The story of 'Back to the country'

THE PIEDMONT BROTHERS BAND – BACK TO THE COUNTRY

1.  Back To The Country                      (Marco Zanzi - © SUISA)                                                    - 5:03

2.  The Dark Stranger                          (Ray O’Neill / Marco Zanzi - © SUISA)                                                  - 3:56

3.  And Settlin’ Down                           (Richie Furay - © Warner Chappell Music Inc. ASCAP)                  - 3:28

4.  Little Star                                       (Marco Zanzi / Katherine Walczyk - © SUISA)                                     - 3:00

5.  In My Own Small Way                    (Rick Roberts - © Silver Wing Songs BMI)                                            - 2:55

6.  The Road                                        (Mike Gallivan / Marco Zanzi - © SUISA)                                              - 3:47

7.  A True Aching Heart / Ceci’s Jig     (Marco Zanzi - © SUISA)                                                                      - 7:07

8.  Colorado                                         (Rick Roberts - © Songs Of Universal, Inc. BMI)                          - 3:59

9.  All Is Not Lost (How Sad But True)    (Ron Martin / Rita De Cillis - Ron Martin - © BMI)                          - 4:17

10. Carolina Star                                 (Hugh Moffat - © Gray Mouser Music / Atlantic Music Corp. BMI)       - 3:31

11. Snowflakes                                                                (Marco Zanzi - © SUISA)                                                                      - 4:03

12. Waiting On A Train                                                (Ron Martin - © BMI)                                                                             - 4:30

13. Little Annie                                                                (Traditional - © Public Domain)                                                              - 4:11

Running Time: 53'52"

Bar Code Number / UPC-A: 7-00220-67852-1

Catalogue Number: MZ-005

Il progetto Piedmont Brothers Band di Ronald Martin e Marco Zanzi è arrivato al quarto traguardo. Una grande idea di collaborazione tra Vecchio e Nuovo Continente, basata su una solida fraterna amicizia e gusti musicali comuni, si è ormai da tempo concretizzata ed ha prodotto opere pregevoli in ambito country rock ed oltre. Quasi un lustro di vita, considerando il genere preso in esame, le difficoltà artistiche e materiali, organizzative e finanziarie, specie in Europa, è di per sé un successo straordinario. E tutto ciò si deve sì al coraggio ed alla tenacia di chi ha voluto questa avventura, ma anche alla bontà e alla grande serietà della proposta musicale.

Parlando di covers il repertorio d’oltreoceano, da dove tutto è partito, sembra pressoché infinito: sta proprio al buon gusto dei professionisti scegliere il materiale opportuno e qui la raffinatezza del ricercatore si è prodigata in tre vere e proprie perle. Brani come “Colorado” ed “In My Own Small Way” di Rick Roberts e “And Settlin’ Down” di Richie Furay (qui presentata in duetto con la figlia Jesse Furay Lynch), oltre ad aver contribuito a scrivere la storia del country rock, non hanno mai perso una nota del loro fascino a più di quarant’anni dal loro apparire sulle scene americane proposte dai Flying Burrito Brothers e dai Poco, due dei primi gruppi storici del genere.

Ma dove l’intero lavoro trova quasi la sua ragione d’essere e la sua linfa vitale sono nelle composizioni originali dei membri della PBB, i due fondatori e la cerchia sempre più allargata e vitale dei collaboratori accomunati dalla medesima passione, e la partecipazione di parecchi musicisti che il country rock l’hanno creato, scritto e vissuto in prima persona. E qui la lista dei nomi dei vecchi leoni è impressionante per qualità e quantità. In compagnia di Roberts (FBB, Firefall) e Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Southern-Hillman-Furay Band) spuntano Gene Parsons (Nashville West, Byrds, FBB, Parsons Green), Buddy Cage (New Riders of the Purple Sage, session man in un’infinità di albums di altri artisti), Patrick Shanahan (Stone Canyon Band di Rick Nelson, New Riders of the Purple Sage) e Stephen A. Love (Stone Canyon Band, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, Roger McGuinn). Il loro contributo strumentale e vocale in parecchie tracce dell’album risulta spesso determinante ed il loro tocco, confidenziale, rassicurante e sempre a proposito, una garanzia per l’appassionato di lungo corso. A parte un ispirato omaggio al cantautore Hugh Moffatt, i brani scritti da Ron Martin e Marco Zanzi, coadiuvati e aiutati di volta in volta da Ray O’ Neil, Katherine Walczyk, Mike Gallivan e Rita De Cillis, sono di per se stessi una delle vere sorprese dell’intero lavoro: composizioni mature, pregnanti, contenenti il seme del genere musicale prediletto, ma del tutto emancipate ed originali, a volte mediate da sapori ed atmosfere angloscotoirlandesi per completare e chiudere il cerchio ideale e geografico.

