FLIES 45-40 Giuliano Sorgini
MAD TOWN / ULTIMA CACCIA
7''

out on Feb, 25th

Four Flies is delighted to present a super juicy treat for all 7-inch vinyl devotees: the first of its 45s series singles to feature tracks from Giuliano Sorgini’s masterpiece Zoo Folle. To ensure maximum DJing pleasure, we’ve picked two of the grooviest tracks from the original recording session, never before released in this format.

The psychedelic funk number “Mad Town”, on Side A, drags you in with its infectious drum breaks and the rapid yet hypnotic flute of Nino Rapicavoli. “Ultima Caccia”, on Side B, is sheer afro-tribal bliss, with drums by Sorgini himself and massive funky percussion by legendary session player Enzo Restuccia.

If you want an ace up your DJing sleeve, look no further.

Giuliano Sorgini | Ultima Caccia

Giuliano Sorgini | Mad Town

FLIES 45-37 Armando Trovajoli - SESSOMATTO / KINKY PEANUTS
7''

Woo-hoo! Two of the best Italian rare grooves ever are finally back on 7'' for the first time since their original French release on the format! Both are from that most iconic film soundtrack of the Italian 70s (the LP is now a holy grail for collectors), Armando Trovajoli’s score to Dino Risi’s anthology sex comedy SESSOMATTO (1973) starring Laura Antonelli and Giancarlo Giannini. 

In the title track the influence of Manu Dibango’s afro-funk hit “Soul Makossa” is filtered through, and enriched by, an exquisitely Italian approach, with a sweet ’n’ groovy funk base (the terrific mid-song drum break has been a DJ favorite for decades) over which Edda Dell’Orso seductively laughs and repeats the words ‘sesso’ and ‘matto’ again and again. The wild and fun electronic samba “Kinky Peanuts” on side B is a wonderful example of ‘strange incredible music’, with infectiously quirky Moog themes and runs.    

Pretty irresistible.

Side A | Armando Trovajoli - SESSOMATTO

While still unknown to many today, Enzo Minuti (1927-2000), aka Ezy Minus, left his unique mark on the kaleidoscopic world of Italian library music. One of the most versatile, skilled and authentic figures in the Bolognese music scene of the mid- to late 20th century, Minuti was a multi-instrumentalist, composer, music producer and recording studio manager, as well as a painter, etcher and graphic artist. He devoted his life to music (especially jazz, a genre that has enjoyed a long tradition in the city of Bologna), so much so that even his visual art was inspired by music.

After extensive touring in Europe and Turkey as a jazz musician, in the late 60s Minuti opened one of the first (if not the first) recording studios in Bologna, Studio 67. This is where, throughout the 70s and 80s, he composed and recorded his own library music under the monikers Ezy Minus, Maripal and Cronomas. The fact that he was based in Bologna is in itself worthy of notice for, at the time, Italian library music was produced almost exclusively in Rome and Milan (most of his output in this genre was indeed released by Kronal, a sub-label of Fabio ‘Fabor’ Borgazzi’s Rome-based Minstrel, and by Music Scene, a joint imprint of Minstrel and Milan’s Jump Edizioni Musicali). 

This collection brings together music composed by Minuti between the ‘70s and the early ‘80s. Within this timeframe, his first library compositions can be described as cheerful pop-jazz pieces veering towards either easy listening – with vocal harmonies, jazzy vocalizations, and rhythmic elements from bossa nova, samba and swing – or a more psychedelic style, with the use of chromatism and an experimental rock feel here and there. Later on he also experimented with genres such as reggae and increasingly used electronic instruments (synths, drum machines, loop stations, etc.). However, his playful, light-hearted approach to composition remained unchanged, or was even enhanced, in his later output (which, like his earlier work, features simple musical structures, terse arrangements, and delicate and linear melodies). On a technical note, it is worth mentioning that, not unlike better-known maestros like Piero Umiliani and Giuliano Sorgini, Minuti often used the technique of overdubbing and played most instruments on his tracks (flute, saxophone, organ, piano, percussion), sometimes even singing some of the vocals. 

