RICK WAKEMAN & MARIO FASCIANO: STELLA BIANCA ALLA CORTE DI RE FERDINANDO

During '70s, I was the first Rick fan, but I was too disappointed since "Rhapsodies". However, after many years, as I love Italian symphonic rock, I decided to check out this cd, and I bought it. A very nice purchase, even when it isn't one of the mandatory Wakeman's albums and it's far from an indispensable Italian classic.

But this album is, IMHO, the best RW realisation in the last 25 years. Although it isn't a masterpiece and conserves some "poppy" rythmical cliches (since 1980, the lineal drumming was a constant in Rick's rock discography), there are some elements making this stuff very interesting.

The Italian singer, Mario Fasciano, has a high range and his voice is quite emotive sometimes. The album's structure is simple: non-complex and short songs format, with the Southern Italian delicious flavour and the always impeccable Wakeman's keyboards, sometimes reminding vintage synth sounds. "Stella Bianca", "Ariel", "Aria Di Te" and the instrumental "Romance Napoli" are highlights, not precisely hiper-elaborated songs but really enjoyable.

Some cd edition includes, as bonus track, a miserable dance version from the song "A Quatte Mane". A shame, try to skip it.