FULANO

Recognized as one of the most important jazz rock fusion bands that emerged from all of Latin America, FULANO existed from 1984 to 2015 and released five eclectic and virtuosic albums that have all become critically acclaimed. This band came out of Santiago, Chile when members of the traditional Chilean folk music band Santiago del Nuevo Extremo, Cristián Crisosto (alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute, bass clarinet, vocals) and Jorge Campos (bass, guitar) to be exact, wanted to start a more experimental band based on jazz and prog rock. FULANO is considered one of the most innovative of the entire Chilean scene with a crafty mix of Frank Zappa inspired silliness, Captain Beefheart styled eclecticism and the jazz paradigm of Brazilian fusionist Hermeto Pascoal.

With a sound primarily based on keyboards, a horn section, heavy percussion and the rowdy vocals of Arlette Jequier, FULANO crafted a unique mix of swinging jazzy rock with heavy doses of avant-garde. The band's lyrics tackled anti-fascism and anti-military during the last years of the reign of Pinochet's dictatorship and has become one of Chile's most popular bands for its unique and uncompromising stylistic approach. The first album to emerge was this self-titled release that was released in 1987 initially as a cassette-only edition and didn't see a CD release well into the 90s. The album of seven tracks ran slightly over 44 minutes and featured the robust lineup of six musicians who delivered sounds from the bass, guitars, flute, saxophone and other winds, clarinet, drums and percussion, glockenspiel, piano and keyboards.

While tagged as avant-prog or jazz fusion in most camps, FULANO really sounded like no other. Elements of prog and jazz were given a total makeover and the band effortlessly shifted from easy-on-the-ears swinging melodic fusion ("Fulano") to more demanding atonal musical chaos ("Fruto del Goce"). The tracks ranged from short such as the less than three minute tracks "Tango" and "El Calcetín Perseguido" to the lengthy ten minute plus "Fruto del Goce" and "1989 (O Esto No Es Bueno Ni Malo Sino Muy Por El Contrario)." Likewise the music could be light and captivating sounding like something out of a top class vocal jazz club or doomy and dreadful and covered in darkness. The horn section often sounds like it has a klezmer vibe.

The jazzy motifs are bouncy and energetic sounding something like the Flora Purim beginnings of Return To Forever only with a more sultry swing as Arlette Jequier delivers her best passionately delivered vocal performances that emulate the scatting traditions of traditional jazz. The energetic zaniness reminds of the spastic zolo acts like Devo or Oingo Boingo at times. The band's complexities were a creative fusion of some of the members' primary influences with included Weather Report, Return To Forever, King Crimson, Magma, Frank Zappa, Hermeto Pascoal, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and female singers like Maggie Nicols, Ursula Dudziak, Meredith Monk and Janis Joplin. The sound of the Belgian Rock In Opposition scene are also scattered throughout making FULANO one of the most eclectic and accomplished bands to emerge from the entire South American continent.

This is really my favorite type of crazy music. It's energetic, creative, passionate, unique and flipped a middle finger to the establishment and despite forming and existing during the last years of Pinochet's brutal regime still managed to squeak out albums during some of the harshest repression since WW2. The band had two phases with this first one lasting from 1984 to 2003 until the untimely passing of keyboardist Jaime Vivanco and then a second coming later with a reformation however this debut album showcases the band in all its primeval passion and firing on all pistons and filled with a justifiable rage against the machine. This music sounds exotic, distinct, accomplished and fascinating in its complex compositional nature. A very unique band and the precursor to bands like Mediabanda, Animal en Extinción and Araukania Kuintet. Excellent stuff here!

FULANO were a six piece out of Chile who released four studio albums between 1987 and 1997. Then tragedy struck as keyboardist Jaime Vivanco passed early in 2003 at the age of 43. Some of the band members continued, but under a new name out of respect for Jaime calling themselves MEDIABANDA, which was actually the name of Vivanco's first band. This was a younger band though, with mostly different members. So it was surprising indeed to hear about this new album by FULANO in 2015. They would disband for good after this record was recorded, but with only 2 of the 6 members from their last studio album being on here including a new vocalist, this just isn't the same band.

