<![CDATA[[MusicRatty] tag: jaivas]]> http://www.musicratty.com/tag/jaivas Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:41:23 +0000 iRatty Engine http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[BBC Transcription LPs - Progressive Rock At BBC 1968-70]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/8083e339955d3938adccafb5a55cc986 http://www.musicratty.com/article/8083e339955d3938adccafb5a55cc986

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Progressive rock (often shortened to "progressive", "prog", or "prog rock") is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." The term "art rock" is often used interchangeably with "progressive rock", though the two genres are not identical.

Progressive rock bands pushed "rock's technical and compositional boundaries" by going beyond the standard rock or popular verse-chorus-based song structures. Additionally, the arrangements often incorporated elements drawn from classical, jazz, and world music. Instrumentals were common, while songs with lyrics were sometimes conceptual, abstract, or based in fantasy. Progressive rock bands sometimes used "concept albums that made unified statements, usually telling an epic story or tackling a grand overarching theme."

Progressive rock developed from late 1960s psychedelic rock, as part of a wide-ranging tendency in rock music of this era to draw inspiration from ever more diverse influences. The term was applied to the music of bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Soft Machine and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Progressive rock came into most widespread use around the mid-1970s. While progressive rock reached the peak of its popularity in the 1970s and early 1980s, neo-progressive bands have continued playing for faithful audiences in the subsequent decades.

Form: Progressive rock songs either avoid common popular music song structures of verse-chorus-bridge, or blur the formal distinctions by extending sections or inserting musical interludes, often with exaggerated dynamics to heighten contrast between sections. Classical forms are often inserted or substituted, sometimes yielding entire suites, building on the traditional medleys of earlier rock bands. Progressive rock songs also often have extended instrumental passages, marrying the classical solo tradition with the improvisational traditions of jazz and psychedelic rock. All of these tend to add length to progressive rock songs, which may last longer than twenty minutes.

Timbre (instrumentation and tone color): Early progressive rock groups expanded the timbral palette of the then-traditional rock instrumentation of guitar, organ, bass, and drums by adding less typical instruments, such as flute, saxophone and violin, and exploring the capabilities of new electronic keyboards, synthesizers, and electronic effects. Modern progressive rock artists continue the tradition of experimenting with new and different sounds and instruments. Some instruments – most notably, the Moog synthesizer and the Mellotron – have become closely associated with the genre.

Rhythm: Drawing on their classical, jazz, and experimental influences, progressive rock artists explore a variety of time signatures, syncopation, polyrhythms, and tempo changes uncommon to mainstream rock. The lack of a single, steady beat marks progressive rock as a genre less concerned with danceability than with listening.

Melody and Harmony: Music critic Piero Scaruffi argues that progressive rock has less of a melodic focus than other types of rock; he states that "progressive-rock is rock music that is not mainly melodic". In prog rock, the blues inflections of mainstream rock are often supplanted by jazz and classical influences. Melodies are more likely to be modal than based on the pentatonic scale. Chords and chord progressions are also frequently modal, and augmented with 6ths, 7ths, 9ths, and compound intervals; and the I-IV-V progression is much less common. Allusions to, or even direct quotes from, well-known classical themes are common. Some bands have explored atonal or dissonant harmonies, and a few have even worked with rudimentary serialism.

Texture and imagery: Ambient soundscapes and theatrical elements are often used to describe scenes, events or other aspects of the concept. A Wagner-style leitmotif is used to represent the various characters in Genesis' "Harold the Barrel" and "Robbery, Assault and Battery." The sounds of clocks and cash registers are used to represent time and money in Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon.

Technology: To aid their timbral exploration, progressive rock bands were often early adopters of new electronic musical instruments and technologies. Emerson Lake and Palmer pioneered use of the Moog synthesizer, and the mellotron was a signature sound of early progressive bands such as the Moody Blues, King Crimson, and Genesis. In the late 1970s, Robert Fripp, of King Crimson, and Brian Eno developed an analog tape loops effect (Frippertronics). In the 1980s, Frank Zappa used the Synclavier for composing and recording, and King Crimson utilized MIDI-enabled guitars, a Chapman Stick, and electronic percussion.

Concept albums: Though not unique to progressive rock, collections of songs unified by an elaborate, overarching theme or story are common to the genre. As progressive rock songs are, themselves, quite long, such collections have frequently exceeded the maximum length of recorded media, resulting in packages that require multiple vinyl discs, cassettes, or even compact discs to present a single album. Concepts have included the historical, fantastical, and metaphysical, and even, in the case of Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick, poking fun at concept albums.

Lyrical themes: Even outside of concept albums, progressive rock often has lyrical ambition similar to its musical ambition – avoiding typical rock/pop subjects such as love, dancing, etc. and focusing on the kinds of themes found in literature. Lyricists such as Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Peter Hammill (Van Der Graaf Generator), Neil Peart (Rush) and Pete Sinfield (King Crimson and ELP) wrote elaborate lyrics combining introspection, social commentary, and poetic influences. Genesis often wrote surreal stories in their lyrics, while Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) combined social criticism with the personal struggles with greed, madness, and death. Literature, mythology, and folklore are also common themes and influences of progressive rock. Though fantasy and science-fiction themes are much less prevalent than some critics claim, they are part of the common stereotype of progressive rock.

