Premiata Forneria Marconi - Live in USA / Cook (1974)

Artista: Premiata Forneria Marconi

Álbum: Live in USA / Cook
Año: 1974
Género: Progresivo italiano
Duración: 48:34 + 44:12 + 42:57
Nacionalidad: Italia

Lista de Temas:
CD 1:
1. Four Holes In The Ground
2. Dove....Quando....
3. Just Look Away
4. Celebration (including "The World Became The World")
5. Mr. Nine Till Five
6. Alta Loma Nine Till Five (including "William Tell Overture")
Disc 2 (2010 Esoteric remaster only) Live In Central Park, NYC:
1. River Of Life
2. Four Holes In The Ground
3. Is My Face On Straight
4. Dove....Quando.....
5. Guitar Solo
6. Just Look Away
Disc 3 (2010 Esoteric remaster only) Live In Central Park, NYC:
1. Mr Nine 'Till Five (5.23)
2. Alta Loma Five ' Till Nine (Inc William Tell Overture)
3. Celebration/Drum Solo/The World Became The World

Alineación:
- Jan Patrick Djivas / bass
- Franz Di Cioccio / drums, vocal
- Franco Mussida / electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocal
- Mauro Pagani / flute, violin, vocal
- Flavio Premoli / Hammond organ, piano, Mellotron, Moog, vocal

El Mago Alberto nos trae la conocida performance en tierras americanas que hizo delirar a los yankis antes de que la banda exprese abiertamente su solidaridad con la causa palestina, cuestión que les valió que tuviesen que resignar el éxito internacional que se merecían por su excelencia musical. Sea como sea, éste es uno de los grandes discos de oro que pueden escuchar gracias al blog cabezón.

Y... como a pesar de que tenemos mucho progresivo italiano publicado en el blog, paradógicamente tenemos relativamente pocos discos de la Premiata Forneria Marconi, siendo los máximos exponentes de este género, ahora el Mago Alberto hace un triplete, el triple de la Premiata en EEUU...

Franco Mamone, manager del grupo, le da a Emerson, Lake & Palmer la cinta del disco y es Greg Lake quien se interesa por el grupo y viaja a Roma a escucharlos en vivo. Gracias al éxito de este álbum entran a los charts tanto de los Estados Unidos como del Reino Unido. En marzo de 1973 comienza su primera gira por el Reino Unido y por Europa. En agosto de ese mismo año, Patrick Djivas, del grupo Area, reemplaza en el bajo a Piazza para grabar su cuarto disco llamado "L'isola di niente", disco que al año siguiente se editaría en Inglaterra nuevamente en el sello Manticore y con el nombre "The World Became The World". Logran así su segunda gira por Europa y el Reino Unido para abrir los conciertos de la banda Ten Years After, y también su primera gira americana: se presentan en Canadá y en los Estados Unidos abriendo los conciertos de bandas como Santana y The Beach Boys, entre otros. Esta gira le significó a la banda un gran aumento de su popularidad, lo cual le permitió editar su primer disco en vivo, llamado "Live in USA", aunque también conocido como Cook, inmortalizándose de esta manera su gira por los Estados Unidos. Al año siguiente, en 1975 editaría "Chocolate Kings", disco que sería boicoteado en los Estados Unidos debido al abierto apoyo de la banda a la causa palestina.

Wikipedia

Y aquí, y como es habitual en este blog, viene la relación artísticamente política. Resulta que a los tanos le hicieron la cruz en yankilando por apoyar la causa palestina... luego de la participación de la banda en un concierto romano a favor de la Organización para la Liberación de Palestina (OLP) el grupo sería puesto en la lista negra del mercado global. "Chocolate Kings" sería único disco de Premiata Forneria Marconi en el que todos los temas están cantados en inglés, pero sin embargo fue uno de sus discos de menor repercusión comercial, un injusto fracaso de ventas debido a que en su lírica el grupo toma una posición claramente pro-palestina en el conflicto árabe-israelí, posición que hiciera que el mercado americano les diera la espalda (aspecto que hemos tocado al presentar el disco en nuestro blog). El grupo, de la noche a la mañana, pasó de la gloria al ostracismo. A pesar de ello la banda siempre prestó su apoyo manifiesto a las causas sociales y comprometidas... como en la iniciativa italo-guatemalteca llamada "Yo soy Atitlán" para la preservación y limpieza de deshechos en el Lago de Atitlán, entre otros.
Pero recordemos que la entrada es de Alberto y la reseña del disco le corresponde a él:

Segundo registro que comparto de los Premiata, su conocida performance en tierras americanas allá por 1974/75, originalmente este disco se editó en nuestro país conteniendo 6 tracks, pero luego se conoció una edición triple en el 2010, conteniendo varias versiones de ese mismo repertorio, algunas en versiones extendidas, he aquí la edición completa, que comprimí en un solo disco para evitar poner tres links distintos.
Una edición donde los tanos pusieron toda la carne en el asador, una muestra en vivo donde se despachan con todos sus clásicos, por supuesto no es lo mismo escuchar estas versiones en lossles que en un pedorro mp3 comprimido, así que, el que no las tenga en este formato, va a ponerse más contento que Vampiro con tinto y salame de llama.
Un despliegue descomunal con la mejor formacion de PFM una presentación que ponía en perspectiva el despliegue que tenían en esos años, una puerta que se abría en el agrio mercado yanqui.
Originalmente la versión del final (editada acá) de "Alta Loma Five" incluia fragmento de la Obertura de Guilermo Tell, pero se cortaba justo cuando se prendia fuego el violín de Pagani (no el comentarista de fútbol, ese se prende fuego solo), y por esas cosas de la net encontramos aquí la versión completa dividida en dos versiones, una cantada y otra instrumental, esta última verdaderamente descomunal, así que para los antropólogos de la música esto es un hallazgo egipcio.
En estos días donde todo corre rapidísimo, y el tiempo se acelera a más no poder, es bueno tomarse un rato y volver a escuchar estas grabaciones que refrescan muchas veces nuestro oído.
La versión de este disco conocida primariamente como LIVE IN USA, se editó posteriormente con el nombre de COOK, pero era muy raro encontrar en flac la edición triple, pero en este espacio las rarezas y los inconseguibles aparecen como los zombies de The Walking Dead.
Otra joya perdida que el blog cabezón te brinda para hacerte más liviana la vida.

Alberto

Así que les dejamos otro disco maravilloso, los geniales tanos sacándose chispas en vivo.... vamos con otros comentarios en inglés... aunque les ahorro energía, si quieren ni los lean, a todos les encanta este disco.

This excellent live recording served as my introduction to the wonderful Italian-flavoured progressive rock of PFM back in '74. The songs represented are all superlative, and the musicianship is amazing. I would have loved to have been at the concert, but, barring time-travel, this disc is the second-best way to experience the beauty and energy that characterized "The Best Bread in Town" (that's the band's name, in English) in the mid-Seventies. Judging by the track listing, I assume "Live in the USA" to be the same recording in a later format. Check out this great disc!

Peter

Recipe: put one apple on your son's head
A live album recorded in North America, and released around the peak of the band's popularity, in the UK at least. The tracks are almost exclusively from "Photo's of ghosts" and "The world became the world", both released on ELP's Manticore label.
Side one has four reasonably faithful recitations of some of their most familiar pieces, including "Celebration", the closest they ever came to a straight pop song, and reminiscent of Focus' "Hocus Pocus". "Just look away" is as beautiful as ever, but it does seem wrong not to hear "The world became the world" immediately afterwards ("TWBTW" theme does appear uncredited at the end of "Celebration").
Side two consists of "Mr Nine to five" followed by an extended improvisation on that piece, which manages to stray into the "William Tell overture" at one point.
In all, a well recorded, well performed live album, which offers interesting adaptions of the band's more accessible works.

soundsweird

Excellent example regarding the "The World Became The World Tour", witnessed on such US Tour in the course of year 1974, which contains the English versions of "L'Isola di Niente". Moreover the stunning executions of M. Pagani at the violin (listen to the splendid arrangement from Rossini's "Overture by Guglielmo Tell", which is fantastic!!) and also the excellent bass guitar lines by Djvas, alone make this album well worth checking out!!

