MÚSICA URBANA

Super-Classical-Fusion by this short-lived but highly influential spanish band.

Band leader Joan Albert Amargós was a classically trained musician and after the Musica Urbana prog adventure in the mid 70's his career has been dedicated to contemporary classical music, mainly as composer and as arranger for many artists. His "Northern Concerto for Recorder and Orchestra" was nominated for the 2007 Grammy in the category of Best Composer of Contemporary Music.

But in 1975 he was 25 years old and the music world around his generation was Prog and he wanted to have his own take at it, so he set to assemble a supergroup (within the limited scope of the local spanish scene, that is) to play the ultimate Fusion, a real blend of Jazz, Rock and Classical music. He recruited 5 ex-members of Maquina!, one of the most acclaimed Catalan bands in the early 70's, but keyboardist Enric Herrera and guitarist Emili Baleriola quitted after a few rehearsals, while bassist Carles Benavent (who would later play with Chick Corea and extensively with Paco De Lucia), guitarist Lluis "Luigi" Cabanach and drummer Salvador Font stayed for the project. Amargós was a multi-instrumentalist and a very fine keyboardist himself but in order to get everything right he also recruited the great pianist Lucky Guri from Barcelona Traction as guest for their debut album and live tours.

Musica Urbana fused Jazz-Rock with traditional Spanish music and Classical music and quickly became regarded as the most serious and professional catalan band of the time. The album cover already gave some hints with excerpts from the scores of several operas and zarzuelas, but there is also a lot of genuine electric Jazz-Rock in here as well. The instrumentation is dense, with assorted keyboards, winds, strings, clavinet and the distinctive castanets, the hand percussion instrument played by flamenco female dancers, played here by Amargós sister Aurora which enhance the spanish feel. The result is a highly eclectic type of Jazz-Rock with strong Classical music influences, played with outstanding skill. Their virtuosism is not shown via ultra-fast scales or solos but by the precision and deep musicality they constantly display and the thoroughness of the arrangements.

All the compositions are by Amargós except one track "Font" by bassist Carles Benavent, and all of them are amazing, with similar spirit although each one has its personality, full of tempo changes, fills and breaks, shifting from energetic electric Jazz-Rock to gentle Classical atmospheres to mediterranean popular music.

This is a Fusion masterpiece and I have no doubts in giving it the top rating.

Their 2nd and last album Iberia is even more eclectic with an even stronger contemporary Classical music component, some big-band music and what we could call film-music, another masterpiece in my opinion even if still more detached from conventional prog-rock.

Spanish prog group Musica Urbana released their debut album during the gap between the gap between the death of Franco in 1975 and the adoption of free elections and a modern constitution in 1977/1978 - a time when Spain was not yet a free society, but when the old restrictions were unravelling bit by bit. With the old censorship loosened, daring artists were able to push the boat and attempt to offer something more challenging and with a more diverse range of influences than would have been officially approved of at the height of Francoist suppression.

It would be incorrect to call Musica Urbana the Soft Machine or Hatfield & the North of the Spanish prog boom - they're very much their own entity - but it would be wrong to say there's no Canterbury influence here; there's the more whimsical approach to jazz fusion, there's the use of the human voice as an instrument rather than a vehicle for words, and there's absolutely excellent musicianship. A bit more keen on classical music influences than many jazz fusion or Canterbury groups, Musica Urbana literally wear their influences on their sleeve, with the album cover including compositional snippets from a range of classic works.

Some of the most jaw-dropping music that I've heard in a while. Complex with plenty of intricate sounds including castanets. Did I mention this band is from Spain? I would put them right up there with ICEBERG and COMPANYIA ELECTRICA DHARMA they are that good. This is their debut from 1976, a four piece band with a couple of guests including that person doing the castanets. The other adds piano, Fender Rhodes and moog, he also played with them on live tours. The band is led by classically trained keyboardist Joan Albert Amargos who adds clavinet, electric piano, synths, clarinet, trombone, flute and sax. I know right? The drummer adds marimba and we get a bass and a guitar player as well.

