Serú Girán was an Argentine supergroup with national rock veterans Charly García, David Lebón, Oscar Moro, and teenage musician Pedro Aznar. Between 1978 and 1981, the band released four studio albums: Serú Girán, La Grasa de las Capitales, Bicicleta, and Peperina. This was the fourth band in under a decade fronted by García, who previously […]
Invisible was an Argentine supergroup that released three albums during the mid-1970s. Musically, the band evolved from the free-flowing, psych-tinged poetic rock of their first two albums to the layered eclecticism of their 1976 swan song El Jardín de los Presentes. Luis Alberto Spinetta made a name for himself in the major national bands Almendra […]
La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros were an Argentine symphonic/jazz-rock band that released two albums in 1976 and 1977 on Microfón. They were the post-Sui Generis vehicle for musician Charly García, who simultaneously directed the one-off folk ensemble PorSuiGieco. Like contemporaries Invisible, La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros were a supergroup on the Buenos Aires scene. In addition […]
Soda Stereo was an Argentine new wave trio that emerged with the 1984/85 albums Soda Stereo and Nada Personal, which spawned the national hits “Juego de seducción” and “Cuando pase el temblor.” Their 1986 third album Signos charted across Latin America with the hits “Persiana americana” and “Prófugos.” They linked with Bowie guitarist Carlos Alomar for […]
Sui Generis was the Argentine folk-rock duo of singer–keyboardist Charly García and guitarist–singer Nito Mestre. Between 1972 and 1975, they made three studio albums and a two-volume live set. Members: Charly García (keyboards, vocals), Nito Mestre (vocals, guitar, flute), Alberto Rodríguez (drums), Alejandro Correa (bass), Rolando Fortich (bass), Juan Carlos Bellia (guitar), Carlos Piégari (guitar, […]
Pescado Rabioso was an Argentine blues-folk-psych band headed by former Almendra guitarist, singer, and songwriter Luis Alberto Spinetta. In 1972, they released Desatormentándonos on Microfon, followed by two albums in 1973: Pescado 2 (a double album) and Artaud. David Lebón replaced Osvaldo “Bocón” Frascino when the latter departed after the first album for the psych-rock […]
Gato Barbieri (Nov. 28, 1934 — April 2, 2016) was an Argentinian tenor saxophonist with a musical career that spanned more than 60 years. He began as a side-player for Lalo Schifrin during the late 1950s. The following decade, he notched credits alongside Don Cherry, Gary Burton, and Alan Shorter. In 1967, Barbieri released his first […]
Arco Iris are an Argentine folk-rock/art-rock quartet with a prolific 1970s output and a sporadic body of subsequent work. The band released six studio albums between 1970 and 1977, including the ambitious double-LPs Sudamérica o el Regreso a la Aurora and Agitor Lucens V. Mastering the chromatic fluidity and epic grandeur of symphonic jazz-rock, the […]
Lalo Schifrin (June 21, 1932–June 26, 2025) was an Argentinian pianist, composer, and arranger who began his career in the mid-1950s. During his first active decade, he served as a backing musician for Ástor Piazzolla, Xavier Cugat, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Gillespie. Schifrin’s first headlining album was the 1959 release Piano Espanol on Tico Records. In […]
Spinetta Jade was an Argentine super-band that released four albums between 1980 and 1984. Anchored by namesake vocalist/guitarist Luis Alberto Spinetta, the band featured a revolving door of established and up-and-coming talent on the Buenos Aires scene. This was the frontman’s fourth major band in a decade, having earlier headed Almendra, Pescado Rabioso, and Invisible. […]
