Simon Luca

A singer songwriter from Piacenza, Alberto Favata started his career in the late 60's with some singles in a beat style under the name of Alberto Oro. At the turn of the seventies, now based and well known in Milan, he took the name of Simon Luca and recorded his first album, Da tremila anni, and some singles on the Victory label. An orchestrated pop album, this went unnoticed despite the help of some name musicians, among which members of Stormy Six and drummer Tullio De Piscopo. Second album was released with his backing band, L'Enorme Maria, a sort of supergroup including some of the best musicians from Milan like Alberto Camerini, Fabio Treves, brothers Ricky (later with Nuova Idea and New Trolls) and Gigi Belloni, Eugenio Finardi, Donatella Bardi. Entitled Per proteggere l'enorme Maria, the album had good sales success and Simon Luca appeared in some open air festivals of the time. The album is slightly more rock-oriented, though not entirely convincing, the singer had an original harsh voice but the arrangements are not particularly effective. Third and last album, E la mia mente? is probably his best. Again with help from L'Enorme Maria (now with Claudio Bazzari on guitar, Gigi Belloni on bass, Flaviano Cuffari on drums, Ronnie Jackson and Claudio Ciampini on guitars and singer Flavia Baldassarri), the album has very good guitar-led parts, though some male-female vocal passages can sound dated at times. A rock album rather than a prog one, and including 16 tracks all connected to form two long suites, this can be an interesting listen to many. Simon Luca ended his career as solo artist after some late singles in the second half of the 70's. He's remained in the showbiz since then, both in the advertising world and as composer of TV and movie soundtracks. In 1983, he gave voice on [m84433].