Presentation: Album art and packaging is often an important part of the artistic concept. This trend began with The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and played a major part in the marketing of progressive rock. Some bands became as well known for the art direction of their albums as for their sound, with the "look" integrated into the band's overall musical identity. This led to fame for particular artists and design studios, most notably Roger Dean for his work with Yes, and Storm Thorgerson and his studio Hipgnosis for their work with Pink Floyd and several other progressive rock groups.

Stage theatrics: Beginning in the early 1970s, some progressive rock bands began incorporating elaborate and sometimes flamboyant stage theatrics into their concerts. Genesis lead singer Peter Gabriel wore many different colourful and exotic costumes in one show, and the band used lasers and giant mirrors synchronized with the music. Queen would use lasers, smoke machines, and complex lighting systems as part of their shows. Yes incorporated futuristic stage sets designed by Roger Dean, including massive spaceship props and complex lighting. Yes also performed 'in-the-round', with the band on a round stage set up in the middle of the arena. Jethro Tull released rabbits on stage (see here). One of ELP's many stage antics include Emerson's "flying piano" at the California Jam concert, in which a Steinway grand piano would be spun from a hoist.

Pink Floyd used many stage effects, including crashing aeroplanes, a giant floating pig, massive projection screens, and, in 1980, an enormous mock brick wall for The Wall performances. Rush incorporated lasers and film backdrops into their stage show. Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention used a giant giraffe prop and did improvisational comedy skits. Marillion's former lead singer Fish wore a jester costume inspired by the band's first album, Script for a Jester's Tear.

Allmusic cites Bob Dylan's poetry, The Mothers of Invention's Freak Out! and the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band as showing the "earliest rumblings of progressive and art rock" while progressiverock.com cites the latter as its "starting point", although earlier albums such as Rubber Soul and Revolver had begun incorporating Eastern music and instruments not common in rock music. This would later be followed by progressive-rock acts such as Yes and King Crimson. However, Piero Scaruffi claims that "[t]echnically speaking ... progressive-rock began in 1967 with Cream and The Nice", which he describes as "groups that reacted to the simple, melodic, three-minute pop of the early Beatles", and notes that if "a more stringent definition, one that considers ambition and pretentiousness" is used, this "would push the birth date [back] to the Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow (1968) and the Who's Tommy (1969).

Freak Out!, released in 1966, had been a mixture of progressive rock, punk and avant-garde layered sounds. In the same year, the band "1-2-3", later renamed Clouds, began experimenting with song structures, improvisation, and multi-layered arrangements. In March of that year, The Byrds released "Eight Miles High", a pioneering psychedelic rock single with lead guitar heavily influenced by the jazz soloing style of John Coltrane. Later that year, The Who released "A Quick One While He's Away", the first example of the rock opera form, and considered by some to have been the first prog epic.

In 1967, Jeff Beck released the single "Beck's Bolero", inspired by Maurice Ravel's Bolero, and, later that year, Procol Harum released the Bach-influenced single "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Also in 1967, the Moody Blues released Days of Future Passed, combining classical-inspired orchestral music with traditional rock instrumentation and song structures. Pink Floyd's first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, contained the nearly ten-minute improvisational psychedelic instrumental "Interstellar Overdrive". In 1968, Big Brother and the Holding Company incorporated Bach's prelude from The Well-Tempered Clavier into their cover of George Gershwin's "Summertime".

By the late 1960s, many rock bands had begun incorporating instruments from classical and Eastern music, as well as experimenting with improvisation and lengthier compositions. Some, such as the UK's Soft Machine, began to experiment with blends of rock and jazz. By the end of the decade, other bands, such as Deep Purple and The Nice, had also recorded classical-influenced albums with full orchestras: Concerto for Group and Orchestra and Five Bridges, respectively.

Music critic Piero Scaruffi argues that the "bands that nurtured prog-rock through its early stages were Traffic, Jeff Beck, Family, Jethro Tull, and Genesis; while King Crimson, Yes, and Van Der Graaf Generator represent the genre at its apex".[2] Numerous key bands had formed by the end of the 1960s, including The Moody Blues (1964), Pink Floyd (1965), Soft Machine (1966), Barclay James Harvest (1966), Gong (1967), Genesis (1967), Jethro Tull (1967), The Nice (1967), The United States of America (1967), Uriel (1967), Yes (1968), Caravan (1968), The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (1968), King Crimson (1969), and Gentle Giant (1969), although not all of these bands were then playing music that might be considered progressive rock.

Although almost all of these bands were from the UK, the genre was growing popular elsewhere in continental Europe. Triumvirat led Germany's significant progressive rock movement, while Tangerine Dream, Faust (band), Can (band) and Neu! led the related Berlin School and Krautrock movements. Flame Dream hailed from Switzerland, Focus and Trace formed in the Netherlands, France produced Ange, Gong, and Magma, and Greece saw the debut of Aphrodite's Child led by electronic music pioneer Vangelis. Spain produced numerous prog groups, including Canarios and Triana. Scandinavia was represented by: Norwegian band Popol Vuh, Swedish band Kaipa and Finnish band Wigwam. Italian progressive rock is sometimes considered a genre unto itself, highlighted by bands like Area, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Le Orme, Goblin, PFM, Museo Rosenbach, Il Balletto di Bronzo, and Locanda Delle Fate.