Charly García (born Oct. 23, 1951) is an Argentinian multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter, active since the early 1970s. He launched his career as half of the folk-rock duo Sui Generis, which issued three albums between 1972 and 1974. During the mid-’70s, he split time between the symphonic-rock quintet La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros and the […]
Litto Nebbia (born 1948) is an Argentinian multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer with a career that spans more than half a century. He first emerged in the mid-1960s as the frontman for Buenos Aires beat phenomenon Los Gatos. In 1969, he released his self-titled solo debut. The next two decades would yield 30-some-odd albums by the […]
Alas was an Argentine symphonic/jazz-rock trio led by Alma y Vida graduate Gustavo Moretto. They released a 1976 self-titled album and recorded a 1977 followup, Pinta tu Aldea, with future Serú Girán member Pedro Aznar. Members: Alex Zucker (bass, guitar), Carlos Riganti (drums, percussion), Gustavo Moretto (keyboards, trumpet, vocals), Daniel Binelli (bandoneon, 1977), Pedro Aznar […]
Almendra was an Argentine blues-rock/psych band from Buenos Aires that released a self-titled album on RCA Vik in 1969, followed by an eponymous double album in 1970. Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Luis Alberto Spinetta recorded a subsequent solo album, also titled Almendra, then fronted the popular Argentine bands Pescado Rabioso, Invisible, and Spinetta Jade. In […]
Crucis was an Argentine symphonic/hard-rock band that released back-to-back albums in 1976 on RCA Victor. Members: Gustavo Montesano (bass, guitar, vocals), José Luis Fernández (bass, 1974), Daniel Frenkel (drums, 1974-75), Daniel Oil (keyboards, 1974-5), Aníbal Kerpel (1975-77), Pino Marrone (guitar, vocals, 1975-1977), Gonzalo Farrugia (drums, percussion, 1975-77) Background Crucis formed in Buenos Aires in 1974 […]
Bubu was an Argentine symphonic-rock septet that was active for five years during the 1970s. Their singular release from that period is the 1978 album Anabelas, which has since been hailed as one of the cornerstones of South American maximalist rock. The band would reunite four decades later and issue a second album. Members: Sergio […]
M.I.A. — short for Músicos Independientes Asociados — was an Argentine musical collective that hybridized rock, folk, and classical music across three late 1970s studio albums: Transparencias, Mágicos Juegos del Tiempo, and Cornonstípicum. Members: Lito Vitale (keyboards, drums) Liliana Vitale (vocals, drums), Daniel Curto (guitar), Nono Belvis (bass), Juan Del Barrio (keyboards, drums), Alberto Muñoz […]
Espíritu was an Argentine symphonic-rock band, active for three seperate periods between the early 1970s and mid-2000s. Formed in 1973, their first iteration produced two albums, Crisálida (1974) and Libre y Natural (1976). Two further albums appeared in the early 1980s. Twenty years later, frontman Osvaldo Favrot resurrected the nameplate for additional live and studio […]
Orion’s Beethoven was an Argentine hard-rock/psych band that was active from 1969 until 1981. Two Polydor-issued albums emerged from this lengthy run: Superangel (1973) and Tercer Milenio (1977). The Bar brothers continued under the abbreviated nameplate Orions, which issued back-to-back albums during the early 1980s. Members: Adrian Bar (guitar), Román Bar (bass, keyboards, vocals), José […]
Pappo’s Blues was an Argentine blues-rock/hard-rock band that released seven numerically-titled studio albums between 1971 and 1978. Anchored by its namesake guitarist frontman, the band featured a revolving door of top local talent, including guitarist/bassist David Lebón and bassist Alejandro Medina. Members: Pappo (guitar, vocals), Black Amaya (drums), David Lebón (bass, guitar), Héctor “Pomo” Lorenzo […]