They also have tried some new things here that I don't feel work very well. I feel the 40 minute album ends well with those last three tracks including my favourite "Jaco Dance", but it's not enough to save this one. They still have that trademark bombastic and energetic sound here but I'm not sure why they felt the need to release a new album under FULANO some 18 years after the last one. I much prefer the MEDIABANDA records to this one, in fact "Bombas En El Aire" from 2017 is on my "best of" Jazz and related list.

So a good album for sure but that 1997 album would have been the better way to close the chapter on this great band.

P.S. It was fun thinking back to June of 2008 when I spent the first three weeks of that month getting to know FULANO. Complex, high energy Avant Jazz for the most part with Arlette on vocals who has no restraint whatsoever. She has such a confidence in her voice that she is unbridled. It would be three years before I got to that fourth album. The new singer here is very good but not as good as Arlette or Regina from MEDIABANDA in my opinion.

For those who already know Fulano from their studio albums, even if you didn't have an excellent or a good impression, I recommend this audition. The arrangements have been slightly modified from the original versions, and the cadences were considerably changed on many tracks. IMO, achieveing much better results. A way to perceive this diferences can be comparing the three tracks from their debut, realeased in 1987, that are on this live effort. Production and edition are superior too ? perhaps because of the fact that they received a certain amount of money from a fund of Chile's Ministry of Education.

If you don't know anything from Fulano, starting through this album is probably the most guaranteed way to access the best prog they've executed. And you'll meet Arlete Jequier's chant, quite na experience. A fine manner to describe her abilities is to point the teachers she had. One of them was chilean soprano Lucía Gana. The other was Inés Delano, which is a chilean painter and artist considered one of the biggest personalities in her country to make the cross between jazz, pop, bolero and tango. And I wouldn't be surprised if Thijs van Leer's vocalizations were another inspiration. Besides that, Arlette also plays clarinet many times on the studio albums, and sometimes on this CD. Notice how Arlette uses her voice on the second track, called Fulano. At certain moments, similar to a wind instrument; on others, like keyboards. It is also one of the songs where she performs some classical lyrical singing, in a very precise vibe. Amazing! The (rest of the) instrumentation on this track is really inspired. When, for instance, sax makes a duet with the vocalist, along with the energetic rhythm and solos of the bassist. Another aspect to increase the complexity of the vocal harmonies is that other four musicians on stage also sings or makes some vocalisations. The absence of a guitar player (at least this instrument isn't mentioned on the CD case) is hardly noticed, because of the interplay between keyboard player and specially the bassist. Pay attention to this instrument on the third track, Basura, to capture what I'm trying to express. The section of the CD that goes from track 1 to 4 is the peak of their work. The original studio versions would be scored by me between 3 and 4 stars, but on these live executions, reaches a spectrum from 4.7 to 5 stars. Similar text can be applied to fifth track, but this composition doesn't appear in any other album from Fulano or Mediabanda (a group with some members of Fulano, and that released albums from 2004 to 2021, until now). The next track, Todas las ratas de todos los rios del mundo, also doesn't appear on other works of these two bands. This track could be excluded, IMO, with no regrets, from this release. Or replaced by another composition. It's monotonous and repetitive, gets from me a 1.8 star. Fortunately, the rest of the disc is splendid, and deserves to get scores from 4.2 to 4.8 stars.

To summarize the review above, this work is one of the greatest live acts I've heard from Latin America. 4.6 stars.

Fulano became soon extremely popular and the books of Chilean Music include their monumental live show in August 88' in front of 4,000 people at the Stadio Nacional of Santiago.In 1989 another cassete album was released by the group, this time it was a double one, recorded at the Filmocentro Studios between April and June 1989.The same album was re-released in CD format a few years later.

Exaggerated Jazz/Fusion with RIO tendencies is the presented material here with the group delivering again the theatrical aspects of its sound, this time a heavy RETURN TO FOREVER influence comes on surface, as Fulano's style was flexible enough to come through impressive jazzy workouts with constant presence of wind instruments and reach the Latin-influenced Fusion aesthetics with bombastic instrumental battles.However the material is quite long to be fully consistent and there are some uninteresting moments with deep experimentations, solid but long improvisations and needless individual performances like the drum solo of Guillermo Valenzuela.It is pretty incredible the fact that the group could produce some very hard-to-the-ear Chamber/Jazz exercises with dominant use of clarinet and saxes and place them next to groovy, almost fukny ideas or more ethereal, downtempo tunes with a soft atmosphere and decent flute parts.They were putting up a real show back at the time, characterized by the changes in tempos and moods with Arlette Jecquier becoming something like a trademark for the band with her expressive, theatrical voice.The Fusion-oriented tracks are propably the most interesting ones, featuring lots of breaks and great, loose playing by the group, based in one-packaged attacking interplays, psychedelic vibes and theatrical inspirations.

