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Work In Progress Live MJR003
Video Clips Album Profile Artist Profile Reviews Photos
1. Escher 11:37  |
| 2. Caleidoscopio 10:08 |
| 3. Trip On Metró 7:28 |
| 4. La Via 16:06 |
| 5. Pantera 9:09 |
| 6. Ragno 12:04 |
Alberto Bonomi keyboards, back vocals
Alberto De Grandis drums, lead vocals
Silvio Minella guitar
Luca Baldassari bass guitar
Recorded live on June 17, 2000 at Lehigh University's Zoellner Arts Center, during NEARFest 2000.
COMING SOON...
It was early afternoon on June 17th, 2000, when D.F.A. took the stage for their first-ever live performance in the USA. Many among the 1,000-strong audience of progressive music enthusiasts were seemingly unfamiliar with the Italian band and its music, but as the show progressed it became evident that history was in the making, and that D.F.A. were becoming instant stars on the international 'progressive music' scene. Each successive song was greeted with a bigger roar of applause as the outstanding mastery of the four instrumentalists became obvious to all, in spite of their relaxed, almost laid-back stage presence. European rock bands have always pursued the 'American dream', and crossing the Atlantic to present their music to American audiences was a challenge D.F.A. perhaps didn't hope to achieve as quickly as they did. It came at the right moment, though, a few months after the release of their critically acclaimed second album "Duty Free Area". A definite progression on their debut, 1997's "Lavori In Corso", it displayed the same complex arrangements and virtuoso playing, while also adding a higher diversity of styles and sounds, and a more obvious melodic content. These qualities made D.F.A. an obvious candidate for NEARfest, a festival of innovative rock music that had quickly become the ultimate reference among lovers of the genre. D.F.A.'s stellar performance at NEARfest 2000 has certainly marked the beginning of a new exciting phase in the band's career. As such it deserved to be immortalized for posterity on digital medium. This CD provides a unique opportunity to be confronted with D.F.A.'s music at the peak of its powers. (Aymeric Leroy - Paris, April 2001)
On the eve of their 10th birthday as a band, D.F.A. can be proud of their achievements so far. Indeed, the year 2000 has brought the first signs of a major and worldspread recognition for the Italians, with an ecstasically-received appearance at the major international progressive rock festival, the American NEARfest, and unanimous critical acclaim for their second album, Duty Free Area. Formed in Verona during 1991 around Alberto De Grandis, drummer, occasional vocalist and main composer, and bassist Luca Baldassari, D.F.A. was initially an instrumental keyboard-led trio, a formula that evolved over the years, first with the arrival of guitarist Silvio Minella in 1993, and two years later with the introduction of vocal parts in the compositions, following the release of a demo tape entitled Trip On Metro. Later in 1995, Alberto Bonomi replaced the original keyboard player and D.F.A. found its definitive shape. Bonomi was soon to become an essential creative force in the band alongside De Grandis, co-writing most of the material with him. The new quartet made its live debut in January 1996, and soon afterwards embarked on the recording of their first proper album. Alberto Piras, the frontman of fellow Italian proggers Deus Ex Machina, had heard the demo tape, and offered to produce the album for his own label, Scolopendra. By early 1997 Lavori In Corso ("works in progress") was ready, and was soon greeted by many favourable reviews. A staff writer for the respected US new music publication Exposé called the album "an absolute masterpiece of complex progressive rock". The high level of musicianship and the attention to detail in the compositions and arrangements - which drew comparisons with luminaries such as Gentle Giant, National Health, Gong, Banco or Weather Report - helped to make Lavori In Corso a natural candidate for a lot of "Best Of '97" lists among fans of the genre. During the following months, D.F.A.'s profile as a live band increased, supporting the likes of Italian veterans Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso and Le Orme. Meanwhile, work started on new material, and by June 1999 the quartet was finally back in the studio to record the eagerly-awaited follow-up to Lavori In Corso, which saw the light of day the following October on Mellow Records, the leading Italian progressive label - its title, Duty Free Area, finally revealing what the three letters stood for. "We liked the idea of an area free from all constraints", explains Bonomi, "where we can play what we feel". With their second work, D.F.A. have broadened their musical palette with new sounds, especially in the keyboard department (occasionally bringing to mind Ozric Tentacles), and further perfected their craftmanship, both as composers and players. Critics unanimously acclaimed Duty Free Area as a major progression from the already excellent Lavori In Corso, particularly in terms of melodic accessibility and overall coherence of the often fiendishly complex epic compositions masterminded by De Grandis and Bonomi. Another significant improvement on Lavori In Corso was to be found in the vocals, arguably not D.F.A.'s forte. A larger percentage of the music was instrumental (showcasing the breathtaking interplay between Minella's guitar and Bonomi's keyboards), the one track sung by De Grandis (with backing by Bonomi) was ideally suited to his range, and the other two pieces with vocals used guests - Alberto Piras and female singer Giorgia Gallo. All in all, Duty Free Area could be called a success in all departments: little could be improved upon. Until D.F.A.'s watershed appearance at NEARfest in June 2000, the band's reputation remained largely confined to Italy and Europe, due to a lack of proper American distribution (although both albums fast became mail-order best-sellers), but this is bound to change after the enthusiastic coverage, both online and in specialized publications, given to the band's set, which brought together the best of both albums and featured an unforgettable guest appearance by Il Balletto Di Bronzo's eccentric frontman Gianni Leone. D.F.A. are now busy composing new material for their third album (Fall/Winter 2007), which will retain the qualities of the first two, while further breaking away from any existing musical category (such as progrock, jazz-rock, etc.) and establishing the unique D.F.A. identity. The band has performed in Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, USA, Mexico and their first two studio albums were remastered and included in the double cd release “Kaleidoscope” with 3 live bonus tracks. Festival and short tours to be followed in Indonesia, USA, Mexico, and all around Europe, with a DVD release planned for 2008.
COMING SOON...
Coming Soon...