The dèbut

On October 1993 Jerry Cutillo (musician, singer and songwriter) and Iacopo Ruggeri (guitarist), joined together with the insane purpose of make a psychedelic folk rock group.

Their debut took place in a club surrounded by medieval walls in the village of Calcata ( Italy ).

The band was completed by Franco Teriaca on drums and Giovanni Quarta on bass.

Despite band’s showing potential, both members of the rhythmic section withdrew from the intent. It was exclusive duty of the remaining two, the fulfilment of “OAK”, the group’s  first demo tape. The music of this initial work, reflected  Jerry’s experiences and ambitions. He, in fact, moved towards the attempt of coagulate ‘70’s sonorities with much more  up to date  styles. The recordings put in clear evidence the maturity of compositions and  arrangements as much as the experimental variety of Iacopo’s guitar  ranging from grunge tones to soft acoustic atmospheres.

The new rhythmic section

In the beginning of 1994 drummer Mauro Gregori and bassist Daniele Di Noia entered into the group. They came from a very rough heavy metal band and together they proved to be very powerful and solid.

Those first, very intense months of rehearsals brought OAK to Radio Rock’s attention.

DJ’s Guido Bellachioma and Prince Faster put the band on their next live show schedule.

Covermania

Aside from a much more creative musical activity OAK fell in to the grip of covermania to get more gigs. This was the start of the identification with the band JETHRO TULL (an old Jerry’s obsession).

  The show at the Palladium in Rome was dynamic and aggressive, with stage leaps and acrobatic gestures. Suggestive brainwaves made their dèbut as much as some Jerry’s songs ( regardless of the strictly cover’s program). The public’s  reaction was very  encouraging and, as a sign of that achievement, came the Prince Faster’s invitation for an interview and an acoustic set live on radio.

The meeting put the accent on the good quality of  OAK original material and, moreover, on the band’s marked familiarity  with the stage.

Following these first relevant events, many musicians gathered  around the band like DIVAE keyboard player Marco Vantini, violinist Marco Fabbri, bagpipes player Paul Racionzer and many others. Some actors contributed at the shows as well, giving them strong theatrical connotations.

 On that fruitful period happened other significant appearances with well-known musicians such as Gentle Giant guitarist Gary Green and  italian singers Juri Camisasca and Mino De Martino.

Heresis Strigiatum

Another important event in those years was the signing of the contract with producer Sergio Gribanovsky. He, together with Susan and Riccardo Van der ling, began the realization of OAK first  cd, entitled “Heresis Strigiatum”. The recording sessions took  place with a trio based formula because of the temporary bassist abandonment. Only the great Iacopo’s talent made up for this lack. He, in fact,  played the bass in a very rough but efficacious way.

The music resounded  thrilling and phantasmagorical like on “Sandali rossi n. 37” e “Taverna magica”. This disenchanted  atmosphere, rich of esoteric incubus and  evocative melodies,

made the right frame for a Jethro Tull tribute……and here, this was, emerging from the haze, the rough flute riff of “A song for Jeffrey” renamed “Canzone povera”.

The material recorded was immediately plundered  by an handful of independent labels which grabbed  the best songs and published  them on some compilations.

In this way, the band began  to be under the  attention of many music agents inside and outside Italy.

In Spain magazine “Atropos” published  a very flattering cd review and, furthermore, an interview with Jerry. In the meantime in U.K. the opinions expressed about  OAK music resulted to be strongly encouraging. The same happened  in Netherlands, a country in which Jerry, with the stage name of Moses, had got an extraordinary success with the hit “We Just”.

The positive band’s working path led to the  prize – giving at a renowned Rock festival in the north of Italy.

Second Jethro Tull convention

On June ’97 in Castelceriolo (AL) took  place the second edition of  J.T. Convention.

On that special occasion Mario Prili, boss of the Aqualung pub in Rome, pushed  Jerry in the presence of the Italian J.Tull fan club President Aldo Tagliaferro. The two persuaded  Jerry to jump on stage and take part in a flautist competition. The result was Jerry’s full recognition (placed first) and many interesting acquaintances among the people present in large numbers. There, happened  to be  the film collector Aldo Pancotti alias Wazza Kanazza who will soon become one of the most enthusiastic  OAK supporter.

In addition to the many events attached to the Convention, there was one which will have a great influence on the future of Jerry’s group: the meeting with former J.Tull bassist Glen Cornick.

This event will represent the embryo of a big dream to come true !

After that day, moreover, Jerry consolidated his ambitions, and the idea of a temporary transfer in England started  to materialize.

S.A.T.O.R.

Very quickly  Jerry worked out the single-handedly  cd “S.A.T.O.R.”, and flew to London town for a new  musical adventure.

The opinion expressed  by British musicians about his last work  was unanimous: Superb !!

