Artist

APOTEOSI

Silvana Idà (vocals)
Massimo Idà (keyboards)
Franco Vinci (guitar, vocals)
Federico Idà (bass, flute)
Marcello Surace (drums)

Coming from Palmi (Calabria, in southern Italy), Apoteosi were one of those bands that only released a single album before disappearing. Though its members were very young, the group had played together for a long time and the LP was composed since 1973 (still with the original singer Carlo Capria), but only released in 1975 by the small local label Said (owned by the father of the Idà siblings) with a limited pressing and local distribution, being now very hard to find. Apoteosi had a very good sound, reminding of some English bands such as Julian's Treatment but still retaining the typical Italian prog touch. It was characterised by the nice piano playing by Massimo (just 14 at the time!) and the delicate voice of Silvana Idà. The beautiful album includes eight tracks, but the first side is a long suite with no breaks.

The group turned to commercial music in 1979, changing name to Stress Band and releasing one single with a Gino Vannelli's cover.

After the band breakup, keyboardist Massimo Idà moved to Rome, and worked as session musician and TV music producer, also playing for more than 20 years in a funky/disco band, called Frankie & Canthina Band. He produced and played on Tito Schipa Jr.'s Dylaniato LP in 1982. Silvana Idà kept living in Palmi and left the music, while bassist Federico Idà died in 1992.
Guitarist Franco Vinci has kept playing and is still active in the blues field with his band. Drummer Marcello Surace kept working as session musician in Italy and France, also playing with Massimo Idà in the Frankie & Canthina Band.

Original copies of Apoteosi are very hard to find due to poor distribution by small local label Said. This company, based in Palmi, near Reggio Calabria, was owned by the father of the group members, Salvatore Idà, who released on the label dozens of singles with traditional folk songs from all over Italy. Silvana Idà also sang in some of these singles. The record was also issued on cassette and 8-track.
The album was reissued on CD by Mellow in 1993 and again by AMS in 2015 with mini-LP cover. In Japan the Belle Antique label released it on CD with a papersleeve in 2012 (cat.BELLE 121927) .
The first vinyl reissue appeared in 2015, also on AMS. No counterfeits or foreign issues on vinyl exist.

The five musicians released a single under the name Stress Band, Io con te ci sto (I just wanna stop)/ Forse sto sognando, issued in 1979 on the Long Star Music (LS 008) label.

Apoteosi - front cover
Band in the studio (from LP inner)	Said label (pale yellow)
Stress Band/Io con te ci sto - 45 giri

Click on pictures to enlarge

Franco Vinci Blues Band - poster 2005

Many thanks to Steve D'Ascoli, Pino Romeo and Franco Vinci for information on the band.