Quintorigo

Coming from Romagna in Italy, Quintorigo started in 1996 with a lineup composed by Andrea Costa (violin), Gionata Costa(cello), Stefano Ricci (contrabass), Valentino Bianchi (sax) and the incredible voice of John de Leo. Their music is initially an experimental fusion of Classical, Jazz and Rock.

Although the musical ensemble is composed only by acoustic instruments, the band often makes heavy use of sound effects like distortion, flanger, wah-wah to recreate most of the rock sound in their songs.
They became known to the maintream public by taking part to the Sanremo Festival in 1999 with a song taken from their debut album "Rospo".
The song is highly unusual for that environment but the critics are very positive. The same year they won the Tenco prize, that's the art side of Sanremo.
In 2005 John de Leo left the band to be replaced by Luisa Cottifogli. Their first project with the new vocalist is based on Charlie Mingus ("Quinotorigo Play Mingus").
In 2008 Luisa has been replaced by Luca Sapio and this is currently the last change in their lineup.

They have collaborated with some Italian prog artists like Ivano Fossati (Delirium), Franco Battiato and the jazzist Roberto Gatto.
They won two times the prize for the best song arrangement at Sanremo, the first place at Arezzo Wave in 1998 and "Quintorigo Play Mingus" has been chosen by an italian jazz magazine as best album of 2008.

They are active supporters of AMREF (African Medical and Research Foundation)

Discography
1999 - Rospo
2001 - Grigio
2003 - In Cattività
2004 - Nel Vivo
2006 - Il Cannone
2006 - Quinto
2008 - Quintorigo Play Mingus
2010 - Le Origini
2011  - English Garden

Now the Quintorigo factory is back with its new album, "English Garden", great proof of their continuous evolution. Luca Sapio‘s voice (succedeed to Luisa Cottifogli, who took John de Leo‘s place years ago) perfectly harmonizes with the italian combo’s experimentations: blues, 70s rock, punk, jazz and classic melodies. Everything played only with non-rock instruments like violins, saxophones, double-basses and stuff like that. The icing on the cake is Juliette Lewis partecipation on the vocals of two tracks.

Listen and try to define it, if you can.

www.quintorigo.com

The Book Of Knots

The Book Of Knots is an Brooklyn-based experimental art rock band including Matthias Bossi, Joel Hamilton, Carla Kihlstedt and Tony Maimone.

The band was formed in 2003 by three core band members Joel Hamilton, Matthias Bossi and Tony Maimone at Hamilton and Maimone’s Brooklyn based Studio G. Members of Book of Knots have played or worked with various acts previously, including Skeleton Key, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Shiner, Battle of Mice, Sparklehorse, Elvis Costello, Unsane, Pere Ubu, Frank Black, They Might Be Giants and more. Carla Kihlstedt (of Tin Hat Trio, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, 2 Foot Yard among others) joined later in 2003 to solidify what would become the group's core quartet.

The Book of Knots decided to release three conceptual records:

First was to be an ode to rotting seaside towns, a self-titled debut which appeared on Arclight Records in 2004.

Second was a tribute to the American rust belt, titled "Traineater", with the albums release in April 2007 and featuring guest spots from the likes of Tom Waits, Mike Watt, Jon Langford, and David Thomas.

Third, devoted to all things aeronautical and ready to conclude their ”By Sea, By Land, By Air” trilogy with the release of the final chapter, "Garden Of Fainting Stars", on June 14, 2011.

As the “By Air” installment in the trilogy, Garden of Fainting Stars is inspired by the infinitely vast celestial world that sits above the clouds, otherwise known as space. The band provides a rather profound explanation of the album in their recent press release:
”…A vast and empty universe stretching far beyond infinity, capable of containing the countless imaginary creatures, civilizations and otherwise terrestrial impossibilities that inhabit our dreams, dies in the fluorescent lighting of the laundry soap aisle at Walmart. Once again, we cast a wormless, rusty hook into the lifeless seas of the music industry, expecting to reap only sorrow…”
The Book of Knots previously tackled the sea and the land with albums inspired by growing up in a small fishing community and a depressed steel town, '04's Book of Knots and '07's Traineater, respectively.

In addition to the rather heavy musical concept, Garden of Fainting Stars is also stacked with quite the diverse guest musician roster. Making appearances on the album are founding Einstürzende Neubauten member Blixa Bargeld, Mike Watt,
Mr. Bungle/Secret Chiefs 3 guitarist Trey Spruance, and Ipecac Recordings’ co-owner Mike Patton.

http://www.thebookofknots.com