MANDUKA + LOS JAIVAS: LOS SUEÑOS DE AMÉRICA

While actually recorded in 1974 in Argentina after LOS JAIVAS relocated after the coup in Chile in September 1973, this collaborative effort LOS SUEÑOS DE AMERICA (The Dreams of America) with Brazilian folk singer MANDUKA wasn't released until 1979 on the Spanish label Movieplay. MANDUKA was born in Brazil and the son of poet Amadeu Thiago de Mello but lived in Chile from 1965 to 1973 and fled the country and ended up in Argentina with LOS JAIVAS.

These recordings were some of the earliest for LOS JAIVAS after relocating to the city of Zárate, on the banks of the tropical Paraná River located northwest of Buenos Aires. The album featured seven tracks at just over 39 minutes with the A side consisting of formal compositions and the B side exhibiting the same improvisational folk jams that LOS JAIVAS featured on its first two albums.

The album is a strange mix of LOS JAIVAS' indigenous folk and rock andino along with the more psychedelic folk leanings of MANDUKA that incorporated the MPB (música popular brasileira) that dominated Brazil in the 1970s. The album's lyrics included both the Spanish and Portugues languages and the two artists successfully blended their idiosyncratic styles into a veritable blend of pan-South American fusion.

LOS SUEÑOS DE AMERICA comes off as a sorta musical tug-a-war between the Chilean sounds of the cueca ("Date una vuelta en el aire") and Andean folk rhythms ("La Centinela") however for the most part it seems MANDUKA's Brazilian musical style dominates the album's trajectory with the sounds of samba, bossa nova and tropicalía threatening to usurp control however a veritable truce is declared with the second side of the album where both nationalities are suspended for a true adventure into a world of freeform freak folk.

"Traguito de Ron" starts off the improvisational B side and sounds like some forest ritual with a bubbling cauldron of boiling water accompanying tribal drumming, detached vocals offering a bizarre contrapuntal effect and the sputtering of flutes and other sounds that add improvisational icing on the cake. The 12-minute title track follows in similar fashion only rocks the indigenous pan flute and Andean folk sounds.

The title track sounds a lot like what was heard on the LOS JAIVAS' debut "El Volantín" The track drifts from melodic folk music to more crazed ritual style madness that sounds like a ceremonial gathering. By far the wildest track the band ever recorded. The album ends with "Primer Encuentro Latinoamericano De La Soledad," which is a short live track and features a robust audience participation showcasing the public's enthusiasm with LOS JAIVAS.

While certainly not their creative peak nor a proper album which connects the first chapter of LOS JAIVAS' 70s run with the 80s, LOS SUEÑOS DE AMERICA is very much of interest for lovers of freak folk who are also enthralled with indigenous world music sounds. The mix of the Brazilian and Chilean makes this one utterly unique and despite the clash of cultures at play, the two artists get along very well together. While not as essential as the albums that came before or arrive after, this one is very much of interest for true LOS JAIVAS fans as its adds a whole other dimension to the band's rich stylistic approach with the collaborative efforts of MANDUKA on board. Personally i love the improv tracks the best.