| Recording music in 1970s Chile was no easy feat. Following the coup, the state-owned IRT label fell under military control, and domestic music was largely overshadowed by an influx of foreign imports. For Chilean bands like Santa y su Gente (Santa and His People), opportunities were scarce—a single television appearance or a modest live event was often the most exposure one could hope for. Censorship loomed large, silencing many local voices.
Yet against these odds, Santa y su Gente managed to break through. Led by jazz-trained percussionist Santiago Salas, the group brought together top-tier musicians including Lautaro Rosas and the formidable Mario Lecaros—a key figure in Chile’s jazz fusion scene who would later emigrate and continue his musical journey with the group Comet.
Their lone album, Urgente, released in 1974 on RCA/IRT/Alba, remains a rare treasure—largely unknown outside the collections of dedicated DJs and collectors. But this hidden gem brims with life: a fiery fusion of Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and psychedelic grooves. Equal parts salsa and Afro-jazz, Urgente is both musically rich and rhythmically explosive, reflecting the urgency and spirit of its time.
Now reissued and finally getting the attention it deserves, Urgente comes with a bilingual insert detailing the story of Santa y su Gente within the broader context of Chile’s vibrant—yet often suppressed—rock and jazz scenes. A truly essential listen.
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