CALIFATO INDEPENDIENTE

IMAN CALIFATO INDEPENDIENTE is another high-quality Spanish prog band that should round out a good Spanish-prog collection. The album consists of only 4 tracks. Side A is filled by a 20-minute epic track featuring a less complex form of symph-prog that occasionally mixes in noticeable flamenco styled scales. The music throughout the LP is mostly led by synth and guitar in a style that comes close to bands like FUSIOON, symphonic-era ICEBERG. While the synth-leads here sound a bit different from the typical Moog sound featured on most prog albums (even the ones from Spain), the sometimes cheesy "Elka-like" sound shouldn't bother most listeners. In fact, these days, I find myself prefering albums with Italian and Russian keyboards rather than the tired Moog and ARP sound. Anyway, Side B features 3 mid-length tracks of equal quality to Side A. While the music here didn't really blow me away, I find nothing to criticize. Most listeners will find the melodies likeable, the musicians top-notch, and the compositions above average. While I wouldn't rate IMAN CALIFATO INDEPENDIENTE as high as GOTIC or even FUSIOON, this band comes very close.

The Spanish progrock quartet Imán Califato Independiente has its origins at a convention, given by the meditation guru Maja-raj-ji, in the mid Seventies. Like genuine hippies, the musicians lived together in one house in El Puerto De Sta. Maria and eventually they founded Iman and in '78 they made this debut album, entitled Iman Califato Independiente, two years later followed by the LP entitled Camino Del Aguila. Iman also appeared on the Spanish compilation albums Rock Andalus ('94) and Duende" ('97, a 2-CD).

1. Tarantos del Califato Independiente (20:46) : The title points at a strong rhythm in the flamenco music. First a wonderful string- ensemble sound in a sultry atmosphere with twanging guitars and electric guitar play with a strong Morish undertone. Then lots of shifting moods with great guitar-synthesizer interplay (evoking Iceberg) and exciting soli on guitar and synthesizer, a piece with lots of percussion. The final part delivers a slow rhythm with a beautiful and very sensitive electric guitar solo, accompanied by a lush string-ensemble sound, goose bumps!

2. Darshan (8:30) : Again those wonderful strings, followed by great interplay between guitar and synthesizer with the support of a very adventurous rhythm-section. Next a howling guitar solo and an accellaration with fat, pitchbend driven synthesizer flights and a duel between guitar and synthesizer in a captivating atmosphere that blends Prog Andaluz and jazzrock.

3. Cerro Alegre (7:33) : The intro delviers fragile piano work and sensitive twanging classical guitar, then a swinging rhythm with sparkling piano and flamenco rhythm guitar. Halfway a fiery guitar joins, supported by a powerful bass and subdued harpsichord runs. Next a part with bluesy Fender Rhodes electric piano that gradually changes into an exciting interlude with a guitar solo that sounds like the Andalusian Carlos Santana (Caravanserai-era) and culminates in a swinging rhythm, Prog Andaluz meets jazzrock, what a dynamic and cpativating musical experience!

4. Cancion de la Oruga (5:32) : This is a beautiful piece that starts with dreamy twanging classical guitar, soaring keyboards and warm vocals, then a mid-tempo featuring fat synthesizer runs with a Morish undertone and propulsive percussion.

This is a very exciting fusion of Prog Andaluz and jazzrock, highly recommended!