Black Knights at the Court of Ferdinand IV

by Stephen RaiteriWakeman and Italian drummer and singer Mario Fasciano co-wrote this album (along with one "G. Castiglia"), and recorded it in Naples in 1989. Given the title, and Wakeman's history, this is presumably a concept album, but to follow it you'll need to know Italian (to understand the lyrics) or maybe Japanese (to read the liner notes of the Jimco release). Wakeman is in unfamiliar territory here, and the result is a stylistic departure from his usual work -- it has been likened to the sound of Italian progressive rock bands of the 1970s, such as PFM. Wakeman's playing is uncommonly restrained, but good.