Traffic Sound - Traffic Sound (Also known as III or Tibet's Suzettes) (1970)

Resubida de un disco que alguna vez había publicado Sandy. Dice Wikipedia: "En 1970 grabaron el segundo LP, titulado Traffic Sound, que equivocadamente se cree que es el tercer disco de la banda. Este disco ya mostraba la madurez musical desde la portada que tenía tres cuerpos en color rosado y con fotos de colores virados y donde por primera vez la banda fusiona música psicodélica, caribeña y andina, usando sólidos arreglos de vientos y percusión". Aquí les presentamos nuevamente a Traffic Sound, ahora con su disco homónimo.

Artista: Traffic Sound

Álbum: Traffic Sound
Año: 1970
Género: Rock Psicodelico
Duración: 29:58
Nacionalidad: Perú

Lista de Temas:
1. Tibet's Suzettes (4:45)
2. Those Days Have Gone (3:26)
3. Yesterday's Game (5:49)
4. America (3:00)
5. What You Need And What You Want (4:14)
6. Chicama Way (7:46)
7. You Got to Pay (3.15)
8. Got to Be Sure (3:32)
9. Empty (1:23)

Alineación:
- Manuel Sanguinetti / cantante principal, percusión
- Willy Barclay / guitarra eléctrica & acústica, voz
- Freddy Rizo Patron / guitarra rítmica, voz
- Willy Thorne / bajo, órgano, piano, voz
- Jean Pierre Magnet / Saxófono del tenor, flauta, percusión
- Luis Nevares / bateria, vibráfono, percusión

He olvidado decir que sobre el desván de aquella casa donde ensayaban colgaba el semáforo de que había un nombre del grupo.

Traffic Sound fue y en la actualidad sigue siendo uno de los grupos más representativos de rock del Perú y latinoamericano que apareció en 1967, la combinación de estilos de la banda van desde el rock psicodélico , el rock progresivo, el latin rock de los 70s y la fusión con instrumentos peruanos y andinos. Tras el éxito de sus álbumes en el Perú , en 1971 serían la primera banda en realizar una gira fuera del país visitando Brasil , Argentina y Chile.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia dice:

Traffic Sound fue fundado en 1967 por Manuel Sanguineti junto a Jean Pierre Magnet, Freddy Rizo-Patrón, Willy Barclay, Willy Thorne y Luis Nevares. Empezaron tocando covers en fiestas privadas en exclusivas zonas de Lima. En uno de sus primeros ensayos en la casa de la familia Rizo-Patrón en San Isidro, encontraron un semáforo en una esquina de la casa y de allí se originó el nombre que fue idea del vocalista Manuel Sanguineti.
En la segunda mitad de 1968 tres 45 R.P.M. con covers de Hendrix,The Rascals, The Animals ,Iron Butterfly que posteriormente serían incluidos en su primer LP.
A principios de 1969 solo habían grabado sus principales covers que tocaban en fiestas, pero esto se terminaría pues de ahí empezarían a tocar solo temas propios. Luego ese mismo año graban para la disquera MAG su primer LP titulado Virgin, en este disco Traffic Sound desarrolla su propio estilo, entre sus canciones destaca "Yellow Sea Days" quizás el tema mas progresivo folk del disco con buenos pasajes de guitarra, solos en flauta, voces hipnóticas y diferentes compases y cambios, Jews Caboose con los mejores solos de guitarra del álbum, "Meshkalina" el tema más ágil y pegajoso, las acústicas "Simple" y "Virgin".
En 1970 grabaron el segundo LP, titulado Traffic Sound , que equivocadamente se cree que es el tercer disco de la banda. Este disco ya mostraba la madurez musical desde la portada que tenía tres cuerpos en color rosado y con fotos de colores virados y donde por primera vez la banda fusiona música psicodélica, caribeña y andina, usando sólidos arreglos de vientos y percusión.
Para fines de 1970 la banda decidió ir a grabar a Sono Radio de Jaime Delgado Aparicio, idea que no gustó a Guerrero dueño de MAG, quien molesto tomó los tres 45 R.P.M. que el grupo cuando hacían covers y sacó A bailar Go Go en cuya portada no figura ningún integrante del grupo solo una foto de unos niños en el mar.
Para 1971 la aerolínea Braniff International auspicio la gira del grupo por Argentina, Brasil y Chile tocando en discotecas y clubes de esos países, siendo quizás la primera banda peruana en realizar una gira internacional. El grupo en este mismo tiempo grabó un 45 R.P.M. con la orquesta de Jaime Delgado Aparicio los temas "El Clan Braniff" / "Braniff style - Usa version". Luego de esto se alejó de la banda Willy Thorne y fue remplazado por Miguel Ángel Ruiz Orbegoso más conocido como Zulu. Durante esta etapa la banda grabó cinco canciones, dos de ellas editadas por ambas casas discográficas. Los sencillos eran La Camita / You got to be sure y Suavecito / Solos, con un sonido más latino y que se plasmaría en su último disco Lux. En estas últimas épocas brindarían junto a Jaime Delgado Aparicio y su Orquesta Contemporánea sus conciertos más recordados como los que dieron en el Teatro Segura y en el Teatro Municipal de Lima.
Para inicios de 1972 en plena época de la dictadura y caos que en la que se encontraba el Perú, la banda se disuelve.
Jean Pierre Magnet continuó en la música a diferencia de sus demás compañeros. Manuel Sanguineti en 1973 grabó para la disquera IEMPSA dos discos de 45 RPM y uno de 33 RPM , pero luego se alejó del ambiente artistico y en 1979 fundó Radio Doble Nueve.
El grupo se volvió a juntar en 1993 en El Muelle Uno donde grabaron con nuevos arreglos "Meshkalina 2", "Chicama Way" y "Simple".
Y en el nuevo milenio volvieron desde 2005 3 veces donde fieles a su estilo las presentaciones fueron en lujosos clubes y hoteles de Lima (Hotel Los Delfines, Asia, Club Regatas y El Dragon de Punta Hermosa).

