Studio Album, released in 1974Reissue by Sunny Perrot 2012Songs / Tracks ListingLa divina madreLa morada de los dioses En las cumbres bas bus, si el senor bas busaurora boreallas luces eternasel regreso del pajaro dorado la nova madreel arcangel miguelagitorsendero de marcahuasiParaiso sideralUn tiempo y tiempo y la mitad de un tiempolucens VLas huestes de avionSaimo a Cristo Line-up / Musicians Ara Tokatlian - sax, organ and voiceGustavo Sentaolalla - guitars and voiceGuillermo Bordarampe - bass and voiceHoracio Giarello - drums, percussions and voiceDana - Guia esperitual Arco Iris was an Argentinian group that started off as a psych band before falling under the influence of Dana, a female guru, who they continued to follow for thirty years. They went on to a long career in prog before eventually relocating to the U.S. to do more of a traditional Andean folk thing. This ambitious double album from 1975 is certainly one of the better South American prog albums. It appears to have a concept about aliens visiting ancient South Americans. Arco Iris's sound, like Los Jaivas, has a lot of Andean folk influences, though not to the same extent. There is also a pronounced jazz rock edge to the more up-tempo pieces and an occasional Floydian spaciness. A double album was not always the best idea for prog groups, which often lost focus over 80+ minutes, but in this case it allowed the band to stretch out without getting too boring. The songs vary from delicate acoustic pieces to the aforementioned sax-driven jazzy numbers. The quality of musicianship is very impressive, particularly in the guitar department. The band was also very strong vocally. Though the album occasionally slips into a less interesting and more typical jammy organ-driven 70s prog sound, it is rescued from the mundane by the disarming South American folk melodies in the acoustic pieces. Anyone into Los Jaivas or South American 70s prog in general will really enjoy this record. Arco Iris biographyA leading band in the developpement of the South America progressive rock scene with Los Jaivas and a few others. Their music is a solid combination of jazz rock, ethnic folk with sometimes subtle spacey symphonic arrengements. The initial formation is composed by Altar Tokatlián (winds), Gustavo Santaolalla (voice and guitar), Guillermo Bordarampé. They first formed several bands in the 60s (The Rovers, The Blackbyrds, The Crows) to play covers. They finally recorded their first effort back at the end of the 60´s. It´s an orinal mixture of typical Latin folk, acoustic music and 60´s acid rock. After the departure of Alberto Cascino, the drummer Horacio Droopy Gianello integrates the band. They record Suite numero 1 in 1972 also for RCA. The album Tiempo de resurrección published the same year will affirm the own musical identity of the band: an outstanding blend of fusion folk music with jazz rock. The double LP Sudamerica o il regresso a la Aurora represents the summit of the band in term of orchestral achievement. The music offers an unique multi influences rock universe, made of blues, native music, jazz...Released in 1973 Inti-Raymi is a good following to their previous effort but generally seen as less captivating. After the spiritual Ara Tokatlián & Enrique Villegas : inspiracion (1975) Los elementales (1977) will largely put the stress on freak out jazzy rock improvisations. After this classic period the band has continued to produce records until today, reaching their sound in a more new age and mellow jazz direction.
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