Color Humano was an Argentine heavy-psych trio that debuted with a 1972 album on Microfón, followed by the 1973 titles Vol. 2 and Vol. 3. Original drummer David Lebón played in various other local bands during this period, including Pappo’s Blues and Pescado Rabioso. Members: Edelmiro Molinari (guitar, vocals), David Lebón (drums, backing vocals, 1971-72), […]
Materia Gris was an Argentine psych-rock band that issued a concept album on Harvest in 1972. The band included future Pescado Rabioso/La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros keyboardist Carlos Cutaia and eventual Alas drummer Carlos Riganti. Members: Julio Presas (guitar, bass, percussion, vocals), Eduardo Rapetti (guitar, vocals), Omar Constanzo (bass, vocals), Carlos Cutaia (keyboards), Carlos Riganti […]
Aquelarre was an Argentine hard-rock/psych band that released four albums between 1974 and 1975 on the Trova and Talent labels. Bassist Emilio Del Güercio and drummer Rodolfo García hailed from local rock pioneers Almendra. Members: Emilio Del Güercio (bass, guitar, flute, vocals), Héctor Starc (guitar, vocals), Rodolfo García (drums, vocals), Hugo González Neira (keyboards, vocals) […]
Polifemo was an Argentine hard-rock/jazz-rock band that released two albums on EMI during 1976 and 1977. The band was comprised of noted journeymen on the Buenos Aires scene, including guitarist/vocalist David Lebón (Color Humano, Pescado Rabioso, Pappo’s Blues), bassist Rinaldo Rafanelli (Color Humano, Sui Generis), and keyboardist Ciro Fogliatta (Los Gatos, Sacramento, Espíritu). Lebón teamed […]
Rayuela was an Argentine jazz-rock/folk band that released a 1977 self-titled album on Orfeo. Members: Andres Goldstein, Eduardo Berinstein, Guillermo Nojechowicz, Marcelo Morano, Willy Campins Background Rayuela formed in Buenos Aires by 1976 with bassist Willie Campins, guitarist Andrés Goldstein, keyboardist Marcelo Morano, reedist Eduardo Berinstein, and drummer/percussionist Guillermo Nojechowicz. Campins heard classical music in […]
El Reloj was an Argentine symphonic/hard-rock band that made two self-titled albums in 1975/76 on RCA Vik. Further albums appeared at widened intervals over the next three decades. Members: Willy Gardi (lead guitar), Osvaldo Zabala (guitar), Juan Esposito (drums, vocals), Eduardo Frezza (bass, lead vocals), Luis Valenti (keyboard, vocals), Jorge Gomez (bass), Jorge Martinez (lead […]
Tantor was an Argentine jazz-rock combo that made a 1979 self-titled album on Philips, followed by the 1982 Raviol release Mágico y Natural. Their two mainstays — guitarist Héctor Starc and drummer Rodolfo García — both hailed from Aquelarre. Original bassist Carlos Alberto Machi Rufino came from Invisible. Members: Héctor Starc (guitar), Rodolfo García (drums), […]
Redd was an Argentine symphonic-rock band that cut a 1978 album, Tristes Noticias del Imperio, and returned in 1983 with Cuentos del Subsuelo, both later reissued with bonus tracks. Members: Juan Escalante (vocals, drums, keyboards), Luis Albornoz (vocals, bass, guitar), Esteban Cerioni (vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards) Background Redd formed in January 1977 when guitarist Luis […]
V8 was an Argentine metal band that released three albums between 1983 and 1986 on Umbral, starting with Luchando por el Metal. Members: Ricardo Iorio (bass, vocals), Ricardo “Chofa” Moreno (guitar, 1980-82), Gerardo Osemberg (drums, 1980-81), Alejandro “Pesadilla” Colantonio (drums, 1981-82), Alberto “Beto” Zamarbide (vocals, 1982-87), Osvaldo Civile (guitar, 1982-85), Gustavo Rowek (drums, 1982-87), Miguel […]