Traffic Sound fue un grupo estupendo, una reunión de talentos como muy pocos que se hayan dado en el medio peruano. Fueron probablemente los representantes más notables de aquella generación que en determinado momento se desentendió de las tardías modas que todavía dominaban el espectro latinoamericano con melodías que todavía rendían tributo a los ritmos que en el resto del mundo eran cosa del pasado. Eran fines de los 60 y la movida musical y social de los jóvenes se decantaba por el frenetismo de la cultura hippie a la cual ni los bien vestidos The Beatles podían decirle que no. Tal era de vehemente experimentación fue la que vivieron y reprocesaron Manuel Sanguineti, Jean Pierre Magnet y sus compañeros, quienes al parecer ya no tenían ganas de ver los inocentones bailecitos, de esos que te contaban las tías. A bailar Go Go fue el manifiesto de cachoso título con el cual se dieron a conocer localmente, pero fue sin duda Virgin el que marcó rápida distancia entre la banda de tributos y la banda en proyección.
Escucharlo casi cuarenta años después, es una constatación de que Traffic Sound fue un grupo de absoluta vanguardia. En este disco se deja sentir a plenitud sus experimentos con el rock psicodélico y ritmos jazzeros o latinos que habrían de ser su sello distintivo a pesar de la corta vida de la banda. Oírlos hace apenas unos años fue toda una revelación, probablemente caer en cuenta en el estado virgen en el cual me mantuve con respecto a ese momento perdido o más bien cortado en el tiempo y las circunstancias. Por aquellos años sonaban bandas tan buenas como Laghonia o Telegraph Avenue, afirmando sin remilgos en cada canción que el rock debía sonar en inglés.
Virgin me causa sensaciones tan diversas como los trips que te propone. Pueden ser un disco que se remite sin problemas a lo pancahguero o festivo pero también a lo más tétrico y sentimental. Lo más representativo debe ser cuando Traffic Sound se deja sentir como una orquesta, como un ambicioso proyecto que pasa por la ligereza a la pasada de vueltas de los himnos pro hippies adaptados al contexto diverso del Perú, que en ese momento vivía momentos de cambios radicales a nivel político y social. Ahí están las complejas y oscuras armonías de Jews Caboose, o la inmortal Meshkalina esa canción que se conservó sonando como la eterna advertencia de ese mundo entre real y un paso más allá. La ilusión extravagante de una utópica integración con los signos grabados en el crisol de contrastes que entonces era y sigue siendo su país.