Songs like “Baba Gaia” and “Small red flower” shined valuable, shrouded in esoteric echoes.

The ravaging incubus in odd time signatures of “Jubilee” attacked  scratching. The instrumental  balances were excellent and the lyrics revealed enigmas and opened new questions.

Unexpected, a choir of approvals set off for this modest work self produced. But, far from being a marketable product, “S.A.T.O.R.” remained a simply means of identification for an artist who, with extreme competence, expressed  his talent and his creativity.

Many concerts took place on the english soil. They  weaved  the right contacts to pursue a great aim: An italian  tour with an exclusive line up.

OAK top tribute band

Glen Cornick - bass (Jethro Tull ’68 – ’70)

Robert Illes - el. guitar, mandolin and vox (english folk singer)

Jonsalo Carrera - keyboards (spanish prog band Galadriel)

Andrea Ruta - drums (italian session man)

Jerry Cutillo - vox, flute, ac.guitar, mandolin and mouth organ

Clive Bunker (special guest) - drums and percussion (Jethro Tull ’68 – ’71).

In the summer of 1998, far from being an exercise in nostalgia, OAK  went back over the good old days of Jethro’s ascent with a short but  intense italian tour. The shows were extremely powerful and made just as much sense as the real ones did in 1969. To whom had been witness of  earlier Jethro’s successful years, OAK gave a thrilling flash back with glimpses of that forceful, magic period.  Playing with two ex members of Jethro Tull had definitely a particular taste and the tribute was more than allowed  so, after that experience, OAK entered into the elite of the cover bands.

Anyway, such a  rich formula, made up by strong personalities coming from different parts of the world, could not be other than a transitory experience and, after a while, the group disintegrated spontaneously. On the horizon appeared  a long and suffered interruption, dictated also by the new Jerry’s production duties. He, in fact, signed  a contract with Alex the Snug, boss of Alta tensione recording studio, and focused his attention on his next cd.

Parallel dances

The studio sessions got busy progressively, Derek Wilson, Romina Johnson and Pippo Matino were in the team together with many others.

The styles were various, as well as the versatility of the many participants. But, fortunately,  Snug’s capability was there to direct the many interpretations into one and in the end he succeeded to give light and significance to Jerry’s songs.

Memphis belle 2000

The band’s most significant show of the new millennium took place in Rome  at the festival “Progressivamente”. Music from the forthcoming CD  “Parallel dances” was presented with a special cast supported by a peculiar lights and videos show. Many guests appeared on stage including violinist Her which performed some extraordinary  solos dressed in some astonishing costumes. RAI channel 3  immortalized  the concert and made an interview which grasped relevant information about  the band.

Oakull and the Snug

After a long wait came out “Parallel dances”.

Although the cd backbone was represented by songs already known among OAK supporters, the music included many new things  and the sound highlighted an enormous step ahead by comparison with the past Jerry’s production. The arrangements appeared to be valuable as well as the flute parts, while the vocals appeared to be pungent, ripe and intense also on songs were the Snug’s influence was more evident.

The  promotion started from the pages of daily “Manifesto” followed by extremely positive valuations from Radio Rock’s workers. Dj  Margus, in particular, interviewed Jerry  and expressed live on radio his respect and  appreciation on the artist’s work.

Furthermore “Wicked tavern”, one of  Jerry’s  most representative songs, was chosen by experienced drummer Derek Wilson for his teaching video.

Geronimo's pub

Oak tull's tribute came out again with Clive Bunker's gig at Geronimo's pub, the Olimpo of the cover bands in Rome . OAK were absolutely unknown to that place at that time and there wasn’t any mention of them on the bill but Carvin Johnes (an american guitar virtuoso) with Clive Bunker and Noel Redding (Hendrix bass player who didn’t show up that night anyway, substituted by an unnamed English fellow).
Jerry called up his band’s mates and drove them to the place with the promise of meeting Clive and play with him a few Tull’s numbers. Jerry didn’t have any idea about how to make it happen but, in the end, he found his way right through. First he greeted warmly Clive, who fortunately remembered him from the last Tullians Convention, then said to him to be in agreement with the Geronimo’s boss about playing some songs before their show and he seemed to be happy about that !!!!! Then turned to the Geronimo’s boss and told him that Clive should have been pleased to play a few Jethro tull songs with them as some kind of support act…… he did believe it and replyed: “Yes, why not” ! So, the trick was successful but even more successful was Clive and OAK playing on that night ! The audience asked for more and more and you could see the top on the bill’s american guitarist getting angry song after song trying helpless to hide his embarrassment. When OAK went down from the stage a bunch of kids asked when should have been the next OAK show and Jerry opportunely replied: “Go and ask to the Boss” !! In the end OAK were asked to play again on another night and, since that lucky day in 1999, the band got an extraordinary long lasting residency at Geronimo’s pub proving, year after year, to be one of the best live acts of all the rock italian scene.