As I listened to this for the review I kept noticing that the tempo changes quite often, in fact it's like the band can't sit still or something. So complex and with all of those intricate sounds in compositions that are so impressive I just sit in awe. I feel there's a strong Zappa vibe at times, especially on tracks 1, 3, 5 and 6. Maybe just coincidence because of the instrumentation. I like the vocal expressions on "Violeta" along with that familiar melody that keeps repeating itself over the 8 plus minutes. I like the samples to start "Font" with the seagulls and ship's horn. How about the electric piano and bass leading the way for 2 minutes late on the opener before the guitar kicks in.

So many flavours and moods and sounds on this album. Like a work of art the way they meshed this all together.

A quartet of classically-trained multi-instrumentalists from Spain have their first album released to minor acclaim, produce one other, more classically-oriented album two years later, and then disappear into the æther. Too bad! These Todd Rundgren's of instrumental Jazz-Rock Fusion are so very gifted!

1. "Agost" (6:54) the Return To Forever approach to Jazz-Rock Fusion is without doubt, but band members' foundations in and proclivity for classical music can neither be ignored. The virtuosity of these young musicians is at times jaw- dropping. The fact that they apparently have some kind of visceral need for frequent time and stylistic shifts has also been noted but it is still so striking to experience first-person. (13.5/15)

2. "Violeta" (8:20) a gentler, smoother, almost STEVIE WONDER approach in the opening minute of this soon reveals the band's "itch" with several sudden turns into very brief little quirky motifs: it's almost as if the band are acting partly from a collective attention deficit disorder and partly out of some kind of innate mischievousness though it could also come from a serious curiosity for the chaos and humor one can express through art. Perhaps it is a combination of these three traits that also drove artists like Frank Zappa, S(Z)amlas Mammas(z) Manna, Mr. Bungle, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and the like. An odd, at times humorous, at others annoying, song. (17.75/20)

3. "Vacas, Toros Y Toreros" (4:41) more quirk and circumcision--like a slightly more Latinized continuation of the previous song. Some of the melodies are like tongue-in-cheek pop riffs, others aborted and or "fake" forays into serious J-R Fusion. The whole time, however, I find myself smiling at all of the references being made (and being lampooned). Very interesting. At the same time, there is no doubt as to the skill and talent possessed (and expressed) by these musicians. (8.875/10)

4. "Font" (4:47) more musical ideas that seem to be purposefully making light of the seriousness of other people's music. The band is showing off their talents for imitation but in way that seems to show A) how stupidly easy these famous riffs and motifs are to make as well as B) how silly they are when put into other contextual fields or when contrasted with other equally classic riffs or phrases. I actually like this one. (9.125/10)

5. "Caramels De Mel" (5:24) opening with an edgy pseudo-cool, pseudo smooth jazz motif, the band then moves in and out of other equally-saccharine motifs. It's like listening to a Todd Rundgren album from the early 1970s knowing how NOT seriously he's taking himself with his music (whereas Frank Zappa, I think, took his music very seriously). Every note, every weave, every phrase just seems so tongue-in-cheek sarcastic! (9/10)

6. "El Vesubio Azul" (8:24) a piece that is a little less focused on exposing the perceived idiocy of others and, perhaps, more about expressing their own personal ideas for modernizing classical music--or for just expressing their own true musical ideas as a whole: I feel much less offended, embarrassed, or uncomfortable with the music coming out of this song than that coming out of the previous four songs. (17.5/20)

Total time 38:30

Such an unusual collection of music! I have to admit to feeling quite confused as how to respond to this album. Part of me is quite entertained by the band's irreverent poke at music in general (it would seem that NO artist or style is off limits from their jabs) as well as to their exceptional command of musical style and instrumental prowess, yet, at the same time, part of me is a bit put off by their unapologetic, almost cruel and nihilistic opinion of the artists they lambaste. I seriously wonder if there would be any fun to be had by hanging out with these always-critical, very cynical human beings or if any- and everyone in their circle of attention was equally subject to such unabated bullying.

B+/four stars; an extraordinary work of partly-satirical art that some will love and others might feel put off by. Highly recommended for your own personal experience.