Lorenzo

This is exactly what they sounded like live at the time. I saw them in San Antonio, opening for Dave Mason(!?)....My friends and I were cheering wildly after each song, while everyone else looked perplexed. They played "Celebration" first, and then ended the show with an even longer version (I guess playing it twice was a good move, since the Dave Mason crowd got into it the second time). When Dave came on, my friends and I got up and left.

Bob McBeath

PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI (PFM for short) is one of the legendary Italian prog rock bands, they made a sery of beautiful albums in the Seventies. This CD is a registration of a concert from 1974 while touring in the USA, to me it's a perfect compilation of their best work and showcases the band at its pinnacle. PFM starts with "Four Holes In The Ground": a propulsive rhythm and a catchy melody, delivering fat Minimoog synthesizer runs, some fiery electric guitar and impressive Hammond organ and majestic Mellotron waves in the mellow interludes. The English vocals sound warm and the interplay between the skill full musicians is great. Next is "Dove ... Quando" with a classical/jazzy intro on the Fender Rhodes electric piano, turning into a duet from sparkling piano and beautiful Italian vocals. "Just Look Away" has a splendid acoustic guitar intro (featuring elements like tremolo - and sensational rhythm guitar), followed by twanging acoustic guitar, soft Minimoog flights and warm English vocals. The build-up is great with Hammond and flute and a closing section with again tremolo guitar. The 'crowd-pleaser' "Celebration" is a cheerful and catchy composition, delivering spectacular Minimoog runs and swirling interplay. The 'grand finale' includes the moving final part of "The World Became The World", enjoy the Mellotron floods! Then "Mr. Nine Till Five", a track with PFM at their best with the distinctive interplay between flute, Moog and violin. The final song "Alta Loma Five Till Nine" includes a long and bluesy guitar solo with a strong build-up, supported by violin- Mellotron, featuring howling and biting licks, superb! The second part has a moving violin soli, culminating in a version of Rossini's piece "William Tell Overture" with virtuosic play on the Moog synthesizer and violin, what a way to say good by. This is my favourite PFM CD!

Erik Neuteboom

This CD was a result of the 1974-5 tour of the Untied States being undercards for the most part. The result is an average sound sometimes lacking bass and mid tones but that is a minor complaint. The music is fantastic and well played. I kick myself everytime I hear this that I did not see them. Four Holes in the Ground, Celebration and 5-9 stand out for me here. It is a good CD to start with if you haven't heard this band before. Great Symphonic overtones on a rockin' platform. This band can lift it's head among the greats of the 70's

