Chosen by Greg Lake as arranger and pianist for his most recent projects, to make you imagine the stature of the musician we are reviewing the album, Max Repetti publishes a collection of original compositions, suspended in a syncretic language that from the obvious classical formation, it ranges in the most refined and European jazz, with intense progressive suggestions.
In fact, the influence of the late Keith Emerson is evident both on the compositional level and on the level of intention and executive touch and pervades most of the compositions even if "The Corner" could be a seventh wife of Henry VIII, to show that the excellent readings Repetti also does not forget the great Wakeman, among the inspirers.
Many of the musics of this successful album are ballads in the Emersonian style, where the lyrical sense and harmonies never banal and intriguing offer different levels of reading.
We'll hear Max again soon, beginning with the imminent release of the album "Moonchild", produced by Greg Lake himself for his Manticore, made in tandem with ELP's pupil Annie Barbazza on vocals and recorded, like this one, to the legendary Elfo studies.
Returning to this very successful Pictures of Life, it is one of those albums that are put back on the head once you have finished listening to them, that will excite both fans of solo piano records in the ECM style and the lovers of progressive more cultured and refined.
