Gino Vannelli

It's not that I'm a huge fan, but every once in a while I dig out from the old stuff a few albums by an overlooked artist that really does deserve to be listed among the Prog-worthy.  He may not be to everyone's taste, but if you listen to the right tracks, you will find some symphonic-prog genius.

 

I'm talking about Gino Vannelli.  Now wait, don't cringe!  I know he's a crooner, he's hyper-romantic, he's pompous, he produced a lot of pop trash, AND he's Canadian (j/k), but let him who is without sin cast the first bubblegum wrapper.  Gino was born in Montreal in 1952.  He released his first album in '73 in collaboration with his brother Joe.  You can find more of those details online if you're interested.  The important thing here is to know what to listen to. 

 

The pieces I recommend are from his three albums released between '76 and '78.  His best work can be found on the album Gist of the Gemini - the War Suite.  Another track you will not want to miss is the third movement of his orchestral piece A Pauper in Paradise.   If those intrigue you, try sampling the album Brother to Brother.  This album is more pop-commercial, but definitely delivers on quality and complexity.  I've sampled a few of his other albums but all of them made me throw up in my mouth a little and left me just shaking my head over the wasted talent.

 

Start with this instrumental interlude from Pauper, 3rd movement:

 

If you like that, check out the War Suite from Gist: 

Let me know what you think.

< Bellerephon

Powerful People (1974), Storm at Sunup (1975) with it's opening prog masterpiece and the way it bleeds into the next two songs, Gist of the Gemini (1976) with it's 15-minute "War Suite," and A Pauper in Paradise (1977) with it's orchestrated 15-minute four-part instrumental symphonic suite are as proggy or more proggy than many of the things others artists were doing at the same time. In my mind, it was the keyboard and programming genius of Gino and brother Joe that made the band it's most proggy. From the first time I heard his first hit, "People Gotta Move," I was won over by their innovative and dominant keyboard presence (Joe). In fact, that song alone is one of the proggiest "hit" records I've ever heard. It was like hearing Vangelis mixed with Chick Corea. No wonder I later fell in love with bands like Yes, Nova, Return to Forever and John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra--Gino Vanelli had got me primed and ready. 

Another key was the presence of drummer Graham Lear--who later did a ten year stint with SANTANA and REO SPEEDWAGON. LA sessions guitarist, JAY GRAYDON was also a key presence. Two-time Grammy Award Winning Jay would play on albums by many pop-jazz artists (including Barbra Striesand,  Marvin Gaye, Hall & Oates, and Alice Cooper)  and is probably most famous for his guitar solo on STEELY DAN's hit "Peg." He later became more known as a producer on albums by the likes of George Benson, Lou Rawls, George Benson, The Manhattan Transfer, Dionne Warwick, and Al Jarreau. He is also credited with writing over 200 songs, including hits for George Benson, Earth Wind and Fire, Dionne Warwick, Al Jarreau, Manhattan Transfer--most of which were co-written with DAVID FOSTER.