This is intended to be a homage to very many musicians I've loved since I started listening to music. My intention is to tell what I know about them, hoping that those people who like them too, will help me fill numerous gaps, which I may have in their careers and discographies. Sorry, but there are no MP3 audio files here at all, just info (and love for the musicians).


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Tuesday, 8 June 2010

Ivan Zagni (guitar)


BANDS:
  • The Cadillacs [1959]
  • The Continentals
  • The News [1966]
  • Chicago Line Blues Band
  • Elkie Brooks Band [1968]
  • Nova [1968-Jan 69]
  • Jody Grind [Jan 69-Nov 69]
  • Bogomas
  • Blue Whale
  • Three´s Company [1977]
  • Elton Dean Group [1979]
  • Avantgarage [1983]
  • Music On The Wall [1985]

BIOGRAPHY:

Fantastic guitarist, it´s a pity that we can´t have many albums with his playing...

Ivan Zagni was born in Norwich, England, on October 16th, 1942. Before playing guitar, he started singing in a church choir.

First band I know about Ivan was called The Cadillacs.


THE CADILLACS


Band from Norwich formed in 1959 by the three brothers Zagni and a couple of friends:

THE CADILLACS #
John Zagni
Frank Zagni
Micky Woodcock
Stewy Mackintosh
drums, vocals


THE CONTINENTALS


They were a band from Norwich, in the early 60s. They had many different lineups, but one of them included superb vocalist Mike Patto, who replaced a previous singer called Milton Ingram.

THE CONTINENTALS #?
?
Mike Patto
vocals
Harvey Platt
bass
+ others unknown to me. Help!


THE NEWS


In 1966, The Continentals sign with Decca, changing their name to The News. Mike Patto was a member, but don´t have more details.

This was the lineup that recorded two singles:

THE NEWS #?
1966
Andy Fields
vocals, keyboards
Harvey Platt
bass
Denny Royal
drums

The singles were: ´The entertainer´ (1966) and ´I count the tears´ (1966).

After that, Andy Fields left.

Andy Fields was replaced by Peter Miller:

THE NEWS #?
?
Peter Miller
vocals
Harvey Platt
bass
Denny Royal
drums

But they split very soon after the new recruitment.


CHICAGO LINE BLUES BAND


I still need to check this info. Supposedly, Ivan was a member, along with his mates Mike Patto, Tim Hinkley and Louis Cennamo. But don´t know the exact lineup(s).


ELKIE BROOKS BAND


Around 1968, Elkie Brooks tried to form his own band:

ELKIE BROOKS BAND #1
1968
Elkie Brooks
vocals
Tim Hinkley
keyboards
Martin Harryman
drums
Novaê
Novaê
Novaê

But after a month of rehearsals, Elkie parted ways with the musicians, who remained together for a while under the new name Nova.

NOVA


Power trio with great musicians formed at the end of 1968, when they left Elkie Brooks:

NOVA #1
1968-Jan 69
êElkie Brooks Band
êElkie Brooks Band
êElkie Brooks Band
Tim Hinkley
keyboards
Martin Harryman
drums
Jody Grindê
Jody Grindê
Jody Grindê

After a while, they changed their name to Jody Grind in January 1969.


JODY GRIND


This was the initial lineup for Jody Grind, when they changed their name (from Nova) in January 1969:

JODY GRIND #1
Jan 69-Mar 69
êNova
êNova
êNova
Tim Hinkley
keyboards
Martin Harryman
drums

But Harryman left the band in March 1969.
Their new drummer was Barry Wilson, in March 1969:

JODY GRIND #2
Mar 69-Nov 69
Tim Hinkley
keyboards
Barry Wilson
drums
Bogomasê
Bogomasê

They recorded their first album, One step on, with help from old mate Louis Cennamo (still in Renaissance) on bass, David Palmer on arrangements and a horn section. The album was released in October 1969. But, only one month later, in November 1969, Zagni and Wilson left to form Bogomas (with Cennamo).


