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DISCovery - A Lifelong Journey

The original aim of the blog was to promote discussion about all and any facet of progressive rock but from time to time, bands and musicians contact ProgBlog with new prog-related material that they want to expose to a wider audience; ProgBlog's album of 2017 An Invitation by Amber Foil was one such approach.

The range of styles ProgBlog has been exposed to through this route has helped to expand and challenge my listening habits but time constraints have meant that not all submissions have received the attention that they deserve.

 

The DISCovery section has been introduced to better serve the requirements of musicians who contact ProgBlog with the aim of increasing the audience for their music; without music there can be no discussion of music.

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A Lifelong Journey - Chasing Clouds

A Lifelong Journey - A Lifelong Journey

A Lifelong Journey

A Lifelong Journey - A Lifelong Journey
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A Lifelong Journey is a project by Mauro Mugiati and Brian Belloni, members of the highly respected Italian Jethro Tull tribute act Beggar’s Farm. Beggar’s Farm has provided them with the opportunity to gain valuable experience in recording studios and to play together with illustrious prog rock masters, such as former Tull members Martin Barre and Clive Bunker, Ian Paice and Don Airey (Deep Purple), Vittorio and Gianni Nocenzi (Banco del Mutuo Soccorso), Aldo Tagliapietra and Tony Pagliuca (Orme), Bernardo Lanzetti and Giorgio Piazza (PFM), along with many other prog luminaries.

 

A Lifelong Journey is their first self-titled release, a concept album that honours the legacy of music from the golden era of prog while recognising the commitment to progress by combining Hammond organ, acoustic piano and Mellotron with modern synthesizers, brilliant guitars and punchy drums to achieve a fresh, yet recognisable prog sound, described by the band as ‘70’s atmosphere meets current innovations’, evident from the first track, Overture where Mellotron chords give way to modern-sounding prog.

Unsurprisingly from musicians who normally ply their trade in a Tull tribute act, there are moments which are strongly influenced by early Jethro Tull, such as the organ work on Reality. What is of greater interest is the way Mugiati and Belloni have shaken off the shackles of expectation – the mix of old and new sounds enables them to include a stupendous amount of variation, from symphonic to heavy prog, and reflective to dramatic moods. All instruments are provided by the two musicians: Belloni plays electric, acoustic and lap steel guitars and drums; Mugiati plays bass guitar and keyboards and does all the singing (the vocals are in English.)

 

A Lifelong Journey is essentially one 48 minute long piece of music, subdivided into short sections which flow into each other apart from a break between The Shadow (reprise) and Reflections from the Window that would serve as a natural interregnum when turning over an LP. It’s a fantastic first album and would interest almost everyone into both classic or modern prog

 

A single Chasing Clouds, not included on the album, was released on Christmas Day

 

 

 

GP

 

 

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