Otras tardes

Grupo peruano que comenzo tocando versiones de otros grupos en Lima a finales de los 60's. Fue el primer grupo peruano en hacer una gira latinoamericana, recorriendo Chile,Argentina y Brasil, incluso llegaron a salir de paseo por España e Inglaterra, segun creo.
Asiduos del Tiffany de San Isidro (luego llamado Galaxy) consiguieron llamar la atencion del respetable y con ello un contrato para grabar algunos singles que juntos formarian su primer LP llamado "A Bailar Go-Go" en 1969.
Este mismo año grabarian "Virgin" ya compuesto con temas propios, letras en ingles y una cadencia mayoritariamente acustica, pero sin olvidar unos buenos pasajes electricos.
Siguieron dos discos mas, Traffic Sound , también llamado III o Tibet´s Suzettes (1970) y Lux (1971) que fue el colofon a su carrera.
Segun leo en un blog que su concierto de despedida fue en el Teatro Segura de Lima el cual cerraron con una versión de Mr. Skin de nada mas ni nada menos que 30 minutazos.

Ana María

Dos albumes y almenos 4 años han pasado desde que los Hermanos José y Fredy Rizo-Patrón junto con Manuel Sanguinetti dejaron el grupo llamado "Hang Tens" para formar un proyecto de Rock mucho más serio, el cual seria llamado "Traffic Sound". Su primer lanzamiento fue un mini LP que contenia seis covers de diferentes artistas titulado "A Bailar Go - Go"; su segundo álbum titulado "Virgin" hizo que la banda encontrara su identidad definitiva dentro de la movida del rock psicodélico, dejando para la posteridad lo que vendria a ser un himno, la canción "Meshkalina".
Luego de esto, era tiempo de alcanzar algo más de maduréz, y lo lograron con su disco epónimo (el cual también es conocido como III o Tibet's Suzettes en referencia a la canción inicial del disco). El sonido de Traffic Sound tenía un claro distintivo latino respecto a la psicodelia Británica o Americana, lo cual hacia que fuera diferente respecto a otras bandas en esta parte del continente y quizás en el mundo.
Cada músico tenía influencias diferentes; en este album Jean Pierre Magnet (Flauta, Saxofón) y Billy Barclay (guitarra) estaban inspirados en Ian Anderson y Martin Barre de Jethro Tull; el resto de los miembros del grupo tenia influencias de Santana, Cream y Hendrix, pero el gran merito es que ellos lograban mezclar todo esto y crear su propia y unica marca que los distinguia volviendolos algo especial.
El album comienza con un excelente "Tibet’s Suzettes (Gently guaranteed to get you high)" y ellos no hacen promesas en vano, la cancion hace que uno se sienta en lo alto. Esta pista es muy cercana a los inicios de Tull, se siente una similitud con "Teacher"” (ambas canciones fueron lanzadas en Abril de 1970), una guitarra fuerte a la Barre por Willy Barclay y un sólido bajo por Willy Thorne. La canción continua con cierta melancolia pero muy psicodelica, cuando Jean Pierre Magnet comienza con su flauta, el sonido del Tull es aun mas evidente, la atmósfera es una mixtura de blues con progresivo y un sonido latino mezclado gentil y eficazmente; gran canción, con cambios extraordinarios, siendo la estrella Jean Pierre Magnet quien es absolutamente brillante con la flauta y el saxofon.
