GRANDI INCONTRI

Interesting Pre Prog compilation by Le Orme with good songs. But Beat POP. Personal and with Poto Prog influence but, sure, great as Proto Prog in Italy. Basically, here is a Beat like Zombies, but without the power and magic of Zombies. And also with less psychedelic tendencies. It is true that in this phase Le Orme was more personal that in Prog phase. But the music is good only in Italian Beat genre. "Isle Of Wight" festival change the perspective of Le Orme music. Fortune!

So, is this a good CD for a Progster? Yes, because the band is Le Orme! But the music is simply Beat POP.

I wasn't expecting to see this compilation in PA, especially as I consider it more of an "object" for Le Orme devotees. I try to explain: in the "Quintet" phase Le Orme are simply an Italian Beat/ Psychedelic band that engages something progressive but only to try to differentiate from the other bands that were operating in Italy at the time. Many of the ideas that are exposed in music have aged too badly and are tied too much to a period of the late 60's where I listened to better things even between bands of their own subgenre. What strikes me positively, however, is the quest to stand out despite having no real idea where the music was heading. As is known, in fact, it was only with the trip to the "Isle of Wight Festival" in 1970 that the band realized what the international scene was proposing and what their new verb will be. In their first two albums ("Ad Gloriam" and "L'aurora delle Orme") there is only the germ of what Le Orme will be later on. Which is fundamental for the birth of the Italian progressive. But which, in a more international sense, is not memorable.