Prog also had a presence in Latin America, producing bands such as Brazil's Arion, and Os Mutantes, who combined elements of traditional Brazilian music with psychedelic rock, classical, jazz and experimental sounds, Argentina's Luis Alberto Spinetta, and La Máquina de hacer pájaros, and later Seru Giran, both formed by Charly Garcia, who combined classical music arrangements with jazz and tango, Chile's Los Jaivas and Congreso, who combined the rock sound of electric guitars and keyboards with Latin American rhythms (especially from the Andes), such as Wayno, Joropo, Cotahiqui, Diablada, and Perú's Frágil, who played a very melodic form of progressive rock.

A strong element of avant-garde and counter-culture has long been associated with a great deal of progressive rock. In the 1970s, Chris Cutler of Henry Cow helped to form a loose collective of artists referred to as Rock in Opposition, or RIO, to make a statement against the music industry. The original members included Henry Cow, Samla Mammas Manna, Univers Zero, and later Art Zoyd, Art Bears, and Aqsak Maboul. The RIO movement was short-lived, but the artists included some of the originators of Avant-progressive rock, which used dark melodies, angular progressions, dissonance, free-form playing and a disregard for conventional structure.

Music historians used a variety of terms to sub-categorize 1970s progressive rock. Though some Miles Davis-inspired artists like Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, and Return to Forever were considered jazz fusion, others who incorporated the same influence formed the jazz-rock oriented Canterbury scene sub-genre of progressive rock. In 1973, Queen combined Brian May's heavy and complex guitar work with Freddie Mercury's piano, lyrics, and intricate melodies to create a fusion of progressive rock, hard rock and heavy metal.

Yes brought in former Refugee keyboardist Patrick Moraz for their Relayer album, and his style and ARP synthesizers lent a much more jazz-inflected sound than Wakeman's Moog. Genesis drummer Phil Collins formed a group called Brand X, and former Yes/King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford started a solo band, Bruford; both bands had a strong jazz/fusion edge.

Progressive rock's popularity peaked in the mid-1970s, when prog artists regularly topped readers' votes in mainstream popular music magazines in England and America, and albums like Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells topped the charts. By this time, several North American progressive rock bands had been formed. Kansas, which had actually existed in one form or another since 1971, became one of the most commercially successful of all progressive rock bands.

Likewise, Electric Light Orchestra, who formed in 1970 as a progressive offshoot of "The Beatles sound," saw their greatest success during the mid-1970s. Pop star Todd Rundgren moved into prog with his new band, Utopia. Toronto's Rush became a major band, with a string of hit albums extending from the mid-1970s to the present. Also influential, but less commercially successful, were the Dixie Dregs, from Georgia, and Happy The Man, of Washington D.C.

Music critic Piero Scaruffi opines that Emerson Lake & Palmer "pushed progressive-rock towards technical excesses that, basically, obliterated whatever merit their jazz-classical fusion had." Scaruffi claims that ELP's music, which became "ever more pretentious and magniloquent, was founded on a fundamental misunderstanding of what "virtuoso" means." Bruce Eder claims that "[t]he rot" in progressive rock "started to set in during 1976, the year ELP released their live album Welcome Back My Friends." Eder claims that this album was "[s]uffering from poor sound and uninspired playing" which "stretched the devotion of fans and critics even thinner." He claims that "[t]he end [of progressive rock] came quickly: by 1977, the new generation of listeners was even more interested in a good time than the audiences of the early 1970s, and they had no patience for 30 minute prog-rock suites or concept albums based on Tolkien-esque stories." He asserts that by the late 1970s and early 1980s, "ELP was barely functioning as a unit, and not producing music with any energy; Genesis was redefining themselves ... as a pop-rock band; and Yes was back to doing songs running four minutes ... and even releasing singles."

In 1974, four of progressive rock's biggest bands – Yes, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Genesis and King Crimson – all went on indefinite hiatus or experienced personnel changes. Members of Yes and ELP left to pursue solo work, as did Genesis lead singer Peter Gabriel, who considered Happy the Man as his new band (though Genesis would continue with Phil Collins as lead vocalist), and Robert Fripp announced the end of King Crimson after the release of their Red album. When, in 1977, Yes and ELP reformed, they had some success, but were unable to capture the dominance they previously had.

With the advent of punk rock in the late 1970s, critical opinion in England moved toward a simpler and more aggressive style of rock, with progressive bands increasingly dismissed as pretentious and overblown, ending progressive rock's reign as one of the leading styles in rock. This development is seen by some[who?] as part of wider commercial turn in popular music in the second half of the 1970s, during which many funk or soul bands switched to disco, and smooth jazz gained popularity over jazz fusion.

However, established progressive bands still had a strong fan base; Rush, Genesis, ELP, Yes, Queen, and Pink Floyd all regularly scored Top Ten albums with massive accompanying tours, the largest yet for some of them. From 1976 to 1980, heavy metal pioneers Led Zeppelin would display a minor prog-influence on their Presence and In Through the Out Door albums.

