When Greg Lake wanted me to be the artistic director of the renaissance of Manticore he was very precise:
“I don’t want Manticore to be nostalgic but respectful and helpful of any great talent, old or new. We don’t want to be a progressive only label but open to any kind of music for progressive it is not a genre but an intention”.
I’ve always felt a great honor to continue his quality control and tradition of perfectionism and creativity. And I am lucky enough to have trustable friends who help me and to share with projects: Regina Lake, Alberto Callegari at the amazing Elfo Recording Studios and Manticore artist Annie Barbazza.
We try to realize what was, and still is, Greg Lake’s vision and production skills in new albums that are able to match his demanding standards. I was lucky enough to work with one of the most respected and talented British composers, Welsh-born John Greaves who is a true living legend in alternative music. He led the European avant-garde as a founder member of Henry Cow, one of the early Virgin Records more innovative and exciting bands, with Fred Frith and Lindsay Cooper, then his bass was the driving force in ensembles like National Health and Love Of Life Orchestra. He played with Brian Eno, Robert Wyatt, Mike Oldfield, Michael Nyman, Carla Bley and Michael Mantler just to mention a few. His songwriting partnership with Slapp Happy’s Peter Blegvad gave birth to gems like “Bad Alchemy”, “How Beautiful You Are “ and “The Song”.
Over the last years he recorded for French classical label Harmonia Mundi two album of composition upon words of Paul Verlaine and for Dark Companion a precious critically acclaimed live album called “Piacenza”. His new album “Life Size” features new compositions and the revisiting of old ones into a new, breathtaking contemporary and classy style, featuring some of the most acclaimed international musicians from King Crimson’s Jakko Jakszyk to Zeena Parkins, Himiko Paganotti, Lino Capra Vaccina, Annie Barbazza, Vincent Courtois, Valérie Gabail, Olivier Mellano and many others.
“Life Size” is an album of stunning beauty and inner grace and sure will be a classic for the future, and intended to be the conceptual sequel of the critically acclaimed “Songs”, which, by the way, have been remastered at our Elfo Studios to the state of the art last year and reissued by Dark Companion Records.
As always all recorded and mastered in a demonstration-like sound quality in audiophile premium purple vinyl and golden high-end cds.This first press will be of 1,000 cd and 500 audiophile coloured viny lonly.
Max Marchini,
Piacenza, Italy, September 2018
https://shoutout.wix.com/so/74MRPluM...1a5865fe#/main
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