Sumo was an Argentine new wave/art-punk band that made four albums between 1985 and 1989 on CBS. Their first drummer, Stephanie Nuttal, hailed from Manchester, England, and played in the avant-punk combo Manicured Noise. Members: Luca Prodan (vocals, guitar), Germán Daffunchio (guitar), Alejandro Sokol (bass, drums, 1981-84), Stephanie Nuttal (drums, 1981-82), Ricardo Curtet (guitar, 1981), […]
Soluna was an Argentine folk ensemble that made the 1977 Microfón album Energía Natura. Frontman Gustavo Santaolalla resurfaced in the LA new wave act Wet Picnic and later gained renown as a soundtrack composer. Keyboardist Alejandro Lerner launched a prolific solo career. Members: Gustavo Santaolalla (vocals, guitar, harmonica, percussion), Alejandro Lerner (keyboards), Monica Campins (vocals, […]
Rodolfo Alchourrón (April 25, 1934 — May 16, 1999) was an Argentinian jazz guitarist, composer, arranger, and bandleader with a recording career that spanned nearly four decades. One of his earliest recorded appearances was on the track “Demasiado Tarde” on the 1960 Menorama EP by Agrupacion Nuevo Jazz. In 1966, he played in Trío Eduardo […]
Relax was an Argentine hard-rock band that made the 1977 album Padre … on Vedette. Members: Daniel Grasso (vocals, guitar, flute), Héctor Grasso (bass, vocals), Juan Rodríguez (drums, percussion), Rubén Campas (vocals, guitar) Background Relax formed in Argentina in the mid-1970s when singer–guitarist Daniel Grasso and bassist–singer Héctor Grasso teamed with guitarist Rubén Campás and […]
The Prime Element was a Manhattan-based Latin-jazz/rock big band headed by Argentinian keyboardist/arranger Carlos Franzetti. The project yielded the 1976 Trova album Alborada. Members: Carlos Franzetti (Rhodes, guitar, Hammond, Moog, percussion, arranger), Omar Clay (percussion, marimba, arranger), Alex Layne (bass), Greg Maker (bass), Akua Dixon (cello, vocals), Ray Mantilla (congas), Mauricio Smith (flute, clarinet), Greg […]
Pastoral was an Argentine folk duo of guitarist-singers Alejandro De Michele and Miguel Angel Erausqui. They debuted in 1973 and made five albums through 1979 with support players. Charly García oversaw their 1976 third album, Humanos. Erausqui went solo with the 1981 album Hacia la Libertad. De Michele joined the pop band Merlin. Pastoral made […]
Pablo El Enterrador is an Argentine symphonic-rock ensemble that has been intermittently active for nearly half a century. Formed in 1971, the band finally released its self-titled debut album in 1983 on RCA Victor. Two further albums would follow at 15- and 18-year intervals. Members: Jorge Antun (synthesizer, Hammond organ), Marcelo Sali (drums), José María […]
Montes were an Argentine psych-rock combo that issued a 1973 single and a 1974 album, Cuando Brille el Tiempo, on Philips. The band was headed by namesake guitarist Jorge Montes, who had earlier played in the prolific singles act La Séptima Brigada. Members: Jorge Montes (guitar), Juan Carlos Policastro (vocals), Alberto Oneto (bass), Carlos Salazar (drums) […]
Miguel Cantilo (born Nov. 9, 1949) is an Argentinian singer/songwriter with a career that spans half a century. He first emerged alongside guitarist Kubero Díaz in the turn-of-the-seventies psych-rock combo La Cofradía de la Flor Solar. He subsequently formed an on-off partnership with guitarist/vocalist Jorge Durietz, recording as Pedro y Pablo on a pair of early […]
Melimelum was an Argentine folk four-piece that released a 1976 self-titled album on CBS. Frontman Jorge Durietz was part of the singer/songwriter duo Pedro y Pablo, which resumed activities after Melimelum. Members: Daniel Russo (bass), Eduardo Figueroa (guitar), Jorge Durietz (guitar, vocals), Nicky Mitchell (drums) Background Melimelum formed in Buenos Aires in 1976 when guitarist-vocalist […]