What is perhaps most striking about Minuti’s library music is its great imaginative power, the ease and naturalness with which it evokes images and scenarios in the listener’s mind. This ‘visual quality’ has much to do with his activity as a figurative and abstract artist. Having inherited a passion for art from his grandfather and his father (a professional and an amateur painter, respectively), he taught himself to draw, paint, etch, and exhibited his works in Italy and abroad. Most importantly, he also drew the covers of many of his albums. Almost surrealist in style, these covers are a sort of dreamscapes featuring symbolic objects, shapes and figures. They go hand in hand with his evocative, dream-like music, which offers us an immediate, synthetic representation of an emotion, a situation, or a landscape, and fires up our imagination with visions at once so simple and clear that they remain impressed in our memory.    

Music and art were inextricably connected in Minuti’s life. Whatever he saw, heard or laid his hands upon, he had to turn it into song or art.  The title of this collection is a reference to that, and also a way to pay homage to the many-sided personality of an unsung maestro.

Opening

Situazione

Italian groove at its finest.

In the early '70s, after relocating from his native Genoa to Rome, young saxophonist Gianni Oddi was beginning to establish himself as a super-cool arranger thanks to a series of cover albums recorded for RCA Italy. They contained funk, soul and easy-listening versions of contemporary pop hits, but Oddi often managed to include one or two original compositions of his own – like the ones contained in this new instalment of Four Flies's 12-inch vinyl series for DJs.

The luscious funk of Dreamin', on side A, shows Oddi as an Italian master of groove. Warm, sexy and nocturnal, the song combines breaky drums with tantalizing vocals (provided by Baba Yaga's Isabella Sodani), adding a romantic, dreamy vibe in the special with strings and piano (the latter played by Oddi himself) that are at once reminiscent of soulful black music and influenced by the melodic tradition of Italy.

Geronimo, on side B, is almost a tribute to Manu Dibango – a favourite of Oddi's at the time. Here, Oddi's signature groove, at once refined and infectious, is driven by Mario Scotti's pulsating bass, Silvano Chimenti's wah-wah guitar, Oddi's own persuasive sax and, in particular, sound engineer (and former drummer) Enzo Martella's 'moose call' sound (made by sliding a thumb across the top of a conga). In a nutshell: Africa reimagined in Via Tiburtina (the street in Rome where RCA Italy's recording studios where located).

Both tracks are perfect examples of Oddi's sound and... Style (yes, his 1974 album for RCA Italy's SP series). The same sound (and style!) characterizes masterpieces like Le Montagne della Luce (co-written with Romolo Grano), La Sbandata (the funky theme from Domenico Modugno's soundtrack, which Oddi arranged and produced) and Mondo di Notte Oggi (co-written with Gianni Dell'Orso). All of these have been released by Four Flies, which continues to celebrate this fantastic groove maker.

Dreamin'

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Augusto Martelli’s passing, Four Flies presents Genovese Bossa, a compilation of 6 tracks that bring together the Italian pop song with the South American sounds and rhythms typically found in the Genoese maestro’s discography.

In the latter half of the 1970s, when Martelli launched his label Aguamanda Records, he composed, performed and recorded several Latin-infused pieces, playfully capitalizing on the similarities between Portuguese and the Genoese dialect.

Genovese Bossa aims to rediscover and spotlight some of the composer's most whimsical, unconventional, and humorous tracks, beginning with the cheeky “Butta La Pasta, Señora”, the only song on the EP sung in Italian. The brilliant parallel between Genoese and Portuguese is immediately apparent in “Scia Cattaen, Scia Me I Fa I Taggiaen”, followed by the funkier “O Mae Ma” and the vibrant “Bom De De Bom Bom”, a fun and carefree samba. The collection also includes the previously unreleased song “Scigoa” from 1977, originally written and arranged for Genoese pop group Ricchi e Poveri, now available for the first time with Martelli’s vocals.

