Premiata Forneria Marconi

Label: Numero Uno
Country: Italy
Released: 1974
Format: Vinyl,LP,Album

Release Overview

Live In U.S.A., released as Cook in North America and the UK, represents the first live album by the Italian progressive rock band Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM). This album captures the band during their 1974 North American tour and was released in late 1974 under the labels Numero Uno and Manticore.

Recording Details

The album was recorded at two key venues: Convocation Hall in Toronto on August 22, 1974, and Central Park in New York on August 31, 1974. The recording at Convocation Hall was engineered by Chris Skene, while the performance in Central Park utilized the Record Plant Mobile, engineered by David Hewitt. The mixing process took place at Olympic Studios in London, handled by Andy Hendriksen and Robert Carvell. Claudio Fabi and PFM produced the album.

Band Lineup

The lineup during this live performance included Mauro Pagani on violin, flute, and vocals; Franco Mussida on lead guitar and vocals; Flavio Premoli on piano, Hammond organ, Mellotron, Minimoog synthesizer, and lead vocals; Patrick Djivas on bass guitar; and Franz Di Cioccio on drums, percussion, and vocals. This ensemble was crucial in delivering the dynamic sound that PFM is known for.

Musical Highlights

Live In U.S.A. features six tracks that highlight the band’s jazz-rock fusion style. The album opens with "Four Holes In The Ground" and includes the lyrical classic "Dove... Quando." "Just Look Away" and the crowd-pleasing "Celebration (Including The World Became The World)" follow, showcasing the band's ability to engage live audiences. "Mr. 9 Till 5" is another standout, leading to the monumental 16-minute track "Alta Loma 5 Till 9 (Including William Tell Overture)," which serves as a climactic end to the album.

Performance Style

This live recording captures PFM at a peak performance level. The album features intricate instrumental interplay and remarkable improvisational jazz-rock jams. The dueling sounds of violin and guitar are particularly noteworthy, reflecting the band's musical depth and versatility. The energy of the live setting enhances the experience, making it a vital document of their 1974 tour.

Technical Specifications

Live In U.S.A. was released in vinyl format as an LP album. The catalog number for the Italian release is DZSLN 55666. The album is categorized under various genres, including jazz, rock, jazz-rock, classic rock, art rock, prog rock, and fusion.

Tracklist

A1	Four Holes In The Ground Written-By – PremoliWritten-By – MussidaWritten-By – PaganiWritten-By – Sinfield	7:26
A2	Dove... Quando Written-By – MussidaWritten-By – Pagani	4:43
A3	Just Look Away Written-By – PremoliWritten-By – MussidaWritten-By – PaganiWritten-By – Sinfield	8:48
A4	Celebration (Including The World Became The World) Written-By – PremoliWritten-By – MussidaWritten-By – Sinfield*	8:33
B1	Mr. 9 Till 5 Written-By – PremoliWritten-By – MussidaWritten-By – Sinfield*	4:32
B2	Alta Loma 5 Till 9 (Including William Tell Overture) Arranged By [Arrangement Of Rossini's' 'Wiliam Tell Overture'] – PFMWritten-By – PremoliWritten-By – Mussida*	15:50