Also see: Progfest '99 ~ Vigevano Prog Fest '99 ~ Progfest 2000 ~ Rio ArtRock Festival 2000 ~ NEARfest 2001
From: Luna Negra S.C.
> Can anyone recommend which of these (currently available) Banco CD's
is the best?
> Nudo: This is their newest, double. I haven't heard it.
> Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso: Thier first, very good, indeed. But I
preffer "Io Sono Nato Libero" (Banco's 2nd.) Garfano Rosso Soundtrack, an
instrumental album of beautiful music. I Think "Garofano Rosso" means "Red
Carnation".
> Capolinea: Recorded live. With some of thier best tunes.
> Canto Di Primevera: I like this one, particularly, "E mi viene da
pensare" (piano solo & voce)
> Come In Un'Ultima Cena: A very good album (one of their best)
> La Storia: No, I don't know about this. Probably a compilation.
> Di Terra: I once hear this one. As far as I remember, an instrumental
album.
> Darwin: Conceptual. Very, very good.
If you are not familiar with Banco, I recommend you "Darwin", "Io sono...",
"Canto..." and "Ultima Cena".
There are some other like "Taxi" and "Urgentissimo"... DON'T BUY THEM!!!!!!
From: willfred
Darwin is usually hailed as their best album ( it's their second, I believe )
and Di Terra is a middle-period album that is one long instrumental. These two
are my favorites of the ones I have heard, but it has been a while since I last
listened to them.
From: Jim Watts
I've got Canto Di Primevera and Di Terra - I think Di Terra is awesome. Canto is
decent - some of the vocals (Italian) sound a bit schmaltzy to me but the music
is very strong. I'd really like to hear folks impressions of the other CD's. Is
_Di Terra_ and _Canto Di Primevera_ representative of all their other works?
From: Craig Shipley
> BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO: (Bank Of Mutual Security, if I remember
correctly...)
> Nudo: Haven't heard this one. Fairly recent release, I think...
> Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso: First release? I think I have this one (has
the terra cotta bank on the cover?), but don't remember being real impressed
with it...
> Garfano Rosso: Soundtrack; kinda jazzy but very nice. (Bought this in
Roma... :-) ).
> Capolinea: Live, versions are very energetic, but the editing SUCKS!!
Each track is presented as an individual cut, so the flow is disrupted. Sad,
coulda been great!
> Canto Di Primevera & Come In Un'Ultima Cena
These two are my favorites. Has (IMHO) several of the classic Banco tunes
on 'em. Git 'em!! (I wish that I had a tape of these while I was in Italy; songs
from these two just kept running thru my head while I was in Firenze!)
> La Storia: A "best of" I would guess by the title.
> Di Terra: OK, but need to listen to it more to be able to give an
honest opinion. Instrumental...
> Darwin: 2nd release, kinda view it in the same light as the first
release.
Hope this helps!! There is a ton of great Italian prog out there, both current
and vintage. When I have the time, I'll try and write up some of the better
ones, like Alphataurus, Metamorphosi, CAP, A Piedi Nudi, Nuevo Era and Arti +
Mesterei. Oh yeah, don't forget Area, Secret Cinema or Il Volo.
From: Richard Stockwell
Darwin by Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso is a masterpiece. I've only heard it for the
first time myself in the last week (Released 1973). This album is as good as any
of the early Genesis, Yes, ELP classics. Vocals are in Italian but what a range.
Very classical. I can hear where Anglagard took some of their style from and I
can even hear where Tony Levin got some of his chapman stick lines from. Check
it out.
From: Jeff Marx <>
> So Banco has put out a double CD comprised of two live 'acoustic' sets,' I
wonder if they can handle electric sets anymore? Anyone have this album?
