SINTESIS

One of Argentina's best kept secrets from the fertile and creative 1970s prog scene, SÍNTESIS was a band like no other in a nation that followed in the footsteps of the romantic Italian prog scene more than any other stylistic approach of progressive rock. Forming in the city of Rosario in 1973 by the power trio of Julio Alberto Cusmai (drums), Jorge Migoya (guitar) and Juan Carlos Ricci (bass), SÍNTESIS dropped its sole eclectic obscurity onto the market in 1976 right in the middle of the coup d'etat that rocked the nation and installed a military dictatorship for the next several years. The members barely escaped Argentina with their lives but it also meant the band that was only getting started came to an abrupt end.

One of the boldest and wildest bands of the entire Argentine 70s, SÍNTESIS' all instrumental self-titled release has become quite the underground sensation fetching hundreds of US dollars for a single original copy of the original Profeta Records vinyl. A bizarre mix of Crucis, East of Eden, Return to Forever, King Crimson and a touch of the pastoral Italian folky prog band of the same era, this short but sweet album of seven tracks packs a major punch despite its meager running time of slightly less than 33 minutes. As much as an eclectic prog sensation as a jazz-fusion excitation, SÍNTESIS flavored its power punch album with a roster of talented guest musicians who added the extra flavors of the saxophone, flute, clarinet and violin. The one glaring omission is any trace of keyboards.

Offering as many adventurous guitar workouts as jazzy interludes that find angularity avenue around every corner, SÍNTESIS unleashed some of the most demanding time signatures and captures the essence of avant-prog without deviating from its jazz focused mission. The knotty and shapeshifting compositions are restless and jittery little buggers and you can never predict what lurks around the corner with John Albercombie guitar freak outs one moment and then making a hairpin turn into a compelling duet between a violin and flute workout but the jazz never strays far and the funky guitar chord procession accompany the ceaseless soloing as well as tackling the more heady style of fusion that goes for the avant-jazz jugular. The overall effect is brash and in your face almost drifting into a heavier rock paradigm but always tethered to the sensual flutes and Miles Davis sax escapades.

Led by the imitable guitarist Jose Migoya, SÍNTESIS took fusion to the next level and despite crashing and burning and literally forced to scatter worldwide, the band more than offered a career's worth of creativity in a single album's worth of material with heady excursions into stop / start guitar stops, frenetic bass outbursts and John McLaughlin style of reckless abandon on crazy guitar soloing run amok. The beauty of the album is each track features a completely different theme and tackles a completely new approach making this one of the wildest and energetic deliveries of eclectic prog flavored fusion in the entire Argentine paradigm. With no clear core sound to the band's overall approach, the album really is a free for all of as many prog and fusion ideas under a single roof. As placidly beautiful as is demanding and avant-garde, it's no wonder why SÍNTESIS has become the top cult favorite of all 70s prog from South America's most prolific prog nation.

With an acumen of a seasoned band that had existed for years and years, the cohesion of the musicians involved is nothing short of breathtaking. An amazing achievement made all the miraculous by the album being recorded in the midst of one of Argentina's most disastrous years in its history. This is certainly one band i wish would've carried on abroad in some shape or form but given the hardships endured and the crisis that unfolded during its making, it appears we have to be grateful that not only this one was recorded but actually survived all the turmoil and can be experienced digitally in the modern era. In dire need of rediscovery and a repressing because despite a proper CD release it's still almost impossible to track a decent copy down at a reasonable price. One of my top picks of adventurous fusion from the 70s underground bar none.