Perigeo was a musical group that Giovanni Tommaso started in 1971. Five members made up the original lineup: Tommaso on bass, Bruno Biriaco drums, Claudio Fasoli on sax, Tony Sidney on guitar, Claudio Fasoli on drums, Claudio Fasoli on sax, Claudio Fasoli on drums, Claudio Fasoli on sax and Tony Sidney on guitar. The band released seven studio albums before his final breakup in 1981. The band has a jazz-rock sound that is reminiscent of Miles Davis’ “Bitches Brew”. Although this early form of fusion is met with resistance by jazz purists, it soon gained the support of many fans and was invited to major festivals across the country. They also performed a series in Europe, particularly in France and England. The group’s debut album, Azimut, is released in 1972. Even though the music sounds a bit static, it shows the musicians’ jazz roots. Abbiamo unblues da piangere, the next year’s album, is far better. This album showcases the musicianship of each member and the more complex and expressive tracks. It also marks the beginning of jazz-rock and jazz prog. Tommaso was the first to truly embody modernity. Genealogia is 1974, the year that Genealogia was released. This album is more accessible than any previous one and features a greater use of synthesizers with the introduction of moog (played by Tommaso). This album is richer and more varied than the previous, and features a great mix of music genres. The rhythms and harmony have a conformation that is rockier than ever, even though the group is still very much alive. Genealogia gave Perigeo great feedback from critics, and the band quickly became one of the most important classics in Italian prog-rock. Perigeo returns with his fourth studio album La valle deitempli, after a successful European tour in 1975 with Weather Report. The album is more dynamic and vital than the previous three, particularly in the rhythm section. This is largely due to Tony Esposito, a Neapolitan drummer. The group’s last album was a commercial success and the Perigeo was deemed one of the most important examples of Italian rock. The end of jazz-rock with Non e’ poi cosi’ lontano was announced the next year. While the album shows the technical ability of each component, it is contaminated by pop songs. After this disappointing release, the members of the group decided to focus their careers on being sessionmen and other collaborations as well as their solo careers. The five musicians were reunited under the name ‘Special Perigeo’ in 1980. They released the double concept album Alice. This was inspired by Lewis Carroll’s novel Alice in Wonderland. In addition to the traditional jazz-rock fusion, the work becomes a sophisticated pop with the participation of many Italian artists. Giovanni Tommaso creates the New Perigeo shortly after. The lineup is entirely made up of new members: Maurizio Giammarco (sax, flute, and choir), Carlo Pennisi, electric guitar, acoustic, and vocals), Danilo Ra (piano and keyboards), Agostino Marangolo (drums), and Danilo Pennisi. The RCA promotes a project at the end of 1980 with New Perigeo (Rino Gaetano) and Riccardo COcciante. They release an EP called Q-Concert from their concerts. Finally, in 1981, New Perigeo released the last studio album Effetto amore. The project was short-lived, but Perigeo was the most successful attempt to fuse jazz and rock in Italy. This was due to the careful balance of improvisation and structured music. Biography by Erik Nymas (Italie).