I due amici promotori, ormai a loro completo agio con l’argomento e padroni della materia, si prodigano in un paio di gioielli che non sfigurerebbero affatto in una hit parade di singoli senza tempo (e che probabilmente finiranno per trovare la loro giusta collocazione proprio in quella sede). “Back To The Country”, titolo di per sé un programma, è un lavoro affascinante, frutto di amore, passione e grande professionalità, di tecnica e di gusto, che nulla ha da invidiare a realizzazioni d’oltreoceano miracolate da un budget mirabolante. Lasciate scorrere le prime note, con vostra grande sorpresa in brevissimo tempo vibreranno all’unisono col vostro cuore.

Pierangelo Valenti – Agosto 2013

The Piedmont Brothers Band project of Ronald Martin and Marco Zanzi has reached its fourth goal. A great idea of collaboration between the old and the new Continents based on a solid brotherly friendship and a common taste in music, has been a reality for a long time now, and has produced valuable works in country rock and beyond. Despite the genre, the artistic and material difficulties, as well as the financial and organizational ones, especially in Europe, the project has almost half a decade of life which is an extraordinary success in itself. And it is not only due to the courage and tenacity of those who began this adventure, but also to the quality and great seriousness of the music offered.

   Regarding the cover songs: the American repertoire, where everything started from, seems almost endless. It is the good taste of the professionals in choosing the appropriate material which has produced three real gems: ‘Colorado’ and ‘In My Own Small Way’ by Rick Roberts and ‘And Settlin’ Down’ by Richie Furay (presented here as a duet with his daughter Jesse Furay Lynch). These songs, besides helping to write the history of Country Rock, have not missed a note of their charm after more than forty years from their appearance on the American scene thanks to the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Poco, two of the first groups of the genre.

   However, the entire work finds its raison d'être and its vital lifeblood in the original compositions of the members of the PBB: the two founders and the circle of collaborators, who all share the same passion, which is becoming more and more vital and big, as well as the participation of several musicians who created, wrote and lived firsthand the roots of country rock itself. The list of the famous names is impressive in terms of quality and quantity. Together with Roberts (FBB, Firefall) and Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Southern-Hillman-Furay Band) also Gene Parsons (Nashville West, Byrds, FBB, Parsons Green), Buddy Cage (New Riders of the Purple Sage, session man in many albums by other artists), Patrick Shanahan (Rick Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band, New Riders of the Purple Sage) and Stephen A. Love (Stone Canyon Band, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, Roger McGuinn) emerge. Their instrumental and vocal contribution in several tracks in the album is often significant and their reassuring, confident and always appropriate touch is a guarantee of satisfaction for the long-time enthusiast. Except for an inspired tribute to the songwriter Hugh Moffat, the songs written by Ron Martin and Marco Zanzi, with contributions by Ray O’Neil, Katherine Walczyk, Mike Gallivan and Rita De Cillis, are one of the real surprises of the entire work: mature, pithy compositions, containing the seed of the their favorite music genre, but totally free and original, sometimes influenced by Anglo/Scot/Irish flavors and atmospheres to complete and close the ideal and geographical circle.

   The two founder-friends, at this point completely at ease with the topic, and masters of the subject, have produced here several jewels that would fit easily in a hit parade of timeless hits (and that probably will end up exactly there). “Back To The Country”, whose title is so significant in itself, is a fascinating work, a fruit of love, passion and great professionalism, of technique and taste, which is every bit as good as overseas productions that are only accomplished with exaggerated budgets. Let the first notes flow and with your great surprise they will shortly vibrate in unison with your heart.

Pierangelo Valenti – August 2013