EVENT '76

Picking matrices from different styles of music, from jazz to progressive rock music through the vanguard, Area have proved to be the most courageous and original band of Italian prog rock scene. Area began their musical adventure at the end of 1972, gathering musicians from different backgrounds, like pop, free jazz, electronic experimentation and the contemporary music, with the common will of the overcoming of the individual artistic experiences to arrive at a kind of a 'total music'. But to make their mark, it was also and above all the incredible voice of their singer, Demetrio Stratos.

In the begining, the band consisted of Victor Edouard Busnello, Giulio Capiozzo, Yan Patrick Erard Djivas, Patrizio Fariselli, Leandro Gaetano, Paolo Tofani and the Greek Demetrio Stratos who was born in Alexandria, Egypt. Subsequently, Busnello leaved the group and Djivas would become part of Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM). Djivas would be replaced by Ares Tavolazzi. The sixth member of the group-shadow was Gianni Sassi (Frankenstein), the founder of the Cramps Records and creator of some of the most interesting cultural projects in that period. Sassi also handles with the text and image of the band. The music of Area is 'music fusion type internationalist', as was defined by Stratos, the singer and soul of the band. Area tried to make a music style 'total'. Stratos came with his experiences from Greece, other had experience of electronic music in London, two were from jazz and another from contemporary music. All tried to merge, having a combination between rock, jazz, contemporary, Mediterranean and Balkan music.

All this together represents a shift from experimentation, which was very close to the music of John Cage, to jazz- rock, folk from the Middle East and to the Mediterranean folk. One of the goals of the group, in fact, was to tie a purely experimental sound to the Italian and Mediterranean sounds, to rescue them from the world of subculture in which criticism has relegated the Italian music. While Area was coming, like many other Italian groups of the time like Banco Del Muttuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi and Le Orme, Area was also characterized by the radical nature of the content and the musical language adopted by them, which identify utopias and desires of that generation of the 70's.

Area had their heyday between 1973 and 1979, before the death of the singer Demetrio Stratos in 1979, where the charismatic and characteristic voice of the band fell silent. During those years Area plays a partly enriched style by experimental sounds and jazz rock, which sometimes takes up also oriental elements. The textual messages announce radical leftist positions. In those years, the band released five studio albums 'Arbeit Macht Frei' in 1973, 'Caution Radiation Area' in 1974, 'Crac!' in 1975, 'Maledetti' in 1976 and '1978 - Gli Dei Se Ne Vanno, Gli Arrabbiati Restano!' in 1978 and two live albums 'Are(A)zione' and 'Event '76' in 1979. The last one will be the subject of this my review.

'Event '76', is a live album of Area which was recorded in 1976 in the great auditorium of the University of Milan. It was recorded at the time when the group was working on their fourth studio album 'Maledetti'. Unlike the 'Concerto Teatro Uomo', which was recorded during the same period, there are no area classics to be heard here, but only excessive collective improvisations. In addition, not all band's members are going on, as bassist Tavolazzi and drummer Capiozzo stayed at home. The saxophonist Steve Lacy and the percussionist Paul Litton took part in the event, which can also be heard as a guest musician on 'Maledetti'. The sound of the recording session is quite good, much better than that the sound of the 'Concerto Teatro Uomo'. However, it's quite far from the quality of a professional live recording, really.

'Event '76' has only three tracks, 'Caos' part one and two and the title track 'Evet '76'. As I already indicated, there are only free improvisations on 'Event '76' in the sense of the song title 'Caos'. This is a wild avant-garde sound clutter, a kind of a bizarre but fascinating free-jazz rock decorated with the crazy vocal acrobatics of Stratos. To describe the music that Stratos and colleagues perform is quite difficult, really. In 'Event '76' the band tries a concept of random improvisation. Each musician tries to improvise. The result is an 'ordered chaos'. The musician is no longer bound by the play of other musicians. His improvisation is now indeed free. And this freedom is the focus of the music.

Conclusion: The radical concept of music of Area, somehow isolated the band from the developments in the music scene, a certainly wanted development. In this respect, it's hardly surprising that Area found hardly any collaborators or imitators. What remains is the courageous, but very difficult, attempt at a radical reinterpretation of music, art and interaction. Seen in this way, Area was far ahead of their time and also of the prog music, who never went down on such a thin ice. And if there is one of their works that shows so clearly the radical concept of their art, I think it's 'Event '76', really. Area's 'Event '76' is anything but a hot recommendation for the usual proghead. However, those who have learned to deal with the free forms of jazz and the contemporary music will be able to discover a fascinating and truly innovative band in Area. But, this isn't a good starting point. As memowakeman said: 'Caution: Improvisation Area!'.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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