Ellesmere is the brainchild of Roberto Vitelli already known as the former bass and guitar player with Taproban, and Wyrd is the 2020 album. An album with symphonic-prog
music led by Italian multi-instrumentalist Roberto Vitelli, and supported by
many very clever musician from all around the world. Influences include classic
bands as Yes and King Crimson, contemporary groups as Transatlantic, Flower
Kings and Spock's Beard, and there's also a notable jazz influence.
The cover art is
fantastic and very prog looking, and Wyrd deserves admiration starting from
the cover artwork made by Rodney Matthews (Rick Wakeman, Asia, Uriah Heep,
Hawkwind, Magnum, Nazareth, Eloy, Scorpions and many others), an iconic
illustrator at least equal to the legendary Roger Dean.
Tracklist:
01. Challenge (7-25)
02. The Eary Manor
(6-23)
03. Endeavour (8-23)
04. Ajar (8-04)
05. Endeless (13-13)
Line-up
- Roberto Vitelli / bass, guitars, bass pedals
- Fabio Bonuglia / keyboards
- Mattias Olsson / drums
With:
- Tony Pagliuca / keyboards
- Tomas Bodin / keyboards
- Fabio Liberatori / keyboards
- David Jackson / saxophone
- David Cross / violin
- John Hackett / flute
- Luciano Regoli / vocals
- Giorgio Pizzala / vocals
Roberto Vitelli is bass and guitar player, author of all the
music and lyrics, surprisingly comes back just one year after their second album
Ellesmere II/ From Sea And Beyond with an amazing work in terms of freshness,
energy, impact and meticulous attention towards its sound and arrangements.
Wyrd is therefore a third epic and even more enthralling
chapter than the previous one, almost completely instrumental and captivating
from the first minute to the very last one. As per tradition, Wyrd also
involves a series of prog-related prestigious guests: Mattias Olsson
(Änglagård, White Willow / drums), Tomas Bodin (The Flower Kings / keyboards),
David Cross (King Crimson / violin), John Hackett (brother of the famous Steve
Hackett and a constant presence in his solo records / flute), David Jackson
(Van Der Graaf Generator, Osanna / saxophone), Tony Pagliuca (Le Orme /
keyboards), Luciano Regoli (Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno / voice), Fabio
Liberatori (Loy & Altomare, Lucio Dalla, Ron / keyboards) and Giorgio Pizzala
(vocals).
In a path of musical
and stylistic evolution that started from the acoustic and pastoral prog of Les
Châteaux De La Loire (2015) Wyrd does not represent point of arrival, but
another passage towards new unexplored lands!