инструментов: гитары, клавишные, синтезаторы, разнообразные духовые.... Поют (если это можно назвать пением) с полным отвязом, издавая звуки, которые, казалось бы, человек издавать не способен. Настроение пластинки удивительным образом меняется от бесшабашно-веселого до чуть ли не истерично-драматического. И все это звучит очень слаженно и гармонично. Роберто Коломбо - хорошо известная в Италии личность. Играл c PFM, BANCO, LE ORME, продюсировал многие итальянские поп группы. В числе его клиентов и MATIA BAZAR. Он даже женился впоследствии на вокалистке группы.
http://www.progmusic.ru


Roberto Colombo is an artistic producer and has worked with bands such as Le Orme, PFM, Finisterre and many other prominent Italian musicians. In 1'976 his first solo album is relesead. "Sfogatevi Bestie" which includes collaborations from notable instrumentalists such as Walter Calloni (PFM), Ricky Belloni (Nuova Idea, New Trolls), Paulo Donnarumma (together with Eugenio Finardi former member of Pacco and till today esteemed session man), 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. In 1977 it´s the turn of "Botte da Orbi". This work is verging on progressive and jazz-rock, but marked by light-hearted ironic tones - Roberto Colombo gathers together an all-stars band of more than thirty musicians. Practically the cream of the tricolor musical scene - and not only - of that epoch: from Mauro Pagani (PFM) to Walter Calloni (PFM), Ronnie Jackson to Lucio "Violin" Fabbri (PFM), Stefano Cerri (considered the best bass player of those day´s) to Tullio De Piscopo (another legendary drummerwho have been playing with many of the greatest american jazz players), Ricky Gianco to Patty Pravo, and Hugo Herredia to Ivan Cattaneo (a songwriter who had the whole PFM backing him for a record). It´s a dynamic and clever intuitive record with rick solid techinique from many leading musicians perfectly directed by Roberto Colombo as performer and also original arranger. A long tour with PFM as backing band to Fabrizio De André - and from which gives birth to the first and most famous live record of the late singer sonwriter - and then "Astrolimpix", the 1980 record attributed to Roberto Colombo and Mark Harris. At first it is not possible to classify this work as being totaly progressive rock music, the style could be compared with bands like Osanna, Arti and Mestieri, Gruppo d'alternative, Frank Zappa, as you can see a mix of Experimental, Jazz and Progressive Rock. "Botte da Orbi" the second album from Roberto Colombo, the original edition was released in 1977 as a LP (Vinil), and never released on CD, but now "Sublime Record Label" released as a remastered CD packaged in the style of a mini LP with gatefold sleeve, bio leaflet and protective CD inner sleeve. The list of guest musicians on the album, more than 30, reads like a Who’s Who of Italian musicians including Mauro Pagani, Walter Calloni and Lucio Fabbri. Also the list of instrumentation it´s to complet which includes flugelhorns, trombone, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, alto, tenor and soprano sax, flute, violin, cello and also keyboards, bass, guitar and drums. Excellent and indispensable work, highly recommendable to all collectors of Italian Progressive Rock...
http://www.progressiverockbr.com



Roberto Colombo has gathered together an impressive cast of instrumentalists and vocalists, in fact a veritable orchestra comprising of some thirty or more musicians for this, his second solo recording from 1977. Drawing from some of Italy's finest session musicians and including guest appearances from members of the legendary PFM (Premiata Forneria Marconi). The "orchestra" is built around a nucleus of drums, guitar, bass guitar and Roberto himself on keyboards and percussion. Extending from this core are a multitude of brass and woodwind instruments, strings and a vocal ensemble. Colombo also undertakes the writing and arranging duties for the album along with conducting the musicians and adding his own idiosyncrasies to the overall proceedings.

Botte Da Orbi (Blows All Around) offers us a unique if not uneasy relationship between jazz rock, classical, progressive and the distinctly obscure. Much in the fashion that Frank Zappa would combine the most sublime pieces of musical genius with the abstract and the ambiguous. This can be found here in great abundance, head straight for Blow Your Own Trumpets or The Return Of Likembe for just a couple of examples. Along with the above reference we may also look at some of Joe Zawinul's excellent compositions with Weather Report around the same period. Finally in our strange melange are those classical woodwind instruments (bassoon, clarinet and oboe) which give a baroque notion. Highlights for me were Hark, It Grows Dark and the calming Come On, Don't Be Romantic.

Roberto Colombo is a gifted composer and arranger, notably working on one of PFM's [post Pagani] finest albums - Passpartu. Latterly to be found more behind the scenes having produced records for many of Italy's finest, Le Orme and Finisterre (look out for DPRP's review of In Ogni Luogo soon) to mention just two.

Although the musicianship throughout Botte Da Orbi is never in question, I fear the end product is not one that will sit well with the greater majority of progressive rock fans. There is no doubting that the arrangements are cleverly thought out, but on the whole the album leans heavily towards the jazz-rock side, and coupled with the avant-garde nature of many of the sections within each of the compositions, this is a difficult album to digest. Personally I had mixed emotions towards this recording, ranging from total admiration to utter frustration, depending on what frame of mind I was in. Certainly an album that did not allow you to chill-out or relax, but one that demanded your attention throughout. For those with a penchant for more experimental and challenging music this may be one to look out for.
http://www.dprp.net