Wikipedia
Caronte (Charon) is the second album released by the Italian progressive rock band The Trip, in 1971. It is a concept album based on the Charon character from Dante's Divine Comedy, recast as a metaphor of conformism; Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin are mentioned, respectively in songs Ultima ora e ode a Jimi Hendrix ("The last hour and ode to Jimi Hendrix") and Little Janie, as victims of a conformist society.
Caronte was the most successful release of the band. With respect to their previous, debut album, which was mostly blues-oriented, Caronte was a major drift towards British-style progressive rock, with obvious influences from King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and, to some extent, Pink Floyd. Joe Vescovi, keyboardist and leader of the band, was at the time a self-proclaimed imitator of Keith Emerson.
The cover art from the album included drawings by Gustave Doré.
Caronte is the Italian spelling of Charon, the boatman, in numerous versions of the Orfeo legend.
- Caronte in Euridice (Caccini)
- Caronte in Euridice (Peri)
- Caronte in Monteverdi's L’Orfeo
- Caronte in Orfeo (Rossi)
- Caronte in Landi's La morte d'Orfeo
- Caronte (album) by The Trip 1971