Luis Alberto Spinetta (Jan. 23, 1950 – Feb. 8, 2012) was an Argentinian guitarist, singer, and songwriter with a musical career that spanned more than 40 years. He first emerged with the psych-rock foursome Almendra, which issued two albums circa 1969–70. He repurposed the band name for the title of his first solo album, released […]
Los Abuelos de la Nada was an Argentinian rock band, active briefly in the late Sixties and resurrected for a lengthy Eighties run. Their first formation produced the 1968 single “Diana Divaga.” In 1982, the reformed band released a self-titled album, followed by three studio titles and a live disc through 1986 on DG Discos. […]
Jorge López Ruiz (April 1, 1935 – Dec. 11, 2018) was an Argentinian bassist, cellist, pianist, arranger, and composer who was active throughout the last four decades of the 20th century. He first appeared in 1961 with the album B.A. Jazz on RCA’s Vik subsidiary. During the mid-1960s, he backed pianist Enrique Villegas on a […]
Huinca was a blues-rock combo fronted by Argentinian musician/vocalist Litto Nebbia. The project grew out of his 1971 solo album Nebbia’s Band, which features the same rhythm section of bassist Cacho Lafalce and drummer Oscar Moro. Nebbia and Moro had earlier played together in the 1960s beat group Los Gatos. Huinca recorded one album before Nebbia resumed his […]
Horizonte were an Argentine folk-rock band that released two albums on the Music Hall label during the closing years of the 1970s. Members: Rubán Bloise (drums), Mario Vannini (guitar, charango, quena), Hugo Ojeda (percussion, vocals), Fernando Mouro (bass), Alex Tiscornia (keyboards), Sergio Vainikoff (keyboards), Jorge Alfano (bass) Discography: Horizonte (1978) Señales sin Edad (1979)
Horacio Vaggione (born 1943) is an Argentine-born electronic musician and composer who has been active on the European scene since the mid-1970s. In 1976, he emerged as one-half of the avant-garde electronic duo IT, which issued the album Viaje (Música Electrónica Libre) on the Spanish Movieplay label. Two years later, he released a solo album, […]
Gustavo Montesano (born Oct. 14, 1955) is an Argentinian guitarist and composer who has been musically active locally and abroad since the mid-1970s. He first emerged as one-fourth of the symphonic/hard-rock band Crucis, with whom he recorded two albums in 1976. The following year, he issued his first and only solo album of the 20th […]
Fricción was an Argentine goth-rock band that made the 1986–88 Interdisc albums Consumación o Consumo and Para Terminar. Members: Christian Basso (bass, 1985-87), Fernando Samalea (drums, 1985-87), Gustavo Cerati (guitar, 1985-86), Richard Coleman (guitar, 1985-87), Gonzalo Palacios (saxophone), Celsa Mel Gowland (vocals), Daniel Castro (bass, 1987-88) Background Fricción formed in Buenos Aires in 1984 when […]
Eternidad was an Argentine symphonic-folk band behind the 1977 Cabal album Apertura. Members: Robi Massarotto (bass, vocals), Daniel Mendez (guitar, harmonica, vocals), Roberto Mendez (guitar, lute, vocals), Claudio Pedra (piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ, synthesizer), Luis Yanes (drums, percussion) Background Eternidad grew from a folk-rock duo formed in 1971 by guitarist-singer brothers Daniel and Roberto […]
Cuero were an Argentine blues/psych/jazz-rock band that was active during the early 1970s. The band issued two albums on the Music Hall label. Members: Nacho Smilari (guitar, vocals), Enrique Masllorens (bass, vocals), Carlos Calabro (drums), Bernardo Baraj (saxophone, flute), Osvaldo López (drums), Adalberto Cevasco (bass), Raúl Parentella (electric piano), Joe Coco (percussion) Discography: Tiempo Después […]
