Il Balletto Di Bronzo ?– YS English Versions 1971 , Italian progressive rock
"Il Balletto Di Bronzo" was formed in Naples (and not in Rome as i said in the last post dedicated to this group) in late 60's, with initial name of "I Battitori Selvaggi". They changed name in "Il Balletto Di Bronzo" with the entry of great guitarist Lino Ajello. The inspiration for the name came from a picture of a 40's painter, if i remember correctly same William Warthwords (please excuse if the name is incorrect, if someone knows this artist, please comment). The title of this picture was just "The Bronze Ballet". The band made two or three good beat's singles in 1968/1970 (See the "Il Re Del Castello" abum, that contains too some spanish versions of first songs). After this, the band works to the first masterpiece of his discography: the "Sirio 2222" album. Even if the beat footprint is evident (we are in 1970), the music is just hard rock, the songs are all good. The title song is a very beautiful song, long and particular, with space atmospheres and a great vocal work, the only real prog song of this album. Very good the vocal work of Mr. Cecioni, who badly after this album leaves the band, with the entry of the Genius in person, Mr. Gianni Leone. So, the line up of "Il Re Del Castello" and "Sirio 2222" was: Marco Cecioni (Lead vocals), Michele Cupaiolo (Bass guitar), Lino Ajello (Lead guitar) and Giancarlo Stinga (Drums). In 1971 Gianni Leone, who listened to "Sirio 2222" and was very excited by the musical potential of the band, enters the group along with bassist Vito Manzanari (Cecioni and Cupaiolo, in the same time, were out for personal reasons). With this line up, Mr. Leone made real the project that was in his mind by same times: it was YS, the second masterpiece of BDB, the subject of my third "Italian prog masterworks" post. After one other year spent in live concerts (we are in 1973) "Il Balletto Di Bronzo" sadly desbanded (In that time the band lived all togheter with other freaks in one hippy farm, that was not an ideal and distensive situation after the concerts to relax and to have no stress). In the late 90's, Gianni Leone reforms the band, with Marco Capozi at bass and Adolfo Ramundo at drums (the guitar parts are played at keyboards by the same Leone). With this new line-up, in 1999, the band registers the live album "Trys", who includes a complete live version of "YS" album, plus others BDB songs and some "Leo Nero" songs (Gianni Leone's alter ego in solo production).