This compilation is a tribute to the extraordinary creativity of Augusto Martelli, a heartfelt homage to a musical genius who continues to delight and surprise us, even ten years after his passing.

Na Voxe Dixeiva

Scigoa

Bom De De Bom Bo

O Mae Ma

Scia Cattaen, Scia Me I Fa I Taggiaen

Butta La Pasta, Señora

First official reissue ever for this Italian holy-grail soundtrack, finally back to life in a long-waited 180gr. limited edition, supervised by M° Giuliano Sorgini himself, who also wrote his personal liner notes. Remastered from the original master tapes that were preserved for more than 40 years in almost perfect shape, ZOO FOLLE is a highly sought after psych-funk album, a true masterpiece for all breaks-beat lovers, full of rhythmic percussion, acid flute, synth work, dark electronics, drum machines, and crazy hand-claps. The score was composed for an Italian TV movie in 1974, directed by Riccardo Fellini (brother of the most well-known Federico), and originally released on Ricordi Label in the same year. Featuring Edda Dell’Orso and some of the best and leading Italian session players in the soundtrack and library landscape, such as Maurizio Majorana and Antonello Vannucchi (from I MARC 4), Nino Rapicavoli on flute, and Giuliano Sorgini himself on organ, keyboards, piano, drums, and percussion
Out on July on Four Flies Records

Excerpts:
B4 Slaves
A2 Ultima caccia
A4 Space And Freedom
A1 Mad Town
A3 Amboseli

Giuliano Sorgini - ZOO FOLLE

Class on your turntable, what we have here is a stunning crime-jazz soundtrack blended with exotica flavor, composed by one of the main legends of Italian sound - Armando Trovajoli. The maestro at his best, with an outstanding still undiscovered film score, and unreleased on every format until today. The amazing main theme, sung by the astonishing voice of Lyda McDonald, was published on an mega-rare 7'' on the RCA label in 1961 and is now impossible to find. Mastered from the original master tapes, Four Flies Records is proud to present this completely unheard and timeless soundtrack in its entirety.

excerpts:
A1 - Dial 22-22 (sung by Lyda McDonald)
A4 - Seq. 3 night beguine
B3 - Seq. 8 swing poliziesco moderato per tromba
B6 - Seq. 11 night swing per fiati
B9 - Seq. 14 samba per sax
A5 - Seq. 4 swing poliziesco 2°
B7 - Seq. 12 intro poliziesco percussioni

Armando Trovajoli - CHIAMATE 22-22 TENENTE SHERIDAN

• SORTILEGIO literally means ‘spell’ and was shot in Italy between 1969 and 1970. One of the most mysterious movies that came out from the golden age of Italian cinema, its soundtrack was recorded in 1974.

• The movie had never been officially distributed and probably had never reached the final stage of post-production. The film is lost, gone forever apparently

• Four Flies Records’ researchers had been able to locate the original master tapes of the soundtrack, which had been re-mastered and is going to be released as a deluxe limited edition 180gr LP, with extensive liner notes signed by composer Silvano D'Auria and film critic Davide Pulici (Nocturno Cinema)

• Originally recorded in Rome at the famous RCA Studios, the soundtrack casts a fine blend of jazz-funk and prog-rock elements

