Massimo Donelli and Paolo Rossi’s Adorati Spiriti is an ambitious concept album in which the story of Native American traditions and identity is used as a basis for raising a number of wider questions concerning what society carries with it as it changes. Central to the album is Chayton, an old Cheyenne man who is trying to pass on to Tokala, a member of the younger generation growing up in a completely different world, his understanding of heritage and values. The first track, “Nelle orme il canto”, right from the start creates the album’s atmosphere of looking back while at the same time moving forward, and “Il cerchio che unisce” explores the themes of connection and continuity. Subsequently, “Ovunque” and “Danza su danza” extend the musical and thematic scope of the album, giving it a sense of movement instead of treating its narrative as a fixed history lesson.
It is in the middle of *Adorati Spiriti* that the album’s world becomes especially immersive; “Mitena (nata sotto la Luna nuova)” has a very evocative title and introduces another personal element to the story, whereas “Splendore” seems to be a natural extension of the album’s examination of beauty, memory and what deserves to be preserved. The title track, “Adorati Spiriti”, acts as a key emotional focal point and brings the album’s themes of spirituality, heritage and identity into clearer view. Musically, Donelli’s compositions are inspired by progressive rock, jazz-fusion and world music, while Rossi’s poetic treatment of the lyrics gives the songs a literary flavour. The application of AI in altering the music is also part of the project’s creative process, but the fundamental concept still rests on the long-standing collaboration between the two musicians who have returned to their common passion after having pursued professional careers in other fields.
The concluding section leads the story to its main conclusion. “Il Tramite” indicates a kind of transition or link between various states, generations and ways of looking at the world, while “Now go” gives the album its clearest sense of forward movement. Instead of finishing with a call to return to the past, the album’s narrative finally promotes the idea of taking meaningful traditions into the future without rejecting change. This is what gives *Adorati Spiriti* a thoughtful character: although the story is presented through Chayton and Tokala, the fundamental question it raises is much broader—what aspects of our cultural identity should we keep with us when everything around us is changing? In nine tracks, Donelli and Rossi turn that question into a wide-ranging convergence of poetry, progressive music, jazz-fusion and world influences.
The statement by Adorati Spiriti is not one that urges us to decide between the past and the future, but rather one that inquires about what is worth taking from the past and carrying over into the future.
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