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Jimi Bertucci: The Neverending Story of a True Artist by Eric B.
Music history is filled with artists who should have been a more significant success. Of these artists, Jimi Bertucci is one of the most talented and acclaimed. Though not as widely known as he was in the 70s, Bertucci was one of the earliest progenitors of power pop and one of its most gifted creators.
His music history spans multiple decades, several promising groups, and a solo career that is still active to this very day. We think that fans of "Big Star," "Badfinger," "Cheap Trick," and "The Flaming Groovies" will love Bertucci's hard, diverse, and unforgettable music.
His music history spans multiple decades, several promising groups, and a solo career that is still active to this very day. We think that fans of "Big Star," "Badfinger," "Cheap Trick," and "The Flaming Groovies" will love Bertucci's hard, diverse, and unforgettable music.
Music Captured Bertucci at a Young Age
Jimi Bertucci was born in Serra San Bruno, Calabria, Italy as Vincenzo Donato Bertucci before immigrating to Canada at the age of six. Vincenzo's musically-gifted uncle Sam, an early live experience with the Beatles, and the gift of a Hofner bass helped inspire Bertucci to pursue a music career. As a teen, he formed "The London Tones" with Ron Bartley and Glen Olive and played British Invasion style music for years before adding Bob McPherson and Brian Cotterill to expand the group's sound. During the late 60s, they grew tighter and settled on the name "Captain Midnight."
The Highs and Lows of Abraham's Children
"Captain Midnight" was first noticed by music-biz legend Jack Morrow in 1970. Morrow was impressed by their hard-hitting style, their skilled arrangements, the excellent playing, and the powerful singing voice of Bertucci. By now, Vincenzo went almost solely by his nickname, Jimi, and was writing most of their music. Unfortunately, they were forced to change their name after an American band named "Captain Midnight" threatened suit. Thankfully, they came up with "Abraham's Children" and a series of diverse singles soon followed, showing a band and songwriter who could handle multiple different sounds. Their early work intrigued Buddha Record's Nick Bogart, the man who helped discover and promote KISS. He hooked them up with George Semkiw in 1973 to produce their sole studio album Time. The record is an impressive – and underappreciated – reminder of the rich musical palate of the early 70s. Throughout "Time," the band plays tight rock and roll with a thick guitar style that was impressively melodic and memorable for the time. However, they also integrate instruments like flutes, congos, and the string-emulating mellotron to create a vibrant and stylish sound.