"Those Days Have Gone" comienza acompañada por piano, perfectamente apoyado por Freddy Rizo Patron con el ritmo de la guitarra y las voces otra vez similares a Ian Anderson (bueno, en este caso es solo una cuestion de gama vocal), el estilo de la flauta en esta pista es mas dulce y suave que en la cancion anterior y la orienta hacia un final en jazz, nuevamente liderado increiblemente por Magnet en la flauta y piano por Willy Thorne.
"Yesterday's Game" es una tipica pista de Traffic Sound, absolutamente en la linea de la moda Britanica pero con un sonido latino unico proveniente por la percusión probablemente tocado por el vocalista Manuel Sanguinetti, simple pero efectivo los coros y una solida forma de tocar la bateria por Luis Nervaez.
"America" es la mas suave comparada con las anteriores, comienza con una guitarra acústica y voces distorcionadas de nuevo (lo cual no es una sorpresa). Jean Pierre Magnet realiza un excelente trabajo con la flauta perfectamente ayudada por la belleza del piano de Willy Thorne. El añadido perfecto a esta canción es la rara atmosfera Hindu creada por la banda. El performance es excelente pero la canción es algo débil en este punto, a pesar de todo no es mala.
"What You Need and What You Want" comienza con una atmósfera exactamente a "Locomotive Breath" de Jethro Tull; ahora, cualquier similud debe ser casual, porque “Traffic Sound” fue lanzada un año antes que "Aqualung" entonces es imposible que se hayan copiado de esta seccion de Tull, pero si se tiene oportunidad de escucharlo, se puede notar que las canciones son idénticas.
El nombre de esta cancion "Chicama" es el simbolo para surfers alrededor del mundo; algunas personas dicen que es la mas perfecta ola en ningun lado, entonces ninguna persona puede esperar una cancion surf similar a ninguna por The Beach Boys.. Nada tan distante de la realidad, la cancion es pristino Latin Psychedelia, con un fabuloso saxofon que crea un sonido del jazz completamente de Motown como las guitarras y la percusion latina, la canción termina como comienza pero despues un increible piano, flauta y las voces extravagantes con las guitarras ahora tocan un estilo Hendrix, maravilloso experimento.
"You Got to Pay" es la clásica pista Acid Psychedelia, con todos los elementos que hacen de este género el más alucinante, fuertes guitarras a la Hendrix, bateria rápida y aun secciones en donde las voces estan tocadas al reves y a diferentes velocidades, este es el experimento temprano que representa, maravilloso y absolutamente avanzado por cualquier banda latina despues de los 60's.
Antes de las voces ninguna persona podria creer "Got to Be Sure" es una cancion Jethro Tull, pero de nuevo se debe insistir que esto no es influencia, solo un estilo similar por dos bandas que empezaron en el mismo año y se convirtieron simultaneamente hasta que Traffic Sound tristemente desapareciera,con una rapida guitarra acustica para una corta, pero poderosa pista.
El album termina con una pieza corta, pero hermosa, tocada en piano llamada "Empty", simple pero ideal para calmar los espíritus despues de dicha mexcla frenetica de sonidos, muy clasico.