BOGOMAS


Bogomas was a trio with Zagni and Wilson (from Jody Grind) with Cennamo who had just left Renaissance:

BOGOMAS #1
?
êJody Grind
êRenaissance
êJody Grind
Louis Cennamo
bass
Barry Wilson
drums

They didn´t last too long together, and after six months working together and composing, they parted ways, without having played any gig. A pity.


BLUE WHALE


Blue Whale was a new band formed by Aynsley Dunbar in 1969, only keeping Tommy Eyre from his former band (Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation):

BLUE WHALE #1
1969-?
êBogomas
êAynsley Dunbar Retaliation
êAynsley Dunbar Retaliation
Paul Williams
vocals
Roger Sutton
bass
Tommy Eyre
keyboards
Aynsley Dunbar
drums
Frank Zappa Bandê

Robert Fripp (cerebrum in King Crimson) almost joined the group. They released an album, Blue whale, in a progressive style, with long jamming songs. But Aynsley dissolved the band, when he got a call from Frank Zappa to join forces. Coincidentally, the album contains a long version of Zappa's ´Willie the pimp´.

AND THEN...


He went back to Norwich, as the choir master for their Cathedral, and started composing classical works. He remained there from 1971 to 1977.

In 1977, he came back to London, and started working with some band, such as The Electric String Trio, but can´t find proper details about them. Help, please!


THREE´S COMPANY


Around 1977, Elton Dean formed this avant-garde group:

THREE´S COMPANY #?
1977
Marcio Mattos
bass
Elton Dean
sax

They split soon later, but many years later, some recordings appeared in Elton Dean´s album Three´s company two´s a crowd.


ELTON DEAN GROUP


In July 1979, Elton Dean plays 1 gig with this lineup:

ELTON DEAN GROUP #?
Jul 79
Elton Dean
sax
Louis Moholo
drums

In November 1979, Ivan Zagni plays another gig with Elton Dean:

ELTON DEAN GROUP #?
Nov 79
Marcio Mattos
bass
Elton Dean
sax
John Stevens
drums


AND THEN...


In 1980, he went to live to New Zealand, and continued composing.


AVANT GARAGE


Avant Garage was a band from New Zealand featuring Ivan Zagni with some of his mates from Blam Blam Blam. I haven´t been able to find proper info on lineups, so this is the only info I have: Ivan Zagni, Tim Mahon and Peter Scholes were members, but don´t know if at the same time.

The band released 2 albums,Garage to gallery and Avant Garage Music, both in 1983, but couldn´t find them, so don´t know who plays there. Can someone help, please?

AVANT GARAGE #?
?
Tim Mahon
Peter Scholes
+ others unknown to me. Help!


MUSIC ON THE WALL


Music On The Wall was a duo comprising Ivan Zagni and Peter Scholes, formed in 1985:

MUSIC ON THE WALL #1
1985-?
Peter Scholes

But don´t have more info on them.


AND THEN...


In 1986, Ivan started working for orchestras, such as Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, as well as soundtracks.

DISCOGRAPHY: (15 albums known to me - Status: Quite advanced)

OWN ALBUMS (4 credits)
  • Standards - Don McGlashan & Ivan Zagni (12/1982)

    • Members: Ivan Zagni
    • Comments: EP with 7 tracks recorded during September and October 1982.
  • Four minute exposure - Ivan Zagni / Peter Scholes (1983)

    • Members: Ivan Zagni
    • Comments: Released in cassette.
  • London ´79 - Ivan Zagni (1983)

    • Members: Ivan Zagni
    • Comments: Released in cassette only.
  • A Selection of trouble spots - Ivan Zagni / Steve Garden (1984)

ALBUMS AS A BAND MEMBER (6 credits)
  • This is the moment / Ya ya da da (SINGLE) - The News (1966)

  • The Entertainer / I count the tears (SINGLE) - The News (1966)

  • One step on - Jody Grind (10/1969)

    • Members: Tim Hinkley, Barry Wilson, Ivan Zagni
    • Guests: Louis Cennamo, David Palmer
    • Producer: Hugh Murphy
    • Comments: Reissued in 2007 as part of the 2CD Interaction - an anthology, including their 2 complete albums, One step on and Far canal, plus three unreleased tracks.
  • Blue whale - Aynsley Dunbar (1970)

