Born in Rome in 1931 and died there in late 2020, Sandro Brugnolini is one of the legends of the Italian library music and soundtrack genre. As a saxophonist, he was a member of the Modern Jazz Gang before turning to film music. With »Utopia,« reissue specialists Sonor Music Editions are making an album available again for the first time that was only released in a very small edition by Gemelli in 1972 and changed hands for three-figure sums in the original. Understandable, because the eight tunes, now supplemented by two alternate takes, form a necklace of lounge-jazz-funk pearls that is unparalleled. Often in the center of the refined and richly colored orchestrated pieces, recorded under the direction of Franco Tamponi: Giorgio Carnini, who is also responsible for the arrangements, on the Hammond organ or piano. Brugnolini is at the zenith of his creativity here: even without a concrete media connection background, the composer thinks here in score categories: »Giuggi« and »Anna« fall into the romantic field, »Supermarket« and the out-of-control chase »Ritorno In Macchina«, on the other hand, could underscore scenes from a thriller, while »Chiostro« would do credit to any melodrama. “Sepoltura” belongs to the giallo, »Utopia« – of course – to the science fiction genre. Brugnolini, however, noticeably enjoys the liberties he can take here and uses them for these immensely distinctive parodies. Great cinema, even without a film.
Utopia
