Ibis

Members of what would become IBIS (Sweden) started out in a band called VILDKAKTUS that mixed rock with various influences of jazz and folk and had some similarities with TRAFFIC. After releasing three albums as VILDKAKTUS, the main core of the band consisting of keyboardist Gosta NILSSON, guitarist Olle NILSSON and bassist Tommy JOHNSON was joined by the drummer Petur ISLAND; at that point they renamed themselves as IBIS and released their self-titled debut in 1974. Music of IBIS was more in the jazz direction of progresive rock then their earlier VILDKAKTUS material, with some touches from the Canterbury scene as well.

This eponymous album from Italian band Ibis was released in 1975, it's not their debut (as you would expect from the title) but their third after the records Canti D'Innozenza, Canti D'Esperienza (1973) and Sun Supreme (1974). The prime mover is singer/guitarplayer Nico Di Palo, known as a member from the legendary Italian formation The New Trolls. The music on Ibis is varied: the two long tracks Narratio and Ritrovarci deliver sumptuous keyboards (a bit similar to my favorite Hungarian band Omega) and fiery guitar duels, the song Passa Il Tempo contains wonderful acoustic guitar and Keep On Movin' features straight rock and roll! My highlight on this CD is the composition Strada, a beautiful blend of electric piano, sensitive electric guitar, flute and a swinging rhythm-section. To me this sounds as a pleasant and varied album, no less or more…

Another great Italian prog album, this band was the result of the breakup of NEW TROLLS after the released of UT at the end of 1972. Keyboardist Vittorio de Scazli preferred prog rock, and because of legal uncertainty, the new band he assembled was called N.T. ATOMIC SYSTEM. Guitarist Nico di Palo preferred the hard rock direction. After the breakup of NEW TROLLS, he assembled a new band with keyboardist Maurizio Salvi and bassist Franck Laugelli, and a drummer (whose name escapes me) released an album under their names with a big question mark on the cover in 1973, because the band still didn't have an official name. But eventually the band got a name, which became IBIS, by which time they recruited ex-ATOMIC ROOSTER drummer Ric Parnell, and released "Sun Surpreme". Now I really can't see what the breakup of NEW TROLLS was for…