A work to be discovered by all fans of flexible, over-the-top Jazz/Prog Fusion.Maybe too excessive at moments, still containing parts of sheer brilliance.Recommended.

I love this band. FULANO are from Chile and they play an Avant / Jazz style of music with lots of horns.Vocalist Arlette Jequier is one of the best female singers I have ever heard. She now sings with MEDIABANDA another amazing band that arose from the ashes of this band after Jaime Vivanco(keyboards) passed away in 2003. In fact I refer to FULANO as MEDIABANDA's crazy and unpredictable older sister. This would be FULANO's final studio album. We have 6 bold and experimental players plus an amazing singer. FULANO gained cult status in their native Chile.

"Huevito" is a short intro track with keyboards, sax, drums and flute standing out before we get to "Godzilla". I like when this settles with vocal melodies, bass and horns.Vocals before 2 minutes then it turns experimental a minute later. She gets theatrical then the music picks back up. Some scat vocals then flute and sax end it. "Nadie Nos Conose" is dedicated to Frank Zappa. We get horns to start and some crazy vocal expressions before 2 minutes that would make Frank proud. "Cancion Formal" is in 7/8. We get a beat with reserved vocals as other instruments join in.This is catchy stuff. Some Rhodes and Hammond on this one too. Passionate vocals end it. "Rrope Cochi Loma" opens with piano then it slowly builds. Soft vocals arrive as it calms back down. Check her out after 2 minutes. Man she can sing ! Some nice bass work here too.

"Mas Alla Del Deber" has a groovy sound and this is about as normal as this band gets.Vocals come in just before a minute. "Senor Gorro Capucho" opens with vibes? then flute and synths take over.This is so moving. "Krikalev" has an ethnic vibe with congas and djembe. Arlette is putting on a show vocally. It changes 2 minutes in as a low key but catchy soundscape takes over. Back to the ethnic vibe as contrasts continue. "Aranas De Tribunal" opens with solo piano then it kicks in before a minute. Prominant bass before 2 minutes.Vocals after 3 minutes and the piano and drums also stand out here. Piano only ends it.

Just a fantastic album, and this is a band more people need to check out who are into adventerous music.

3.5 stars...

A very famous band in Chile,FULANO were formed by a group of friends/musicians in Santiago in 1984.From the very first moment the band wanted to create something experimental and personal and the numerous rehearsals led to an eponymous album in 1987,initially released on cassete,re-realeased in 1994 on CD format.

FULANO are unquestionably a fusion band with a totally artistic point of view,blending Jazz with R.I.O.,Avant-Garde and rock.Equally split in fast tempo compositions and Avant-Garde/Jazz passages,the sound of FULANO is based on the strong interplays of the rhythm section and the wind instruments.Guitars are scarce and very distinctive,as the whole story unfolds around the HENRY COW-like heavy use of saxophones and the pleasant excurssions of the clarinet,played by Cristian Cristoso and Jaime Vasquez.These wind-based passages get even richer with the complicated bass work of Jorge Campos and the solid drumming of Guillermo Valenzuela.As for keyboards,there is a steady use of delicate electric piano as a supporting instrument,while the vocals of Arlette Jequier are fantastic,ranging from impressive wordless chords to expressive,theatrical lyrics.FULANO are not your typical Jazz-Rock ensemble.Their thetrical approach to Jazz makes them more than just interesting and anyone after some original Jazz-Rock/Fusion should definitely check them out.Strongly recommended!

