Friday, June 30, 2006

Vytas Brenner - “Hermanos” [1974] @256 Essential South American Prog, Highly Recommended

Vytas Brenner, was a Venezuelan in his heart although he was born in Tubingen, Germany in 1946. His parents emigrated to South America in 1948 and he studied in the famous Emil Friedman School, an institution dedicated to form composers and performers since an early age. In 1958 he travelled to Italy and Spain and there he formed several juvenile bands like Vytas Brenner Quartet, Brenner’s Folk or The Pic Nics. In 1967 he went to USA to study electronic music in Tenesee Conservatory and later in Nashville College where he graduated with honors in 1972. That year he went back to Venezuela and started a long relation with Venezuelan folkloric music, an influence that permeates all his posterior works. At that time he was also obviously influenced by the electronic kraut scene (specially Cluster and Tangerine Dream) and devoted himself to the possibilities of synthtizers and the potential of the fusion of modern electronic sounds, progressive rock and acoustic aboriginal and folk elements.

The unique and marvellous results was edited in 5 albums, with his band “Ofrenda” (Offering) at the time the most important prog rock outfit of Latin America, with great albums as “Hermanos” , “Jayeche", and others including the spectacular “En Vivo” (Live).

In all of them one finds a dizzying connection bonding afrolatin percussion, Venezuelan cuatros and maracas, frantic Joropo and Golpe rhythms, abstract pre ambient noise, natural effects, all that seasoned with rock combo of bass, electric guitars and drums.

Although he could have followed the path of other latin musicians as Santana, or even go to join the Fusion army that plagued vinyl industry at the time, he choose to stay on the symph-prog and art side of things. Nevertheless he was very successful in Venezuela and achieved certain local fame in Latin America.

Sadly the political and economical situation of the country after the currency crash in 1983 (The Black Friday) , obliged Vytas to leave to Europe. He never achieved there the success he had in South America and preferred to stay in the shadow, semi retired and managing a recording studio, although he visited Venezuela briefly during the 90’s and gave a free concert at Plaza Morelos with a simpler line up: only his keyboards and percussionist extraordinaire Nené Quintero.

His last two works where the suite Oro Negro, Performed by Venezuelan Symphonic Orchestra in 1989 (Oro Negro means Black Gold, an obvious refrence to the Venezuelan richness in oil) and later the aboriginal ethnic-new-agey “Amazonia" (1995)

Sadly Vytas’s untimely death caused by a heart attack in 2004 took from us a great musician, which I believe was about to give us more surprises. Life seems truly absurd at times.

Eventually I will post all his albums

Ladies and Gentlemen, prog fans or not, it is an honour to give you, Vytas Brenner.

Keep Listening…!!!

Links in comments, as usual.

Vytas Brenner - Madrugada...

9 comments:

Jaime Antonio Alvarez said...

This is the Link to Vytas Brenner - "Hermanos"
http://tinyurl.com/eo26r

Anonymous said...

Brilliant stuff... frogprogger... love the site !!!

Anonymous said...

Vytas Brenner is wonderful

Anonymous said...

ty for sharing these GEM

Anonymous said...

Good Music But...

I deleted it because at the time on my player marked at 2.55 minutes in the first song, it pops, cracks, hacks and you name it, terrible sounds ruining this nice music, the ripper should be hanged!

Anonymous said...

gracias.... thanks a lot... i'm from venezuela and love brenner'music. your site is in my bookmarks now, cause i want the complete discography. Un millón de gracias desde Venezuela

Anonymous said...

Hi prog frog

well it seems i came late

Hermanos was deleted :-(

can you re up ?

thank you


greetings from Chile

my msn panchoceron@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Please reup the link its gone, and congratulations for this excellent blog. Simply the best!!!!!!!!!

musicman said...

Hemanos is available here: http://obscure-music.blogspot.com/2014/01/01-agua-clara-02-madrugada-03-amanecer.html

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