Italian music artist Annie Barbazza is releasing her first solo album “Vive” on February 29, 2020, on Dark Companion Records. She was a young drummer in love with a progressive rock when Greg Lake discovered her talent as a singer and wanted her on stage with him for the concert which would later become the posthumous “Live in Piacenza”. Again Lake produced “Moonchild”, the duo with pianist Max Repetti for Manticore Records where she sang many songs formerly sang by Lake with ELP and King Crimson. If these were the beginnings of Annie’s career, now she is a rising star of the international Avant/Prog scene. Her friendship with John Greaves (Henry Cow, National Health) leads her to collaborate permanently live with the Welsh musician and to collaborate on his latest albums (“Piacenza” for Dark Companion and “Life-Size” for Manticore).
Another one of her stable collaborations is the one with legendary writer-singer-songwriter Paul Roland with whom Annie regularly performs live as a bassist and singer and in the studio also as a drummer. Of extraordinary success both with critics and audiences is the recent collaboration with the North Sea Radio Orchestra as the main vocalist in “Folly Bololey” (Dark Companion), the tribute to Robert Wyatt which triumphed at Rock In Opposition festival and at Cafe Oto in London, the cradle of new music. In-studio she collaborates, among others, with Giorgio Fico Piazza, and with Warm Morning Brothers, while live she performs together with artists such as Eugenio Finardi, Osanna, Robyn Hitchcock and many more, in addition to the ones afore-mentioned.
This album has a long history: Greg Lake originally wanted Annie to played all the instruments, but the record slowly turned into an all-star friends collaboration for most of them asked Annie to be part of it, from Fred Frith to John Greaves, from Lino Capra Vaccina to Daniel Lanois and Paul Roland. All tracks are original with the exception of two tracks written for her by John Greaves and Paul Roland and a cover of the splendid Blegvad / Greaves classic, “How Beautiful You Are”.
Who knows Annie is aware of her elusive, shy nature. By these songs, she gave voice to her inner ghosts and dreams, desires and fierce creativity.
An intimate, courageous, innovative album in which the many influences and musical styles of Annie melts together. Producer Max Marchini wanted to keep as immediate as they were conceived and played, avoiding overengineering and over arrangements. The result is a collection of songs that span over the years working on which the many sides of the sparking, incredible voice of Annie Barbazza are the main character.AllMusic | bandcamp | Discogs | MusicBrainz