By 1979, by which time punk had mutated into New Wave, Pink Floyd released their rock opera The Wall, one of the best selling albums in history. Many bands which emerged in the aftermath of punk, such as Siouxsie and The Banshees, Cabaret Voltaire, Ultravox, Simple Minds, and Wire, all showed the influence of prog, as well as their more usually recognised punk influences. [Wikipedia]

PROGRESSIVE POP BBC TRANSCRIPTION LP'S 1968-1970

CD1
SHOW # 1
01. TERRY REID - WRITING ON THE WALL
02. THE STRAWBS - THE BATTLE
03. JEFF BECK GROUP - SWEET LITTLE ANGEL
04. FAMILY - HOMETOWN
05. LOVE SCULPTURE - INNER LIGHT
06. PENTANGLE - I GOT A FEELING
07. UNIORS EYES - IMAGINATION
08. FLEETWOOD MAC - A TALK WITH YOU
09. THE HONEYBUS - BLACK MOURNING BAND
10. VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR - NECROMANCER

CD2
SHOW # 2
01. LED ZEPPELIN - DAZED AND CONFUSED
02. FREE - THE GREEN HILLS
03. THE NICE - AZRAEL REVISITED
04. KALEIDESCOPE - BLESS THE EXECUTIONER
05. COLOSSEUM - THE KETTLE
06. BLODWYN PIG - THE CHANGE SONG
07. T-REX - NIJINSKY HIND
08. KEEF HARTLEY - TOO MUCH THINKING
09. GLASS MENAGERIE - CHEQUEBOOK GIRL

1. http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6RDR6OUU
or
2. http://qshare.com/get/651711/BBC_Transcription.rar.html
or
3. http://rapidshare.com/files/163306264/BBC_Transcription.rar
]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:17:00 +0000 prog prog rock rock minute prog-rock suites prog-rock artists prog artists regularly rock opera rock opera form BBC Transcription LPs - Progressive Rock At BBC 1968-70 <![CDATA[JAIVAS, LOS - Los Sueños De América (1974)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/8b9abb57338c70b95d2712280a7ab95c http://www.musicratty.com/article/8b9abb57338c70b95d2712280a7ab95c

First of all, it is a shame that Manduka is not mentioned here. He is in the album and he was an amazing musician. Second of all, I understand that the one of the reviewers did not like that album. I think it'd be hard for most non-Spanish/Portuguese native speakers to understand the lyrics, or the music itself (no offense!). It certainly isn't either Manduka's or Los Jaivas's best album, but it deserves more recognition. It's that famous quote do not judge what you don't understand. Again, do not interpret this as an insult. It's just that I think one has to at least have lived in South America for some time to truly understand some of its music. And appreciate its folk music, its indigenous music. It's something too different from prog rock like Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, or ELP. I'm not even sure I'd call it prog. It's kinda experimental, so if you like that kind of music, this is great. It sure makes me miss my homeland - Brazil. Great guitar playing, nice lyrics, lovely singing by Manduka. But, again, both Manduka and Los Jaivas have much better records.

by rsinatra


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]]> Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:16:18 +0000 los los jaivas jaivas los music online music folk music indigenous music manduka records JAIVAS, LOS - Los Sueños De América (1974) <![CDATA[JAIVAS, LOS - Obras De Violeta Parra (1984)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/284ce5bc04feccbd127a3a7b7b715ca9 http://www.musicratty.com/article/284ce5bc04feccbd127a3a7b7b715ca9

This is pure Prog Rock, Violeta Parra was a Chilean folk reviewer, who search around the four corners of this (my) country, the sources of what can be called Chilean, not only musically.

I never have listened to a tribute album like this, I only can say that this is similar to what YES do to Paul Simon's America, the final result is miles away from the source, as Violeta's Songs are mainly instrumented only with Spanish guitar and occasionaly with Bombo (a basic bass drum made out of cow skin and wood).

The arrangements to four songs: Mañana me voy pa'l Norte, Un Rio de Sangre, Violeta Ausente, Que pena siente el Alma, are pure Chilean Folk Music, the rest is only prog Rock in different format, like the symphonic beginning of Arauco, to the neo cassicaly driven Gavilan.

Gato Alquinta is not a great singer nor a great guitar player, but the rest of the band is top class.

I could probably write like like Tarzan (in English) but I can assure you that this band is miles away of being a Mariachi Rock, because they came from Mexico, And this is a Chilean Band and if you think there's not difference, please pick a map give this album a try, and then listen to Pedro Fernandez a real Mexican Mariachi.



by Rikki Nadir


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]]> Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:04:05 +0000 violeta chilean band band los chilean violeta parra pure prog rock violeta ausente prog rock JAIVAS, LOS - Obras De Violeta Parra (1984) <![CDATA[BLOPS - Locomotora (1973)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/be3a84f2a19d23c30a4a2df8ad6439fa http://www.musicratty.com/article/be3a84f2a19d23c30a4a2df8ad6439fa

Musically the last album from Los Blops is also their most mature, skillfully combining flute with more modern instruments like the 5-string bajo bass, numerous keyboards and the usual varied Latin percussion. The band seems to have finally found a sound that both works for them and is sonically engaging for broader audiences.

This is heavier album than the previous two, thanks mostly to the expanded bass sound and heavier use of snare drums than the in the past. The album opens with the highlight track, a nearly thirteen- minute instrumental “Allegro Ma Non Troppo” in which the band appears to employ both acoustic and synthesized flute sounds, or at least they’ve found some way to introduce a heavy and sustained vibrato in the flute that isn’t typically heard from that instrument. There is more than a little psychedelic as well as fusion influence in the music, although the drum solo toward the end is rather gratuitous and actually takes away from the swaying, hypnotic mood just a bit.

The entire album consists of only five tracks, with three of them running more than eight minutes each. “Tartaleta de Frutillas” is nearly nine minutes long, and here the mood shifts to a bit heavier rock sound with plenty of organ and smooth electric guitar. Still there are no vocals to speak of, although a couple members of the band offer wordless vocal accompaniment at times. Once again the bass plays a pivotal role in grounding the music.

