LA MÁQUINA DE HACER PÁJAROS

This is a Charly Garcia project after Sui Generis separation (Sui was a folk prog duo who'd innovated the Argentinian musical scene in the late 60s). But who is Charly Garcia? One of the most prolific musicians of South America, known by his music as well as his eccentricities. His approach to prog music was with LMDHP, a band with two simultaneous keyboardists (in the way of many Italian bands of the era) and his high popularity peak was with his next group (Seru Giran, a super pop-rock band who'd conserved in the early moments some progressive feeling). After Seru, Garcia began a very long -and really poor-solo career. LMDHP (The Birds-Making Machine) first stuff was a melodic prog album with some jazzy and even funky touches. Just two excellent songs (tracks 1 and 2); the rest of the album is composed by nice moments and some complex structures, but nothing special. Worth a listen, but if somebody wants to know the 70's best Argentinian prog I would recommend Crucis, MIA or Espíritu.

Charly García had just decided to dissolve Sui Generis, the folk-pop band (with subtle art rock pretensions) that he had led for four years, after seeing Crucis perform on stage - he felt immediately that he neede a change of musical direction for his career, so he steered his eyes into the prospect of playing prog rock. After recruiting bassist José Luis Fernández (of Crucis' original line-up), Oscar Moro (hired drummer for SG), a second keyboardist with much experience in the hard rock field named Carlos Cutaia, and finally, young talented guitarist Gustavo Bazterrica, the first Argentinian prog band with two keyboardist was born: La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros (The Bird Making Machine). This image of flying living beings portrays very well the free spirit incarnated in the band's repertoire. Their major influences are Genesis, 73-75 Pink Floyd, Yes, RtF, always leaving some space for some folkish excursions (tracks 2 and 6) - but the prog material is predominant and more relevant. Both their jazz-rock oriented numbers ('Boletos, Pases y Abonos', 'No Puedo Verme Más') and their symphonic ones (the eerie opening title 'Bubulina','Rock',the amazing 11-minute closure 'Ah Te Ví Entre las Luces') exhibit a sense of enthusiastic energy and genuine freedom: Bazterrica's soloing can be fiery, subtle or ellegantly texturial, thanks to his skill and versatility; Moro's jazzy drive makes his drumming function as solid anchor against which his fellow members can sustain their performances, complemented by Fernandez's precision; the dual keyboards allow García and Cutaia build walls of organ-and- synth simultaneously, or while one of them is soloing. In a few words, the instrumental ensemble is well constituted by effective individual pieces. What about the compositions? They're great and with some degree of catchiness in them: IMHO, the most accomplished are tracks 3, 4 and 7. Though my fav album from LMDHP is their following one, this debut would certainly make "an excellent addition to any prog rock collection".

Charly calls this band the "Yes of the third World" ... I think it is an exaggeration. Nevertheless, This album (the stronger of the two) is excellent symphonic prog from Argentina with some of the best musicians from the country. This album does not sound like Yes at all. It is closer in sound to Spinetta, Seru Giran, and Genesis.

"Bubulina" is an eerie track that starts the album well enough with a melodic mellow tune with a brilliant instrumental section full of guitar and organ showmanship. "Como Mata el Viento Norte" is a simple pop-folk tune in the vein of Sui Generis. "Boletos, Pases y Abonos" is a bombastic and virtuosic tune with a large instrumental section full of solos and amazing musicianship (these guys really know how to play their instruments). "No Puedo Verme" was the first song I liked from this band. It has an excellent guitar riff alternating with good melodies. It also has a good instrumental section like always. "Rock" is another virtuosic track full of instrumental brilliance. "Por Probar el Vino y el Agua Salada" is a beautiful folk song which gets energetic in its last minute and features great synthesizer playing. "Ah The Vi Entre Las Luces" is easily the highlight of the album. For non-spanish speakers ... this song is almost all instrumental. It rises to a musicianship of masterful playing like Crucis, Genesis, and Yes. Afte a highly melodic singing section, an energetic instrumental section begins. The two keyboardist create a wall of sound, while the drumming and bass guitar lead the rhythm section, and the gutar leads the bombastic section. In The last minutes of the song, the repetitive 'ah, te vi entre las luces' vocal line is backed by excellent musicianship. The finale is highly melodic and mellow. An Argentinian masterpiece of music!

Beware, this is not an easy album. I had to listen to it over 5 times in order to love it.

