P.F.M. ‎– Cook

P.F.M. – Cook

Released in 1974, Cook is the first live album from Italian progressive rock legends Premiata Forneria Marconi (P.F.M.). Recorded during the band's breakthrough international tours, the album captures P.F.M. at the peak of their creative powers, showcasing the extraordinary musicianship, complex arrangements, and dynamic live performances that established them as one of the greatest progressive rock bands outside the UK.

Widely regarded as one of the defining acts of the Italian progressive rock movement, P.F.M. combined classical influences, jazz improvisation, folk melodies, and symphonic rock with exceptional technical ability. Cook presents live interpretations of material from their acclaimed early albums, expanding many of the studio recordings with extended instrumental passages and breathtaking improvisation.

Side A opens with the energetic Four Holes In The Ground, featuring intricate rhythms and virtuosic interplay between guitar, keyboards, violin, and flute. The atmospheric Dove... Quando follows before the expansive Just Look Away demonstrates the band's melodic sophistication. The side concludes with the epic Celebration, incorporating themes from The World Became The World, delivering one of the album's most exhilarating performances.

Side B features Mr. Nine Till Five, blending jazz-influenced arrangements with progressive rock precision, before culminating in the spectacular Alta Loma Five Till Nine, an extended live masterpiece that incorporates P.F.M.'s celebrated interpretation of Rossini's William Tell Overture. The performance perfectly showcases the band's technical brilliance, improvisational flair, and ability to seamlessly fuse classical music with rock.

A landmark live recording and an essential release in the progressive rock canon, Cook is indispensable for fans of Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, and the rich legacy of Italian progressive rock. Whether you're discovering P.F.M. for the first time or adding another classic to your collection, this album remains one of the finest live progressive rock recordings of the 1970s.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Four Holes In The Ground
2. Dove... Quando
3. Just Look Away
4. Celebration (including The World Became The World)

Side B

1. Mr. Nine Till Five
2. Alta Loma Five Till Nine (including P.F.M.'s arrangement of Rossini's William Tell Overture)