The band seems to decide to launch into a somewhat restrained guitar freak-out with the title track, but here again the strong role of the organ (and piano in this case) offer some variety and interesting interplay with the guitar. Unlike so much South American prog music of this period, the band seems to have decided to all but abandon heavy Latin percussion in favor of the snare drums and cymbals, especially on this track.

I’m not sure exactly what type of organ is employed on “Piromano”, but this, the piano and the electric guitar blend in a three-way interaction that is more focused and grounded than anything the band had produced to this point. It’s quite surprising to go back to their comparatively primitive debut and hear the remarkable transformation to highly complex, keyboard-driven music after starting out as what appeared it would be simply another acoustic, vocal group. Eduardo Gatti is the star here with his electric guitar work that covers mildly folk, psych, folk and conventional rock territory, all in one composition.

I could have done without the spoken-word passages on the closing track “Sandokan”, but this is also the only song that features any vocals to speak of, and the sung parts of those are as good as the band’s debut in which singing was more prevalent. This starts off like its going to be a slower, bluesy number but like “Locomotora” it morphs into another guitar/bass/organ psych jam midway, which drags on until the end of both the song and the album. Maybe ‘drags’ is a bad word since the energy and skill displayed are once again show great maturity in the band over the few years since they began recording.

This is quite unlike other Chilean bands of the era like El Congreso, Los Jaivas and Congregacion who all tended closer to more traditional folk music. So did Los Blops at first, but this last album shows the extent to which they had grown beyond that and embraced more of the sounds of European and North American psych and acid folk. Easily a three star record, and close to (but not quite) four. Well recommended to fans of El Congreso, Los Jaivas and Congregacion; but also those who enjoy acid folk bands and even groups like Jethro Tull. Los Blops are a pleasant progressive treat that are sadly not well-enough known outside their native country (but should be).

peace

by ClemofNazareth


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]]> Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:04:56 +0000 guitar smooth electric guitar blops blops music online guitar freak-out music electric guitar blend traditional folk music los blops BLOPS - Locomotora (1973) <![CDATA[JAIVAS, LOS - Alturas de Machu Picchu (1981)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/801bb78452b95e973bba09a9ffffc648 http://www.musicratty.com/article/801bb78452b95e973bba09a9ffffc648

Sorry but I can't follow the opinions of the other reviwers in this one...This is just an uneven disc,it has some interesting moments but it has some very pop stuff also...

The first intro track is just a filling,hasn't much to say,just some kind ao introduction to the wind instrument- side of the bandfollowed by the epic of the album ''La poderosa muerte''.Well this one didn't catch my attention at all,it starts with a folky sound,gets a liitle bit rockier by the middle of the track,but sounds a little bit uninspired to my ears...''Amor americano'' makes me just laugh,seems like the track is recorded in a pop-latin club in Cuba,it is just unbearable...''Aguila sideral'' and ''Antigua America'' are the next tracks of the album and do not differ much...Nice,mellow and smooth compositions with folk orientations and an obvious symphonic edge...''Sube a nacer..'' is the most uneven track of all.The instrumental sections are very good symphonic rock following the sound of the two previous tracks but where the vocals are added starts the same problem with ''Amor americano'', below average latin-poppish stuff that I can't afford...''Final'' is maybe the best track,a symphonic,dark and melancholing at the same time closing to the album but it's just too short to save the whole effort...

My true rating is 2.5 starts,exactly on the line between good and bad,aqnd I can recommend this album only to those who are very familiar with latin sounds and do not mind of pop leanings...I have grown in a rock enviroment and it gets too hard for me to raise my rating...

by psarros


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]]> Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:29:57 +0000 los intro track pop stuff stuff track symphonic symphonic rock jaivas average latin-poppish stuff JAIVAS, LOS - Alturas de Machu Picchu (1981) <![CDATA[JAIVAS, LOS - Los Jaivas (1975)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/0e4c90935097ba9e8c533f8e0dd91887 http://www.musicratty.com/article/0e4c90935097ba9e8c533f8e0dd91887

This is my first review here in PROGARCHIVES, and I want to start talking about an amazing band from my country: LOS JAIVAS, a piece of Chilean history and identity. “El Indio” was released in Argentina, with the group in exile, due to a military dictatorship. The band explores new places and landscapes, and it serves as new inspirations for their music. This album is crossed by a strong Latin American feeling, and it has some of the most memorable Jaivas´ compositions.

In first place, we have “Pregón para iluminarse”. This track is happiness, party, unity of consciences and frontier´s dissolution. It express the wish of propagate love and light to every corner of the world. It starts with a playful flute, and gradually the battery, charanjo, piano and electric guitar become attached to this beautiful creation. The lyrics are really beautiful, and they deserve to be read.

Then, “Guajira Cósmica” expresses in its lyrics the Latin American native´s “cosmovision”. They talk about the relationship between man, nature and divinity. The music has deep percussions, an elegant work of moog, the playful flute of “Gato Alquinta”, and the result is a sensual “Guajira”, with one of the finest vocal works of “El gato” in his whole career.

“La conquistada” is, with security, my favorite track of this album. It´s a complex lament, with a “Cueca” rhythm (national dance of Chile), but with a very tragic tune (the “Cueca” is very joyful originally). This is understandable, because in this track Eduardo Parra talks about his feelings about the destroyed Santiago de Chile after the coup d'état. The band clearly shares his feelings, and the result is this deep composition, with a nostalgic electric guitar, a desperate piano and gloomy vocals.

