Cook [Import]

PFM (Premiata Forneria Marconi), P.f.m | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 25, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Jvc Japan
• ASIN: B0018BXMVY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,726 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Limited three CD edition. Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the 1975 live album from the Italian Prog band. Features the original live album on Disc One plus an additional two CD live set recorded in Central Park in 1974. A successful act in their home land, they came to international attention when they signed to ELP's label Manticore in 1973. In 1974, the band toured the United States and Canada to great acclaim, recording material at concerts in Toronto and New York City. The following year edited highlights were released as the live album Cook. Manticore. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Cook", August 6, 2000

By 

Jeremy Pilarski (Naples, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cook (Audio CD)

"Cook" is a live recording of P.F.M. touring Canda and the United States. This album consists of six songs, five of which are from the English albums "Photos of Ghosts," and "The World Became the World." The sixth song, "Alta Loma Five Till Nine," is an exclusive live cut. The music contained on this album is absolutely beautiful; even the English vocals are better represented here than the studio albums. The arrangements and the types of instruments used for the five songs are altered slighty, which makes listening to this album a new adventure for long-time P.F.M. fans; "Just Look Away" features a stunning three and half minute guitar solo by Franco Mussida. After the solo, Flavio Premoli starts making some mournful sounds with the Moog synthesizer and the song begins. How this song differs from the studio album, besides the three and half minute guitar introduction, is the keyboard instruments are more prominent than in the studio version. Premoli plays a Hammond organ and Moog synthesizer simultaneously, producing a nicely layered sound. Near the end of the song, Mauro Pagani's flute replaces the Mellotron used in the studio version. There are many more arrangement and instrumental variations contained on this album. However, discussing them all would ruin the suprise of purchasing this fantastic album.

This limited-edition Japanese pressing of "Cook" features superior sound quality compared to the Italian import "Live in the USA," which is essentially the same album as "Cook" only with a banal cover. The disc is re-mastered using the excellent 20bit K2 Super Coding process, giving the listner the illusion of actually being at the concerts contained on this disc. The contents of this nicely put together pacakage are: a lyric book featuring lyrics in English and Japanese, a CD with a minature-jacket much like the original LP, and a colorful album cover in a see-through plastic bag-like jacket for safekeeping.

The steep price may scare people away from purchasing this disc, however, paying the extra cash is well worth it. These limited-edition Japanese mini-albums go out of print fast and quickly become expensive collectibles. The excellent sound quality is antother reason for paying the extra money; the sound quality on the Italian import "Live in the USA" is extremely poor and sounds muffled.

"Cook" is an excellent live representation of the English albums by P.F.M. With excellent sound quality and great music, this is surely to keep the pot boiling for re-mastering other progressive rock albums with poor sound quality; whether the recording is live or studio produced.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for PFM lovers, January 28, 2005

By 

Georges Poulin (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cook (Audio CD)

If it was not for the quality of the sound,which can be rated as good, not excellent, this CD could or should stand at the top of any list of PFM albums. In terms of performance, inspiration, virtuosity, and fun, this one is an absolute gem.

Moreover, it contains the first live rendition of PFM's classic Alta Loma, which is worth the price of the CD alone. Well,for someone willing to pay the extra bucks for this Japanese high quality pressing of the original Cook, of course. Thanks to the 20 bit K2 Super Coding process, the quality of the sound is somewhat better here than that of the original recording, with the music rendition less laid back and more dynamic.

All of the tracks (4 holes in the ground; Dove... Quando...; Just look away; Celebration (best version ever recorded); Mr Nine till Five; Alta Loma 5 till 9), are PFM classics.

Except for Piazza, replaced by Djivas, all of the original members of the band were there (Mussida on guitar; Pagani on violin and flute; Premoli on keyboards; Di Cioccio on drums) and the synergy is nothing less than fabulous.

In spite of the quality of the sound, which could still be a bit better, - I strongly recommend this album to whoever wants to find out what PFM was capable of during its prime, and believe me PFM's live performances were really outstanding : inspired, and generous.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An (almost) forgotten masterpiece!!, October 10, 2008

By 

JP "ZappaFan" (Macon, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cook (Audio CD)

I am ASHAMED I (almost) forgot about these guys!! Had this album back in High school (late 70s) and a buddy had this and 2 others (recognize the cover for We Became the World, not sure what the other one was, don't recognize any of the other covers.)

Haven't listened to it in 20+ years!! Got it last week, have listened to it 3 times so far and it's every bit as good as I remember!!

My favorite track is, without a doubt, the 15 minute closer, Altaloma Nine Till Five, but it is a prog rock masterpiece that should be in the collection of every lover of prog, or even fusion for that matter.

Gonna get "We Became the World" next, then maybe something else!!