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LOS JAIVAS [AKA: TODOS JUNTOS; LA VENTANA]

Los Jaivas

Prog Folk


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Los Jaivas Los Jaivas [Aka: Todos Juntos; La Ventana] album cover
3.28 | 53 ratings | 8 reviews | 15% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

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Studio Album, released in 1972

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Marcha Al Interior Del Espíritu (2:28)
2. Mira Niñita (6:57)
3. Todos Juntos (5:52)
4. En La Quebra Del Ají (4:43)
5. Ciclo Vital (Improvisaciones En Re-Percución) (10:03)
6. Los Caminos Que Se Abren (9:40)
7. El Pasillo Del Cóndor (0:25)

Total time 40:08

Bonus tracks from 1975 LP and on:
8. Corre Que Te Pillo (Single) (4:37)
9. Ayer Caché (Single) (4:25)

Bonus tracks from 1997 remaster and on:
10. Indio Hermano (Single) (6:10)
11. Cuero Y Piel (Single) (5:13)

Line-up / Musicians

- Gato Alquinta / lead vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, bass, charango, recorder, tarka, congas
- Mario Mutis / electric & acoustic guitars, bass, tarka, tambores, vocals
- Claudio Parra / piano, celesta, rasca de metal, maracas, triangle, backing vocals
- Eduardo Parra / organ, celesta, piano, bongos, tambourine, congas, cultrun, castanets, whistle, backing vocals
- Gabriel Parra / drums, timbales, tormento, bombo legüero, maracas, congas, cultrun, vocals

With:
- Patricio Castillo / charango (2,3,5), acoustic guitar (3), guitarrón (7)
- Coro Niño y Patria / chorus vocals (1)
- Jorge Reese / choir director (1)
- Julio Numhauser / vocals (9)
- Tito Ibarra / vocals (9)
- Eduardo Sienkiewicz / cello (6)
- Augusto Hernández / cello (6)
- Iván Cazabón / contrabass (6)
- José Ramirez / violin (6)
- Oscar Sandoval / viola (6)
- Sofia González / viola (6)
- Victor Schiegel / viola (6)
- Ramón Silva / horn (6)
- Gilberto Silva / horn (6)
- Alfredo Jarpa / tarka (6)
- Chamber orchestra (8)

Releases information

Artwork: Marco Antonio Hughens ("La Ventana", 1972) / René Olivares ("Todos Juntos", 1975)

LP IRT - ILS-120 (1972, Chile) Original cover art and 7 tracks
LP Parnaso Records - P-LPS-1186 (1975, US) New cover art and 2 bonus tracks but lacking track 5
LP Parnaso Records - PSL-5007 (1976, Argentina) Same as above
LP Alba - ALD-110 (1976, Chile) Same as above

CD A.R.C.I. - C16 0102 (1997, Chile) Remastered by Jose Paredes, w/ original cover & 4 bonus tracks
CD Warner Music - 3984 24441-2 (1998, Chile) Same as above
CD Warner Music - 0927 45286-2 (2002, Chile) Including 4 bonus & also track 5, absent since 1972

Thanks to ProgLucky for the addition
and to Quinino for the last updates
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LOS JAIVAS Los Jaivas [Aka: Todos Juntos; La Ventana] ratings distribution


3.28
(53 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(15%)
15%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(34%)
34%
Good, but non-essential (42%)
42%
Collectors/fans only (9%)
9%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

LOS JAIVAS Los Jaivas [Aka: Todos Juntos; La Ventana] reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Sean Trane
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk
3 stars Very interesting second try both for the band album #2 and for my second pick both in Los Jaivas and in Latin American Prog.This album , however in almost 100 % acoustic folk music with slight touches of electric instruments and the will to make interseting music reaching out of the realm of folk music. In a way this album might be a cross between a Chilean MALICORNE and acoustic SANTANA (Oye Como Va etc.....) sometimes impressive. The prog contents of this album is mostly in the musical adventures especially for us, occidental and english-rock minded progheads.