“Un mar de gente” is a hymn filled with Latin American brotherhood feelings. The lyrics are more poetical than in “Todos Juntos” (From his album “La Ventana”), and the music is deeper and more exciting with a fast charango, emotional percussions, beautiful corals and a strong ensemble that makes think about a real crowd beyond this incredible sound.

“Un día de tus días” is, maybe, the weakest track of the album. It isn´t bad, but compared with the other songs is complex less. It is closer to folk: the proggy component isn´t much here. .

Finally, “Tarka y Ocarina” is a delight. 13:21 minutes of a real ensemble of rock and folk. The composition is a trip among sounds, landscapes and memories of the north of Chile. In “Diablada” the rhythm is a complex and unique version of the diabladas of “La fiesta de la tirana”, traditional carnival that takes place on July, every year. The rhythm changes are very interesting and well succeed. In “Trote” and “Kotaiki” Claudio Parra definitively shines on the piano, showing pure sensibility and beauty.

In summary, for me this album deserves 4.5 stars. Because “Los Jaivas” have better albums than this, I give them 4 stars for their fine work on “El Indio”. I apologize for my limited English, and I invite everyone to hear and rate the work of those chileans. Hundred people rates very popular bands like Genesis, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd, but Latin America has great musicians and has many things to say too.

Cheers from Chile!

by Usulprog


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]]> Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:22:20 +0000 los jaivas los music online los jaivas amazon memorable jaivas compositions video games amazon music movies online amazon JAIVAS, LOS - Los Jaivas (1975) <![CDATA[JAIVAS, LOS - En Vivo En Moscu (1984)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/44ae4deac9ff4053afa8f7ea9d5aa6b6 http://www.musicratty.com/article/44ae4deac9ff4053afa8f7ea9d5aa6b6

Back in the 1980's, if you had listen to this album you were a very lucky guy. Today, if you own the original LP, you might be sure you have a treasure.

What's my point? This is a very rare recording. I think it was only edited in the USSR. Maybe two or three copies are actually here in Chile (I'm talking 'bout the vinyl disc, if you downloaded the mp3 you are lucky, but not so much).

Well, let's review this little piece of jewelery.

Sube a Nacer Conmigo Hermano (Follow me and rise, my brother). A great start for a live release. Although I don't think they started their concert with this tune, it's a powerful song that keeps the listener always up with its wonderfully-frantic piano arpeggios that are throughout the whole song; the constant groove of drums and bass that doesn't decay and the well-known minimoog riff that precedes the high-pitched almost flawless singing of Gato Alquinta.

Corre que te Pillo (Running). A 12-minute instrumental song with an amazing extended drum solo by the late Gabriel Parra, including a bass-drum/hi-hat 12/8 groove created and developed by himself and a variation for two bass-drums in this live performance. Being a drummer myself, I think every drummer in the world should listen to this song and specially this version. It's not about the drum solo, but also the whole work he did in the entire song. The main traditional malambo rhythm and how he develops it. And last but not least, don't forget his drum set had 12 tom-toms.

Pregón para Iluminarse (Enlightenment). I'm pretty sure this was the first song of the show and was chosen to be put in between two 12-minute epics. As all the four songs in this record, a flawless performance of the five original members in what is considered today as the band's peak. If you have ever watched or listened something live from the years 80~88 you might agree. If not, try to get a copy of this.

La Poderosa Muerte (Heights of Macchu Picchu). What a perfect performance for this epic song. Almost 12 minutes of Los Jaivas in the peak of their career. Well, many people say this is the greatest Jaivas' composition ever. This is the greatest live version for this masterpiece I've ever heard.

OK, I think that's it. The only thing I can say to end this review is try to get a copy of this, it's a great live recording of an amazing band. Besides, it's a rare edition of an historic concert... If you're a Jaivas' fan, you MUST get this, trust me.

by TheSilentManII


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]]> Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:27:38 +0000 los jaivas song 12-minute instrumental song los music online amazon live video games amazon powerful song JAIVAS, LOS - En Vivo En Moscu (1984) <![CDATA[JAIVAS, LOS - Los Jaivas (1975)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/4a398c2c5cc0947f1f735d3a76f5265f http://www.musicratty.com/article/4a398c2c5cc0947f1f735d3a76f5265f

This is my first review here in PROGARCHIVES, and of course, I´d want to start talking about an amazing band from my country: Los Jaivas, a piece of Chilean history and identity. “El Indio” was released in Argentina, with the group in exile, because the military dictatorship. The band explores new places and landscapes, like the Patagonia, and this places serve as new inspirations for their music. This album is crossed by a strong Latin American feeling, and it has some of the most memorable Jaivas´ compositions.

In first place, we have “Pregón para iluminarse”. This track is happiness, party, unity of consciences and frontier´s dissolution. It express the wish of propagate love and light to every corner of the world. It starts with a playful flute, and gradually the battery, charanjo, piano and electric guitar become attached to this beautiful creation. The lyrics are really beautiful, and they deserves to be read. Then, “Guajira Cósmica” shows pure Latin American cosmovision. Lyrics talk about the relationship between man, nature and divinity. The music has deep percussions, an elegant work of moog, the playful flute of “Gato Alquinta”, and the result is a sensual “Guajira”, with one of the finest vocal works of “El gato” in his whole career.

