Fulano (band)

Formation and first album (1984–1988)

In 1984, while participating in Santiago del Nuevo Extremo, Jorge Campos, Cristián Crisosto and Guillermo Valenzuela were rehearsing and experimenting new sounds. At one point, the trio, which called itself Mediabanda, invited Arlette Jequier, Jaime Vivanco, and then Jaime Vásquez to continue trying and looking for sounds for their new music, and that's how definitively Fulano emerged. It was formed in 1984 as a group that premeditatedly sought the development and fusion rock, jazz and various other styles that were mixing. The strongest influences of the band were found in creative modern musicians, most considered almost unattainable in the isolation and repression in Pinochet's dictatorial Chile from early 80's, such as Weather Report, Return to Forever, Magma, Frank Zappa, Hermeto Pascoal, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, also singers like Maggie Nicols, Ursula Dudziak, Meredith Monk and Janis Joplin as well as the European avant-garde movement "Rock in Opposition" characterized by its rejection of the music industry.

They began performing in various cultural and university spaces of Santiago de Chile, giving their first concert at the Espaciocal Cultural Center in 1986. The following year, they finally released their first production called, "Fulano" (highlight in this one, Maquinarias, Tango, Fulano, 1989, Suite Recoleta and Calcetín perseguido), breaking the encirclement of elite group, projecting itself to a massive level with a heterogeneous public and without age limits. In August 1988 the group demonstrates the latter, when more than four thousand people attend a recital held at the Nataniel Stadium of Santiago de Chile. His unique sound, the versatile voice of Arlette Jequier and the multi-instrumentalist character of his classmates made the proposal grow, which in its beginnings was cataloged as a derivative of jazz fusion, however "none of us studied that style or dares to consider himself a jazzman" clarified Vivanco at the time.

En el bunker and El infierno de los payasos (1989–1994)

In the year 1989 Fulano launched his second production: En el Bunker, a double "cassette" with more than 100 minutes of music. This work constitutes the largest extension ever recorded in Chile. His incredible display of virtuosity and musical quality, together with his satirical lyrics, enshrined the band as one of the best of "jazz fusion" bands of South America. Compositions such as Sentimental Blues, La historia no me convence solo me atraganta (History does not convince me, it just chokes me), No me gusta que se metan conmigo (I do not like them messing with me), Perro chico malo (Bad little dog), Buhardillas (Attic), El dar del cuerpo (The giving of the Body) and the successful Adolfo, Benito, Augusto, Merino (Adolfo, Benito, Augusto, Toribio), are significant examples in the creative history of the band. Thanks to this work the group won the APES Prize (Asociación Periodistas de Espectáculos de Chile), mention "Contribution to Jazz". Also, the now defunct Radio Concierto awarded them the "Best Rock Group 1989" Award, Although the songs were far from the logic of singles or video clips that at that time occupied their pop colleagues. On the contrary, the critical lyrics and the rebellious attitude of the band marked a rejection of the military dictatorship with a completely different style than the Nueva Canción Chilena or the rock of Los Prisioneros.

Between 1991 and 1992, the group is completely dedicated to the composition of their new album, which finally comes out in 1993, dubbed El infierno de los payasos (The Hell of the Clowns), from which they produce his first and only video clip, Lamentos. This new album, much more rocker than the previous ones, stands out with songs like Basura (Trash), Fuegos artificiales (Fireworks), Convicciones (Convictions), Morbosadoquista (sadomasochistic morbid) and the ironic Contribución al jazz (Contribution to Jazz) of only 15 seconds in reference to the prize won.

Since the early 90's the band gained international recognition because in 1990 they were invited to Havana, Cuba, to participate in the Jazz Plaza Festival 90', along with musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Arturo Sandoval, Chico Freeman, Airto Moreira and Irakere. In 1994 they appear together with the legendary Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal in the Municipal Theater of Viña del Mar and in October of that same year, the 10 years of trajectory are celebrated in an imposing concert in the Theater of the University of Chile, which included the re-release of the album En el bunker for CD format. His covers, one red and one blue, had the image of a tank cannon, which was replaced by a photo of a metal door under several padlocks. In this version also were left three large pieces called Y ahora qué (And now, what?), No me gusta que se metan conmigo (I do not like them messing with me) and Que o la tumba serás (What or the grave you will be), while others were shortened.