    • Members: Aynsley Dunbar, Roger Sutton, Paul Williams, Ivan Zagni (RIP: Tommy Eyre)
    • Guests: Norman Leppard, Ed Ray Smith
    • Comments: Recorded during March and April 1970.
  • Music - Avant Garage (1983)

  • Three´s company two´s a crowd - Elton Dean (1997)

    • Members: Marcio Mattos, Ivan Zagni (RIP: Elton Dean)
    • Guests: (RIP: Pip Pyle)
    • Comments: This album was released in 1997, but it was recorded during the 70s. It comprises 4 tracks as a trio (Three´s Company, with Ivan Zagni and Marcio Mattos) and 2 tracks as a duo (with Pip Pyle).
COMPILATIONS AS A BAND MEMBER (1 credit)
  • Interaction - a Jody Grind anthology - Jody Grind ( - )

    • Members: Pete Gavin, Tim Hinkley, Bernie Holland, Barry Wilson, Ivan Zagni
    • Guests: Louis Cennamo
    • Comments: Compilation comprising their whole two albums: One step on and Far canal, plus 3 unreleased tracks.
ALBUMS WITH BANDMATES AND FRIENDS (2 credits)
  • Luxury length - Blam Blam Blam (05/1982)

    • Guests: Ivan Zagni
    • Technical: Roy Thomas Baker
    • Comments: Recorded from October 1981 to March 1982.
  • Music from a lightbulb - The Moth (05/2003)

COMPILATIONS WITH BANDMATES AND FRIENDS (1 credit)
  • The Complete Blam Blam Blam - Blam Blam Blam (1992)

SESSIONS (1 credit)
  • That´s the short and the long of it - Tall Dwarfs (1985)


QUESTIONS:

01. Does Ivan play in any album by Eric Glandy?

02. Does Ivan play in the album Garage to gallery by Avant Garage?

03. Does Ivan play in any album by Big Sideways?


THANKS:

Special Thanks to:
  • Tim Jones: for info on Ivan with Blam Blam Blam.
  • Adam G: for extensive info on Ivan´s activities in New Zealand.
  • Chris Andrews: for info on Ivan´s activities in New Zealand.
  • David Williams: for info on Bogomas and Ivan´s early times.

  • Thanks to:
  • Alex Gitlin: for albums and scans.
  • Michael De Waal: for info on Blue Whale.
  • Steve: for telling me he had met Ivan Zagni.
  • David Watson: for info.

  • WHAT'S NEW:

    08/June/2010 - Page added to the blog.
    18/August/2000 - Original page written by me (in the old site).

    RELATED MUSICIANS:

    Ivan Zagni mostly worked with these musicians: (name + number of credits)
    Tim Mahon (4)
    Mark Bell (3)
    Steve Garden (3)
    Don McGlashan (3)
    Peter Scholes (3)
    Louis Cennamo (2)
    Tim Hinkley (2)
    Ben Staples (2)
    Paul Streekstra (2)
    Barry Wilson (2)

    Page created by Miguel Terol on: 18/August/2000 - Last modified on: 08/June/2010. If you want to contribute with info, please write to: molympus1@gmail.com

    Please, note than you can check the indexes (musicians, bands, obituaries) at the top of this page.

    2 comments:

    1. Micheal Large formed the Continentals, his father was a chemist his shop was on Drayton Road,Norwich and he funded the bands start up and My uncle Sid Bezants played keyboards and Milton was in the American airfoce at the time.

      ReplyDelete
    2. Milton Ingram: there are several people (in Norfolk/Suffolk area, UK) that would love to have photos or music or film of him, or The Continentals. Or indeed any information, stories, history. It would mean a lot to them personally. What he got up to in the USAF, and then Japan etc. would be of interest too! (All info will be treated as personal, which it will be to those mentioned). Try emailing me sheridan05@aol.com___

      ReplyDelete

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