Quasimodo – Schachmatt (1982, LP, Switzerland)

Tracklist:
A1 Irland 5:05
A2 Ziit 5:10
A3 Umwältschutz 3:30
A4 Inseli 3:55
A5 Früelig 4:30
B1 Uf Dä Reis 7:20
B2 Am Wasser 4:30
B3 Wänn D'Musig Ghörsch 5:20
B4 Schachmatt 3:50

Musicians:
Bass – Kurt Meier
Drums – Kurt Willi
Guitar – Martin Widmer
Keyboards, Flute, Vocals – Werner Fehr
Vocals, Clarinet, Saxophone – Daniel Wagen

A little-known one-shot Swiss combo, playing a mix of Deutsch(-styled)Rock and atmospheric Prog with extensions into light Symphonic Prog (short piano preludes/interludes, background synthesizers) and Van der Graaf Generator-like complex moves, albeit in much calmer mood (acoustic moments and Daniel Wagen/Werner Fehr performing on clarinet-sax and flute respectively).An ok, cult/underground private release with storytelling passages, decent songwriting, good instrumental efforts, evident 70's sensibilities, but without any new or surprising to offer (RYM).

Boomerang Ensemble – Мираж = Mirage (1986, LP, USSR)

Tracklist:
A1 Полет Беркута • A Golden Eagle's Flight 8:16
A2 Лавка Чудес • Curiosity Shop 11:12
B Мираж • Mirage 15:23

Musicians:
Bass Guitar – Фархад Ибрагимов (A1, A2)
Drums, Percussion, Directed By – Тахир Ибрагимов
Guitar, Sitar – Василий Раббе
Piano – Михаил Ермолов (A1, B)
Synthesizer – В. Стригоцкий
Synthesizer, Electric Piano – Фархад Мусанбаев (A2)
Tabla – Владимир Мусаилов
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Батырхан Шукенов (A2)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Валерий Баннов

Brigitte Fontaine - Areski Belkacem – Les Églantines Sont Peut-Être Formidables (1980, LP, France)

Tracklist:
A1 Le Ménage 4:50
A2 L'Éternel Retour 2:34
A3 La Traversée 3:06
A4 Le Light Show 2:01
A5 La Vache 2:45
B1 Pif 3:10
B2 Tout Le Monde Se Rappelle Peut-Être De Quoi Il S'Agit 10:07
B3 La Maison Du Café 3:33
B4 Baby Boum-Boum 3:22

Musicians:
Bass Guitar – Emmanuel Binet
Drums, Percussion – Frank Raholison
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Mimi Lorenzini
Electric Piano, Synthesizer [A.R.P.], Synthesizer [Odyssey Oberheim Polyphonique] – Anne Ballester
Piano, Electric Piano, Organ [Hammond] – Thierry Tamain
Recorded By [Voices] – Guy Bezançon (A1 to A5)
Sitar [Kanoune - Cithare Arabe] – Kakino Depaz

Francesco Di Giacomo – La Parte Mancante (2019, CD, Italy)

Tracklist:
1 In Quest'Aria 3:16
2 Il Senso Giusto 3:46
3 Emullà 4:07
4 La Parte Mancante 3:29
5 Luoghi Comuni 6:19
6 Insolito 4:40
7 Bomba Intelligente 2:54
8 Quanto Mi Costa 3:08
9 Lo Stato Delle Cose 4:00
10 Alì 1:34
11 In Favore Di Vento 3:40
12 Puntualizzazioni Sulla Vita 1:54
13 Cenerentola 6:40
14 4 Parti 1:06

Musicians:
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Adriano Viterbini (6)
Bass – Danilo Fiorucci (6. 9), Toni Armetta (2)
Clarinet – Alessandro Papotto (5)
Drums – Leonardo Sentinelli (9), Maurizio Masi (6)
Drums, Percussion – Maurizio Masi (2)
Fortepiano – Rocco Tanica (7)
Guitar – Adriano Viterbini (2, 5, 8, 9, 11), Andrea Di Nunzio (9)
Guitar [Solo] – Adriano Viterbini (9)
Lead Vocals – Elio (7)
Percussion – Leonardo Sentinelli (11)
Piano, Electric Piano, Synth – Paolo Sentinelli
Toy Piano – Adriano Viterbini (10)
Trumpet, Trombone, Flugelhorn – Max Dedo (1, 2, 6, 9)
Viola – Lorenzo Rundo (2, 4, 6, 11)
Violin – Alessandra Xanto (2, 4, 6, 11), Carlo Vicari (2, 4, 6, 11), Fabiola Gaudio (2, 4, 6, 11), Gabriele Benigni (2, 4, 6, 11), Michele Campo (2, 4, 6, 11)
Violoncello – Laura Pierazzuoli (2, 4, 6, 11), Marco Simonacci (2, 4, 6, 11), Tiziano Ricci (14)
Vocals – Ashai Arop Lombardi (14), Ashai Arop Lombardi (2), Erminia Palmieri (2), Luca Attili (2), Ugo Bentivegna (2)
Vocals, Lyrics By – Francesco Di Giacomo

Praxis – Cenerentola (1983, LP, Italy)

Tracklist:
A Cenerentola 19:28
B Praxis Suite 22:40

Musicians:
Double Bass, Electric Bass – Ilario De Marinis
Percussion – Vincenzo Mazzone
Piano – Pippo Fumaroli
Reeds – Roberto Ottaviano
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Leader – Pino Minafra

A hidden gem of the 1980s Italian underground, Cenerentola is a masterclass in avant-garde expression. Released on the cult label Letichetta, this LP captures Praxis at the peak of their improvisational powers.

Moving far beyond the boundaries of traditional jazz, the album unfolds across two sprawling tracks of pure sonic exploration. Featuring the brilliant Pino Minafra, the performance is a tightrope walk between tension and release, blending frantic free-jazz energy with moments of haunting abstraction.

For fans of European free improv and radical Italian jazz, this is more than just a record—it’s a rare document of a scene that dared to break every rule. A must-have for serious crate-diggers and lovers of the unconventional.

Claude Barthelemy – Moderne (1983, LP, France)

Tracklist:
A1 Mank De Monk 1:55
A2 Hairache 2:20
A3 Stay Quiet 4:15
A4 Late 4:15
A5 Moderne 5:25
B1 Catch A Satch 2:20
B2 Between The Sheets 4:15
B3 Wazemmes 4:15
B4 Sumatra 1:00
B5 S'Ornette-Margareta 5:10

Musicians:
Bass [Electrc & Acoustic] – Jean-Luc Ponthieux
Drums – Jacques Mahieux
Guitar – Claude Barthelemy
Saxophone [Tenor & Soprano] – Jean-Marc Padovani
Tuba, Trombone [Kontrabass] – Gérard Buquet