Il Tempio delle Clessidre
Live In Seoul

The Italian progressive epic of the '70s produced a series of groups and records of absolute value. Our prog has nothing to envy compared to what was happening abroad, and its albums are now collected, reissued, and revered as genuine nuggets. Besides the classics like PFM, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, and Le Orme, the Italian scene could boast incredible formations like Il Balletto di Bronzo—whose "YS" is adored worldwide—Osanna, New Trolls, Un Biglietto per l'Inferno, Pholas Dactylus, Metamorfosi, Alphataurus, Opus Avantra, Trip, Il Rovescio della Medaglia, Celeste, to name just a few. Italian groups demonstrated their ability to create personal prog characterized by boundless creativity filtered through their roots. In this context, an essential group emerged: the great Museo Rosenbach from Bordighera. The lineup consisted of singer Stefano "Lupo" Galifi, guitarist Enzo Merogno, keyboardist Pit Corradi, bassist Alberto Moreno, and drummer Giancarlo Golzi (later with Matia Bazar). Their "Zarathustra" (1973) is, in many ways, still one of the essential Italian albums for those wanting an idea of Italian prog, initially with Leonardo Lagorio on sax and flute. Many of the pieces came from the repertoire of Sistema, a significant group that included Enzo Merogno and Leonardo Lagorio. A small symphonic masterpiece rich in classical influences that enjoys a great following. They were unjustly accused of Nazism because of the image of Mussolini's bust depicted on the cover. Unfortunately, Museo Rosenbach released only one album before fading into oblivion.

But, as if by magic, the time machine reignited in Genoa thanks to the Tempio delle Clessidre, a band that initially was a cover band of Museo. Not by chance, "Il Tempio delle Clessidre" was an instrumental track of "Zarathustra"! Tempio delle Clessidre was formed by the very talented keyboardist Elisa Montaldo, truly the group's added value, and the legendary Stefano "Lupo" Galifi. In 2007, they performed "Zarathustra" live for the first time in 34 years. The lineup later included Fabio Gremo on bass, Giulio Canepa on guitar, and Paolo "Paolo" Tixi on drums. The first album "Il Tempio delle Clessidre" (2010) for Black Widow is a small masterpiece in its genre that will delight lovers of classic Italian pop. It's like listening to Museo Rosenbach again! In the subsequent "AlieNatura" (2013), Lupo Galifi is no longer there, and the talented Francesco Ciapica was called to replace him. The album is nonetheless of good quality and contains a great track like "Onirica."

Black Widow also made available a DVD titled "Live in Seoul" (2014) documenting the concerts held in South Korea by Tempio delle Clessidre with "Lupo" Galifi. I was fortunate to see Tempio delle Clessidre twice live (at ProgLiguria and in Pisa, though Galifi was replaced by new singer Francesco Ciapica). Witnessing live the performance of the "Zarathustra" medley was indeed a strong emotion that I will not easily forget. This DVD thus becomes an unmissable gem for me, for all the fans of Tempio, and for nostalgics of '70s Italian prog. The first disc presents, in fact, the concert of Seoul 2011, whose first part is entirely dedicated to "Zarathustra." Like a journey back in time, it revives the unforgettable atmospheres of one of the cult albums of Italian prog. The second part, on the other hand, features tracks from Tempio's debut album, with gems like "Danza esoterica di Datura," "Faldistorum," and "Insolita parte di me." It's truly an engaging performance held in front of a knowledgeable audience (as it's known that in Japan and South Korea, Italian prog is a true cult phenomenon) that sees all members in high spirits. The second disc includes some performances, including their first live appearance in Genoa and segments of concerts held in Veruno, ProgLiguria, and at the prestigious Nearfest in the United States. There's also room for a brief interview. "Live In Seoul" is an extremely interesting DVD not to be missed.