“La conquistada” is, with security, my favourite track of this album. It´s a complex lament, with a “Cueca” rhythm (national dance of Chile), but with a very tragic tune (the “Cueca” is very joyful originally). Of course, because in this track Eduardo Parra talks about his feelings about the destroyed Santiago de Chile after the coup d'état. The band clearly share his feelings, and the result is this deep composition, with a nostalgic electric guitar, a desperate piano and gloomy vocals.

“Un mar de gente” is a hymn filled with Latin American brotherhood feelings. The lyrics are more poetical than “Todos Juntos” (From his album “La Ventana”), and the music is deeper and more exciting with a fast charanjo, emotional percussions, beautiful corals and a strong ensemble that makes think about a real crowd beyond this incredible sound.

“Un día de tus días” is, perhaps, the weakest track of the album. Isn´t bad, but compared with the other songs is complex less. Is closer to folk: the proggy component is minimum here.

Finally, “Tarka y Ocarina” it´s a delight. 13:21 minutes of a real ensemble of rock and folk. The composition is a trip along sounds, landscapes and memories of the north of Chile. In “Diablada” the rhythm is a complex and unique version of the tradicional diabladas of “La fiesta de la tirana”, traditional carnival that takes place on July, every year. The changes of rhythm are very interesting and well succed. In “Trote” and “Kotaiki” Claudio Parra definitively shines on the piano, showing pure sensibility and beauty.

In summary, for me this album deserves 4.5 stars. Because “Los Jaivas” have better albums than this, I give them 4 stars for their finest work on “El Indio”. I apologize for my limited English, and I invite everyone to hear and rate this band. Hundred people rates very popular groups like Genesis, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd, but Latin America has masterful musicians and has many things to say too. Cheers from Chile!

by Usulprog


JAIVAS, LOS Music Online:
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]]> Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:56:42 +0000 los jaivas los music online los jaivas amazon memorable jaivas compositions video games amazon music album deserves JAIVAS, LOS - Los Jaivas (1975) <![CDATA[SUPAY - Confusión (2004)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/3b2744f8d3da0ef4812110203f2e7084 http://www.musicratty.com/article/3b2744f8d3da0ef4812110203f2e7084

Almost every time I listen from a South American Prog Folk band, I end being partially disappointed, because instead of a real Prog Fusion between Rock and Andean sounds, I end listening some watered Folksy tunes with a lot of Rock and very little of Prog, well guys, this is not the case of SUPAY’s debut album “Confusión”, the Andean essence is present in every tune and the Prog component is more than evident, IMO we are talking about the most promising band to follow the steps of LOS JAIVAS, this time from Perú, the heart and center of the Inca Empire.

But again I find a big problem in the categorization of this bands in Folk Rock, people expect to listen something similar to JETHRO TULL or STRAWBS, to the point that I already have read reviews talking about the TULL connection, please guys, if you expect that, you will probably be disappointed, there’s no similarity with Celtic or British Pastoral music, this is pure Andean Ethnic music, radically different even when equally beautiful.

The album starts with “Pueblo Mio” (Town of Mine), a song which from the start presents us a real Andean atmosphere, with the quenas (Peruvian ancestral pentaphonic wood flute) and Zampoñas (Peruvian pan flute) and the folk styled percussion performing a native tune magisterially blended with the guitar and keyboards. The magical contrast between the Andean tune and the radical changes show us we are before a very skillful Progressive band.

“Avanzando” (Advancing) begins with another clear Andean introduction with guitar and quena reminding us of the music from the Peruvian “serranía”, but almost immediately the keyboards change the dreamy atmosphere for a Symphonic solo, which is followed by another autochthonous passage, this time faster and cheerful. The changes come one after the other proving us the versatility of the band. An excellent guitar solo follows with a sound that has a distant reminiscence with Metal, but that’s not all, vocoders, jazzy sections and more indigenous music performed with piano and quena come one after the other, nine minutes of pure Progressive Rock.

“Confusión” (Confusion) marks a radical change, this ime starts with a clasuic Rock guitar, but SUPAY never forgets their roots and comes back over and over to the native music, jumping from Andean to Hard Rock with amazing skills that allow the music to flow perfectly, as if this mixture was something natural.

“La Nueva” (The New) begins with an extremely beautiful one quena introduction that is joined by a second one and later by zampoñas with the unique percussion that can only be listened in Cuzco or Puno, all the native wind instruments start a contrapuntal section that leads to a melodic piano and winds section of incredible beauty while a lonely Rock guitar in the style of Carlos Santana gives the support the song requires, but never loosing the melancholic mood, again several changes make this track unforgettable.

Is Andean Jazz possible? Well, “En el Viento” (In the Wind) answers this question with an emphatic yes, first making some sort of well structured jamming and later with a clear Rock background, but always with the winds reminding us we are before a Folk band.

“Imperio” (Empire) is a much more pompous track with strong and loud guitars, lush keyboards that morph into a Metal song and later returns to the indigenous roots, that this time come o stay, several variations on the same theme reinforce the impression that SUPAY manages Rock, Jazz and Jazz Fusion perfectly, very interesting song.

The album is close with “Chicago Chico” (Little Chicago) a reference to a district in Lima that represents the fusion of the people from the mountains and the modern part of Perú, in the same way the music is a perfect blend of the native and Rock sounds describe perfectly the creole nature of this part of the country while recapitulating previous tracks.