Brian

If Focus are called the "Dutch Masters" (as a compilation album of their music was called in the seventies), P.F.M. are IMO the "Italian Masters" of Progressive Rock music. This is a very enjoyable album, from start to finish. Even if the quality of the recording of this album is not very good (it was recorded in August 1974), this band shines. They play with energy and feeling. Their music is very original, with their very particular "Italian taste".Even if Progressive Rock was created in the U.K., bands from Holland (Focus), Germany (Triumvirat), France (Ange), etc., took this style of music, and they added their own sound and style influences from their respective cultures.
This album, IMO, was predominantly recorded and released to promote P.F.M.`s International version albums with lyrics written and sung in English ("Photos of Ghosts" and "The World Became the World"), even if "Dove...Quando" was sung in Italian and "Celebration" too. I have read that one of the weak things of this band were the vocals, but I think that the main lead singers (Franco Mussida and Flavio Premoli, I think) do a very good job despite not being "purely lead singers".
This live album starts with "Four Holes in the Ground", the English lyrics version of the song "La Luna Nova". Every member of the band shines in this song, particularly drummer Franz Di Cioccio and keyboard player Flavio Premoli. This song has several changes of tempo, and hard time signatures. It is a good start song for this album.
"Dove...Quando" is a more "quiet" song without drums, but with a bit of percussion. It is played in a Fender Rhodes piano. It also has a very good flute arrangement.A very good "Prog ballad" in the Italian style.
"Just Look Away" is the English lyrics version of the song "Dolcissima Maria". It stars with a an acoustic guitar improvisation. Drummer Di Cioccio plays very good drums in the final part of the song. This song also has a very good flute arrangement. It is very melodical.
The song "Celebration" is really the English lyrics version of the song "É Festa", but the version included in this live album is really the Italian version because it has Italian lyrics. This song also includes a brief keyboard melody taken from the song "The World Became the World" (the original song with Italian lyrics is called "Impressioni di Settembre").The mix of both songs sounds very good.
"Mr. 9 till Five" is the English lyrics version of the song "Generalle" (which didn`t have lyrics in the original version released in Italy). This is also a very good song, with hard time signatures and even with some Jazz influences.
"Alta Loma 5 till 9" is a song which was included for the first time in this album, not being released in their previous studio albums.It is really a very "Jam" song, which starts with a very Bluesy guitar.It has several guitar, keyboards and violin solos, and it is the "heaviest" song in this album. It also includes an arrangement of Rossini`s "William Tell Overture", which closes this long instrumental piece.
IMO, if one Prog Rock music fan wants to listen for the first time to this band, this album is very representative of their music of the seventies. The band was, IMO, at their peak then.

Guillermo Vázquez Malagamba

Recorded when the band was in the peak of their international fame, PFM Cook is one of those great live albums of the 70´s. I remember it was one of the first italian prog LPs I ever heard and I had a cassette recording of this album that I used to play it non stop until the tape was almost useless. Old times good times... I just couldn´t get enough of those classic bands and surely PFM was one of them.
It is only a pity that cook was such a short record. Certainly Italy´s most influential prog band of all time deserved a lot more. Most of their material came from their english classic LPs Photos Of Ghosts and The World Became The World, but the group also included a great rendition of the beautiful ballad Dove... Quando... and an extended jam called Alta Loma Nine till Five (it included an interesting version of Rossini´s William Tell Overture by the track´s end).
Sound quality is very good and the band is in fine form. It was very nice to find out they were as good live as in the studio, with a truly original form of symphonic prog rock. If you´re into Italian Prog music this is a must have. If you´re not, then PFM Cook is a good starting point.

Tarcisio Moura

This was PFM's first tour of the USA, unfortunately they were always opening up for another band so their sets weren't too long. What surprised me the most about this album was how raw and aggressive it is at times. When I think of PFM I think beauty, class and elegance, thankfully we do get that on this recording as well.
Things get started with "Four Holes In The Ground" which is pretty faithful to the studio version.This is an uptempo track with pulsating organ and energetic drumming.The guitar makes some noise before 1 1/2 minutes and we get some mellotron before 3 minutes. It then calms right down with reserved vocals after 3 1/2 minutes, this is a dreamy section. It then kicks back in. I really like the guitar before 5 minutes. Themes are repeated. "Dove...Quando" features lots of keys.This is a pastoral track with reserved vocals coming in at 2 minutes and flute to follow.
"Just Look Away" opens with guitar and bass in a melancholic intro.The acoustic guitar gets aggressive then it settles down again. An applause after 3 1/2 minutes when it ends. Acoustic guitar and synths as tender vocals arrive after 4 minutes. Beautiful. This is so moving here. I like the vocal melody with flute and organ that follows. Fantastic song ! "Celebration" (including "The World Became The World") is uptempo as the crowd claps along. Vocals before 3 minutes. It changes before 3 1/2 minutes and the mellotron rolls in. It kicks back in quickly. "The World Became The World" arrives before 6 minutes. Gulp. Some great organ to end it. "Mr.Nine Till Five" opens with drums and piano. This is impressive in fact it sounds a lot like AREA right here until the vocals come in. Not a big fan of the vocals here, would have prefered the instrumental. The last minute of the song is like the beginning thankfully.
"Alta Lome Five Till Nine" is worth the price of admission all by itself. An over 15 minute ride through paradise. Just a gorgeous start with the guitar, piano, bass and drums as mellotron comes and goes.This is fairly laid back and guitar led. The tempo picks up 3 minutes in and check out the drums and guitar ! It settles before 6 minutes with violin coming in at 6 1/2 minutes. Check out the instrumental display 9 minutes in as they rip it up. It ends after 10 minutes. A good rhythm with scorching violin follows. Amazing ! Some powerful organ 12 minutes in. My God there are no words to justify this. "The William Tell Overture" ends it as it comes in before 14 minutes.
That last song is one of the best live tracks i've ever heard. It's too bad they didn't record a live album in Italy in 1974 and make it longer, even a double. Anyway this is an excellent historical sample of how well these guys could play live.