Progarchives

Que lo disfruten...

A popular Peruvian rock group in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Traffic Sound had a very British-influenced early progressive rock sound along the lines of Traffic and (more distantly) Jethro Tull. These similarities were evident in the band's use of flute and saxes, all played by Jean Pierre Magnet, who could also play vibes and percussion. What is surprising is that Traffic Sound, unlike other South American groups of the period that only came to light in the Northern Hemisphere in the 1990s, do not sound exotic or primitive. They simply sound like an accomplished minor-league 1970 rock band with considerable progressive, psychedelic, and soul influences informing their original material. There's a Latin feel to some of the rhythmic percussive grooves, sure, but no more, really, than you would find in a cut like Traffic's "Feelin' Alright." They disbanded in 1972 after four albums; some of their material found US release in 1997.

Richie Unterberger

Two albums and almost 4 years had passed since Rizo Patron brothers and Manuel Sanguinetti left THE HANG TENS to form a serious Rock project that will be TRAFFIC SOUND, their first release was a mini LP containing six cover versions of different artists (With a unique approach), the second album "Virgin" found the band searching for their definitive identity but leaving for posterity the Peruvian Psychedelic anthem (Meshkalina).
Now it was time to reach the maturity with this LP named "Traffic Sound" (To avoid confusions people often call it III or Tibet's Suzettes in reference to the opening track).
But how had they matured? Well, TRAFFIC SOUND had a clear distinctive Latin approach to British and/or American Psychedelia that made them different to any other band in the sub continent and even in the world. Each musician had his favorite sound or influence, in this album Jean Pierre Magnet (Flute, Saxophone) and Billy Barclay (Guitar) seem inspired in Ian Anderson and Martin Barre from Jethro Tull, the rest of the members receive influences from Santana, Cream, Hendrix and even Traffic, but the great merit is that they blend all this sounds and create their own unique trade mark that makes them so special.
The interesting and peculiar thing is that TRAFFIC SOUND started simultaneously with JETHRO TULL so the development of this sound is almost coetaneous, that's why I'm still not sure if it's influence or a parallel musical development in the opposite sides of the world.
Now lets go to check "Traffic Sound" (Tibet's Suzettes or III if you want):
The album opens with the excellent "Tibet's Suzettes (Gently guaranteed to get you high)" well they don't make promises in vain, the song gets me really high. This track is very close to early Tull, for moments I feel a similarity with "Teacher" (both songs were released in April 1970), a strong guitar a la Barre by Willy Barclay and solid bass by Willy Thorne.
The song continues bluesy but still very psychedelic, when Jean Pierre Magnet starts with his flute, the Tull sound is even more evident, the atmosphere is a mixture of blues with Prog' and a Latin sound all blended gently and efficiently, great song, extraordinaire changes, being the star Mr. Jean Pierre Magnet who is absolutely brilliant with the flute and saxophone.
"Those Days are Gone" starts with a compassed piano, perfectly supported by Freddy Rizo Patron in the rhythm guitar and vocals again similar to Ian Anderson (Well, in this case it's only a matter of vocal range), the flute style in this track is sweeter and softer than in the previous song and orients the track towards a jazzy finale, again leaded incredibly by Mr. Magnet in the flute and piano by Willy Thorne.
Yesterday's Game is a typical Traffic Sound track, absolutely in the line of British Psychedelia but with a unique Latin sound provided by the percussion probably played by the vocalist Manuel Sanguinetti, simple but effective choirs and solid drumming by Luis Nervaez.
"America" is softer than all the previous tracks, starts with acoustic guitar and distorted vocals; again (not a surprise) Jean Pierre Magnet does an excellent job with the flute perfectly supported by an extremely beautiful piano by Willy Thorne. The perfect addition for this song is the weird Hindu atmosphere perfectly crafted by the band. The performance is excellent but the song is the weaker at this point, still not bad at all.
"What You Need and What You Want" starts almost exactly to "Locomotive Breath" what reinforces my opinion that any similarity must be casual, because "Traffic Sound" was released one year before "Aqualung" so it's impossible that they have copied this section from JETHRO TULL, if you have the chance to listen it you'll notice that is almost identical.
If you have ever heard OSIBISA, you can imagine how the atmosphere of this strange track develops after the mysterious start, almost like a mixture of Santana and Cream but with an Afro Peruvian sound created by congas and vibraphone with a touch of hard rock in the vein of Uriah Heep, again strong guitar and vocals, less Progressive than all the previous but very strong and energetic. In this case I mention all the bands as a reference for the reader who never heard this obscure band but in no case try to copy any of them it's just their natural sound.
The name of this song "Chicama" is a symbol for surfers all around the world; some people say it's the most perfect wave anywhere, so anybody could expect a surf song similar to anything by The Beach Boys...Nothing so distant to reality, the song is pristine Latin Psychedelia, with a fabulous Saxophone that creates a jazzy sound complementing the Motown like guitars and Latin percussion, the song ends as it began but after an incredible piano, flute and vocals extravaganza with the guitars now playing in Hendrix style, wonderful experiment.
"You Got to Pay" is a classic Acid Psychedelia track, with all the elements that made of this genre the most hallucinating, strong guitars a la Hendrix, fast drumming and even sections in which the vocals are played backwards and at a different speed, this is what early experimentation represents, wonderful and absolutely advanced for any Latin band in the late 60's.
Before the vocals any person could believe "Got to be Sure" is a Jethro Tull song, but again I insist this is not influence, only similar styles by two bands that started in the same year and develop simultaneously until TRAFFIC SOUND sadly disappears, with a very beautiful and fast acoustic guitar is a short but powerful track.
The album ends with a short but beautiful piano solo called Empty, simple and ideal to calm the spirits after such frantic blending of sounds, very classical.
I won't go as far as the reviewers from another well respected Progressive web page that considers the band and especially this album in the same level as Jethro Tull, Focus and many sacred cows, but the fact is that TRAFFIC SOUND was really close to them.
Being absolutely honest and impartial I can't rate such wonderful mixture of sounds and style done in an absolutely skillful way with less than 5 stars, so let it be, they deserve this rating, if you don't believe me, check any online auction site and you won't believe the prizes that this album has reached.
I'm absolutely sure that if this guys would have made their career in UK or USA they would have the status of legends and probably would be still playing together instead of practicing their careers.

