FEATURED CD: Napoli Centrale - s/t

[Poisoned Youth]

Here's a nice little Italian fusion release from 1975 that flies under the radar a bit. The addition of the vocals in what's typically an instrumental environment creates some interesting results.



Review from ProgArchives:

Drummer Franco Del Prete and sax player James Senese both from Napoli, Italy had played together in a band previous to this playing Pop music. They decided to go in a completely different direction (Jazz) in 1975 adding Americam keyboardist Mike Harris and British bass player Toni Walmsley. I think WEATHER REPORT would be the closest reference but there is a definite Italian flavour here. I have to thank Todd for the recommendation.This took longer to get into then I thought it would, but now i'm hooked big time. I can just imagine sitting in a bar in Napoli, Italy watching these guys play in the mid seventies with Todd, Jim and Thomas. The place would be hazy with smoke and the smell of spilled beer as NAPOLI CENTRALE offer up there own special blend of fun, experimental and mind blowing Jazz. It would have been too much fun.

"Campagna" was actually a minor hit for the band in their home country of Italy. It's led by electric piano and sax early (some flute too) while the drumming is very intricate and presice. Spoken words a minute in and then the tempo picks up. Vocals come in as piano, drums and sax stand out. We're grooving now, just jamming away. The instrumental work is fantastic ! "A Gente E Bucciano" opens with sax but settles quickly and i'm thinking WEATHER REPORT. Some atmosphere in this one. Vocals start to lead the way then piano, drums and bass support. Sax comes in when the vocals stop. Love the piano / drum section that follows. Sax is back ! This is great ! Vocals return late. Great tune. "Pensione Floridiana" is led by smooth sax, prominant bass and electric piano. The drums are light until about 2 minutes in when they dominate trading off with the sax.

"Viecchie, Mugliere, Muorte E Criaturi" has this cool intro that's a little dissonant then it becomes catchy with sax and vocals sharing the spotlight. This is my favourite track on here. Drums and piano lead 2 1/2 minutes in then the sax comes in ripping it up then the vocalist takes a turn.10 minutes of hypnotic bliss. Thomas rushes up to the bar for another round (he speaks Italian). "Vico Primo Parise N.8" has an excellent uptempo soundscape of sax, drums, bass and e-piano. So much going on with all these intricate sounds coming and going and intertwining. Some crazy sax and vocals late. "O Lupo S'ha Mangiato 'a Pecurella" is laid back with outbursts of sax and electric piano ealy. It turns a little melancholic as the sax takes a more prominant role. The last section sounds like a party with laughing and yelling. Or is that just Todd and Jim. No it's actually the band having too much fun. It does end with music though. I'm just sad it ends. - Mellotron Storm

[Sputnik]

Now we're talking! One of my favorites from Italy. I'm not sure why, but these guys, and this album in particular, just really do it for me. It's not super heady stuff. The playing is certainly good, but they don't blow your head off with chops or tricky compositions. But the album just burns with great, interesting grooves, and the vocals give this a kind of emotional intensity that is sometimes lacking in Fusion. They're rough and intense, and even though I have no freaking idea what he's saying, I totally understand it!

Great album just makes me smile from ear to ear every time I play it!

Bill

[Pr33t]

Now we're talking! One of my favorites from Italy. I'm not sure why, but these guys, and this album in particular, just really do it for me. It's not super heady stuff. The playing is certainly good, but they don't blow your head off with chops or tricky compositions. But the album just burns with great, interesting grooves, and the vocals give this a kind of emotional intensity that is sometimes lacking in Fusion. They're rough and intense, and even though I have no freaking idea what he's saying, I totally understand it!

This has been on my radar, but I haven't checked it out. "Fusion" is incredibly hit and miss for me, but your description makes me think it's the kind of thing I'd actually really dig. How, if at all, slick is the production/tonality? That's always a deal breaker for me.

[Sputnik]

This has been on my radar, but I haven't checked it out. "Fusion" is incredibly hit and miss for me, but your description makes me think it's the kind of thing I'd actually really dig. How, if at all, slick is the production/tonality? That's always a deal breaker for me.

Not slick at all to my memory. This album is pretty rough and raw, and I mean that in a good way. It's very 70s production and I think they caught the band's energy really well. Obviously check the samples above to verify. Hope you enjoy!

Bill

[Trane]

This one escaped my radar... found the whole album on YT... If I like it, hopefully Greg's got it in stock

I'm generally not a gbig fan of sung JR/F, but this seems ok after a couple of tracks.

[Buddhabreath]

World class 70's Italian Jazz-Rock. If you don't like this you probably don't like this particular genre. Also check out their contemporaries Perigeo.

[Pr33t]

Not slick at all to my memory. This album is pretty rough and raw, and I mean that in a good way. It's very 70s production and I think they caught the band's energy really well. Obviously check the samples above to verify. Hope you enjoy!

Great, that's exactly the sound I like out of this stuff, thanks for the confirmation. Honestly, I almost never listen to youtube clips. If I'm in front of a computer, I'm at work, or listening to something else that I'm not going to turn off (plus the sound quality on youtube is automatically unappealing). So even your quick description is more helpful to me.

[nosebone]

Yeah, yeah, yeah ,yeah ! Unique sound for 70s Italian jazz-rock!

I'm gonna spin it now, it's been awhile!

[spacefreak]

I'm glad I found an original LP for nothing, at a belgian mediatheque library vinyl clearance in the early 90s. Top 70s italian jazz prog. Mega-recommended.

[Zeuhlmate]

Their best album IMO.

[JeffCarney]

Good one. I often love the Italian approach to jazzrock and this one is a gem.

Perigeo and Agora are two of my other faves.