John Davie

A great-but-not-perfect live album of a great band.
PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI is often mentioned as one of the best groups from the Italian prog movement. Their influences are clearly visible during their prime period. Some King Crimson-like songwriting, add some Yes virtuosity and some of Geneses' symphonic landscapes and you'll get PFM. Most of the vocals are in Italian, but some material was released in English too. On this live set PFM sings both English and Italian.
The sound of the recording is good enough for a '74 recording. All instruments are amplified nicely and the overall experience of the concert with it's enthusiastic crowd is good. The vocals aren't as good as on the album, but overall they sound alright.
The material presented is taken from the first four albums of PFM. The opener is an up-tempo sympho prog track (from The world became the world), the second track is a devoted ballad with some great melodic guitar solo section and the third track, They Just Look Away, is another balled with an impressive ending-section. On side two we have more jam parts and the great guitar and keysolo's are truly a good contribution of making this a worthwhile purchase. It's not just the album material.
Throughout the album I'm impressed by the high quality compositions being played very accurate. With a better recording this might have sounded even better.
Conclusion. If you're a fan of PFM there isn't a good excuse for not owning this live album. For people interested in high quality symphonic prog this also a good addition to their collections. I do recommend to listen to some of their studio albums first. Three and a halve stars.

Friso

This album, along with "Chocolate Kings" was my introduction to the music of Premiata Forneria Marconi. After finding both albums together in a used record store, it would be years before I located any other albums by this fantastic band.
This album does a nice job of showcasing the talents of PFM, who appeared to use a foundation built primarily on the music of Yes and Genesis, and use that to crate a style of their own.
Every musician plays excellently, but I am particularly impressed when Mauro Pagani plays a violin solo that rivals Jean-Luc Ponty. The best tracks are Four Holes In The Ground, and Alta Loma Nine Till Five, which turns into a nice rendition of Rossini's William Tell Overture.
As it was for me, I recommend this as an introduction to PFM.

Scott

Today's only review will be of a live record. I don't use to listen to live recordings but this was so interesting I didn't doubt to buy the vinyl when I say it for a decent price. Perhaps I should listen to more live one's - this one is the ultimate live record for me.It gives me some of the best moments of Premiata Forneria Marconi and a "live only" prog jam of marvelous forms. The cover's front page is so bright and colourful with the pot of snakes over the fire with cosmos around it and a mythological man runs with the PFM Cook sign in a corner. The record was recorded live in Canada and USA the autumn 1974 and features Jan Patrick Djivas on bass, Franz di Cioccio on drums and vocals, Franco Mussida on guitars and vocals, Mauro Pagani on flute, violin and vocals and Flavio Premoli on Hammond organ, piano, mellotron, moog and vocals.
I was happy the LP was so long, such as I got eight bonus minutes of wonderful music. I really feel this music is so perfect. If I could decide, I would have made clearer vocals but that is just a detail. Otherwise this record is so perfect. Premiata Forneria Marconi's music is powerful and hard rock(sometimes) and shows great example of acustic guitar, flute and violin passages. The first side contains four excellent tracks and all those have space for surprises. In between we can hear the group and the audience which makes it even more authentic. "Celebration" is such a wonderful symphony and "Dove...Quando...." is poetry in its best musical form. On the B-side we have the impressing "Alta Loma Five till Nine" which is a progressive jam, showing what rocker's PFM was and in the end they praise Rossini with the Wilhelm Tell-overture. The track is long but the listener is never bored. This is a record you want to listen to with a high volume and spread through the ether. "Cook" is a record that deserves an equal place in PFM's discography. You must hear it!

