Cobol (Deluxe Edition) (CD)

Echoes of Tangerine Dream, Lalo Schifrin, Deep Purple, John Barry, Jean-Michel Jarre, Italian Cinema, Gene Krupa, 70’s Library Music, Herbie Hancock are but a few of the memories “COBOL” will evoke…but it’s much more than that.
20 years ago I cut brilliant code in a tiny office cubical to the sounds of ZTT Records, Yello, and The James Taylor Quartet, so when Apollo suggested fusing his funk-soul-jazz-rock style with early 80s electronic new wave and the inspired elegance and beauty of the preeminent computer language how could I say anything but “Yes!”? This was my history reinvented by a man that clearly transcends time: a genius that tempts genius out of everyone that enters his orbit and can find the soul from the least obvious places. This is not a clever trick but rather an inherent gift exposed by his insatiable appetite for the heart of the groove (i.e. the meaning of life; spiritual transcendence, The Force™, etc.).
“COBOL” is the final part of an epic trilogy that begins with the youth’s ambition of “A Bigger Tomorrow” (2007), expands with the master’s control of “The Great Anything” (2010), and evolves into the artist’s unfiltered vision: a perfectly synthesized elixir of Lost Continent meets Dirty Harry meets Futureworld.

This new Deluxe Edition (digital download only) features an exclusive bonus track taken from the B-side of the limited edition 45 “Lightswitch”, recorded as a conclusion of “Cobol” concept back in 2012.

Paolo Apollo Negri: keyboards, percussion and programming
Gizelle Smith: vocals on #10
Buck McKinney: guitar on #01 and #06
Miss Modus: vocals on #02
Edoardo Giovanelli: bass on #02, #03 and #07
Teresa Reeves Gilmer: vocalS on #07
Mario Percudani: guitar on #02 and #11
Brad Bradburn: bass on #01 and #06
Craig Kristensen: bass on #09 and #11. Spoken words on #05
Lucio Calegari: guitar on #03, #07 and #09

Recorded and mixed in spring 2011 at Tonewheel Cavern MKII (Italy).
Additional recording at The Groove Tunnel (Scotland), Elfo Recording Studio (Italy), 2-Liter Studio (USA), TAanzan Music Studio (Italy), Goldhawk Studios (England).

Mastered at Elfo Recording Studio (Italy), mastering supervision by Alberto Callegari.
All songs written and arranged by Paolo Negri, except track #2 by Paolo Negri and Miss Modus, #7 by Paolo Negri and Teresa Reeves Gilmer and #10 by Paolo Negri and Gizelle Smith.

Front cover picture by Paolo Gastaldi at Foto 3 Studio
Artwork concept and design by Craig Kristensen