Search - Sui Generis :: Vida

"Vida": First Step of a Genius.

Maximiliano F Yofre | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 10/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Genius is the correct word to describe Charly Garcia (Aka Carlos Alberto Garcia Moreno or as he choose later Garcia Lange).



He was born in Argentina in an upper middle class family. At the age of three his parents discovered he was able to play piano. When he was five, he started receiving regular piano lessons. At twelve he obtained a Piano Professor Diploma.

His family was eagerly nesting hopes to have educated a Classical Piano Player who will be able to perform at Colon Theater.

But in 1964 Beatles' music shakes this teenager profoundly, he said: "I thought I was hearing Martian classical music".

With some pals from school he started his first band. As it happened with the earlier steps of The Beatles, some friends deserted reducing the band to a duo: Charly and his faithful Nito Mestre. With him they started "Sui Generis" and "Vida" (Life) was their first album. This duo performed from 1969 until 1975 when they closed their association with a live concert attended by 30,000 people. A colossal success for the time, which give life to their last album: "Adios Sui Generis" (Good by Sui Generis).

Charly's professional life include the creation of different and successful rock bands as "La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros" (1976-1977) and "Serú Giran" (1978-1981). Afterwards he played only as a soloist with enormous success.



The present album has a strong influence of USA folk style. Charly plays acoustic guitar & keyboard and Nito flute. The songs are typically teenage stuff: "Necesito" (I need) is the longing for a young couple, idealized mix of mother and lover.

"Quizás porque" (May be because) a love song explaining why a relationship does not fail in spite of the drawbacks of the lover.

"Dime quien me la robó" (Tell me who stole it from me) is a coming of age song.

All the songs are beautiful and have a poignant innocence that will be found no more in their later works. They will be more mature and compromised with reality, but they will not be as fresh and tender as the compositions of this album.

Do not miss this jewel from Argentina's rock-pop music. You'll be delighted hearing this teenage duo!

Reviewed by Max Yofre.

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