PORTUGUESE PROGRESSIVE MUSIC
Portugal is one of those countries from which it is difficult to get information from here in Europe. While Flamenco has become popular and generally known and had led to very interesting fusions like Flamenco Rock, Fado from Portugal is known here by name. But what we don't know is how much this caused any Fusion music. There are some Portuguese Collector's items from Progressive music in seventies (that however have nothing to do with Fado).
General sources :
Portuese page about Prog rock from Portugal at http://www.prog-pt.com/ (individual pages of Portuguese groups listed beneath)
(without much Portuguese groups)
Groups :
Translated texts at
Saturnia : see review and links here
Some covers/ pictures of :
JOSE CID :
with MIKE SERGEANT, ZE NABO :
QUARTETTO 1111 :
TANTRA :
Reviews :
* SATURNIA :
BIOGRAPHY :
Saturnia started off in late `96 , founded by multi-instrumentist Luis Simões.
Saturnia was originally intended to be a free art communal project where friends of several artistic professions such as literature , photography , design , painting and of course music , could come and input.
One of these people was filipe homen , then a publicity designer , who , with Luis Simões , named the project. Their relationship was fruitful and the fusion of music with image was symbiotic.
This incidental association lasted throughout `97 and out of it came the first Saturnia demo.
In early `98 this duo split up friendly due to Simões`s interest in pursuing a purely musical direction , that fused psych/prog head music of the seventies with its present day descendant : electronic drug rave culture of drums & bass and jungle.
Saturnia then turned into a genuine two piece group , with Luis Simões on guitar , sitar , theremin , vocals , gong and programming , and old time friend and musical partner Eduardo Vasconcelos (AKA M Strange) on keyboards.
This line up brainstormed and out of it came the first proper saturnia recording in early `99. Unfortunately M Strange`s unwillingness to play live made him leave and his replacement was found in the person of Vasco Pereira , a space rock synthesist/organist and fulltime vinyl maniac .
Having saturnia`s first live presentation on the 8th of april 2000 in Lisbon`s ritz club , the duo continued to play live , jam and improvise while Simões demoed for Saturnia`s second sonic effort.
In the summer of 2000 Luis simões and Vasco Pereira divorced due to personal differences and the later was replaced on keyboards by Francisco Rebelo (friend and bassist of groovers Cool hipnoise) due to the hanging presence of confirmed gigs.
Late 2000 and early 2001 were spent finishing saturnia`s second long duration recording.
This leaded into this second release.
Some extra Portugese Music links :
Radio Program based in Antwerpen.
page updated 2007-01-23
Private / Cranium Rec. Saturnia : II / The Glitter Odd (2000)***°
Some organ, sitar, tabla, Floydian singing, some electronic into a progressive trance concept. Second track is more dreamy, on some more relaxed rhythm and flowing electric guitar. Next track goes into more trance rhythms with electronics and flute. The rhythms pass to have one feeling of complex enough space trance with theremin mixed with bird sounds until the now even more ethereal organ and singing returns from there, in one psychedelic flow. Some trance rhythms come back in too and disappear once more. Some mellotron takes over over the sound of water, electronic rhythms come in very moody atmosphere. "Organo" has dance rhythms, theremin combined with organ and sitar. These rhythms become more relaxed like in dub on Borealis. Last track is a nice space electronic mood. Very enjoyable CD.