Iván Melgar

Peruvian Proto Prog
It is one of the major injustices of the music world that if a band does not hail from Europe or North America, their chances of an international breakthrough are greatly diminished. Traffic Sound are from Peru, where in the late 1960's and early 70's they were highly regarded and enjoyed considerable success. Developing out of a band called Los Hang Ten's, they released a handful of albums, this self titled effort being their second full album, but generally regarded as their first major release.
While listed here as Space rock/psychedelic, this album sits somewhere between proto-prog and that genre. The vocal style is often similar to that of Ian Anderson, so when flute is added on regular occasions, comparisons with Jethro Tull become inevitable. In general though, the music is lighter than that of Tull, "Yesterday's Game" for example being a catchy piece of 60's psych pop. The band seem to delight though in throwing curve balls, and in this case the track suddenly breaks into a heavier sax driven mood. Indeed, when sax joins the party, it tends to be in improvisational format, drawing the band briefly but admirably into alternative territories. Other comparisons which come to mind are the similarly named Traffic, Burnin' Red Ivanhoe, Audience and the obscure but remarkable Steel Mill.
"America" is not the Simon and Garfunkel/Yes number of that name, but a dreamy song with distorted vocals, similar to early Moody Blues songs, particularly those led by Ray Thomas. The feature track is the 7+ minute "Chicama Way", a melting pot of all the styles and sounds the band have amassed, held together by a catchy chant.
In its day, albums such as this could have been ground-breaking and hugely successful with the right exposure. Sadly, they remained largely unknown outside their own lands. The global nature of the internet has however belatedly allowed the rest of us to belatedly enjoy the fine music they contain.

Bob McBeath

Peru's six-man psych-pop outfit Traffic Sound came up during a turbulent period for the South American country, the tentacles of the global counter-cultural and social revolutions that defined the 1960s affecting almost every facet of life in the mountainous province. Recorded in 1968, 'Traffic Sound' - or 'III' as it is sometimes to referred to - sports a kaleidoscopic brew of influences and styles, blending fuzzy rainy-day psychedelia, lysergic acid-rock and droplets of ethnic percussion into a richly-coloured album that proves more than a match for the era's better known American-and-English groups. Although rather brief-in-length due to various budgetary and recording restrictions, there's enough on this self-titled release - the group's second overall - to arouse the interests of those with a penchant for Jefferson Airplane, Chocolate Watchband, Tomorrow etc. Album highlights include kinetic, organ-doused jaunt-pop medleys on 'Tibet's Suzette', the hazy, bucolic rock of 'Yesterday's Game' and last but by no means least, the vibrant latin-psych soundscapes of the seven-minute mini-epIc 'Chicama Way'. A very pleasant surprise indeed.

