Uomo Di Pezza

In 1970, keyboardist Tony Pagliuca ventured to the Isle of Wight festival in Seaclose Park, UK, befriending noted photographer Armando Gallo from the Italian weekly Ciao 2001. Upon returning to Venice, he gathered Michi Dei Rossi and Aldo Tagliapietra and resurrected Le Orme as one of Italy's first progressive rock group. The band took off in a direction similar to that of The Nice and Quatermass, with keyboards at the fore. Supported by producer Gian Piero Reverberi and a contract with Philips Records, the band recorded a new album, Collage, released in 1971. Classically (and British) influenced, the heavy organ rock on "Cemento Armato" is not to be missed. Uomo di Pezza ("Man of Rags"), released in 1972, took an even bigger leap, presenting music that was not only unconventional, but distinctly Italian as well. After a resound start, "Una dolcezza nuova" descends into a moving melody, highlighted by Reverberi's beautiful piano and Tagliapietra's soothing voice. The gentle "Gioco Di Bimba" ("Child's Play") follows, with guitar and clavichord dominating. But "La porta chiusa" quickly changes the mood, with its powerful bass and organ chords: It's a veritable prog rocker and uniquely Le Orme. "Aspettando l'Alba" features Tagliapietra's guitar and Pagliuca's Mellotron, offering a mood so haunting it aches; while the closing "Alienazione" is a full-on prog assault, with Dei Rossi pummeling his drums. As a single, "Gioco Di Bimba" b/w "Figure Di Cartone" topped the Italian hit parade; the album also scored, rising to No. 1 on the Italian charts. At the year's end, Le Orme toured Italy with Peter Hammill (performing solo) as the opener.