[Trane]

World class 70's Italian Jazz-Rock. If you don't like this you probably don't like this particular genre. Also check out their contemporaries Perigeo.

fairly different in the JR/F realm, IMHO

I'm glad I found an original LP for nothing, at a belgian mediatheque library vinyl clearance in the early 90s. Top 70s italian jazz prog. Mega-recommended.

sooooo, you're the dude

How was the state of the vinyl (most likely not that crappy, since it probably didn't get borrowed much) and album cover (probably not very good due to constant handling)?

[Pr33t]

fairly different in the JR/F realm, IMHO

Hugues, I suspect our Fusion tastes are pretty similar. I didn't really care for Perigeo either, though the first was pretty good. For lack of a better description it's too wanky for me.

[Poisoned Youth]

Hugues, I suspect our Fusion tastes are pretty similar. I didn't really care for Perigeo either, though the first was pretty good. For lack of a better description it's too wanky for me.

BAH!

They did get more streamlined later on, but you feel that way about the first 3, even Azimut?

[JeffCarney]

Hugues, I suspect our Fusion tastes are pretty similar. I didn't really care for Perigeo either, though the first was pretty good. For lack of a better description it's too wanky for me.

For me what makes Perigeo so distinctive in the genre is Franco D'Andrea's acoustic piano work. Just beautiful.

Can't say I find them that "wanky" in general. Fairly disciplined for the genre, in fact. When I think of that description I guess I think more about Nova or even Baricentro.

Other faves of mine are Duello Madre, Kaleidon and Dedalus (1st only).

[Pr33t]

BAH!

They did get more streamlined later on, but you feel that way about the first 3, even Azimut?

You know, I had to go back and check that again, and I'm wrong. I've heard the three studio albums from Genealogia on. My bad! Which probably explains a lot here.

For me what makes Perigeo so distinctive in the genre is Franco D'Andrea's acoustic piano work. Just beautiful.

Can't say I find them that "wanky" in general. Fairly disciplined for the genre, in fact. When I think of that description I guess I think more about Nova or even Baricentro.

Relatively speaking, I have very low tolerance for the flashy stuff that tends to come with Fusion, so my wank is probably normal for everyone else. If I can walk it back a bit, I'd probably describe it more being chops-centric over compositionally strong, which is different from wank, but not my ideal.

[JeffCarney]

You know, I had to go back and check that again, and I'm wrong. I've heard the three studio albums from Genealogia on. My bad! Which probably explains a lot here.

Relatively speaking, I have very low tolerance for the flashy stuff that tends to come with Fusion, so my wank is probably normal for everyone else. If I can walk it back a bit, I'd probably describe it more being chops-centric over compositionally strong, which is different from wank, but not my ideal.

The first four are the ones I'm thinking about, I guess. Abbiamo Tutti Un Blues Da Piangere is probably my favorite.

Non È Poi Così Lontano (Fata Morgana in the US) is not my cup of tea. Not sure I ever did hear Alice.

[Digital_Man]

As coincidence would have it someone requested a track from this album over on aural moon and it's playing now. It has a long title and it's a 9 minute track. It has vocals on it but it's nice. The vocals are probably the weakest part of the song but I still like it. Good jazzy stuff. I'll listen to the youtube samples from here later.

[Progbear]

One of the few Italian prog albums I’ve never heard. Reviews were pretty lukewarm and I guess I just never bothered (the comparative scarcity compared to other Italian prog albums probably didn’t help).

[JeffCarney]

I know folks are referring to the vinyl which I've not acquired either, but this has been a cheap and half-decent sounding CD release for years and BMG has kept it in print.

https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B000062W4E

[adewolf]

Top notch stuff for me. James Senese still is doing great stuff:

[Trane]

Hugues, I suspect our Fusion tastes are pretty similar. I didn't really care for Perigeo either, though the first was pretty good. For lack of a better description it's too wanky for me.

Actually, I might have induced you in error, but Perigeo is my fave Italian JR/F by a mile (Etna comes next)

BAH!

They did get more streamlined later on, but you feel that way about the first 3, even Azimut?

I'd even include Vallei Di Templi as classic Perigeo, as well as the Live archives from the early 90's

You know, I had to go back and check that again, and I'm wrong. I've heard the three studio albums from Genealogia on. My bad! Which probably explains a lot here.

Wow, I wasn't aware their post-75 works was even remotely available (did it ever get reissued on CD at all?)

The first four are the ones I'm thinking about, I guess. Abbiamo Tutti Un Blues Da Piangere is probably my favorite.

Non È Poi Così Lontano (Fata Morgana in the US) is not my cup of tea. Not sure I ever did hear Alice.

Love Abbiamo, but don't like the album title (too long)

Never heard the later albums so I can't judge...

[spacefreak]

sooooo, you're the dude

How was the state of the vinyl (most likely not that crappy, since it probably didn't get borrowed much) and album cover (probably not very good due to constant handling)?

The cover was poor... had a huge sticker on it, which was painfully removed. However the vinyl was in VG+ condition and with a good vacuum cleaner wash, is now upgraded to EX.

[sdavmor]

I like this one a lot. And the follow up. Napoli Centrale was a find I didn't make until the 90s. Perigeo also do it for me, but I'd been into them since the mid 70s. I did a 4 pack of Perigeo on my radio show 2 weeks ago. One tune from each of the first 4 LPs. With them I suggest that the first 4 or 5 are all worth owning (I like "Fata Morgana"). After that it's definitely a case of hear before buying.

[Steve F.]

I'd like to go on record as having love for Napoli Centrale AS WELL AS Perigeo, but if I had to choose, Perigeo win.