Carlo Rustichelli

The film was a sensation and audiences all over the world were entranced. It was hugely influential and ushered in a whole era of Comedy, Italian Style. Aiding and abetting the mischievous fun was the wonderful score by Carlo Rustichelli. Rustichelli, born in 1916, had begun working in film in 1939 and by 1962 had become a hugely popular composer for Italian films. His first film for Pietro Germi was Lost Youth in 1948 and thus began one of the longest and most fruitful director/composer collaborations ever, with Rustichelli composing scores for all but the first of Germi’s films – eighteen in total. He also worked with other directors such as Billy Wilder, Mario Bava, Gillo Pontecorvo, Luigi Comencini, and provided scores for countless sword and sandal films, spaghetti westerns, crime films, and just about every genre imaginable. He was a superb melodist, and Divorce, Italian Style is rife with great themes, which all serve the film perfectly. In fact, the film would be unthinkable without Rustichelli’s wonderful and tuneful score.

Mellotron. mellotron, and more mellotron, garnished with organ, side of C3 Hammond and sautéed with piano. "Opera Prima" is a symphonic concept-story opera written back in the golden era of early 70's Italian Prog centered around the warm analog sounds of keyboards. In many ways "Opera Prima" stylistically approaches the fine work of Il Paese Dei Balocchi and some fringe elements of ELP. Rustichelli performs all the lovely keyboard work while Bordini supports with his classic and complex percussive and drum, talents. This is richly textured music, which is full of grandeur and highly skilled performances. The warm keyboard sounds are simply to die for with loads of heavy analog symphonia…

This is a collection called “Tidbeats”. Its title means “music bars” but it reads also as tidbits. It contains, in fact, original unreleased tracks from the likes of Stelvio Cipriani, Francesco De Masi, Piero Umiliani, Gianni Ferrio, Giorgio Gaslini, Riz Ortolani, Armando Trovajoli, Piero Piccioni and many other great masters of the Italian soundtracks.

Both with a long career and a lot of experience behind them, Carlo Bordini and Gianluca De Rossi team up to finally release an album together. Known for having played in Italian Progressive Rock bands such as Rustichelli and Bordini, Goblin, Cherry Five and Taproban, the duo offers this record with a markedly 70s sound…

Intense, is a word that comes to mind when listen to this YES-influenced classic from the seventies. The band simply doesn't slow down for a minute as they rush through the multiple sections in each song. My only complaint is that they should have considered releasing an Italian version (like the MAXOPHONE album) of the album. The English vocals are okay (the accents are fine), but the music is really screaming for some Italian. If you're in the mood for YES-influenced music done with the energy, and optimism, of the 70's Italian prog scene then you will love this CD. ~ Steve Hegede