Adrian Drömmaren

This is my first meeting with PFM, which is - together with Banco and La Orme - often seen as the top of the Italian symphonic prog. In first instance I thought this was not as good as Banco, mainly because of the weaker vocal parts. The instrumental handling is obviously great however and this record became one of my favourites after all. As I said I have a vinyl copy, so this record consists of a small 50 minutes instead of the 90 minutes cd duration.
Premiata Forneria Marconi shows a nice blend of classical, jazz and folkrock and uses the "standard" symphonic prog equipment (bass, electric guitar, mellotron and other key instruments and drums) with a violin addition, which gives the folky sound to the band. I always heard that PFM had clear influences from the British symphonic prog scene, but on this live recording this seems not to be the case. No long progressive epics like Yes or Genesis or jazzrock like King Crimson. In fact I thought that this live recording has a distinctive sound.The composition are far more fragmentated then I am used to and it took me a while to "create" songs out of it because of some great changes in style within the songs or compositions. I guess this is one of the characteristics of PFM or the RPI as a genre.
There is some good team play and also room for the individual skills. One of the best parts is a quiet complex guitar tune which is played faster and faster and finishing with an intriguing speed. The violin shows many rhythm of folk and other styles in the last composition and finishes this record.
Enough ingredients in this "Cooking pan" for a nice listen. The instrumental skills are of a very high level and the only big disadvantage are the vocals, which are sometimes mediocre. This live recording makes me interested in the studio recordings of PFM. The recording is good for a live recording, but I expect the studio recordings to be better.

T. J. Woudstra

PFM's first visit to America. My introduction to the band (1976) Excellent live recording. I was very impressed with the musicianship and arrangemnets. Especially liked the Rossini ending, and the crowd chanting PFM.....PFM.....PFM

Groovitz

If not pits for the sound... This masterpiece puts in stand out not only the immense Franz Di Cioccio, immense in all of the CD, but an immense band. If "Dove... Quando..." and "Celebration" are two masterpieces, experiences to listen to the pure crazy technique of "Alta Loma Five Till Nine" and you will understand where the technique has house! This live give back full justice to a simply immense band!

Federico Barbarossa

he first in group and live board announced in 1975 "Cook". After "L'isola di niente" is announced, the United States and it operates a tour. Collection from live done in New York on August 31 and live done in Toronto August 21, 1974. The mix is done in London. It is a wonderful exactly record of the group that exists in the hight period. 5/5

braindamage

"Live in Usa" is one of the best concerts that I have ever listened. PFM's music, geniality and musicianship makes their live exibitions amazing under all points of view. This album is really a masterpiece, but I've to give it only 4 stars (Di Cioccio, Mussida, Premoli, Djivas and Pagani, forgive me!) because of the sound quality. The quality is not perfect and the volume of the record is down (I have this album in LP and CD). Whatever is an album that anyone who likes italian prog (and generally prog) must have.

dodaro

First italian live album to be recorded abroad. It surely deseves a remastering but, anyway, few groups at the time could offer such a selection of songs. Symphonic rock at its best. Check this one out without esitation (after having purchased Storia di un minuto, Per un amico, Photos of ghosts ecc, of course).