Foro Italico and other gigs

Clive Bunker did attend other O.A.K. shows such as the one at Foro Italico in 2002 (a big event named by someone as the very first Roman Tull’s Convention. In fact, many guests appeared on stage together with Clive. Lincoln Veronese (who will become later a member of O.A.K. band), Giacomo Lelli and many others. On that occasion Clive seemed to enjoy playing not only the inevitable Tull’s classics but also some songs from “Parallel dances” giving to those compositions sprinkling of his inimitable rhythmic style. The band got on the road again and consolidated the new line up starting from the reconfirmation of bassist Mauro Delorenzi with his amazing resemblance with former Tull bass player and many times O.A.K.’s guest Glenn Cornick. Many gigs all around central italy occurred and the name stuck, given to the band recognition and a large number of followers. At the Giffoni Valle Piana film festival O.A.K. got a reward for best live act (the show included already the performance of dancer Mirka Karakopulos as an anticipation of what will become later O.A.K.’s multimedia show.) The time for a new cd has come and the band withdrew from live work and begun the writing of new material.

Filosofisenzalibri

To Julia (Butterfly) Hill who climbed up an old redwood in the Headwaters forest in California and lived there for two years to prevent loggers of a wood company from cutting it down, to the people of Polinesia suffering the consequences of nuclear tests, to the victims of religious integralism through all the centuries till today and to the emigrants who are in pain for moving all around the world in search of peace. To the intriguing Jacques Monod theories of chance to the technological new modern addicts. All of this was bursting out from the lyrics of Filosofisenzalibri, words surrounded by geometrical progressive elaborations, pop symphonies and modern loops and noises. Far Siberian echoes of throat singing and sciamanic rituals wrapped the rock sounds and contaminate them with mystic resonances. Although all the songs were written, arranged, and mostly played by Jerry, a cast of top musicians gathered around the cd production leaded by Marco Viale and Paolo Panella. Among the guests was Rodolfo Maltese (B.M.S.) who, later on, got involved in many shows and radio interviews which launched the band to international recognitions.

Conventions and others

The opportunity for a tribute re-birth came with the idea of going back over the Jethro Tull's past live shows and albums in a 35° anniversary form. From "The isle of Wight" in 1970 till the "Living in the past" album in 1972 going through legendary events such as the first Tull's appearance in Rome at Teatro Brancaccio, the Palasport, Aqualung and Thick as a brick. With a bunch of very passionate musicians (Claudio Maimone, Lorenzo Costantini, Carlo Fattorini and Antonio Orlando) Jerry relighted the golden Tull period sowing the seed of three long years of gigs which reached their climax with the Tullianos Convention in Barcellona, the XV anniversary of O.A.K. birth at Geronimo's pub and the Tullians Convention in Alessandria.
On these extraordinary events O.A.K. old members with guests such as Barriemore Barlow, Glenn Cornick, Martin Allcock, Lincoln Veronese, Tundra's Josè Melon and Gabriela Guardiola, Paul Forrest and Marcie Schreider, joined together giving light to magnificent and unforgettable multimedial shows.

OAK 2009 and further on

In the age of computers and high technology, distance is highly reduced and the man’s dream of getting in touch with people from far away lands has become true. This, aside from many travel and real experiences OAK have had in many parts of the world, has improved the interaction between the band and foreign artists. In fact, many experienced musicians and artists have gathered around the band giving their contribution to enrich its music and make a new resourceful line up. The two branches of OAK (the tribute and the avant-garde original style) has recently got together again like in the early years of the band but with much more cohesion, harmony and experience. New forms of performance has become also a concrete deal and multimedia shows got on the road proving a mixture of powerful rock, ethnic resonances, modern loops and sounds, siberian sciamanic dances and delirious videos and images. This extraordinary work team now includes: The clear cut and rock solid Fattorini – Delorenzi rhythmic section The amazing sound effects counterbalanced by the composite arrangements of A.Orlando and G.Guàrdiol. The multi instrumentalism of E. Ranieri and J. Cutillo. The enchanting movements of Aurora Borealis (Siberian dancers) and the hypnotic video projections of Alex Benekill. To give enough visibility to this new art adventure manager G. Guardiola has promoted a series of initiatives all over the world while in the rustic Umbria, land of fine wines, manager Silverio has made his way through a large numbers of festivals and artistic events. During these days OAK are recording a new cd entirely dedicated to the people of far Siberia which struggle to keep their old traditions alive together with the maintenance of their vital, natural environment. A few Jethro Tull ex members are involved on the project and furthermore they will also join OAK on the next Italian and Spanish Tull’s conventions.