|
A very important artist from Naples, Alan Sorrenti released his first album in 1972 on Harvest.
Aria is a very nice album, with two different sides: the first only contained the long title track, a dreamy suite starting with acoustic guitar and based on the marvellous instrument-like voice of Sorrenti, and exploding in the final part with a memorable violin solo by Jean Luc Ponty. Side 2 was softer, with three tracks, two of which also appeared on a single.
The album was successful, and Alan Sorrenti was one of the few solo artists to compete with prog groups in the open air festivals of the time. An english version also appeared in some european countries, with a perfect mastering of the language as Alan was of welsh mother and had lived in Wales as a child.
A second album, with the long title of Come un vecchio incensiere all'alba di un villaggio deserto was released a year later.
It was based on the same formula as Aria, but probably lacked the fresh impact of its predecessor. Again a side-long title track opposed to some shorter and softer tracks, this time with help from Francis Monkman (Curved Air) and Dave Jackson (Van der Graaf Generator) along with percussionist Toni Esposito.
Third album is usually considered the worse of Alan's early production, his style slowly shifting toward straight songs. The remake of the traditional neapolitan classic Dicitencello vuje, included on the album and also released as a single, was seen by his early fans as a treason, and while it gave very good sales and chart placement, it caused the artist to be boycotted in many summer festivals.
After a two year break a new Alan Sorrenti came back in 1976, with a more commercial style, influenced by dance music, and totally closing his past avantgarde experience. The long Alan Sorrenti's career ended with a last album in 1992.
|
