Banco del Mutuo Soccorso
Encyclopedia
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso is an Italian
rock band. A popular progressive rock
band in the 1970s, they continued making music in the 1980s and 1990s. They are still active, playing live in 2007 and 2008 at NEARfest
.
acts from England
, in particular Gentle Giant
, Jethro Tull
and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
, keybordists Vittorio Nocenzi and his brother Gianni founded Banco del Mutuo Soccorso in Rome
, Italy
. They later recorded their eponym
ous debut
in 1972, soon to be followed by Darwin!
, and in 1973 Io sono nato libero
. Right from the start the most striking features of their sound was the complex texture provided by the piano, Hammmond organ and synthesizers played by the Nocenzi brothers, plus the original vocals delivered by Francesco Di Giacomo. A careful balance of electronic and acoustic instruments, plus the use of reeds (played by some of the members of the band, in addition to their usual instrument), made the sound of Banco increasingly original and innovative, with a blend of rock, jazz and classical music which did not however forsake the Italian melodic tradition.
Proving popular in Italy and becoming known abroad, the band signed with Manticore Records
together with the Premiata Forneria Marconi
. In 1975 Banco
was released, a collection of translated songs together with new material, targeting the international market. Come in un'ultima cena
was also translated as As in a Last Supper.
The late 1970s saw Banco del Mutuo Soccorso going in new directions, with a film soundtrack
in 1976's Garofano rosso
and recordings with an orchestra in 1978's ...di terra
. They changed their name to the simplified Banco.
The 1980s saw Banco's musical direction change towards lighter pop
and shorter songs, producing some hits
. This is due to the limited success they had abroad with their albums with English lyrics (also due to the shutdown of Manticore in 1977), which led to the decision to exploit Di Giacomo's remarkably vocal gifts with more marketable songs. Gianni Nocenzi left the band for a solo
career. Other members came and went.
In the 1990s and now back to using the longer name, they started playing their 1970s material again. They performed unplugged
versions of their songs live
and re-recorded their first albums. New material was also produced.
Today, the band continue to play live, although no new material has been recorded since 1997.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
rock band. A popular progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band in the 1970s, they continued making music in the 1980s and 1990s. They are still active, playing live in 2007 and 2008 at NEARfest
NEARfest
The North East Art Rock Festival, or NEARfest for short, is a multi-day event celebrating the resurgence of progressive and eclectic music in the United States and around the world. The event is held annually in early summer in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, approximately one hour north of Philadelphia...
.
History
Inspired by progressive rockProgressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
acts from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in particular Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant were a British progressive rock band active between 1970 and 1980. The band was known for the complexity and sophistication of its music and for the varied musical skills of its members. All of the band members, except the first two drummers, were multi-instrumentalists...
, Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
, keybordists Vittorio Nocenzi and his brother Gianni founded Banco del Mutuo Soccorso in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. They later recorded their eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous debut
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso (album)
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso is the eponymous debut album by Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso.-Track listing:Music by Vittorio Nocenzi. Lyrics by Vittorio Nocenzi and Francesco Di Giacomo.#"In Volo" – 2:13...
in 1972, soon to be followed by Darwin!
Darwin!
Darwin! is the second album by Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. It was released in 1972 on Ricordi. It is a concept album about Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution.The album is highly rated by progressive rock fans as one of the top albums in the genre....
, and in 1973 Io sono nato libero
Io sono nato libero
Io sono nato libero is a studio album by Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. "Non mi rompete" and "La città sottile" was single in 1973. The album is one of the most important of all Progressive rock, in the world and in Italy...
. Right from the start the most striking features of their sound was the complex texture provided by the piano, Hammmond organ and synthesizers played by the Nocenzi brothers, plus the original vocals delivered by Francesco Di Giacomo. A careful balance of electronic and acoustic instruments, plus the use of reeds (played by some of the members of the band, in addition to their usual instrument), made the sound of Banco increasingly original and innovative, with a blend of rock, jazz and classical music which did not however forsake the Italian melodic tradition.
Proving popular in Italy and becoming known abroad, the band signed with Manticore Records
Manticore Records
Manticore Records was the record label launched by Emerson, Lake & Palmer's production company Manticore in 1973. The manticore is featured in the artwork for the album Tarkus by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, . Initially the label was jointly owned with Island Records, but that partnership was dissolved...
together with the Premiata Forneria Marconi
Premiata Forneria Marconi
Premiata Forneria Marconi is an Italian progressive rock band. They were the first Italian group to have success abroad, entering both the British and American charts. Between 1973 and 1977 they released five albums with English lyrics...