Trabajos Inútiles and death of Vivanco (1996–2004)

In 1996, after two years of pause and with drummer Willy Valenzuela settled in the United States, Raúl Aliaga from Congreso is joined. The first compilation album is made by selecting the best of the first three albums and then the group publishes its fourth production called "Trabajos Inútiles" (Useless works), in a co-production with Fernando Lyon in the Master Studios of Santiago de Chile, being the first plate made independently (the previous ones had been edited by Sello Alerce). On this album features Godzilla, Canción formal (En 7/8), Más allá del deber, Rope, cochi, loma (a sophisticated arrangement of the theme Perro chico malo, what means Little bad dog), Krikalev and Arañas de tribunal. Since the release of this latest album and the replacement of Jaime Vásquez by the saxophonist Rafael Chaparro, Fulano kept playing live. Their last presentation of that time, the event on October 31, 2002, at the Providencia Theater, marked the celebration of the group's 18-year career. On January 17, 2003 Jaime Vivanco, keyboardist and one of the main composers of the group, tragically dies of a pulmonary edema. His body was found dead in his house. After this terrible event, Jorge Campos, the band's bassist and the other members decided not to continue with the Fulano project, since the deceased was a fundamental pillar in the band, both as a composer and instrumentalist. To end the group in a good way, the members of Fulano released a new album "Vivo" (2004), recorded in the presentations that the band did during the year 2002 in which it meant the last presentations before the death of Vivanco. The album featured songs that ran throughout his career, but recorded in a much better quality than the first two albums, added to two new songs called Pinocchio in Patolandia and Todas las ratas del mundo (All the Rats of the World). During the recess of the group a documentary was made, directed by Pablo Leighton, that portrays the history of the rock fusion group, with performances, interviews and photographs. This was a sort of epilogue for its 18 years of history. Jorge Campos then announced his third solo album, Jaime Vásquez organized a avant-garde septet, Raúl Aliaga remained as a percussionist of Congreso and with personal projects of world music, while the marriage Crisosto-Jequier resurrected MediaBanda along with a large contingent of young musicians that included their daughter Regina Crisosto as a second vocalist.

Return, reformation, and 30th anniversary (2009–2014)

In 2009, after closing the door for 5 years to a reunion of Fulano, the return of the band is announced to celebrate the 25th anniversary with a double concert entitled La Farsa Continúa (The farce continues) at the Teatro Oriente of Chile. After the replacement of Jaime Vivanco, 25 years old Felipe Muñoz joined the band, just like the band's age. The saxophonist and flutist Jaime Vásquez also returns to the band. In December of the same year, a new presentation was made on the occasion of the celebration of the 20 years of the album En el Bunker. During 2010 the group continues with presentations throughout the country, with the news that they are working on a new album. At the request of Mike Patton (who noted the great influence of Fulano in their music), they joined Faith No More on their tour of Chile, with a concert held at the Bicentennial Municipal Stadium of La Florida on December 5, 2010 and that was also attended by Primus and Monotonix. In August 2011 the band finally releases the DVD La Farsa Continúa (The farce continues) which means the first audio-visual record of the band from the orphan video clip of Lamentos in 1993, as well as the materialization of this new stage of Fulano.

On April 16, 2012 Raúl Aliaga announces his departure from the group "My thanks to have shared a great career with an emblematic band of the Chilean culture. Everything in life has a beginning and an end. Dismissal of all those who made it possible all these years to be drummer and have developed an important part of the story". On January 2, 2013, they announced: "To all our followers and friends, we inform you that Arlette Jequier has left Fulano for personal reasons, and we deeply regret her departure." However, they confirm the recording of the next album from April. On March 19 announces the entry of new members. "We inform you of the incorporation into our project of the talented singer and pianist Francisca (Paquita) Rivera and the versatile Cristóbal Dahm in Saxo Baritone, Tenor and Clarinet", as well as the return of Rafael Chaparro to replace the newly retired Jaime Vázquez, and Christopher Schönffeldt on drums. With this new formation they are presented at the Vang Festival in San Joaquín with the outstanding Brazilian composer Arrigo Barnabé. On November 22, 2014, they performed a concert to mark the celebration of the band's 30th anniversary, that coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Radio Futuro with live broadcasting, held at the Nescafé Theater of the Arts. With star guests, such as the "pal bands" Santiago del Nuevo Extremo and MediaBanda, in addition to Pedro Foncea (from De Kiruza), Angelo Pierattini (from Weichafe), and the former drummer Guillermo Valenzuela. All of them reviewed a large part of the group's trajectory, in addition to some new work they have been playing in recent times. Parallel to the celebration of the 30 years the documentary Fulano, animal in extinction premiered in the Féstival In-Edit Nescafé showing the group in this new creative stage.