BANCO: NUDO Latest album by Banco is a tremendous double CD release. Disc
one is a selection of Banco's best songs played unplugged, in really effective
acoustic renditions. Disc two includes live recordings from Banco's 1997
acoustic showcase concerts in Japan. This excellent release is a double CD
priced as a single! Tracks listing: Disc One - 1-3. Nudo (parts I, II and III);
4. E mi viene da pensare; 5. Prologo #1; 6. R.I.P.; 7. Il ragno; 8. Emiliano; 9.
L'evoluzione; 10. 750'000 anni fa... l'amore?
Tracks listing: Disc Two - 1. Sul palco; 2. La conquista della posizione eretta;
3. Metamorfosi; 4. Guardami le spalle; 5. Roma / Tokyo; 6. La band; 7. Bisbigli;
8. Passaggio; 9. Coi capelli sciolti al vento; 10. Traccia; 11. Prologo #2; 12.
Non mi rompete
From: August Smarra <>
I've been listening to Banco since the seventies and in my opinion, Nudo is
great. I love the title track. It shows what the band can do with a more up to
date sound. I love the way they handle the old tunes with acoustic instruments.
I don't think they'd have any problems handling electric sets.
From: gianluca renoffio [Gianluca.Renoffio@italtel.it]
Banco's CD NUDO is very great. It's a double CD (at the price of one) in which
one CD is dedicated to a live performance (in Japan) with a lot of the
historica;l tracks from Darwin, BMS, Come a un'ultima cena and so on. The first
CD has a new track (Nudo) in three movements: very good. If it's the new vein of
Banco I expected very good new album from the guys. The rest of the CD is studio
and represent the acoustical versions of songs like RIP, E mi viene da pensare,
750.000 anni fa l'amore, Traccia 1 .... all the wanderful material in the BANCO
background replayed in an acoustical interpretation. Very, very interesting and
good. Yesterday evening I saw a Banco performance in Vigevano (for the second
Vigevano prog festival). It was a wanderful concert in witch BANCO played live
songs like Traccia e. Metamorfosis ... And now a news: the 21 of september BANCO
will play in PERUGIA (in a theatre) the whole set of DARWIN after 15 years (with
Mauro Pagani as guest star). A real event. I'll go without doubt.
From: Gianluca Renoffio <>
my name is Gianlyuca Renoffio and I'm the new webmaster of the official web site
of the historic italian band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. Please visit it at: www.bancodelmutuosoccorso.it
From:
Banco is my favorite Italian band. Their first 4 Italian albums are all
excellent, but the best are the 2nd and 3rd, "Darwin!" (Make sure you get the
original version, they re-recorded the album in the 90s, and it's not as good),
and the opus, "Io Sono Nato Libero". Start with either of those. If you enjoy
them then the self-titled debut is also a must. After that the field is a little
open, the 4th album "Come In Un' Ultimo Cena" is great but a slight departure,
definitely worth getting if you enjoy the first three. "Canto Di Primavera"
borders on pop/folk and I've heard mixed things about it, while "Di Terra" is a
good all-instrumental album. After "Canto.." there is really nothing worth
getting until the 90's, where they've been returning to the old style somewhat,
but don't make any of this stuff a priority if you don't own anything yet. I
would hold off on Nudo, which is a recent release, until you've covered their
classic 70s albums, particularly the first three. Start with Darwin! or Io Sono
Nato Libero, these are their classic and most well regarded works.
From: "Andrew J. Rozsa" <>
Subject: Re: Banco Del Mutuo
> A friend played me a great track by the prog band Banco yesterday that just
>kicked my butt. >I am now anxious to find some of their cd's. >Can anyone give
me a hint which one to start with and so on from there?! >Also, are their cd's
hard to find?
Some of us, I think, started with "Darwin."
Banco di Mutuo Socorso, like most of the Italian greats, can be bought from
Marco's IBF (formerly Vinyl Magic):
http://www.btf.it/prog/banco/banco.htm#cd
You will also see the group Indaco here. The group includes several of Banco's
members.