bonzo1969

Now THIS is how a live album should be done! At the peak of their powers, PFM released this concert recording just before the addition of singer Bernardo Lanzetti on Chocolate Kings. An essential live sampling of the band, right up there with YesSongs and King Crimson's USA, Cook just misses 5 stars due to the somewhat lackluster sound quality and set list heavily biased toward an English speaking audience.
An incendiary version of "Four Holes in the Ground" starts the set, and the energy never lets up from here. "Dove...Quando" will slow the pace a bit, and other than part of "Celebration," is the only track sung in its native language. Mauro Pagani delivers some achingly beautiful flute passages here, supplemented perfectly by minimal electric piano and bass guitar. One minor quibble is the absence of "Dove...Quando (Parte II)," as a somewhat awkward fade to "Just Look Away" announces an extended intro from Mussida. His classical guitar technique is simply brilliant. A riotous crowd cheers on as "Celebration" roars like a freight train running off the tracks...and transitions into the coda of "World Became the World."
"Mr. Nine Till Five" starts the second side, and there's no sign of the band letting up yet. The sound quality does seem to suffer here somewhat; I'm not sure if they changed tape reels on the mobile truck for this tune or what, but there is a marked difference between it and the rest of the program. "Alta Loma Five Till Nine...," a staple of their live shows during this era, is a jammy, bluesy number; there is plenty of Mellotron goodness to keep it rooted in the symphonic tradition, though. Expect several mood and tempo changes, the most famous of which is the rendition of the William Tell Overture, prog-style. The extended version of Cook is available domestically for $8-10, and features the Central Park concert in its entirety, so there is really no excuse to not go download it right now.

coasterzombie

The first Italian live album recoded in other country "Live In USA" (AKA "Cook") is a great classic. If the sound is poor the music is gold music. 6 song plus 2 interludes. Only "Dove... Quando" is in Italian. But all the songs represents the high pick of Italian Prog. Because in 1974 the Italian Prog is one of the more considerated Prog style in the World. Speaking in musical field all the songs and interludes are extreme good with high power and technique. In this Sense I think that this live is on of the firsts five Prog albums. The stage service is improve from this poor mixage since the magic of the concert is all here.The best song are, clear, "Celebration" because have more power that the original Italian version and because "Funiculì Funicolà" is great ghost interlude. But Franz Di Cioccio is possessed and does singer the drums. Also the keyboards of Premoli are good and other winning element of this live. And for me the best Italian live is born.

Elizabeth

The album that introduced me to PFM and almost certainly one I would choose to take to a desert island. Although the sound quality may not match modern recording standards what really comes through is the fun these guys were having when they recorded it. Superb, tight musicanship plus (IMO) at least 3 of the finest musicans around in the form of Franco Mussida on guitar, Flavio Premoli on keysand the inexhaustible Franz Do Coccio hammering hell out of the drums. It brings a smile to my face every time I listen to it thanks to the exuberance of the performance, particularly on tracks like 4 Holes in The Ground, Celebration, Mr 9 til 5, Alta Loma 5 til 9. Probably the best live album I;ve ever heard. 5 stars from me without doubt!

Jeff

It's amazing to me that after 3 decades, I am still hearing PFM played now on internet radio (radioio 70s channel to name one). It is certainly a testament to the staying power of progressive rock music. At the ripe old age of 15, I bought this album new (released on the Numero Uno label) while living in Rome. PFM was music my friends and I were listening to at the time. Even by today's standards, this music is still rich, complex and faithful to the genre. As someone else posted earlier, the band really tried hard to sing in english and this is really the only shortcoming for me. When I moved back to the states, I had my cousin buy the sister version of this album named Cook. Those fortunate enough to have Live in the U.S.A. on vinyl will have a photo of the Shaeffer Music Festival bandshell where the band performed in Central Park! While by the late 70s and into the 80s they pulled a "Genesis" and changed their music to better suit the italian market, all of their albums up through Passpartu are excellent recordings IMO of their progressive rock era with the 70-75 era representing the "golden age" of the progressive rock genre.

gr8sho

Discazo completo, otra de las grandes joyitas disponibles en el blog cabezón que no te podés perder por nada del mundo, y otro nuestros grandes discos super-recomendados. Una maravilla sonora a disposición de tus oídos.
Y no dejen de agradecerle a Alberto.