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Frank Quintero - Jazz/Rock Fusion from the 70's
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ChusNew View Drop Down
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Joined: September 18 2024
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    Posted: September 18 2024 at 14:36
Hi Y'all!

My name is Jesus "Chus" Brea, former Jazz/Rock specialist here at Progarchives! I lost access to my old account so I just figured I create a new one -hopefully some of my old colleagues are still around Cry

After a long hiatus from the Prog Rock scene, I began rediscovering some bands from my own country (Venezuela) and stumbled across one I did not expect: Frank Quintero. He's literally a pop icon over here, so to find out he had such a solid Jazz Fusion past was so refreshing! Some of his Jazz Rock output could rival those of major US and UK bands like Return to Forever, Weather Report, or Gong, and I definitely believe he deserves a place at this site.

Without further ado, here's a short bio:

Frank Quintero: A Pioneer of Jazz Fusion in Venezuela

(Image taken from the Spotify Artist page)

Frank Quintero is a renowned Venezuelan musician, composer, and producer who has significantly contributed to the Latin American music scene. While he is widely recognized for his pop and rock hits, his early career was deeply rooted in jazz fusion. In 1982, he earned degrees in Drum Performance and Music Production from Berklee College of Music, graduating with a Professional Musician designation.

After a brief hard rock phase with his former band, La Fe Perdida, Quintero's exploration of jazz fusion began in the mid-1970s when he formed the band Frank Quintero y los Balzehaguaos alongside his brothers. Together, they released several influential albums, including "Después de la Tormenta" (1976), "Travesía" (1977), and "Hechizo" (1978). 

These albums showcased his ability to blend jazz, rock, symphonic and Latin rhythms, creating a unique sound that resonated with audiences and critics alike. His significant following in the jazz fusion community allowed him to secure collaborations from "top dogs" in the Jazz world such as the Brecker Brothers (Randy and Michael), Dave Sanborn, Steve Khan, and Mark Egan. Moreover, at the Berklee Concert Series Award in 1981, his band achieved first place, while he earned the Buddy Rich award for best drummer.

Although Frank began developing a more mainstream pop-oriented sound by the mid-1980s, when he switched from CBS to Sonorodven, he maintained his connection to his jazz rock roots throughout his extensive five-decade-long career.

Quintero's contributions to Venezuelan music extend beyond his own artistic pursuits. He has mentored and supported countless young musicians, helping to nurture the next generation of talent. His legacy as a pioneer of jazz fusion and a dedicated educator ensures that his influence will continue to be felt for years to come.



Discography

YearAlbumLabel
1976Despues de la tormentaCBS Columbia (Venezuela)
1977TravesíaCBS Columbia (Venezuela)
1978HechizoCBS Columbia (Venezuela)
1980De noche y con poca luzCBS Columbia (Venezuela)
1981Letra y música (Recopilación)CBS Columbia (Venezuela)
1981Pájaros y estrellasCBS Columbia (Venezuela)
1984A través de mis ojosCBS Columbia (Venezuela)
1985Una en un millón (Recopilación)CBS Columbia (Venezuela)
1985La calle del atardecerSonorodven (Venezuela)
1987Hablando a tu sueñoSonorodven (Venezuela)
1988El de siempre (Recopilación)CBS Columbia (Venezuela)
1989Algo más que canciones (Recopilación)Sonorodven (Venezuela)
1989Buscando solesSonorodven (Venezuela)
1992Agua dulceSony Music (Venezuela)
1994Frankamente acústico (Unplugged)Sony Music (Venezuela)
1997Canciones para mis pequeños amigosAnes Records (Venezuela)
1998Demasiado (Maxisencillo)Señora Luna (Independiente) (Venezuela)
1999BienLatin World Entertainment Group
200130 Grandes Éxitos de Oro (Recopilación)Sony Music (Venezuela)
2002Signos de admiraciónLatin World Entertainment Group
2003CelebraciónProducción Independiente (Venezuela)
2003DemosProducción Independiente (Venezuela)
2006De vuelta a la calle del atardecerIC Records (Venezuela)
2009Horas de vuelo (Recopilación)IC Records - Sony - BMG Music (Venezuela)​
2011Guerreros de LuzIC Records - Diario El Nacional (Venezuela)
2015NaturalH2Q Records (Venezuela)

Samples

- Sueño de Media Noche (De Noche y con Poca Luz - 1980) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftlhYv--IiM
- 14 de Noviembre (Travesia - 1977) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzP-wOdo6mw
- Lagartijo (Despues de la Tormenta - 1976) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2cFdamhPK0
- El Pajaro Rojo del Paraiso (Pajaros y Estrellas - 1981) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIOlRNJO46s
- Como Pasa El Tiempo Por Mi Ventana (Hechizo - 1978) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syHJnh7WE6k
- Amanecer (Hechizo - 1978) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB49MnjsvNA


Edited by ChusNew - September 18 2024 at 15:36
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Points: 4061 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mirakaze Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 19 2024 at 05:01
Thanks for the suggestion; I've added him to our chart for evaluation!
Freelance composer, accepting commissions | Bandcamp page
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Points: 4 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ChusNew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 19 2024 at 23:06
Thanks!

Just a heads up. Found a better-sounding version of the song "14 de Noviembre" on Youtube (for some reason, it's labeled "Travesia" here, so I'm not sure which one is the correct title at this point. You can listen to it here https://youtu.be/ImnAVNUX4I0?si=-yhm7IbPqoPUeLN6). In fact, I strongly encourage that you listen to the entire album Travesia from that playlist, since it sounds far better than the Spotify version for some reason (link here https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLANZX-4zPQbetw2etXnLc3VV4ShtDuJN1&si=776Ao-vVrYbx5-gJ)

In my opinion, the Album "Travesia" is one of his most adventurous and proggy, though Hechizo is not far behind and has quite a few killer tracks such as Agua Mala and Salamandra (featuring the one and only Michael Brecker on sax! RIP).

Let me know if you need anything    and thanks once more!

Edit: I quickly browsed through his Spotify page and some of the track listings are outright incorrect. Up to "Hechizo" it's not terrible (save for the deplorable audio quality of some of the tracks uploaded), but "De Noche y con Poca Luz" is all messed up and Pajaros y Estrellas quite literally has tracks from other albums and is missing a lot of the songs included in the LP. I'd suggest you check out the "Full albums" posted on Youtube instead since they're far more reliable

Edited by ChusNew - September 20 2024 at 00:15
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Points: 4061 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mirakaze Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 10 2024 at 07:50
Now added!
Freelance composer, accepting commissions | Bandcamp page
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Points: 4 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ChusNew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2024 at 13:55
Originally posted by Mirakaze Mirakaze wrote:

Now added!
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