AT LAST. LIVE

This new live album by Roz Vitalis has first of all a very good sound quality. Of course not exactly the same as in studio, listen to both the versions of "Lavoro D'Amore" and you'll notice some differences, but this is one of those bands able to play live almost the same way they do in studio. The other important element is that since when they added the first flute on their 2012 album "Patience of Hope", their music has taken a very original and personal direction.

The trumpet, present in almost all the tracks, brings in some sadness but in the same time on the most folky passages it can remind to Ennio Morricone's western movie soundtracks.

The trumpet that makes it sound similar to another very good band from the same city: the Yojo, but the kind of melodies and the structure of the tracks is quite different.

I don't know the whole discography of this band, so I'm not able to say whether there are unreleased tracks or not. I didn't know "The Hidden Man Of The Heart", which is my favorite track together with the pair "Passing Over"/"Passing Interlude".

In particular, the bass on "Passing Over" is remarkable. The track has a structure that could remind to CAMEL (trumpet apart), specifically, to The Snow Goose. It may be me, of course. In the Camel's masterpiece there's not an Avantgarde section as at about minute 4. After that, the acoustic guitar which starts the reprise of the main team could come from In The Court Of Crimson King, just to mention some references.

Anyway, the album is on Bandcamp as "name your price", so hoping that some bucks will be spared to help the band continue to release their excellent music, I'd better suggest to give it a listen without wasting your time with my quotes.

An excellent selection of tracks very well recorded in what seems to be a club: almost no noise out of the applauses and a mood that I usually find in the chamber music of Claude Debussy. Perfect for a rainy day.

...and an excellent addition, naturally

So, Roz Vitalis are back with another live album, which is taken from two different performances in St. Petersburg in December of 2016. What we are presented with here is the full live line-up of the band, which includes trumpet, flute and low whistle, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, bass and drums. Here is a band where the arrangements are crucial, and some of the instruments are only used sparingly, which mean that from one song to the next the band can be quite different in their sound and approach. But, band leader Ivan Rozmainsky knows exactly what is needed for each piece, and maintains a continuity throughout. Much of the material being performed has yet to appear on an album, while others are older yet have also never been released in that format.

Musically the band they have most in common with, at least to my ears, is Karda Estra, as they bring together classical music and progressive rock so that a style is created that will appeal to fans of both areas. The largest difference between the two is that Ivan is firstly a pianist, and many of the songs rely on his delicate touch, while another significant difference is the use of trumpet. This is played as if it is being directed by an orchestral conductor as opposed to someone from the jazz scene, and the result is long notes that hit hard and pure, no sliding or strange stylings. Alexey Gorshkov has great breath control, and there is little sense of vibrato or strain, just clear sounds that take the music in a different direction. This brass feel is quite at odds with the flute and low whistle of Vladislav Korotkikh which is much warmer and friendly.

I have long been a fan of this Russian band, and each release cements that even more. I look forward to the next studio album to see what they do with some of the songs included here, and highly recommend this to anyone into the more orchestral style of progressive rock. As this is on Bandcamp, it is also possible to give this a listen before purchase, so why not give them a try?

The Russian instrumental Avant-Prog-band Roz Vitalis have released a live album "At Last. Live" that was recorded in Saint- Petersburg in 2016. The dynamic instrumental album features Vladimir Efimov on electric guitar, Alexey Gorshkov on trumpet and acoustic guitar, Ruslan Kirillov on bass guitar, Vladislav Korotkikh on flute and low whistle, Ivan Rozmainsky on keyboards, Vladimir "Energoslon" Semenov-Tyan-Shansky on acoustic and electric guitars, and Philip "Phill" Semenov on drums.

The album includes some new material and also rearranged versions of Mother of All Rain from 'Patience of Hope' 2012, Lavoro d'Amore and Ascension Dream from 'Lavoro d'Amore' 2015. The music is melancholy and pastoral with the flute dominating at times but always overshadowed by virtuoso musicianship.

The band state that the "essential goal of the album is to explore, to expand and to emphasize Beauty." It certainly is replete with beautiful musicianship throughout with a Spiritual atmosphere. This is a melancholy symphonic album with dreamlike organic reflections.

Blurred is a soundscape of tranquillity, and Lavoro d'Amore has masterful piano and heart rendering flute. There is a glorious trumpet solo in The Hidden Man Of The Heart along with a marching drum tempo that augments the sound and an appreciative crowd applaud.

Restore Unto Me The Joy is a flute dominated piece with dreamy melodies. Ascension Dream has rippling flute and piano beauty, then the time signature changes as the drums quicken with more urgency. The trumpet cascades over with a mesmirising grace culminating in a masterful track.

Mother Of All Rain features some wonderful delicate trumpets and melodic guitar picking. This piece is more guitar driven with acoustic sounds maintaining a strong rhythm alongside heavy percussion and cymbal splashes. A heavier sound is generated but still has a consistent emotional vibe and lovely pastoral nuances. Passing Over has acoustic picking and melancholy piano scales, then it breaks into a different time signature, with an infectious keyboard solo. It builds into a strong melodic rhythmic pace and then a passage of improvisational keys and frenetic percussion lead to a soft acoustic layer. This one has the biggest crowd reaction and it completes the concert audio from Lady Club.

Passing Interlude is recorded at Sound Museum as is the next track. This has the best lead guitar solo, sounding a bit like Camel's Andrew Latimer. The warm organic soundscape is delightful. The mood swings from aggressive drums to a symphonic beauty; keyboards and ethereal synth pads. Se Camminiamo Nella Luce (Excerpt) / Thou Shalt Tread Upon The Lion And Adder is a lengthy finale to the album. It opens with tranquil flute solos and a gentle rhythm carried along waves of keyboard strings. It moves into a myriad of moods while always maintaining a lucid flow. In one section the guitars become more distorted and the drums more forceful. The dynamics of the music, the light and shade passages, ignite the overall emotions of the track. The listener is taken on a Spiritual journey that builds into a final outro of melodic grandeur.

Overall this is some of the most beautiful instrumental progressive music I have heard. The crowds sound rather small but the intimacy of the atmosphere works well. The crowd were certainly treated to some very special Roz Vitalis concerts and so will you on listening to "At Last. Live".