Artist
RICHARD (RICCARDO) COCCIANTE
Absolutely not a progressive artist, this Vietnam born French-Italian keyboardist is still nowadays a very popular commercial singer in Italy with a long career and many hit singles and albums, some of which also released in foreign countries where he kept the name of Richard Cocciante, soon changed to Riccardo in Italy.
But his debut, a concept album called Mu, housed
in a marvellous cover, is a very good symphonic prog, with help from many guest
musicians, among which Brainticket's leader Joel
Vandroogenbroeck and keyboardist Paolo Rustichelli (from the Rustichelli
e Bordini duo), and great instrumental parts.
This can be a very nice listen for keyboards-driven prog
fans, if you like Cocciante's voice (too tied to his later pop successes
for many Italian listeners!).
| LP (1972 only) | |||
| Mu | RCA (DPSL 10549) | 1972 | four pages gatefold cutout cover with lyric insert - as "Richard Cocciante" |
| RCA (PL 31352) | 1978 | single cover | |
| RCA (NL 71913) | 1980 | single cover | |
CD (1972 only) |
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| Mu | RCA (ND 71913) | late 70's | reissue of 1972 album |
SINGLES (up to 1972 - with picture cover) |
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| Down memory lane Rhythm |
Delta (ZD 50158) | 1971 | from the soundtrack of the film Roma bene |
| A Dio Uomo |
RCA (PM 3679) | 1972 | both tracks from Mu - as "Richard Cocciante" |
Moderately rare to find, this album has been
originally released in a beautiful multi-foldout cutout cover and with a lyric
insert. The cover was designed by the Up & Down Studio, that had already
released the marvellous centre opening cover for The Trip's
Atlantide and Quella Vecchia Locanda's first
album.
The album was also issued by RCA in a very limited promotional edition housed in
a white cardboard folder that also contained a picture of the artist and a
7-page insert. This promo issue is particularly rare.
Later issues, still cheap and common, came with single sleeve.
While most of his later albums have been issued abroad (many european countries including France and Germany, and even in the USA), the first one only had a foreign issue in France on Warner Bros (no. 56 014) with the title Atlanti and a gatefold cover. The album was sung in French. Warner also released a single with the same cover as the LP.
No counterfeit exists.
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Mu - LP |
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Mu - multifold cover detail |
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Mu - promotional edition - folder cover |
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Mu - promotional edition - folder content |
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Atlanti (French version of Mu) - LP |
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A Dio - 7" single |
The Italian "Cocciante club" website is at www.coccianteclub.it
Thanks to Alos, Monica Santosuosso and Marco Giorgi for some pictures of this page.