Fulano remains and forever will remain one of the most reminisced prog-jazz bands from Chile, in no small degree due to Jaime Vivanco's musical heritage: "El Infierno de los Payasos" is the third item of their discography and the last one with its original line-up intact. It takes a modernistic approach to the style developed in the first two albums, at times featuring the use of computerized sonic adornments, but obviously it retains some essential aspects unpolluted: this album is a manifestation of simultaneous renewal and conservation. 'Lamentos' opens the tracklist with a tremendously festive mood, patent even in the most serene moments: it's like a Latinized Art Bears. Track 2 'Convicciones (de 3 Minutos)' does not last 3, but 7+ minutes. It bears a Zappa-friendly satirical mood through its show tempo; the tenor sax and bass solos are just amazing, partially resolving the track's delicate tension. Track 3 is an hermetically titled circus-like prelude to 'Basura', which brings back and enhances the sense of extroversion that had prevailed in the oponer. Jequier shies particularly here. 'Ciego y Perdido en una Ciudad Extraña' occupies a 11-minute span: this track features ethereal atmospheres, at times getting quite languid and minimalistic. The schemes provided by sax, drums and bass feel really solid through the track's overall tenuous mood. The machine effects for the last seconds is an effective portrait of our automated times. 'Fuegos Artificiales' is an agile exercise on jazz-rock bathed in RIO waters, while 'Función' is a brief keyboard nocturne, whose brevity doesn't keep it from being powerfully evocative. 'Morbosadoquista' finds the band exploring its rockier side, seasoned with funky flavors: the rap ornaments in some vocal deliveries feel really aggressive, which makes sense with the track's general dynamics. 'Aporte al Jazz' is a brief Dixieland-style fanfare that leads to 'Con Fusiones', a masterful piece that combines 74-75 Zappa and classic Weather Report: the complex melodic and rhythmic arrangements are managed with total ease. The album's last 2 ½ minutes are occupied by 'Último Lamento', a song with simplistic yet captivating melodic basis: its simple magic grows in power as the ensemble's sound becomes gradually more vivacious toward the end. After an ambitious album such as "En el Búnker", it was wise of the Fulano guys to make a stand for a more dynamic album without letting go of their gusto for musical sophistication and groove. Yet another excellent recording from this excellent band.

3.5 stars. Of their first three albums this is my least favourite. No Zeuhl flavoured tunes but we still get a lot of adventerous music to feed on.

"La Historia No Me Convence..." is the longest track on here and perhaps the best one as well. Spacey to begin with until vocal melodies arrive 1 1/2 minutes in with a haunting background. A total change a minute later as sax and an uptempo melody takes over with vocals. It calms back down 3 1/2 minutes in as piano and vocals lead the way. Some clapping 7 minutes in and sax leads the way a minute later. "Perro Chico Malo" opens with piano as it turns jazzy with vocals. Nice bass solo after 2 minutes. Sax and vocals end it. Great tune. "Nena,No Te Vayas a Chimbarongo..." features a lot of tempo changes early. Love the drumming 2 minutes in. An ok jazzy section follows. Bass solo 4 minutes in. Sax, bass and piano are all prominant the rest of the way. Vocals 6 1/2 minutes in. "En El Bunker" opens with samples as a repititious sound takes over with other sounds coming and going. This is experimental and one of the better tracks. "Buhardillas" has a Canterbury vibe as piano leads the way. I like it.

"Rap-Rock" is an uptempo,catchy tune. Her best vocal performance so far on this album. Some great sax and guitar. "En Este Momento Ud..." is 9 seconds of instrumental sounds. Why ? "Buscando Peyotl" features slow paced drums throughout as sax comes in tastefully before 3 minutes. This is a laid back number that is so relaxing to listen to. "Gran Restrictor,Ten Piedad" opens with this pulsating sound that builds. Male vocals join in around 1 1/2 minutes. A change 5 minutes in as guitar comes in aggressively. Female vocals a minute later. "A Dolfo Y Benito..." opens with samples of someone speaking. An uptempo melody with fast paced male vocals comes in. Sax before 2 minutes. "Honour,Decencia..." is led by sax as piano and bass come and go. Some nice bass 2 minutes in. Spoken words and a calm 3 minutes in. The tempo picks back up around 5 1/2 minutes. "Sentimental Blues" is a song I just can't get into, not a fan of this style. "El Dar Del Cuerpo" opens with piano, sax and drums. Vocals after 3 1/2 minutes. Guitar before 6 minutes. Great closing tune.

Lots to enjoy here, but it's not as consistant, nor does it reach the heights of their debut or the one that came out after this one.

I'm really loving this band.I like the variety of styles they offer up including Jazz, Zeuhl, Avant-gard and spacey sections. The female vocals though are really the icing on the cake. She can sing with the best of them, and she loves to perform. This isn't quite as good as their debut in my opinion but it's a very solid 4 star record.