. In 1975 Banco
Banco (album)
Banco is a 1975 album by Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. The album was originally released on the Manticore Records label launched by Emerson, Lake & Palmer with whom the band shared a firm stylistic similarity. A lively and inventive collection of songs and instrumentals...
was released, a collection of translated songs together with new material, targeting the international market. Come in un'ultima cena
Come in un'ultima cena
Come in un'ultima cena is the sixth studio album by Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. An English version was released, titled As in a Last Supper.-Track listing:Music by Vittorio Nocenzi except by Gianni Nocenzi...
was also translated as As in a Last Supper.
The late 1970s saw Banco del Mutuo Soccorso going in new directions, with a film soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
in 1976's Garofano rosso
Garofano rosso
Garofano rosso is the fifth studio album by Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. It is an instrumental soundtrack from the film with the same name.-Track listing:# "Zobeida" – 2:40# "Funerale" – 4:28...
and recordings with an orchestra in 1978's ...di terra
...di terra
...di terra is the eighth studio album by Italian progressive rock band Banco . It's an entirely instrumental work, recorded together with Orchestra dell'Unione Musicisti di Roma...
. They changed their name to the simplified Banco.
The 1980s saw Banco's musical direction change towards lighter pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and shorter songs, producing some hits
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
. This is due to the limited success they had abroad with their albums with English lyrics (also due to the shutdown of Manticore in 1977), which led to the decision to exploit Di Giacomo's remarkably vocal gifts with more marketable songs. Gianni Nocenzi left the band for a solo
Solo album
A solo album, in popular music, is an album headlined by a current or former member of a band. A solo album may feature simply one person performing all instruments, but typically features the work of other collaborators; rather, it may be made with different collaborators than the artist is...
career. Other members came and went.
In the 1990s and now back to using the longer name, they started playing their 1970s material again. They performed unplugged
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
versions of their songs live
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
and re-recorded their first albums. New material was also produced.
Today, the band continue to play live, although no new material has been recorded since 1997.
Albums
| Year | Title | Italian Chart | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Banco del Mutuo Soccorso Banco del Mutuo Soccorso (album) Banco del Mutuo Soccorso is the eponymous debut album by Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso.-Track listing:Music by Vittorio Nocenzi. Lyrics by Vittorio Nocenzi and Francesco Di Giacomo.#"In Volo" – 2:13... |
5 | |
| 1972 | Darwin! Darwin! Darwin! is the second album by Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. It was released in 1972 on Ricordi. It is a concept album about Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution.The album is highly rated by progressive rock fans as one of the top albums in the genre.... |
4 | |
| 1973 | Io sono nato libero Io sono nato libero Io sono nato libero is a studio album by Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. "Non mi rompete" and "La città sottile" was single in 1973. The album is one of the most important of all Progressive rock, in the world and in Italy... |
10 | |
| 1975 | Banco Banco (album) Banco is a 1975 album by Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. The album was originally released on the Manticore Records label launched by Emerson, Lake & Palmer with whom the band shared a firm stylistic similarity. A lively and inventive collection of songs and instrumentals... |
10 | Includes English version songs |
| 1976 | Garofano rosso Garofano rosso Garofano rosso is the fifth studio album by Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. It is an instrumental soundtrack from the film with the same name.-Track listing:# "Zobeida" – 2:40# "Funerale" – 4:28... |
9 | Film soundtrack |
| 1976 | Come in un'ultima cena Come in un'ultima cena Come in un'ultima cena is the sixth studio album by Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. An English version was released, titled As in a Last Supper.-Track listing:Music by Vittorio Nocenzi except by Gianni Nocenzi... |
8 | |
| 1976 | As In a Last Supper | English version of Come In Un'Ultima Cena | |
| 1978 | …di terra ...di terra ...di terra is the eighth studio album by Italian progressive rock band Banco . It's an entirely instrumental work, recorded together with Orchestra dell'Unione Musicisti di Roma... |
With Orchestra dell'Unione Musicisti di Roma | |
| 1979 | Canto di Primavera | 36 | |
| 1979 | Capolinea | 28 | Live album |
| 1980 | Urgentissimo | 11 | |
| 1981 | Buone Notizie | ||
| 1983 | Banco | 23 | |
| 1985 | ...E Via | 42 | |
| 1989 | Donna Plautilla | Previously unreleased pre-1972 material | |
| 1989 | Non Mettere le Dita nel Naso | Under the name of Francesco Di Giacomo | |
| 1991 | Darwin | Reworking of original 1972 album | |
| 1991 | Da qui Messere si Domina la Valle | Reworked debut album plus Darwin | |
| 1994 | Il 13 | ||
| 1996 | Banco d'Accusa | Under the name of Francesco Di Giacomo | |
| 1997 | Nudo | 2CD live album with some new material | |
| 2003 | No Palco | 30th anniversary live album | |
| 2005 | Seguendo le Tracce | Live recording from 1975 |