Latin American progressive Folk

Two Brazilian groups that use Medieval themes are in fact not progressive unless they are listed in such lists.

These are Anima and Collegium Musicum de Minas. Music is nice medieval music. It's good music but there are many more groups from the same or even better quality. There are in fact two Brazilian Anima bands with this name. One is progressive, changed name later into Anima Donimum, the other is this early music band with female voice and many old and world folk instruments. Collegium Musicum de Minas is very classical baroque or medieval sounding with pianos, cellos, flutes, mixed choirs etc..

Anima webpage : http://www.animamusica.art.br/ & http://caracol.imaginario.com/fonosfera/_grupoanima.html

Anima review : http://home.mira.net/~benwater/animareview.htm & http://www.rootsworld.com/reviews/anima.html

& http://www.worldmusicportal.com/Artists/SouthAmerican/Brazilian%20Artists/anima.htm

http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/3901/anima.htm

Collegium Musicum de Minas webpage : http://netpage.em.com.br/mpontes/proj15.htm

"They have three Lps (and a live fourth that is very very rare). The first two (Los Blops, Del volar de las palomas) are in a way slightly rock but the third called Locomotora of the year 1974 is very progressive and very good. Unfortunately the masters of these Lps were missed when the military took the power but in year 2000 they were relaunched copied from the vinyls. Look for Locomotora is a vey fine work." Torre & Pablo Pavlovic

According to Fransisco Torre "Locomotora" is the best psyche-progressive of all (the others are more folk styled). There exist another very rare recording of late Blops live recording (new songs with a latin folky touch).

I find all three albums interesting, but the second a bit less. The first one more psych/acid folk, the latest a progressive work.

See my seperate Web Page with information, reviews, links and interview with the band at http://progressive.homestead.com/LOSBLOPS.html.

Private

Comunidade S8 : (various albums ; see playlist for reviews)

"Comunidade S 8 was akind of a religious community from Niteroi (Rio de Janeiro), intended to help people with drug problems, showing the light, Jesus, etc etc. In fact, the lyrics are very boring, my Lord here, my Lord there, etc :-) It's better when you don't understand them, I'm sure. All in all, "O Que Vira" and "Quem Deseja Ser Crianca" are very fair progressive rock albuns." Rato

They had at least 7 LP's from which 6 were reissued on Trace Disc in Spain. Their 70's / early 80's albums have beautiful warm female voice with fragile edge, some prog or psych folk arrangements. "Pela Liberdade" is a complete change in style, and is not so good. Also "Cantare" is already less good.

I have done a radioshow with their music. Playlist with more detailed reviews is published at http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/files/brazilpsychfolk.TXT

This is a real nice gem, really, in psych / prog folk pop style.

"Congregación and his only LP, was released byn IRT label in 1972. It was, arguably, the best album produced in Chile along our rock history. Well, the guru and only brain behind Congregación is Antonio Smith, a very gifted musician, wrapped in a mystic and existentialism themes. He yet working in very different areas, like ecology, poetry, education, literature and, of course, producing very eclectic music. Congregacion was a very personal project of Antonio Smith and, believe or not, isn't influenced for LSD or other drugs form the psychedelic era. By the way, in the own words of Smith. Antonio was for very long time a mythic and mysterious figure inside Chilean popular music. Certainly, in the recent years, Chilean researchers and journalists meet him and began reconstructive the formidable legend of Congregacion. Smith departure from Chile and relocate in Argentina, after de Chilean military coup d'etat.; the master tapes disappeared and Congregación Viene only was available in acetate lp's Inclusive, the LP never has released in official CD or other format. Strange but true." Rodrigo Burgos, a young journalist from Chile

Audio : "Estrecha A Tu Hermano" ; Tony Couler on WFMU airplayed "Ecliptica",, "Arrebol" (listen to first tracks only), "Estrecha A Tu Hermano"

EMI

Congreso : El Congreso (1971)**°

EMI

Congreso : Terra Incognita (CHI,1975)**°

EMICongreso : Congreso (1977)**°

Chilean folk foundations with some progressive touches, especially on 'El Congreso'.

