Ellesmere
is mainly the brainchild of Roberto Vitelli, bass and guitar player
from the Roman prog band Taproban. In 2014 he gathered around him
some prestigious guest musicians to play his compositions and in 2015
released an interesting debut album on AMS Records. It's entitled Les
Châteaux de la Loire and it's a
charming work where acoustic, pastoral atmospheres prevail. The line
up features Roberto Vitelli (Takamine 6 strings classic, Eko Ranger
12 strings, Fender "Geddy Lee" jazz bass, Fender
Stratocaster, E-Bow, Moog Taurus III), John Hackett (flute), Anthony
Phillips (narrative vocals), Daniele Pomo (drums, percussions),
Luciano Regoli (vocals), Giulia Nuti (violin, viola), Pietro Horvath
(cello), Linda Giuntini (horn), Fabio Bonuglia (Mellotron M 400, Moog
Model D, keyboards), Paolo Carnelli (electric piano, keyboards,
acoustic piano), Danilo Mintrone (strings arrangement) and Dario
Esposito (drums).
 |
| Roberto Vitelli during the recording sessions |
The
main course of the album is the title track, a wonderful, dreamy
thirty-eight minute suite divided into eleven parts. It was inspired
to Roberto Vitelli by a holiday he spent in France and starts with
the narrative vocals provided by former Genesis member Anthony
Phillips who reads some verses taken from Lines Written On
Visiting The Châteaux On The Loire,
a poem by Alfred Austin. Just close your eyes and let the
music flow and show you some pondering pictures of the vast
panorama of the past... In fact, the Loire Valley is studded with
over a thousand châteaux, each with distinct architectural
characteristics covering a wide range of variations, from the early
medieval to the late Renaissance periods.
Some sections of the suite
are dedicated to some specific castles, amazing monuments of heart
and mind such as Sully-sur-Loire, Meung-sur-Loire, Blois,
Chambord and Chaumont-sur-Loire while the other sections mark the
passages from one place to another as thoughts and feelings get mixed
in an intermittent dream, cradled by the river waters. No need
for words: except the narrative vocals that open and close the suite
there are no lyrics and even the beautiful voice of Luciano Regoli is
used here just as an instrument to add colours and emotions. By the
way, Luciano Regoli (singer from Raccomandata con Ricevuta di
Ritorno, Samadhi, DGM) is also a talented painter and took charge of
the wonderful art cover that probably depicts the atmosphere of this
album better than all my words...
The
last two pieces are credited as bonus tracks but they are not fillers
at all. The mysterious, dark "The Ancient Samovar" tells in
music and words about the almost magic power of an ancient samovar, a
heated metal container traditionally used to heat and boil water in
and around Russia as well as in other countries. Thanks to the
thaumaturgic properties of its tea you can relax even in a silent,
troubled night, waiting for the sun with a renewed feeling of hope...
The closer "Wintry Afternoon" is a beautiful, melancholic
instrumental track with the notes of an acoustic piano in the
forefront the the sound of the wind in the background.
On
the whole a very good album!
Ellesmere:
Les Châteaux de la Loire (2015).
Other opinions:
Thomas
Szirmay: The music is highly atmospheric, gentle and sweet
background music that has no pretensions other than to deliver
sumptuous melodies, played with restrained passion and obvious
enjoyment... (read he complete review HERE)
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