Migliori Amici & Co. (best of friends) (Vanity Music Group, 2022)
Migliori Amici & Co. (best of friends) is an exciting EP album by progressive rock band Migliori Amici & Co . The group is a collaboration between drummer and composer Michael Sciotto (Jefferson Starship, From The Fire) and guitarist, keyboardist and composer Ray DeTone (Paul Di’Anno’s Killers, Drive, She Said).
The two musicians have made a captivating album that embodies the progressive rock spirit by incorporating various musical influences, using creative instrumental builds, and finely crafted arrangements. While some of the guitars have a tendency to venture into hard rock, the keyboards are solidly within the progressive rock realm. Notably, the band also includes skillful jazz fusion, dazzling guitar shredding, delightful acoustic classical music influences, and lively Celtic rock.
Migliori Amici & Co. was developed during the 2020 CPVID-19 shutdown of the entertainment industry. Interestingly, this led to many talented musicians who were stuck at home in their studios with additional time to imagine new musical ideas without the burden of their usual session work for other artists.
Michael and Ray invited their closest and most gifted friends to create new music without restrictions, exploring their musical desires. The musicians that participated in the project include bassist Mark Clarke (Colosseum, Billy Squier); bassist Nicky Moroch (Elton John, David Bowie); keyboardist Adam Holzman (Miles Davis, Steve Wilson); keyboardist Alex Salzman (Ace Frehley); the late David J Keyes on bass (Renaissance, Willie DeVille); bassist Dave Trupia (Marty Balin) and keyboardist and composer Ralph Merigliano (Ross The Boss). What resulted is the EP titled ‘(best of friends)’, which is the English translation of Migliori Amici.
“Everyone involved in this project is a for-hire musician of the highest caliber working in many different genres of music and providing accompaniment appropriate to the musical needs of the client, artist or producer. Since this was a collaboration of close friends, the Migliori Amici & Co “(best of friends)” EP is our uncensored musical statement, providing ourselves and our talented friends the freedom of composing and playing whatever it is that they feel. It’s a rare freedom in the freelance, for-hire music business, for art to be created, unencumbered, by the “(best of friends)“. Progressive rock was the natural genre to use to express ourselves, as it was a style we all loved while growing up.” – Ray DeTone
It makes you wonder how many excellent musicians are out there who would love to make progressive rock if they had an opportunity. I hope that Migliori Amici & Co. will treat us to more excellent music in the not so distant future.