Le Orme

An Italian progressive rock band formed in Venice in 1970, Le Orme enjoyed success beyond its borders. Represented until 2009 by bassist and vocalist Aldo Tagliapietra, the group no longer has any original members, but has produced some twenty studio albums, including its big hit Felona e Sorona (1973), recorded in Italian and English versions. A product of the psychedelic movement, Le Orme was signed by the Car Juke Box label and took part in the 1968 festival Un Disco Per l'Estate, before releasing its first album Ad Gloriam (1969), whose title track was included in the soundtrack to the film Ocean's Eleven (2001). Frequent personnel changes marked the history of the band, whose popularity grew with each successive album in the 1970s. Starting with the album Storia o Leggenda (1977), keyboard-based rock instrumentation gave way to material used in classical chamber music, notably on its successors Florian (1979) and Piccola Rapsodia dell'Ape (1980). After a four-year hiatus, Le Orme made a comeback in 1986, first in concert and then on record, with the 1990 release of a new album entitled Orme. Keyboardist Tony Pagliuca, present from 1968 to 1991, gave way to Michele Bon, while composer and pianist Francesco Sartori joined in 1992. Thereafter, the group alternated between international tours and recordings. Successive albums include Elementi (2001), L'Infinito (2004) and La Via della Seta (2011).