Animal en extinción, break up and beyond (2015–2017)

Then in 2015, after a tour through Chile that included cities such as Iquique, Valparaíso, Santiago, Talca, Concepción, Temuco, and Valdivia, the group focus to record their expected new album entitled Animal en Extinción (Endangered animal). Finally in December 2015 the group releases its first studio album in 18 years, with Crisosto and Campos among the original members with Paquita Rivera in voice, Rafael Chaparro and Cristobal Dahm in saxophones, Felipe Muñoz in keyboards and Álvaro Poblete in drums. The album opens with a soft theme of the deceased Jaime Vivanco, to then deploy a contestatory and non-conformist lyric, along with the characteristic music of great rhythmic, melodic and structural development. Simultaneously, a live album is released En La Batuta 1993 recorded in 1993 in Plaza Ñuñoa with the original line-up and with an unpublished Vivanco track entitled Alfa Ralfa Boulevard. However, after the release of the album, it is announced that the group is dissolved due to differences between Campos and Crisosto.

To an exact one year of the dissolution of the band, the inheritance of Fulano comes alive in three projects that simultaneously are news; Cristián Crisosto together with Chaparro and Dahm release the fourth Mediabanda album entitled Bombas en el Aire (Boms in the air). Jorge Campos with Paquita, Muñoz, and Poblete create the Colectivo Animal en Extinción (Endangered animal collective) to disseminate part of Fulano's latest work and announce a future new album. Arlette Jequier with composer and guitarist Camilo Acevedo premiered Arlette Jequier y Grupo and announced a debut album that was finally releassed in January 2018 entitled Aire (Air). On the other hand, Congreso whose percussionist continues to be former Fulano Raúl Aliaga, released the album La canción que te debía in November 2017. In 2017 two other posthumous Fulano live albums were independently released, En vivo en Los Ángeles 2002 (Live in Los Angeles), and En directo FestivAlterNativo México 2010.

Studio albums

• 1987 – Fulano
• 1989 – En el Bunker (reissued in 1994 on CD)
• 1993 – El Infierno de los Payasos
• 1996 – Lo mejor (compilation album)
• 1997 – Trabajos Inútiles
• 2015 – Animal en Extinción

Live albums

• 2003 – Vivo
• 2011 – La Farsa Continúa (DVD)
• 2015 – En La Batuta 1993
• 2017 – En Los Ángeles de Chile 2002
• 2017 – En directo FestivAlterNativo México 2010

Originals

• Cristián Crisosto, composition, voice, soprano, alto, and baritono saxophones, flautes and bass clarinet (1984–2003, 2009–2015).
• Jorge Campos, composition, electric bass, (1984–2003, 2009–2015)
• Jaime Vivanco, composition, piano and keyboards. (1984–2003).
• Arlette Jequier, lead voice and clarinet (1984–2003, 2009–2012).
• Jaime Vasquez, voice, alto and tenor sax, y flaute (1984–1999, 2009–2013).
• Guillermo Valenzuela, drums (1984–1996).

Others

• Raúl Aliaga, drums (1996–2003, 2009–2012).
• Rafael Chaparro, soprano and alto sax (1999–2003, 2013–2015).
• Felipe Muñoz, keyboards (2009–2015).
• Cristóbal Dahm, baritone and tenor saxophone, and clarinet (2013–2015).
• Christopher Schönffeldt, drums (2012–2014).
• Francisca Rivera, lead voice and keyboards (2013–2015).
• Álvaro Poblete, drums (2015).
• Cristóbal Rojas, drums (2014).