YANDEX (320 Kbps)
Cat #: ProgRiver 006
Original release date: 1978
Country: Uruguay
About:
One of the most rare and wanted LPs of South America. Originally, it came with a medal that showed the Prophet's image, which gave it a certain touch of rarity and mysticism.
Armando Tirelli was the keyboardist and primary composer for the Uruguayan soft jazz rock group Sexteto Electronico Moderno beginning in the late sixties. That band released four studio albums before emigrating to Mexico under the name Êxodo in the mid-seventies. Tirelli moved on to release his lone solo album "El profeta", a symphonic and spoken-word thematic effort based on the poetic novel "The prophet" by Lebanese writer and sixties counter-culture icon Khalil Gibran.
While Tirelli's previous work with Sexteto Electronico Moderno was characterized by jazz and classical influences, as well as more traditional Latin inflections of bossanova and salsa, "El profeta" is a highly symphonic concept album that is heavily akin to the most poignant Italian symphonic music (PFM, Le Orme). Tirelli includes several Spanish-recited passages, presumably in reference to Gibran's novel.
The tracks are arranged to coincide more or less sequentially with the novel, with some individual tracks even representing specific poems in the work. The instrumentation is all centered around Tirelli's piano, and to a lesser extent synthesizers, plus some fuzz guitar that gives a real spark to many passages. The original vinyl is nearly impossible to find today, but there are re-issued CD versions available in the Americas and Europe.
Tirelli enjoyed a long stint as a composer, arranger, and performer in Spain after releasing this album, and after leaving Uruguay himself.
Armando Tirelli is noteworthy for his unique but impressive effort in a symphonic release and the distinction of being one of the few Uruguayan symphonic artists of his time.
released January 30, 2020
Line up:
- Armando Tirelli / vocals, piano, mellotron, organ, synthesizer
- J. C. Sheppard / drums
- Ricardo Bozas / drums
- J. Carrara / bass
- G. Bregstein / sax, flute
- G. Chaibun / flute
- Rody Troccli / guitar
armado tirelli progressive rock rock prog rock south america uruguay United Kingdom
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