Contraluz was an Argentine progressive folk band behind the 1973 album Americanos. They returned in the 21st century with three further albums. Members: Carlos Barrio (guitar, flute), Néstor Barrio (drums), Alfredo Prochnik [aka Freddy] (bass), Alejandro Barzi (flute, vocals), Álvaro Cañada (vocals, 1973-74), Gustavo Dinerstein (flute, saxophone, 1973-74), Jorge Guarnieri (vocals, guitar, 1973-74) Background Contraluz […]
Búsqueda were an Argentine folk four-piece of the late 1970s that issued a solitary, self-titled album on CBS in 1978. Members: Jorge Fernández Molina (guitar, mellotron, piano, organ, vocals), Tomás “Tommy” Loidi (guitar, vocals), Alfredo Muñoz (bass), Ricardo Renaldi (synthesizer), Daniel Carrizo (drums) Discography: Búsqueda (1978)
Banana were an Argentine pop/rock band that was active between the late 1960s and early 1980s. Issuing five albums at lengthy intervals amid numerous singles, the band reached their artistic zenith on 1979’s Aún es Tiempo de Soñar LP. Members: César “Banana” Pueyrredón (vocals, keyboards), Jorge Scoufalos (guitar, backing vocals), Daniel Pueyrredón (guitar), Alejandro Giordano […]
Bebu Silvetti (March 27, 1944 – July 5, 2003) was an Argentinian pianist, composer, arranger, and producer who was active during the last quarter of the 20th century. Launching his career under the recording moniker Silvetti, he scored a global hit in 1976 with the lush, string-laden instrumental “Silver Rain.” He later went into production […]
Aucan was an Argentine folk-rock sibling quartet that made a 1977 self-titled album on Diorama, followed by the 1980 Sazam release Brotes del Alba. Members: Eugenio Perez (vocals, guitar), Miguel Perez (vocals, guitar), Diego Perez (drums), Pablo Perez (bass, keyboards, vocals) Background Aucán formed in February 1975 in the Buenos Aires area when singers and […]
Ave Rock were an Argentine symphonic/hard-rock band that was active during the mid-1970s. The band issued an eponymous album on Promúsica in 1974 and a self-released followup upon their breakup three years later. Members: Hector “Daddy” Antogna (drums), Federico Sainz (vocals), Luis Borda (guitar, vocals), Oscar Glavic (bass, vocals), Osvaldo Caló (keyboards), Marcelo Sabarido (drums), […]
Astor Piazzolla (March 11, 1921 — July 4, 1992) was an Argentinian bandoneonist, composer, and arranger with a recording career that began in the late 1940s and continued into the early 1990s. During the 1970s, he fused the arrangements of his native tango with elements of electrified jazz-rock and orchestral Third Stream. This approach, dubbed […]
Anacrusa was an Argentine progressive folk-rock band behind two self-titled albums in 1973/74 on Discos Redondel and a 1976 third on Global Record, followed by the 1978/79 Philips titles El Sacrificio and Fuerza. Members: Susana Lago (keyboards, vocals), José Luis Castiñeira de Dios (guitar, charango), Alejandro Erlich-Oliva (double bass, guitar, 1973-74), Elias Heger (drums, 1973-74), […]
Aeroblus was an Argentinian heavy blues-rock power trio behind one album in 1977 on Philips. They were the offshoot of guitarist Pappo’s namesake earlier band. Members: Norberto “Pappo” Napolitano (guitar, vocals), Alejandro Medina [aka Negro Medina] (bass), Rolando Castello Junior (drums) Background Aeroblus formed in 1976 near Campo Limpo Paulista, Brazil, when bassist Alejandro Medina […]
Jorge Dalto (July 7, 1948 — Oct. 27, 1987) was an Argentine jazz-funk pianist who released the album Chevere on United Artists in 1976. Between 1983 and 1988, a string of titles appeared on Eastworld, Gaia, and Concord Jazz Picante. Discography: Chevere (1976) Rendez-vous (1983 • Jorge Dalto & Super Friends) New York Nightline (1984) […]