1. Bubulina (8.5/10) 2. Como mata el viento norte (7.5/10) 3. Boletos, pases y abonos (8/10) 4. No puedo verme más (8.5/10) 5. Rock and roll (7.5/10) 6. Por probar el vino y el agua salada (9/10) 7. Ah, te ví entre las luces (10/10)

My Grade : B+

On their eponymous debut album this Argentine five piece band (including two keyboard players) is led by the versatile Charly Garcia, a legend in the Argentine (prog) rock history. He plays piano, clavinet, organ, synthesizers, guitar, he sings and is the main composer. The music on this alternating and melodic album from 1976 sounds as a pleasant and entertaining blend of Sixties rock, jazzrock, classic and symphonic rock featuring lots of soli on guitar and synthesizer and strong interplay. The compositions are drenched in the progrock tradition but have a strong typical South-American atmosphere featuring latin and soul elements. Don't expect prog like Genesis, Camel or ELP, this is the unique progrock sound from Latin-America!

3.5 stars...

LA MAQUINA DE HACER PAJAROS were found in mid-70's by ex-Sui Generis vocalist/keyboardist Charly Garcia after the disbanding of the later.Except Garcia,fellow Carlos Cutaia plays also a number of keyboards (moog synthesizer,piano,mellotron) to lead to the band's very rich sound,filled with different colours and moods.Their first LP was eponymous and released back in 1976,at a time when symphonic rock and jazz rock were at its pick in Argentina,with bands like CRUCIS,ARCO IRIS and M.I.A. leading the way.

''La Maquina de Hacer Pajaros'' contains it all and will leave every progressive rock fan pleased.Abandoning the folk side of Sui Generis,Garcia turned to the more complicated yet symphonic of progressive rock,mixed with pop,hard rock and South-American elements.There are definite influences by GENESIS (smooth acoustic guitars) and most obviously YES (keyboards acrobatics,sudden breaks and changing rhythms),but there is also some sort of Italian prog flavor in the multi-vocal poppish parts blended with acoustic guitars.At times guitarist Gustavo Bazterrica will rock you to the bone with hard rocking riffs,while a few nice instrumental parts are closer to funk and fusion music in the vein of WEATHER REPORT or RETURN TO FOREVER,led by Gracia's Fender Piano.Despite their short presence withinh the progressive rock circles,LA MAQUINA DE HACER PAJAROS left us some great music to remember and their debut should be another South-American great entry,if added in your collection.

La Maquina de Hacer Pajaros was a symphonic rock group formed by former Sui Generis singer Charly Garcia.The myth says this was the most expensive album to come from Argentina. This album features a Moog synthetizer for the first time ever in any group from my country. It's funny because Garcia called the group as: Yes from the Third World. However , I have to do two comments here. First of all their music , while clearly symphonic prog , has nothing to do with Yes (the bass playing is an exception to the rule). I would describe it as a mixture between RPI and jazz rock. And in second place , those musicians weren't undeveloped at all.

The opener Bubulina was already presented to the public in the Adios Sui Generis concert but this time featuring symphonic arrangements. The song is really calm and reminds me of some RPI bands like Celeste or PFM , the vocal harmonies are really good. At 3:37 there it is , the Moog for the first time in a local record! The second song Como mata el viento norte is a folkish ballad drenched with Moog synthetizers , although is a really short tune it's one of my favourites from La Maquina. Boletos pases y abonos starts really funky ( Garcia was a Steely Dan fan) but then turns into a powerful number. I specially like the interplay between both keyboardists and drummer Oscar Moro , this guy was one of the best drummers to come from my country.

No puedo verte mas , follows the same line of the previous tune. However , Garcia's vocals are somewhat exagerated and don't do justice to this song. It's a pity since there are great basslines all over and a really tasteful jazzy section remindng me of Brand X. Rock and roll is not a Led Zeppelin cover. It features a majestic symphonic like beggining and then turns into a powerful rocker , too much in the vein of Seru Giran for my tastes. Por probar el vino y el agua salada is a folkish tune in which the synthetizers resemble some violins , in my opinion is the worst song of the record. I find it to be really cheesy. Luckily for me , after this letdown comes the best song of the album: Ah te vi entre las luces , this is an epic that can do well against the best of the genre. The band really shows it's symphonic side here , the athmosphere is really calm with Charly's subltle synths and vocals being the principal feature here. It reminds me of Canto nomada per un priggionero politico by Banco.

Overall , La Maquina's debut is a landmark in argentinian and south american progressive music. Moreover , the musicians involved were among the best of it's generation. This two facts make this album a really good addition to any collection.