Other Progressive groups found at BTF are:
ARTI & MESTIERI; BALLETTO DI BRONZO; LOCANDA DELLE FATE; NEW TROLLS; ORME;
OSANNA; PFM; QUELLA VECCHIA LOCANDA; STORMY SIX; THE TRIP; CALLIOPE; CASTELLO DI
ATLANTE; DEUS EX MACHINA; DEVIL DOLL; FINISTERRE; H2O
The Milanese BTF is a purveyor of much Italian music, not only progressivo. They
are worht while checking out: http://www.btf.it/
As a rule, prices are excellent by American standards and out-of-this-world by
British and German ones. :-)
Personally, I tend to check out the folks with whom we chat here, first.
Richard's Cranium (New Zealand): http://www.cranium-music.com/ Greg's Syn-Phonic
(USA): http://synphonic.8m.com/index-w.htm
From: Jeff Marx <>
upnsm0ke wrote: > > I haven't cracked the plastic on it, yet, as I'm
listening to Maskit Chamber > (wotta cool name) right now, but I got Banco's new
double-disc in the mail > today: > "En Concierto: May, 1999 Mexico City." (I got
mine from Wayside for $22, > Syn-Phonic and Cranium are great vendors,
too....hi, Greg!) > Awesome Eli...looking forward to hearing your thoughts on
this, and how it compared to the Progfest show.
Chiming in on "Darwin!," I've got both the original and the re-recorded
Virgin pressing from '90 or '91, I'm too lazy to check which...to me they're
both great...the original is obviously wonderful, but the newer recording has a
clean crisp feel with gobs of excellent instrumentation and emotional feel to
it. I think this is a case where owning both is essential for any Banco fan.
From: "Andrew J. Rozsa" <>
Date: Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:08 pm
Subject: Re: [e-Prog] Banco - some personal musings
To be perfectly honest, I bought ?Darvin? a couple of years ago on the strength
of the raving reviews of people on this discussion list. Having listened to it,
then, I said to myself ?Hmmmm?it?s ohkay?but nothing to write home about.? And
left it at that. Happens? some people love stuff I find mediocre, and, I am
sure, vice-versa. On a lark, primarily having caught some very positive comments
about Banco?s performances at Progfest 2000 and at NEARfest 2001, I took
advantage of the terrific prices at BTF
http://www.btf.it/prog/banco/banco.htm and did the best thing to do in cases
like this, got 3 double albums: ?Gli Anni 70,? a 1998 BMG Ricordi issue of the
best-known Banco 70s classics, ?Nudo,? the double CD album issued by EMI Music
in 1997, and the double-CD of the live Mexico City concert in 1999 (?En
Concierto, Ciudad de Mexico, Mayo 28, 1999?). Suffices to say, those 6 discs
have been in the CD-changer in my car for 2 months.
There are dozens of reviews in many languages, so I won?t rehash the technical
aspects or re-review a chronological discography? simply, I just want to ?talk?
about these guys. One of the reviewers states, ?The band conjures many sounds,
from ELP, Floyd, Crimson and Genesis.? I have no idea what that means?I don't
listen to music that way. It must that ?child of the 60s? thing where the only
thing that matters is the ?here-and-now.?
Instead of going over every song in all 3 albums, let me just chit-chat (as
usually, emotionally) about ?Nudo.? What applies to it, works for all of them,
with or without the enhancement of newer technologies. Although, I hasten to
add, I do think that Banco?s resurgence in the late 90s is truly a Phoenix-like
?rise-from-the-(pop)-ashes of the 80s and early 90s. That is, the ?new? sound
is, to me, much more satisfying and pleasing.
