Week of January 13, 2002
Alessio Feltri - organ, electric piano
Mirko Ostinet - lead vocals
Mariano Maio - saxes, flute
Mario Pignata - bass, electric guitar
Delio Sismondo - drums
Valentino Vecchio - electric guitar
Riccardo Gabutti - bass (one track only)
This group, featuring Alessio Feltri before he went on to form the more successful Corte Dei Miracoli, is of historical interest. The formation of Il Giro Strano was the result of a fusion of two groups, Tramps and Voodoo, in 1972. Despite the relative success of their live performances (at the Pop Festival at Villa Pamphili, Rome and the first Pop Meeting In Genova) they were not able to release an album. The posthumous release, "La Divina Commedia" contains 5 long tracks recorded in 1972 and 1973, of which only 2 (amounting to 24 minutes) were finished studio recordings, the rest having been culled from the rehearsal tapes. They left a lot of musical promise behind them, as this album is excellent experimental, complex, sophisticated jazz-prog. The interplay between organ and sax is very notable.
La Divina Commedia - 1992 Mellow MMP 107
Taken from Scented Gardens of the Mind - A guide to the Golden Era of Progressive Rock (1968-1980) in more than 20 European Countries, by Dag Erik Asbjørnsen, Borderline Productions, ISBN 1-899855-12-2