The Beginning Of The End

"The Beginning - And The End" is the name of one recent release released in connection with the Bjørnstad year. The album has previously only been available in the box for "The World I Used To Know", but now it is also available as an independent release to conclude this anniversary.

The Spanish band ATILA was formed in '73 and made three LP's: "The Beginning of the End" ('75), "Intencion" ('76) and Reviure ('77). At the end of '78 the band dissolves but in '99 they reformed. In the same year this ATILA did a reunion-concert, playing their best material. The sound of ATILA has elements from VANILLA FUDGE, CREAM, The NICE and ELP but in general … it's ATILA!

Carioca would be a swan song of sorts for Azymuth – the last album for keyboardist/leader Jose Roberto Bertrami, who left the group around this time, and their last album for Milestone, which spelled the beginning of the end for them as players in the U.S. music scene. Indeed, Bertrami doesn't even include his longtime cohorts Alex Malheiros and Ivan Conti on the lovely waltz tune "Valsa Se Uma Cidade," or the smooth showcase for Hammond organ, "Guaratiba," preferring the solid, mobile work of guests Paulo Russo (bass) and Jurim Moreira (drums). The selections with Malheiros and Conti are often more reflective than much of Azymuth's past work, with a few references to American funk ("Toque De Cuica") and fewer overtly Brazilian rhythmic influences (Malheiros' nicely soft-focused "Bom Tempo" being a nice exception).

The band was formed in 1973 by Eduardo Biebla (guitar), Joan Punyet (drums) and Paco Ortega (keyboards), two years later this line-up produced the EP The Beginning Of The End. One year later Atila released the highly acclaimed album Intencion and then in 1978 Reviure, both with the new line-up featuring Eduardo A. Niebla (guitar), Benet Nogue (organ, Mellotron, piano, Moog and vocals), Miguel A. Blasco (bass) and Joan Punyet (drums). At the end of 1978 the band dissolved but in 1999 Atila reformed with Joan Punyet (drums), Benet Nogue (keyboards), Ignasi Bosch (guitar), Pere Martinez (bass) and Joan Cardoner (guitar) and did a reunion-concert, playing their best material. The sound of Atila has elements from Vanilla Fudge, Cream, The Nice and Emerson, Lake & Palmer but in general … it's Atila presenting an unique prog stew with lots of own musical ideas…