One of the most mysterious movies of the golden age of Italian cinema, SORTILEGIO is a visionary horror movie directed by Nardo Bonomi, starring Erna Schurer and the famous Italian director Marco Ferreri as a co-star. The movie also featured Corrado Farina (director of the legendary BABA YAGA) as assistant director.
As the influential Italian magazine Nocturno Cinema stated some time ago, the movie had never been distributed and is to be considered definitively lost.
Thanks to Four Flies Records’ meticulous research, at least the soundtrack of the movie survives: the original master tapes have been finally recovered and restored, thus to be released for the very first time.
Recorded in Rome at the famous RCA Studios, SORTILEGIO is a dark and esoteric soundtrack composed by Silvano D’Auria. The soundtrack casts a fine blend of jazz-funk and prog-rock elements, and features some of the greatest session musicians of those times, like Silvano Chimenti (his fuzzy guitars are unmistakable).
Four Flies Records has been on the radar of collectors and connoisseurs of soundtracks and library music from its inception last year. With the release of highly sought-after titles such as “Fantabulous” by Sandro Brugnolini, “La Poliziotta” by Gianni Ferrio and the compilations “Esterno Notte” and “Esterno Giorno”, which featured rare tracks from the RCA archives, Four Flies has immediately stood out for the quality of its reissues. Sumptuos deluxe limited 180 gr. editions, Four Flies’ works are accompanied by precious liner-notes and are enriched by archival images, original artwork and lettering designed by Luca Barcellona.

excerpts:
A1 - Titoli
A7 - M18
B3 - M9
A2 - M2
B1 - M1
B2 - M11
A5 - M19
B4 - M5
B6 - M17 2a

Sortilegio

Silvano D'Auria - SORTILEGIO

Perhaps not everyone knows that Alessandro Alessandroni, the Master of Italian library music, had also composed several original soundtracks from late ’60s to early ‘80s, especially for many “genre” movies such as poliziotteschi, sexy comedies, spaghetti western, horror and thriller. Among them, SANGUE DI SBIRRO (Bloody Avenger), is certainly one of the most prestigious works made for Italian cinema in the 70s: an Italian noir set in Philadelphia, where the  jazz-funk library’s background of the Maestro meets deep soul & black music. An obstinate rhythm which opens to jazz, funk and disco, with moments of pure easy listening (Tema di Susie is one of the best Alessandroni’s film themes). Sounds and arrangements typical of blaxploitation (including an original reinterpretation of Shaft’s theme) but with a proudly Italian’s touch.
As always, many excellent soloists were involved in the recording session, including a young Enrico Pieranunzi on Fender Rhodes, Dino Piana on trombone and Silvano Chimenti on the electric guitar.
A five stars soundtrack for the first time ever on your turntable.

Sangue di sbirro

Alessandro Alessandroni | SANGUE DI SBIRRO

FLIES 19
Roberto Nicolosi - L’OCCHIO NEL LABIRINTO (EYE IN THE LABYRINTH)
▶ gatefold LP 180gr. | Limited Edition 500 copies
▶ inner sleeve and original movie poster included
▶ exclusive liner notes by Margherita Martini, nephew of Roberto Nicolosi
▶ artwork by Luca Barcellona based on Maestro Sandro Symeoni’s original paintings
▶▶▶ Out on APRIL, 22th, 2017 

First ever official release for this unbelievable giallo score by Roberto Nicolosi, composed for the experimental thriller by Mario Caiano in 1972.
Previously issued on the Fontana label in 1973 with the title "Atmosfera", this is certainly one of most sought-after Italian jazz LPs for any serious collector, featuring a five-star collective of marvelous musicians such as Giovanni Tommaso (bass), Franco Tonani (drums), Angelo Baroncini (guitar), Antonello Vannucchi (organ), Franco D'Andrea (piano), Gianni Basso (Tenor Saxophone), Dino Piana (trombone), Cicci Santucci (trumpet).
The result is a psych and dark jazz-funk sound that perfectly fits the anxious descent into the labyrinth of the human psyche.
This soundtrack is considered one of the best, still underrated, Italian soundtracks ever, as well as one of the most unforgettable Italian jazz sessions of the 70s.

excerpts:
B1 - Alchimia
B4 - Cercando te
B5 - Concentrazione
A5 - Dedicata a Rita
A6 - Canzona
A8 - La fiare d'Arese
A2 - Tiberius
B10 - Il declino

L'occhio nel labirinto

Roberto Nicolosi | L'OCCHIO NEL LABIRINTO

▶ FLIES 24 ::: LP 180gr. | Limited Edition 400 copies
▶ inner sleeve with original movie artworks by Sandro Symeoni 
▶▶▶ Out on DECEMBER, 25