Please note that there is another version of this album, the one I heard was borrowed from the Belgian Mediatheque, that the one presented here. The copy I have here only holds nine tracks (Cuero & Ciclo are missing ) and the tracks are presented in a different order and finally it has a different dark blue cover. I strongly suggest you to hunt down the version presented on this site.

Review by Trotsky
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
4 stars In terms of prog-rock sophistication, this wonderful 1972 album is not the best place to start investigating Los Jaivas, but it is the most important album of Los Jaivas' earliest and folkiest phase. Here we see the early fusion of psychedelic rock with bona fide Andean music. While some songs are merely good, and others intriguing, it is the brilliant title track that happens to be my all time favourite Spanish language song.

I can't tell you the emotions that run through me as I hear Gato Alquinta intonate the opening words of this majestic call for peace and unity, this song gets me right the way through to the passionate conclusion ... "Para qué vivir tan separados, si la tierra nos quiere juntar, si este mundo es uno y para todos, todos juntos vamos a vivir" which doesn't translate quite as poetically (roughly "Why do we live so far apart, if the world wants to unite us, if this world is one and for all for us, we will all live together). To me it is breath-taking ... and heart-breaking. Especially when one considers the unique time of this record, made in 1972 in Salvador Allende's socialist Chile, a world that would be destroyed a year earlier by the Pinochet/CIA coup. Musically the Todos Juntos track is a pleasing, albeit pretty basic fusion of quena, ocarina and charango (Andean flutes and mandolin respectively), fiery acidic lead guitar and Latin percussion, but lyrically, melodically, spirtually, this track is an unforgetable anthem.

The song itself is the greatest highlight of an engaging albeit simplistic album. The opening song is a hymnal chant of peace, Mira Ninita is a delicate sweet tune that takes its out sweet time to evolve beyond its languid, marimba-dominated opening into a joyous celebration. The same description can be applied to Indio Hermano which if anything, is even more beautiful, starting off in pure traditonal Andean vein (and what a great melody it boasts) before evolving into something more. The lilting Ayer Cache is another one, although it is "Spanish-influenced) where Indio Hermano was so obviously the music of South America's true natives.

Another thing that defines this album are the extravagant percussion interludes (bombo, bongo, you name it, they play it!). Los Caminos Que Se Abren is probably the most interesting track from a progressive point of view (probably the best realisation of the sort of improvisational psychedelic music that the band played on its debut ... the limited edition En Volantin ) and it too is full of traditional percussion as well as hypnotic Eastern sounding themes, vibrant violin and out of tune psych guitar ... although it definitely goes on too long. The urgent call that is La Quebra Del Aji contains many of the same ingredients but is better-paced, while Cuerro Y Piel contains the best percussive work of all (not sure how much of it is just drummer Gabriel Parra!)

There are a few different versions of this album (which I believe was initially released as La Ventana and retitled when Todos Juntos became a hit) and unfortunately mine omits Ciclo Vital ... do get the full one if you can! I must repeat my earlier statement that this album is not about progressive sophistication ... that will come later with Cancion Del Sur, La Alturas De Macchu Picchu and Obras De Violetta Parra. This album has immense passion, an almost fiery hope and in retrospect, a sense of historical importance (that goes way beyond music) that makes it an esssential purchase in my opinion. ... 70% on the MPV scale

Review by ZowieZiggy
PROG REVIEWER
2 stars You should really go a step further than the opening track which is absolutely boring and which features very poor lyrics to discover an enthusiastic music. Rather different in its essence of course, because of its origin. There are very few bands with some aura in Chile, and they started their career ages ago (even several years before releasing their first album).

The band is playing a joyful ethnic music which will later on be combined with pleasant prog sounds. Nevertheless, the title track is rather pleasant. Percussion work is great, but this characteristic was already noticeable on their debut album.