Congreso home page at http://www.congreso.scd.cl/ (English/Spanish)

and another page at http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/5838/congreso1.html

Audio track and review at http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Arena/1282/chile.htm

Audio from 'El Congreso' : "Vamos Andando, Mi Amigo","Has Visto Caer Una Lagrima","Maestranzas De Noche"

Lula Cortes e Ze Ramalho (BRAZ,1975)*****

Amon Düül (Paradieswärts) like improvisation on first track, very psychedelic. Most tracks are varied, but always psych with ever opening structures. Unique in its way. This release has been reissued lately on LP format. It is somewhat comparable to Alan Sorrenti's Aria. I have another release by the duo too, which is less progressive with lots of acoustic guitar. Hope I can find the other related interesting releases soon. The original label is supposed to be very interesting.

Audio : "Trilha De Sume"(or here), "Harpa Dos Ares", "Omm","Raga Dos Raios", "Bailado Das Muscarias", "NaS Paredes Da Pedra Encantada"

Zé Ramhalo solo work webpage (with sounds) : http://www.zeramalho.com.br/

Other pages : http://www.cifrantiga.hpg.ig.com.br/Muspopular/ze_ramalho.htm & http://www.facom.ufba.br/pexsites/musicanordestina/zeramal2.htm

Review : http://gnosis2000.net/reviews/cortesramalho.htm

Info on album : http://www.ratolaser.hpg.ig.com.br/paebiru.htm

Engl.review at http://www.wfmu.org/Playlists/Bins/new.0009.html

Picture of Lula Cortes : http://www.reuben.org/members/lailson/fotos/lula.JPG

The more rock/psych orientated solo album of Lula Cortes is reviewed on next page->

Mardel

Eternidad (ARG,1977)**°?

Prog composed / symph. folk ? Unfortunatly sound of reissue is with too much in the high registers. Good but not amongst the most essential.

Some info : http://www.fortunecity.es/salsa/cumbia/294/bandase2.html#ete

Japanese page : http://www.at.wakwak.com/~chipmunk/ETERNIDAD.html

Les UPLA

Miguel Abuelo & Nada (ARG,1978)****°

Very good musical range of voice, from hard rock until a more tempered style with a more experimental Angelo Branduardi kind of voice vibrato. Music is very varied, from folk prog until hard prog rock with very varied arrangements (like some classical arrangements but even some electronic touches). A classic. Just recently (2007) I found a privately released CD reissue with Nada's 2 first albums on one.

Miguel Abuelo at http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/waterloo/728/magicland/a.html at http://www.rockandweb.com/bios/0/39.shtml &

http://www.fortunecity.es/salsa/cumbia/294/bandasa11.html#miguel &

http://www.rockandweb.com/bios/0/38.shtml for

later band (Los) Abuelo(s) de la Nada (at http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/waterloo/728/magicland/a.html and)

some notes and cover at http://www.geocities.com/Baja/8436/za.htm#abuelos

& http://www.fortunecity.es/salsa/cumbia/294/bandasl9.html

Homepage at http://www.losabuelos.itgo.com/

Redondel

Anacrusa (ARG,1973)**°

Modern Latin Folk Fusion. Various tracks are very folk or fusion folk. Some of these might not "progressive" enough to include, but the album is still quiet interesting. Some tracks are more indipendently composed from its original influences. (Can be compared with some Chilean examples).

Recondel

Anacrusa : Reencuentro (ARG,1995)**°

More arranged, less progressive. A complex fusion folk style is hard to describe. It has grown on me.

Info : http://www.rock.com.ar/bios/3/3975.shtml

World Psychedelia

Flaviola e o Bando Do Sol (BRAZ,1974)***°'

For a large part a beautiful and very accessible acoustic folkpsych album featuring Flávio Lira in the lead role, along with Lula Côrtes, Pablo Raphael, Robertinho of Recife, and Zé Ramalho of the Flute. The second half of side B sounds less interesting / original.

Audio : "Noite"(or here), "Balalaica", "O Tempo"

Note : see also Lula Cortez & Zé Ramhalo & Satwa albums listed here.