Artist
IVANO FOSSATI
Though his solo career has evolved in a totally different direction from his roots, the name of Ivano Fossati (or Ivano Alberto Fossati as he was called on his first two albums covers) is indelibly connected with progressive rock from his beginnings as singer and leader of Delirium. A trained pianist, born in Genova, he sang and played the flute with that band, but he returned to the keyboards in his solo works.
His debut album, Il grande mare che avremmo
traversato, was released by Fonit Cetra in 1973
and is still halfway between his later high quality singer-songwriter style and
early 70's mainstream Italian pop with orchestral arrangements and female
choirs.
Echoes of his past experience with Delirium are a
bit more evident in Poco prima dell'aurora, released in the same year
with help from songwriter Oscar Prudente. The opening title track, also released
as single, contains a good flute final part similar to the typical Delirium
sound of the first album. The two artists alternate as lead vocalists, each of
them singing his own songs, and this contributes to a fragmented album, though
very good parts are present.
The successful career of Ivano Fossati has proceeded in the years mixing various musical influences, especially from jazz and latin sounds, and he is regarded as one of the best live artists still active in Italy.
| LP (until 1975) | |||
| Il grande mare che avremmo traversato | Cetra (LPX 21) | 1973 | credited to Ivano Alberto Fossati - laminated gatefold cover |
| Fonit Cetra/Pellicano (PL 413) | 1980 | reissue of 1973 album with different single cover | |
| BTF/Vinyl Magic (VMLP 091) | 2013 | reissue of 1973 album with the same gatefold cover as the original | |
| Poco prima dell'aurora | Cetra/Numero Uno (LPX 24) | 1973 | credited to Ivano Alberto Fossati & Oscar Prudente - laminated gatefold cover |
| Fonit Cetra/Pellicano (PL 415) | 1980 | reissue of 1973 album with different single cover | |
| Goodbye Indiana | Cetra (LPX 38) | 1975 | laminated single cover with poster |
| Fonit Cetra/Pellicano (PL 414) | 1980 | reissue of 1975 album with different single cover | |
| Ivano Alberto Fossati / Oscar Prudente | Fonit Cetra/Double Music (DPU 90) | 1978 | 2LP - gatefold cover - reissue of Poco prima dell'aurora and Goodbye Indiana |
|
CD |
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| Il grande mare che avremmo traversato | Fonit Cetra (CDM 2039) | 1989 | reissue of 1973 album - now deleted |
| BTF/Vinyl Magic (VM 091) | 2004 | as above with mini gatefold cover and booklet | |
| Goodbye Indiana | Fonit Cetra (CDP 414) | 1989 | reissue of 1975 album - now deleted |
| Poco prima dell'aurora | Fonit Cetra (CDP 415) | 1989 | reissue of 1973 album - now deleted |
| BTF/Vinyl Magic (VM CD 104) | 2005 | as above with mini gatefold cover and booklet | |
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS COMPILATIONS |
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| Commenti musicali - Attualità (with Filodiffusione) |
Fonit Cetra (NFC 30??) | 1975 | library music album, unreleased instrumental track |
| SINGLES (with picture covers - until 1975) |
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| E' l'aurora L'Africa |
Cetra/Numero Uno (SP 1532) | 1973 | credited to Ivano Alberto Fossati & Oscar Prudente - both tracks from Poco prima dell'aurora |
| Tema del lupo Apri le braccia |
Cetra/Numero Uno (SP 1551) | 1973 | credited to Ivano Alberto Fossati & Oscar Prudente - both tracks from Poco prima dell'aurora |
| Cane di strada Concerto di plenilunio in un castello di Stoccarda |
Cetra (SP 1572) | 1974 | both unreleased tracks |
| Goodbye Indiana Goodbye Indiana (strumentale) |
Cetra (SP 1588) | 1975 | side A taken from Goodbye Indiana |
| PROMOTIONAL AND JUKEBOX SINGLES (with blank covers - until 1975) |
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| Il grande mare che
avremmo traversato All'ultimo amico |
Cetra (SP 1503) | 1973 | credited to Ivano Alberto Fossati - both tracks from Il grande mare che avremmo traversato |
| Apri le braccia | Cetra/Numero Uno (JB 465) | 1974 | credited to Ivano Alberto Fossati & Oscar Prudente - Cetra/Pull jukebox single backed with Cugini di Campagna/Anima mia |
All the Ivano Fossati albums have been released in
large quantities and are still easy to find both on vinyl and CD. The rarest of them
all are the first two in their original issues.
Second album Poco prima dell'aurora, along with two singles taken from
it, came on an unique Cetra/Numero
Uno joint label.
The only album released abroad is Poco prima dell'aurora, issued in Francia by Vogue (LDM 30527) with single cover.
No counterfeits exist.
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Il grande mare che avremmo traversato - gatefold cover |
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Poco prima dell'aurora - LP |
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Il grande mare che avremmo traversato - promotional single |
The official Ivano Fossati website can be found at http://www.ivanofossati.net
Thanks to Michele Neri for some pictures and information published in this page.