Spanish lyrics are in my case an integrated fact in my life but I don't think that it shouldn't halt you in the discovery of this band. Not all the tracks featured here are good (Mira Niñita, Los Caminos Que Se Abren) but some very pleasant native Andean sounds are worth your attention (Indio Hermano). But of course, you would need to be ready for such a South American trip.

This band fully belong to the prog folk genre (a lot more than several other bands included in this category on PA). Be prepared for a special adventure while listening to Los Jaivas. This album is far from being essential. It is a rather different music than the classic one catalogued for review. It is not their best work and it also holds some weak numbers (Ayer Cache, La Quebrá Del Aji).

As one could experienced during their debut album, some Santana sounds are features here as well. Corre Que Te Pillo holds both guitar and percussions which will remind you of this great band. Cuero Y Piel is another attempt of this filiation, but only percussion are on par. At the end of the day, this is not a great track.

Several songs are quite long on this album. But to be honest, such an extended piece as Ciclo Vital is not vital at all. One of the weakest number from this work.

I can't really rate this album higher than two stars. The band will release better albums, so watch out for Los Jaivas later work.

Review by kenethlevine
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog-Folk Team
3 stars This early LOS JAIVAS offering is lighter on the prog and heavier on the folk, particularly on the style stereotypically known to North Americans and Europeans, with plenty of flutes, shouted vocals, and percussion. While these qualities make the album of limited interest for progressive fans, there are a few standout tracks that might make "Todos Juntos" worth an extra look.

The title cut combines lively Latin folk with the rock music of the day. Not particularly progressive, and actually a hit in their homeland, its appeal is nonetheless off the charts. The acidic lead guitar is particularly noteworthy. "Indio Hermano" is in the same vein if not quite as strong. "Mira Niñita" and "Ayer Cache" are other highlights, the latter like a Chilean version of what the Moody Blues were doing at the time, mellow and trippy, and while the longest cut "Los Caminos..." sports some interesting progressive themes, it does tend to drag.

Elsewhere, the material drags with its traditional fabric and few updates. "Corre Que Te Pillo" could come from any buskers anywhere, and "Cuero Y Piel" is mostly just a drumming exercise, probably best experienced on a street corner for 30 seconds before reaching for your change purse.

For an early 70s album from one of Latin America's foremost prog groups, one might expect a little more adventurousness, but remembering that most of us come from backgrounds with limited exposure to music from that part of the world, an appreciation of "Todos Juntos" becomes an "all together" worthwhile achievement in cultural competency.

Latest members reviews

3 stars First of all I want to clarify that this version in ProgArchives is not the original version of the album, whose original name is "La ventana" (the window), the original Chilean version included only the following tracks. Lado A 1. "Marcha al Interior del Espíritu" ? 2:16 2. "Mira Niñita" ? 6:5 ... (read more)

Report this review (#1428918) | Posted by Hannibal_20 | Sunday, June 21, 2015 | Review Permanlink

4 stars This is the most classic album by Los Jaivas. Hear you find the classics, and I even say anthems, of the band, "Todos Juntos" y "Mira Niñita". In fact, in Chile children know the song "Todos Juntos" first, and then come to know the band Los Jaivas. Is one of those songs that's part of the cult ... (read more)

Report this review (#118193) | Posted by Proglodita | Thursday, April 12, 2007 | Review Permanlink

4 stars In 1971 there were few clear things in Chile: one of them is that we were divided. Of there the greatness of the debut of the Jaivas: from a sound that rock combined, pychedelc and Andean music they seted out to sing a hymn that reunited to us again. ... (read more)

Report this review (#35185) | Posted by MANTICORE | Friday, June 3, 2005 | Review Permanlink

3 stars With this album the Jaivas defines their style that in the musical will be dominated by the forceful rythmical base that Gabriel Parra in their drums and Claudio Parra in acoustic piano imposes; this plus the peculiar vocalization of Gato Alquinta will be the mark "jaivas". As far as lirics, ... (read more)

Report this review (#29150) | Posted by | Tuesday, September 14, 2004 | Review Permanlink

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