Buon Vecchio Charlie-st,LP/CD,1992/1999(recorded 1972),Italy

The backing group of songwriter Claudio Baglioni received the opportunity to record an instrumental album. The let's say more easy listening label didn't expect the group to record a progressive item and the project was cancelled. Only almost 20 years later an Italian label in cooperation with a Japanese distributor issued the album for the first time on cd in a very limited edition. The album was quickly sold out and as CD it became a collector's item. Happily Akarma Records reissued the album with another cover. The recording was remastered and two more tracks added. I think the quality of the mixing is much better, and the two shorter bonus tracks makes the album more complete and into a better musical conceptual whole.
The style is influenced by the classical music inspired symphonic progressive (Museo Rosenbach,..) but has jazzy sax outbursts too into clear compositions (a bit like Quella Vecchia Locanda did on their second album but more compact).
I heared the album before. I remembered from the old recording the first track with the start of a classical composition adaptation of Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt a la The Nice that took off in more jazzy symphonic. Now when I hear the Akarma Recording I can finally fully appreciate this work now. Where at that time I never knew what to think precisely of that album it is now very clear to me that this belongs amongst the better Italian progressive and we have to be glad this treasure has been found.
The name "Quella Vecchio Charlie" refers to the famous comic about Charlie and Snoopy. Why this a bit misleading reference was made I do not know.
From ITALIAN PROGRESSIVE MUSIC website

A magickal record!Let it travel you.In the top 10 of Italian progressive records!

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