Volo magico n. 1 by the great Claudio Rocchi, an album released in 1971, is one of the leading exponents of Italian progressive rock, particularly psychedelic rock, and Italian singer-songwriter music in general. All of this is found on the same album, this one.
A young bassist for Stormy Six, he soon embarked on a solo career in 1969 with the album "Viaggio," featuring songs already of high compositional and poetic quality. He surpassed himself in 1971 with Volo magico n. 1, in my opinion his best album, featuring an excellent group of musicians, including the very young Alberto Camerini on electric guitar.
A little over 36 minutes long, it features four songs, including a suite lasting over 18 minutes.
- Volo Magico N. 1, the title track, is a massive and perfectly accomplished work. It features splendid tablas and percussion, a hypnotic crescendo and a repetitive chorus, fantastic explosions of rock, and a decidedly prog piano. The guitars are also very beautiful.
- "La Realtà non Esiste" is closer to the sound of the debut album, just piano and vocals, a song with wonderful lyrics that, besides being a beautiful oxymoron, is also its manifesto.
The passage is beautiful:
"When you think, you are creating something
The illusion is to call it an illusion
When you ask, you need to give
When you have given, you have realized love."
- "Giusto Amore" is a beautiful song with great improvisations and a Hare Krishna atmosphere at times. It begins with a beautiful guitar and vocal riff and at times reminds me of the atmosphere of some of Gaber's monologues thanks to the splendid interplay between voice and music. Then the piano and other instruments are added, a beautiful, very complex piece.
- Tutto Quello Che Ho Da Dire, a wonderful piece, piano and vocals, of unparalleled sweetness and lightness, a song that closes the album with beautiful lyrics that I quote in full.
"You make the dawn find you like this
You make the sun come to you
On you, here, sleeping
You make the air play with you
You make loving always be a joy
For you, here, sleeping
Let whoever you see above you fly
Let them go and find you higher up
You here, you here, you are singing now."
A gem of Italian progressive rock and Italian music in general, an absolutely first-rate album.
Classical piano, a magnificent mellotron, splendid percussion, a splendid voice, and magnificent compositions, but above all, beautiful lyrics, representing an era in Italian music, society, and culture during which fundamental themes were questioned, the subjectivity of reality, and even love was questioned, changing its face from a private matter to a social issue.
Beautiful and highly recommended for all lovers of great Italian singer-songwriter music, because there's prog here, but not only that.
Tracks
1. Magic Flight No. 1 (18:31)
2. Reality Doesn't Exist (2:33)
3. Just Love (11:10)
4. Everything I Have to Say (4:05)
Duration 36:19
Line-Up
- Claudio Rocchi - guitars, vocals, piano (4)
- Eugenio Pezza - keyboards, piano, Mellotron
- Alberto Camerini - guitars (1,3)
- Ricky Belloni - guitars (1,3)
- Eno Bruce - guitars, bass, harmonica (1,3)
- Lorenzo Vassallo - drums (1,3)
- Donatella Badi - vocals (1)
- Gigi Belloni - vocals (1)
- Michel Kanah - vocals (1)
- G. F. Lombardi - vocals (1)
