Le Orme

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Le Orme
Phonogram, PolyGram, Charisma, Baby, Crisler Music, Tring
MembersMichi Dei Rossi

Michele Bon


Le Orme (Italian: "The Footprints") is an Italian

Italian progressive rock scene in the 1970s. They are one of few Italian rock bands to have success outside their own country, having played concerts across North America and Europe, and releasing an album in English
at the height of their success.

History

Beginnings (1966–1970)

Le Orme in 1969

Le Orme was founded in 1966 in Venice by Aldo Tagliapietra (vocals, guitar), Marino Rebeschini (drums), Nino Smeraldi (lead guitar) and Claudio Galieti (bass guitar). Originally intending to name themselves Le Ombre, a literal translation of The Shadows, they ultimately decided on the similar-sounding Le Orme. The band's early work evoked a feel somewhere between beat and psychedelic rock,[1] similar to what was coming out of the United Kingdom at the time. One of their first major performances was on 2 June 1966, when they and other local bands accompanied a British beat group, The Rokes, at the Teatre Corso in Mestre.[2]

In 1967, the day after recording their first single, "Fiori e Colori", for

Oceans Eleven
soundtrack, where it features prominently in the final scene. Soon Galieti left for the military as well, leaving Tagliapietra to cover on bass guitar. Not long later Smeraldi left as well, leaving the trio that would be at the core of the band for its most successful era. An evolution in their sound towards more richness and complexity can already be heard in a non-album single the band would publish in 1970, "Il Profumo delle Viole / I Ricordi Più Belli".

Mainstream success (1970–1977)

Le Orme in 1973

In the spring of 1971 Le Orme recorded their second studio album,

Commonwealth Institute
.

In January 1974, Le Orme recorded their first live album, In concerto at the Teatro Brancaccio in Rome. Later in the year a further studio album, Contrappunti, followed. It also was successful, charting in the top ten, but failed to reach the lofty heights achieved by Felona e Sorona. In 1975 Neil Kempfer-Stocker's Cosmos imprint issued Beyond Leng, a largely instrumental compilation to introduce the band to a wider American audience. The band then headed to Los Angeles to record their next album. At the same time, they hired a guitarist, Tolo Marton, bringing the group to four members. The resulting Smogmagica, boasting a cover by Paul Whitehead, was significantly more commercially oriented than their previous work, and was largely viewed as a disappointment by fans.[7] Marton left soon after the album was completed, and Germano Serafin was recruited in his stead. The following album, however, Verita nascoste, was a return to form and would prove to be a high point as the band would soon suffer from the downturn in progressive rock's popularity.[8]

Changes in direction (1977–1982)

Following the release of their eight studio album, Storia o leggenda, Le Orme retired from touring to focus on exploring new directions for their music.[9] The result was 1979's Florian in which the band members traded in their electric instruments for classical ones, emerging with a sound more akin to chamber music than rock. The album was critically acclaimed, winning an Italian Music Critics' Award.[10] They followed up with Piccola rapsodia dell'ape, which, although stylistically similar was not nearly as successful. Reverting to their classic trio formation, the band attempted to return to the mainstream with a straight-pop effort, Venerdi. This album was also unsuccessful, and the band split amiably following its release.

Reformation (1986–1992)

Le Orme would reform in 1986, intending to play concerts only.

Sanremo Music Festival, where it finished seventeenth.[11] Though concentrating their efforts on concerts, the band released another studio album, titled simply Orme in 1990. Another pop effort, the disc went largely unnoticed. In 1992, Pagliuca ended more than two decades with the band to be replaced by Michele Bon. Later the same year the band added Francesco Sartori
on piano.

Return to form (1992–2009)

Aldo Tagliapietra (2007)

Encouraged by the success of their concerts and strong sales of their 1970-1980 anthology, the band returned to the recording studio. The result was 1995's

NEARFest 2005
, and later returned to a trio formation, playing concerts both inside and outside of Italy.

Post Tagliapietra (2009–)

At the end of 2009, Aldo Tagliapietra left the band. He was replaced as lead singer by Jimmy Spitaleri of fellow Italian progressive rock band Metamorfosi.[13] In 2011 the group released La via della seta a concept album inspired by the Silk Road, with lyrics written by Maurizio Monti, former collaborator of Patty Pravo, Mina and Riccardo Cocciante. With the new organic, Le Orme started a tournée, sharing the stage with Banco del Mutuo Soccorso to promote the new album.

Member history

Discography

Studio albums
Live album
Compilations
  • Beyond Leng (1976)

See also

Other Italian progressive rock bands:

References

  1. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  2. ^ "A tutto beat: Hopopi, Orme, Uragani... era il 2 giugno 1966" (in Italian). Supereva.it. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  3. ISSN 0006-2510
    .
  4. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help
    )
  5. .
  6. .
  7. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  8. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  9. ^ a b "Le Orme: Biography" (in Italian). Le Orme Official Site. Archived from the original on 14 May 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  10. ^ "La Canzone d'Autore Italiana: Storia de Le Orme" (in Italian). RAI. Archived from the original on 12 October 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  11. ^ "Classifica Sanremo 1987" (in Italian). Festivaldisanremo.com. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  12. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  13. ^ "An Interesting Metamorphosis". Italian Prog Map. Retrieved 6 June 2011.

External links