Following two progressive rock classics in Felona e Serona and Contrappunti, along with the excellent live recording Beyond Leng, Le Orme decided to change their successful formula. They added guitarist Tolo Marton and pursued a more pop-oriented style, which while hardly mainstream, proved to be a disappointment to their established fan base. History has not been kind to this oft-overlooked release, but to dismiss it completely would be a mistake.
A thorough listen reveals some excellent moments, such as the guitar-heavy "Los Angeles" and the atmospheric pieces "Immensa Distesa" and "Laserium Floyd." In fairness, most of the pop-flavored material does prove to be rather bland, although "Amanti Di Citta" seems to capture the jocund spirit they seemed to be striving for. Casual fans can pass on this enigmatic recording, but those interested in this underrated band are encouraged to give it an open-minded listen.
Facing off against some of the hottest Strat slingers from coast to coast, Italy's Tolo Marton provided the "international" content for the 1998 Jimi Hendrix International Guitar Competition. When Jimi's dad, Al Hendrix, mounted the stage to present the Voodoo Chile Award to the best of the night, Tolo Marton took home the prize. I first met him that night, and since then I've always looked forward to his notes asking if he can send me a copy of his latest. I've never been disappointed, but I've never been happier than I am with Dal Vero, a double disc chronicle of Tolo's live performances between July 2001 and August 2002.
As Tolo notes, his studio albums are primarily showcases for his composing skills, and he saves the guitar pyrotechnics for the stage, so this is a particular treat if you like extended guitar improvisations. There are plenty of those original compositions here, along with a set of covers that range from early Yardbirds, Rory Gallagher and Nils Lofgren to, of course, Jimi Hendrix. Those covers include a rendition of his award winning arrangement of "Red House."
As much fun as it is to hear him perform the more familiar material, though, it's the originals, like "Eclipse," "Alpine Valley," and "Let Me Be" that I think show him at his very best. Tolo plays with the passion of a bluesman and the improvisational adventure of a jazzman, and the result is particularly satisfying on his own tunes, which seem to give him more license to experiment.
That's not to say that he can't surprise the listener with a new approach to an old favorite, like his shuffle style version of "All Along The Watchtower" or a funkified "For Your Love." One of the highlights, in fact, is the country music medley that closes the album, where Tolo demonstrates hi consummate skill in yet another genre and brings AP Carter face to face with Enrico Morricone in the process.
Dal Vero is a terrific set of performances by a great performer. If you're unfamiliar with this Italian guitar hero, this is an excellent place to start. (Shaun Dale)