Umberto Rivarola
Zanzibar

"What else can someone like me do but play in a rock 'n' roll band?"

It's not quite in the same vein, perhaps, as the Rolling Stones in "Street Fighting Man," but Umberto Rivarola still poses the question in the title track of this album released in 2004. In fact, given the passion and skill that have distinguished him for nearly forty years, it couldn't be otherwise.

The entire album unfolds in the name of excellent rock-blues played with class, taste, and elegance, alternating between more vigorous rock tracks, like the aforementioned "Zanzibar" which opens the album, and ballads, like the subsequent "Crociera", with a very introspective lyric on the topic of love, sometimes you have to know how to take risks to find the best.
"Sound the Alarm for Children" is a reflection, incidentally very timely these dark days of undeclared wars and various terrorisms, on the fact that as long as a few have everything and the rest nothing, wars will continue; war also exists in the indifference to poverty. Umberto is right, the war must end. Then comes another ballad, "Follow Me", a song notable for a beautiful slide-guitar and a seductive violin in the chorus.

"Fierce Need for Love" returns to the rock 'n' roll, again with lyrics reflecting on life and the greatest need we all have: to be loved by someone. Almost a reggae vibe for "Maria", then an accordion introduces "The Power of Time", a song that unfolds as a serene ballad marked by a nylon string guitar that weaves throughout, also on the passage of time and existence.
The album closes with "Queen of the Island", which aims to become the most significant track of the album; we meet this woman and dream of being on an island, probably in the middle of the ocean, and we are in the company of the locals including her, who seems to be the most important figure in the place, and it doesn't matter if we don't understand what they're saying, as her hands do the translating while we eat fish and drink "two lire" wine, but that's what makes us talk. Then there's the classic trick of the hidden track, which is none other than "Sound the Alarm for Children" sung by a children's choir.

A nod, finally, to those who played on this album, besides Umberto Rivarola. On drums is Bernardo "Sancho" Sangiuliano, on electric guitar Gigi Berghem and Carlo Poddighe, on acoustic Michele Coratella, on double bass Carmelo "Leo" Leotta, on Hammond organ Guido Minelli, on violin Nunzio "Nan" Donsi, on percussion Paolo Paolantoni, and I hope I haven't forgotten anyone.