Jim Goad

The band Goad was started in Florence, Italy by Gianni Rossi and his brother Maurilio during the late 1970s. The music is a straight forward prog. With various tempo changes, Mellotrons, guitar solos and some flutes and saxes. Just as it should be. Nice sounding prog as was made in the seventies and eighties. Not exceptional but solid and has a fair balance.

The band Goad was started in Florence, Italy by Gianni Rossi and his brother Maurilio during the late 1970s. They released their first album, Creatures at the end of 1983. The band, includes Maurilio Rossi (vocals, keyboards and guitar), Gianni Rossi, (guitar and backing vocals), Francesco Diddi, (flute, violin, guitars and sax), Vick Usai, (drums), Tommaso Baggiani, (drums), Luis Magnanimo, (bass), and Antonio Vannucci, (piano and keyboard). This is a fantastic prog journey back in time with original sounds. All the elements are there for a classic. Flutes, keys, electric guitar solos, drums, heavy bass and good vocals…

Although the rhythm section was more "modern" than he usually used (keyboardist Benny Aronov, bassist Malcolm Cecil, and Airto Moreira on drums and percussion), guitarist Jim Hall (who always had a harmonically advanced style anyway) has little difficulty adapting to the fresh setting. Highlights of the well-rounded CD reissue include Hall's "Simple Samba," "Baubles, Bangles and Beads," an unaccompanied "I Should Care," and Milton Nascimento's "Vera Cruz".

The slightly unusual date Two Jims and a Zoot features tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims interacting with two guitarists (Jimmy Raney and Jim Hall) while given subtle support by bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Osie Johnson. Although the eight selections (none of which caught on as standards) had all been written recently and sometimes display the influence of bossa nova, the quiet performances could pass for 1954 rather than 1964. The cool-toned improvisations and boppish playing have a timeless quality about them although for the time period aspects of this music already sounded a bit old-fashioned.