Stefan Turner

Having listened to all the musical material ever created by Traffic Sound, I just want to let you know in advance that this is, in my view, one of the ten best bands of the early progressive years. What's especially significant is this is one of those bands that sparked the Dawn of Progressive Rock on planet Earth. Also, I am sure that most of the Prog reviewers would regard Traffic Sound as the band of the Canterbury school (though the music of this Peruvian band is distinctly original). Then, is the Canterbury County located in Peru? (I more than wonder why was one of the most significant Progressive sub-genres called with the name of one of the England's counties? Especially since a lot of the bands, stylistically labeled as "Canterbury", actually perform the music that can be compared to the works of 'classic' Canterbury bands not in the list!)
The Album. I think there's no need to tell you of the band's first 21-minute album (EP!), especially since it consists of only cover versions, and not the band's original songs. So let's consider the 34+)-minute "Virgin" the first Traffic Sound album, especially since this is really true, by all means (and please don't search for tautologies in my reviews: this is just graffiti on the virtual PC walls of paper). There are seven progressive songs out of eight in all on "Virgin", and five of them are real progressive killers, especially with regard to the general situation about Progressive Rock at the Dawn of the Genre. Here are these progressive songs-masterpieces: Tell the World I'm Alive, Yellow Sea Days, Jews Caboose, Meshkalina, and Last Song (which actually is the only instrumental on the album). While all the first four of these songs (the fifth one Last Song is a special composition, so I'll specially be back to it a bit later). These compositions are filled with all of the essential progressive ingredients and all of them (as well as the album's other songs, except track 11) were created within the frame of a unified, incredibly original stylistics, each of them, taken separately, has, however, some special characteristics of their own. And I especially appreciate the diversity that is placed in the album with a unified overall stylistics.) Tell the World I'm Alive, containing wonderful interplays between acoustic guitar and organ passages and solos of sax and bass, apart from other arrangements, is the only (of the said four tracks) that was performed without drums, and Manuel Sanguineti's always excellent performance on percussion is especially impressive here. The longest track Yellow Sea Days is the most progressive composition of "Virgin". It contains a wide variety of diverse vocals (yes, an "early Peruvian" English is OK, as always) and instrumental arrangements with all electric and acoustic instruments in a game, a lot of heavy riffs, electric guitar and flute separate solos and unique trio-interplays between the sax solos and piano and acoustic / classical guitar passages. Also, this song is especially rich in complex time signatures, sudden changes of musical direction along with tempo, etc. Apart from the remarkable joint instrumental arrangements, Jews Caboos contains the most noticeable vibraphone solo as well as interplays between organ and vibe. Even if Jean Pierre Magnet wasn't the first multi-instrumentalist in the history of Rock music, he was the most talented one, at least. The work of the rhythm section is tight here, as always, while the varied percussives add new exotic colours to an overall musical palette. The longest and most virtuosic solos of electric guitar are also on this track as well as interplay between them and strident sax solos. Meshkalina is the album's only composition where there are most of the solos and arrangements go uptempo to very fast. Classically, diverse, very interesting and original instrumental arrangements work each of the said four songs throughout, including all the vocal parts too (which is always especially impressive). The fifth outstanding track Last Song is the instrumental played only with an acoustic guitar. I was deeply impressed by Mr. Patron's classical mastery of playing this instrument as well as his compositional inventiveness. I am sure he was the first and only acoustic (classical!) guitar hero until Steve Howe joined Yes and played his acoustic piece for "The Album" in October of 1970. (Regarding the compositional and performing quality, I regard the third "acoustic hero" Greg Lake who performed The Sage on ELP's first "(Mussorgsky's) Pictures At an Exhibition" live show in March of 1971. Note: I've heard parts of classical guitar played by a few other musicians in 1970, including Focus's Jan Akkerman, whose acoustic passages become, in my view, really excellent for the first time on the band's second album "Moving Waves".) The songs Virgin and Simple (tracks 7 & 12) sound progressive as well, and quite good, actually. There are complete acoustic
I wrote the review of the band's third (second, though!) album first: this way now I can compare them more objectively. So, I am contesting the two 'official' opinions on both the full length Traffic Sound albums I've read (in the Gibraltar EPR and on the web-site of Hi-Note). Both of these opinions are similar and the main sense of them is that only the third (i.e. second) album of Traffic Sound is really progressive, which doesn't correct actually (if you don't believe me, check both these albums out and compare!). Progressively (by all means, though), "Virgin" is on par, at least, with the band's following album, which I have depicted myself (see below). As for the significance of both of these works by Traffic Sound, the status of "Virgin", released before the line of the Progressive Rock front become really visible (notable, etc), is much higher than the following one. This is, IMHO, one of the few best albums of Progressive Rock released in the 1960s and the only of Classic Progressive's "Top 10 1960" albums being released not in the UK (not even in the USA, but in Peru (!); see also some changes in Summary on the following Traffic Sound album).

Progressor