Four Flies Records is proud to present the first vinyl reissue of the original soundtrack to IO EMMANUELLE (also known as A MAN FOR EMMANUELLE) – Cesare Canavari’s 1969 erotic-drama starring Italian scream-queen Erika Blanc.
The score was composed and arranged by maestro Gianni Ferrio, who created one of his most famous and iconic soundtracks ever, with music that perfectly follows the neurotic character of the young protagonist – from moments of intimacy and introspection, to those of insanity and madness.
The result is a terrific cocktail of late 60s Italian grooves: orchestral beat, RnB, jazz, and avant garde numbers, with an essential contribution of “I Cantori Moderni di Alessandro Alessandroni” (vocal and choir), and featuring Gino Marinacci on flute.
One of the rarest records from CAM archives is finally back in the spotlight, remastered from original master tapes and pressed on 180gr vinyl, including an inner sleeve featuring original movie artwork by renowned Italian cinematic painter Sandro Symeoni.

Gianni Ferrio | IO, EMMANUELLE

FLIES 45-07
Piero Piccioni - DOPO DI CHE... UCCIDE IL MASCHIO E LO DIVORA / LA VOLPE DALLA CODA DI VELLUTO (Right or Wrong / Once and Again)
first time on 7’’
OUT ON 7th December

For the first time in a single 7’’ the gorgeous soul ballads that Piero Piccioni composed for the title credits of two Italian-Spanish thrillers, both magnificently sung by Shawn Robinson’s divine voice. Two pop-downtempo gems shining with the power of their melodies and the quality of their proto-hip hop arrangements that immediately carry us into the dreamlike, mellow atmosphere of the early 1970’s European thriller cinema. This music is characterised by timeless, unbounded elegance, poised between romanticism and worldliness, and the style that only some productions of Piero Piccioni used to feature.
Special Ultra-limited Edition with three different covers, each in their colour variant, with the breath-taking image of iconic star Marisa Mell standing out: 133 purple-cover copies with label + 133 blue-cover copies with label + 133 violet-cover copies with label.

Piero Piccioni - RIGHT OR WRONG

FLIES 41 – Alessandro Alessandroni SPONTANEOUS

Maybe the best Alessandroni’s album ever. A true holy-grail for any collector and worldwide music lover, which we can consider nowadays as the most sought-after record of the whole legendary RCA SP 10000 series, and as the rarest album from the king of Italian libraries. 
Jazz, mellow-funk, downtempo breaks, and incredible rock blends, make this record a refined portrait of the 70’s American way of life, viewed through the fully Italian lens of Alessandroni’s sensitivity.
The magic around Spontaneous is that this album is not only beautiful and astonishing, but is certainly on of those amazing records to which time gives new life and freshness, making it sounds unbelievably contemporary.
After five years of exhausting research, and three years later the finding of the original master tapes of the album, finally Four Flies can give a light to this obscure and fascinating mystery, rescuing it from the darkness. It’s not just another piece of Alessandroni’s legacy that is finally put back in the right place. This should be considered as the definitive act to re-estabilsh Alessandroni's leadership into the library music scene, and beyond.
Available again from July 19, coming in 180gr black vinyl, housed in a hard tip-on sleeve cover. 
Limited Edition 500 copies, don’t sleep!

excerpts:
A5 - Young America
B1 - Watergate
A3 - Pure Nature
B2 - Mitzi
A6 - Green Salad
A2 - Lucille
A1 - Sunny Coast

Alessandro Alessandroni | SPONTANEOUS

FLIES 36 ▶ Nora Orlandi A DOPPIA FACCIA 
- LP 180gr.
- Limited Edition 300 copies
Out on March 13, 2020