"Lamentos" opens with bass and drums as she come in singing as only she can. Sax joins in as the tempo shifts. She's so good. Some dissonance before 2 minutes. She ends the song in style. "Convicciones" opens with almost spoken male and female vocals with percussion as dissonant sax and drums join in. I like it. Some funky bass follows. Vocals return after 5 minutes as the bass becomes more prominant. The third track is 18 seconds of bass, drums and sax. "Basura" features some great drums and sax. Vocals a minute in. It settles down as percussion and soft vocals lead the way. The sax returns with a fuller sound after 3 1/2 minutes. "Ciego Y Perdido En Una Ciudad Extrana" is an 11 minute song and it's pretty amazing. The first 4 minutes she's almost speaking the words as an eerie soundscape with no melody can be heard in the background. We then start to get a beat 4 minutes in. Vocals, sax and haunting synths (or her vocal melodies) follow. It then turns jazzy with sax leading the way. Vocals and haunting synths are back 8 minutes in.

"Fuegos Artificials" is the Zeuhl track. I mean this is Zeuhl 101 folks. The rhythm, the vocals, the bass, you have to hear this one if your a fan of MAGMA. "Ultima Funcion" is just over a minute of light keys. "Morbosadoquista" opens with aggressive guitar, with female vocals that are just as aggressive. Haha. She's awesome ! Guitar and drums take over 1 1/2 minutes in. Some craziness 2 1/2 minutes in. The sax that follows is incredible. The male vocals after 4 minutes are great. "Aporte Al Jazz" is 14 seconds of Zappa-like jazz. "Con Fusions" has such a cool beat to it. A calm before 1 1/2 minutes with eerie synths. It picks back up with some excellent bass a minute later. Another calm follows. Contrast continues. "Ultimo Lamento" features flute, sax, bass, female vocals and drums in this terrific final track.

Another impressive release from FULANO, a band that fans of Jazz, Zeuhl and Avant-gard should really check out.

This album is so entertaining thanks mostly to the female vocalist who is the star of this show, she's so theatrical and fun to listen to. The band plays a variety of styles including Jazz, Canterbury and Avant. They keep you on your toes that's for sure.

"Fulano" opens with an uptempo jazzy section with male vocals. She arrives vocally a minute in and absolutely shines. Keys take the spotlight for a while before the melody from the intro returns. Sax and bass are prominant. A calm before 3 1/2 minutes as it pretty much comes to a stop. Keys and higher pitched female vocals come in that really remind me of Zeuhl. This is fantastic ! A sax solo follows as she makes some vocal noises then starts to sing again. Nice. Zeuhl fans will love this. "Maquinarias" is full of intricate sounds like sax, bass, keys and drums.Clarinet after 1 1/2 minutes.This sounds so good before 3 minutes. Male vocals follow. Great track. "Tango" opens with drums as she starts to speak, she gets quite passionate before becoming theatrical. She's so good it makes me laugh. Bass and then sax join in. A catchy rhythm plays on as she puts on quite the show.

"Fruto Del Goce" is the longest track at 11 1/2 minutes. It takes it's time getting going as different sounds come and go with no melody for 4 minutes. Kind of experimental actually. Then smooth sax melodies and keys arrive.Vocals after 5 minutes. You can hear her laugh after she hits a high note 6 minutes in. Priceless. The bass becomes prominant in this song that really seems like an improv. It starts to get louder and more chaotic 9 minutes in. Then the sax starts to lead the way. Guitar 10 minutes in really rips it up as drums pound away. "Suite Recoleta" opens with drums as keys join in. Vocals follow, and as the tempo picks up her vocal pitch goes higher with piano and drums helping out. Sax 2 1/2 minutes in. She's back to her normal singing voice 4 1/2 minutes in. "El Calcetin Perseguido" features the same short melody being played over and over for a minute as different instruments show off including vocals. "1989..." is a bonus track I believe, as it is live and I assume from 1989. Brilliant i know. This is an uptempo track to start with sax playing over top. It stops dead 1 1/2 minutes in and begins again softly. It's dark as female vocals sound frightened as they build and become theatrical. So cool. Check her out before 4 minutes ! Vocal melodies after 5 minutes with piano. The tempo picks up 6 1/2 minutes in with sax leading the way. She's back a minute later. Some organ late.

This is even better than I thought it would be. It's been a tough one to find until recently. Get it while you can, you won't be disappointed.