Jumbo

1970-72:
Alvaro Fella (vocals, acoustic guitar, sax, keyboards, percussion)
Daniele Bianchini (guitar)
Dario Guidotti (flute, mouth harp, acoustic guitar, percussion)
Sergio Conte (keyboards, vocals)
Aldo Gargano (bass, guitar)
Vito Balzano (drums, percussion, vocals)

A very important band that would have deserved much more success than they really had at the time, Jumbo were formed in Milan at the end of 1969 around singer-songwriter Alvaro "Jumbo" Fella, previously playing as bassist with the group from Vercelli Juniors.

Their debut came with two pop singles in 1970 on Numero Uno, sharing the same B-side and containing two cover versions, with Montego Bay and an Italian version of In the summertime called In estate.
First LP arrived in 1972 (but recorded earlier) on Philips, rather thin, conceived as an Alvaro Fella solo album (his nickname then became the name of the group) and mostly based on acoustic guitar compositions with little space for electric group parts. There are some good moments like Amore sono qua and Dio è (re-recorded on second album), but the result is not impressive and on a lesser level than their following works.

Later that year came their second album, DNA, an incredibly mature work, and especially when compared with the previous one this is their real first album as a group.
It's composed of four extended tracks, with the long Suite per il Signor K taking the whole of side one. The beginning is in the same style as on the first album, based on acoustic instruments (guitar, flute, piano) but suddenly a distorted electric guitar introduces a much more aggressive sound, led by Fella's harsh voice and strong lyrics. One of the best Italian prog albums for sure!

Last album in 1973, after a drummer change with Tullio Granatello from Novara replacing the original member Vito Balzano. Vietato ai minori di 18 anni? is their most ambitious work, containing strong lyrics and fragments of avantgarde-inspired music, with the help of Franco Battiato. Come vorrei essere uguale a te and Specchio deal with difficult subjects as homosexuality and social alienation and the result is intriguing and rewarding even if less immediate than DNA. The strong contents of the lyrics caused the band being banned by radio programs.

The band was very popular live and kept playing for some years, in 1975 they released a last commercial single, playing at Milan Parco Lambro festivals in 1975 and 1976 (this time with Roberto Biancone on sax and Valter Frazzi on keyboards, replacing Guidotti and Conte).

After a not successful reunion attempt in 1983, documented on the Violini d'autunno CD, the band reunited again in late 1989 with original members bar Sergio Conte (replaced by Paolo Dolfini) for a one-off concert in Paris with IQ and Magma, organized by a French fan of theirs, and the very nice evening is documented on the brilliant Live in Paris CD.

2001 has seen the release of another CD, called Passing by, containing 1991-2001 recordings by guitarist Daniele Bianchini (always the driving force behind the reunion attempts) aided by some of the band original members, like Alvaro Fella, Dario Guidotti and Tullio Granatello, more new age oriented and mainly instrumental, but containing some very good moments.
In 2007 BTF released the DVD Anthology, containing interviews, pictures and videos documenting the group's career.

After leaving Jumbo, flutist Dario Guidotti played in the first line-up and debut LP of Treves Blues Band, and since 1978 with the group Cacao, releasing an eponymous album for the Pilgrim Fathers label (PFH-27701) in 1981.

LP
Jumbo	Philips (6323 012)	1972	single cover with laminated front lyric inner
DNA	Philips (6323 017 L)	1972	gatefold textured cover with inner - some copies have a smooth cover
	BTF/Vinyl Magic (VM 082LP)	2007	reissue of 1972 album with gatefold cover
Vietato ai minori di 18 anni?	Philips (6323 025 A)	1973	gatefold textured cover with inner
	BTF/Vinyl Magic (VM 084LP)	2007	reissue of 1973 album with gatefold cover
CD
Vietato ai minori di 18 anni?	Philips (846 642-2)	1990	reissue of 1973 album
	BTF/Vinyl Magic (VMCD 084)	2004	as above with mini gatefold cover, obi and booklet
Jumbo	Philips/Mellow (512 117-2)	1992	reissue of 1972 album - now deleted
DNA	Philips/Mellow (512 118-2)	1992	reissue of 1972 album - now deleted
	BTF/Vinyl Magic (VMCD 082)	2004	as above with mini gatefold cover, obi and booklet
Live	Mellow (MMP 108)	1992	1990 live concert in Paris by reformed line-up
1983 - Violini d'autunno	Mellow (MMP 119)	1992	unreleased 1983 recordings by reformed line-up
1991-2001 Passing by	Private pressing	2001	1991-2001 recordings
VARIOUS ARTISTS COMPILATIONS
Collezione Numero Uno (with In the summertime)	Numero Uno (ZSLN 55012)	1970	singles compilation, with Edoardo Bennato, Formula Tre, La Verde Stagione, Anna Maria Rame, Bruno Lauzi, Flora Fauna e Cemento, Computers
Quelli della Numero Uno (with Due righe da te)	Numero Uno (CFD 01080-10)	1999	10 CD - box set with tracks from singles
SINGLES (with picture sleeve)
In estate Due righe da te	Numero Uno (ZN 50033)	1970
Montego bay Due righe da te	Numero Uno (ZN 50104)	1970	same B-side as previous single
Vorrei Il re dei re del rock and roll	Atlantic (T 10672)	1975
PROMO-ONLY AND JUKEBOX SINGLES (with blank cover)
La strada che porta al fiume	Philips (AS 153)	1972	promo white label backed with Umberto Balsamo/Se fossi diversa
Miss Rand	Philips (ASC 1060)	1972	promo three-track EP track from DNA - backed with Patty Pravo/A modo mio and Gens/Anche un fiore lo sa
Il ritorno del signor K No!	Philips (AS 245)	1973	promo white label both tracks from Vietato ai minori,,,
Come vorrei essere uguale a te Part I & II	Philips (AS 246)	1973	promo white label both tracks from Vietato ai minori,,,

Rather difficult to find, all the Jumbo LP's were released by Philips with lyric inners.
First album has a single cover, with lamination on front. It was recorded in six days and first issued in a limited pressing of just around 1000 copies. It was probably repressed later after the success of the following two albums.

Both DNA and Vietato ai minori di 18 anni? have textured gatefold covers, the latter being particularly difficult to find in perfect condition as the delicate dark cover is usually worn. Some copies of DNA also exist with smooth cover.
DNA was recorded in a week and released in a first batch of 5000 copies, Vietato ai minori di 18 anni in two weeks, being their most elaborate work also on a technical point of view, and the first pressing was made in 10000 copies.
Both the albums have been reissued on vinyl by BTF in 2007. No foreign vinyl issues exist.

A Japanese CD reissue with mini-gatefold cover on Philips "European Rock Legend Series" exists for DNA (UICY-9113) and Vietato ai minori di 18 anni? (UICY-9114)

The Passing by CD can be ordered through the band's website (see details below).
New 2004 CD reissues of DNA and Vietato ai minori di 18 anni? have been released by BTF in their "Italian progressive" series with nice mini-gatefold covers and illustrated booklets.


Jumbo - LP

DNA - LP

DNA - inner gatefold

Vietato ai minori di 18 anni? - gatefold cover

In estate - 7" single cover	Montego bay - 7" single cover

Vorrei - 7" single cover

1983 - Violini d'autunno - CD	Jumbo Live - CD

Passing by - CD

Anthology - DVD

Thanks to Daniele Bianchini, Dario Guidotti, Laura Albergante, Pino Orlandi for some information and pictures on Jumbo