Four Flies Records is proud to exhume another classic soundtrack from the world of Italian giallo with Nora Orlandi’s incredible score to the 1969 Riccardo Freda film, “A Doppia Faccia” (a.k.a. “Liz & Helen”). Starring Klaus Kinksi, Margaret Lee, and Annabella Incontrera, this film is from a story by the king of the macabre, Lucio Fulci.
For the first time ever on vinyl, this mysterious and charming soundtrack, leads off with a sensuous main theme; a powerful track with great harpsichord chords progression and a melody that really stands out.
Maleficent sounds, gothic atmospheres, and alarming voices, all make this soundtrack captivating yet disturbing at the same time.
The tracklist also includes the uptempo "beat-at-cinecittà" classic "Soho", used to accompany the ever-present party scene in psychedelic swinging London. The soundtrack also contains a proto-version of the more famous "Dies Irae", from "Lo strano vizio della signora Wardh", which inspired Quentin Tarantino for "Kill Bill - Vol. 1".
Featuring exclusive liner notes by Nora OrlandI herself, and stunning artwork by Luke Insect.
Limited Edition of 300 copies only… don’t sleep!

Nora Orlandi - A DOPPIA FACCIA

FLIES 46 - Piero Umiliani | A QUIET PLACE TO KILL (PARANOIA)
10'' EP | Ltd. Ed. 400 copies

Four Flies is proud to present another sensational find buried for far too many years and very in demand by every Umiliani enthusiast worldwide. Recovered from original reels, and presented for the very first time on a refined 10’’ vinyl, here are 5 tracks from the highly sought-after recording session of “Paranoia”.
This was the second collaboration for director Umberto Lenzi and composer Piero Umiliani, and the second chapter of the sexy thriller Baker trilogy, a.k.a. abroad as “A Quiet Place to Kill”.
Once for all, we can officially forget the original film credit titles, to whom the musical score is credited to one Gregoria Garcia Segura (named just for co-production reasons), and confirm that all the tracks were composed and arranged by Piero Umiliani, who also conducted his orchestra.
A great score finally resurfaces: from action-jazz to psychedelic feel, with the special gem of the opening title song, the extraordinary “You”, sung by the delightful voice of Shirley Harmer, which is undoubtedly one of the most moving things Umiliani has ever written; an orchestral pop-jazz ballad whose every chord is filled with class and sensuality… and still gives us goosebumps.

Piero Umiliani | A QUIET PLACE TO KILL (PARANOIA)

FLIES 45-22 
Nico Fidenco - Make Love on The Wing / Sweet Disco Funky
7’’

We are delighted to finally make available as a 7 inch two of the most danceable tracks in the entire Black Emanuelle series of films starring Laura Gemser. Both tracks were written by “dream-duo” Nico Fidenco (composer) and Giacomo Dell’Orso (arranger and conductor) for legendary cult director Joe D’Amato. 
‘Make Love on the Wing’, from the original soundtrack of EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS, is a dance-floor banger sung by Ulla Linder, while ‘Sweet Disco Funky’ (from EMANUELLE AND THE WHITE SLAVE TRADE) is exactly what its name suggests: pure funky disco with an unmistakable Italian touch, featuring awesome vocal harmonies and strings.
DJs around the world will go crazy for this unique disco sound! Welcome to the funky side of Black Emanuelle! Limited Edition, 400 copies.

SIDE A - Nico Fidenco - Make Love On The Wing (sung by Ulla Linder)

03 - Piero Umiliani - Elettrone

02 - Piero Umiliani - Soundmaker Blues

01 - Piero Umiliani - Roma Amor

Four Flies is a Rome-based record label and music publisher specializing in Italian golden age soundtracks & brand new music with a cinematic feel. The label is committed to digging up underrated scores and sounds – often ones that were never circulated outside the Italian film, radio or TV industry – and to unearthing master tapes tucked away and long forgotten in attics or basements. Like archaeologists of Italian library music, the Four Flies team go to great lengths to rescue from oblivion previously unreleased or lesser-known pieces by great film composers, making them available to listeners everywhere.

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