Hop-scotching through ?Nudo??. In ?Emiliano? we are privileged to hear a piano
tour de force, as modern a sound as any; the voice in the background conveying
the excitement of the music? sounds like Francesco or somebody just couldn't
stand still while listening to Nocenzi?s hands churning out a sound that takes
second seat to none, as far as technique or musicianship is concerned. IMHO,
there is no better left-hand in the prog business. When one realizes that almost
ALL the music is composed by Nocenzi (he is collaborating with Rodolfo Maltese
on ?Prologo?), all I can say?. I am in awe.
Crisp, crisp, crisp? each note discernable, impeccable technique, the
instruments meshing like a finely tuned machine, yet the unmistakable soul
evident in songs that make you listen in tears.
No light-weight lyrics, here. Francesco is a thoughtful man, who bares his soul
with almost every song he writes, and he not only looks like an opera singer,
but tears into your heart like one, too. He is my vocal hero because, until I
heard him, I preferred my prog without singing. With notable exceptions, of
course.
Somebody wondered whether these guys can still play plugged? dig out ?La
Conquista Della Pozitione Eretta? or ?Metamorfosi? from your collection and have
a listen. The latter, a satisfying 12:30? piece is HUGE, and as good a
representative of Italian Prog as any, anywhere, any time. Dynamically, it moves
from the subtle, to almost poppishly lyrical, to just plain overwhelming,
complex near-symphonic prog. I have heard it at least 10 times and never get
bored. There are VERY few albums that I have ever listened to 10 times (the
exceptions being Pink Floyd?s ?Delicate Sound of Thunder? concert; Townscream?s
?Nagyvarosi Ikonok;? After Crying?s ?De Profundis;? Solaris? ?Marsbeli Kronikak;?
Canario?s ?Ciclos?). The last 3 minutes of ?Roma/Tokyo? absolutely blow my mind.
What skill? how tightly those musicians hang together! And if ?Passaggio?
doesn?t move you, you have a heart of stone. In the Mexico City concert
?Bisbigli & Passaggio? will set some people?s teeth on edge, I am sure, but it
just made me grin.
These are brilliant musicians who, like good wine, get better with age. It
gladdens my heart to hear some 50+ types emit, so joyously, sounds that are, to
my ears and mind, ageless. It has always been my contention that the true
?revenge? of good music (over pop schlock) is that it lives for ever. After 30
years, Banco?s longevity is unquestionable. I think that those folks, who
stopped listening to Banco?s music in the mid 80s, are missing out on some
genuinely classical prog.
Oh, BTW, these guys, like many others I like, seem to thrive on playing in front
of live audiences. The Mexico City concert is utterly wonderful. I bet the folks
who heard them in one of their recent concerts feel the same way I do. I don?t
remember whistling prog rock in my life? but ?R.I.P.? is in my mind and heart
forever?.I also don't remember singing along with a prog singer, as I do with
Francesco in ?Nudo Parte III.?
?If God would believe in me, just for an instant I would be most sainted, if
only God believed in me. I would be the strongest, if only God belied in me.?
But, don't take my word for it? in GEPR David Bagsby (whoever he is) gets about
15 long paragraphs (had to scroll for ever to get to Banco, in the Bs), while
Banco only about 5 or 6?.so, hey, what do I know? ;-) I re-listened to ?Darwin?
and I absolutely love it. Go figure? >8-/
Actually, you really don't have to take my word it? go to Studio Live and listen
to the entire Banco concert at NEARfest 2001? with the proviso that, even at
256K, RealAudio is NOT real. But it will do, until you won't be able to resist
anymore and WILL buy several Banco albums, blowing your monthly budget, leaving
your poor kids starving, and your wife forlorn and without shoes. http://www.studiomlive.com/nearfest2001/banco.html
Banco line-up at NEARfest 2001: Vittorio Nocenzi : keyboards; Tiziano Ricci :
bass; Filippo Marchegguani : guitar; Maurizio Masi : drums and percussion;
Francesco DiGiacomo : vocals; Rodolfo Maltese : guitars; Alessandro Papotto :
wind instruments.
Enjoy, Andrew