Last time I rated a Peruvian album and to avoid chauvinism, decided to give only four stars despite I believed it could easily reach the perfect score, but this time I won’t be unfair, SUPAY’S “Confusion” deserves not less than five stars, because it’s the essential and perfect expression of Andean Ethnic Progressive Rock in the 21st Century.

by Ivan_Melgar_M


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]]> Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:43:50 +0000 native music music rock hard rock lonely rock guitar rock background clasuic rock guitar native andean jazz SUPAY - Confusión (2004) <![CDATA[FLOR DE LOTO - Flor De Loto (2005)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/b4927e9dd52d32cc9d76c0dab0f3c89a http://www.musicratty.com/article/b4927e9dd52d32cc9d76c0dab0f3c89a

Since the late 60’s when Perú was one of the leading forces of Proto Prog in this part of the continent, we never had so many important Prog bands; FLOR DE LOTO, SUPAY and KHARMINA BURANA, are only some of the names we see once in a while in the newspapers and it’s hard for a reviewer of this country, not to feel proud when we see their names in the same pages as glorious icons like GENESIS, YES, JETHEO TULL etc.

But what is more important, that they are doing something different than our most famous band (FRAGIL), and that’s exploring our Andean roots and blending them with different genres, of course FLOR DE LOTO is leader in this field.

After several years of formation, FLOR DE LOTO is able to release their self titled album with the support of Mylodon Records of Chile, a country that has some experience, being home of the Andean Folk icons LOS JAIVAS.

The album is opened with “La Llegada” (The Arrival), and the name is perfect because as soon as you listen the first Antara (Peruvian wind instrument similar to the pan flute) notes of the intro, the feeling of something new starting surrounds the audience. As a thick mist, the Andean atmosphere falls upon the listener, like a sunrise in the high mountains, the drums mark perfectly the timing as the sweet flute enhances the pleasant effect. But around the middle the band explodes in a festival of sounds and moods, always melancholic as the Peruvian music from the Andes, but with the spirit of Prog present in the guitar riffs. Outstanding opener.

“Libélula” (Dragonfly) is a radical change, now without loosing that atmosphere, FLOR DE LOTO explores different sounds, like a mixture of Hard Rock and Psyche with an excellent guitar work, but again we should expect a change, a softer flute section acts as a bridge that leads us to the development of the track, where guitar, drums and keyboards blend perfectly in a faster passage but with the flute as the lead instrument. At the end they surprise us with a long jazzy section that changes the mood completely.

“Negativos de Una Memoria Inexistente” (Negatives of a Non Existent Memory) has a very short spacey intro that leads almost instantaneously to a heavy guitar based section, totally frenetic, but without loosing the ethnic atmosphere, the song develops with multiple changes, again the drum work by Jorge Puccini is simply brilliant. The flute guided finale is extremely beautiful as if a distant quena (Peruvian ancestral wooden pentaphonic flute) expressed a sentimental cry.

“Ayahuasca”(Amazonian hallucinogenic plant) surprises me, due to the name I expected something different, more psyche oriented, full of jamming, but instead it’s a perfectly fluid song that flows gently from start to end, sometimes gains strength but never looses the calmed tempo, except for the short finale. In this track the band has a famous guest; Octavio Castillo from FRAGIL joins them in the flute.

“El Errante” (The Errant) shows a mature band blending a Folk sound in the style of Jethro Tull with Peruvian Folk and a Symphonic structure, it’s amazing how they manage to handle radical changes so fluidly that seem like parts of a puzzle that foit perfectly, during more than nine minutes FLOR DE LOTO gives us a memorable Prog performance, with melodic speedy and frantic passages perfectly crafted.

“El Niño y el Puerco” (The Boy and the Pig) starts with a contrapuntal work between guitar and percussion, suddenly the bass announces something different is coming, but when a normal listener can expect a frenetic change, a soft but fast guitar played in a style that reminds of the great Carlos Santana starts a lengthy solo only supported by the drums, until the flute joins and the tempo changes into a frantic passage where they prove a Folk band can also rock with class, but again the atmosphere morphs into a jazzy epilog. Very interesting structure and excellent jamming.

“Y” (And) is a short and weird interlude of 1:15 minutes that combines a distorted guitar with some synthesized sounds, not too much to comment, except that works as a link to “Ritual” which starts soft and gentle, with a distant guitar jamming peacefully with an almost imperceptible keyboard making a low ranged sound, until the flute and drums join to create a soft atmospheric song that gain surrounds the listener as a mist. As the song advances keeps gaining strength, speed and volume until it morphs into a very heavy and long closing section.

“Flor de Loto” (Loto Flower) strangely sounds very medieval, as the music for a traveling Troubadour without lyrics, one of the few songs that simply flow from start to end without changes or surprises.

“Suculentas Frutas” (Succulent Fruits) closes the album in the vein of the late 60’s, a Psyche mood with heavy guitar riffs and radical changes, but the show is stolen by the impressive bass solo in the middle, the drums and keyboards have their chance, but not as impressive, and after the solos, comes an impressive closing section, that finishes the album in the best possible way.

Until a few minutes ago, I was decided to rate “Flor de Loto” with five stars. But don’t want to fall in chauvinism, the album is excellent, but I’m sure they can offer more, so will stay with four stars and honestly, I’m not giving this album a rating I don’t believe they deserve, by the contrary, probably I’m giving them less.

by Ivan_Melgar_M


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]]> Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:41:23 +0000 loto guitar riffs heavy guitar riffs flor music peruvian music guitar loto explores flute FLOR DE LOTO - Flor De Loto (2005)