Javier Martínezdrummer and singer Manal and pioneer of rock in Argentina, is hospitalized in serious condition. The 78-year-old musician, author of popular songbook classics such as “Jugo de tomato” and “No pibe” entered the area of intensive therapy in a highly complex center in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Almagroas reported by his sister Dora on the musician’s official account.
“Right now I feel that I must communicate with my brother Javier’s followers. For me always: my brother. For you, your friends, your fans. He is in very serious health. If that weren’t the case, I would surely remain silent.. But given the circumstances I am making the situation public,” the woman wrote on the social network.
The news immediately circulated among colleagues, journalists and admirers of the musician, wishing him a speedy recovery. From the musician’s entourage, they assured Teleshow that “the hospitalization is recent” and it is “a delicate issue.”
Manalnext to The cats and Almond, was one of the key groups in the first layer of Argentine rock. The trio made up of Javier Martínez (vocals and drums), Claudio Gabis (guitar) and Alejandro Medina (bass) was formed in the late ’60s and only needed two albums and four singles to lay the foundations for the hard wing of Argentine rock, which developed under the influence of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Cream. By the early ’70s, all three had disbanded. But the stones were already rolling.
Before ManalJavier had integrated Los Beatniks with other pioneers such as Morris and Zaguri Little Bird, whom he had met in La Cueva. Forged in Geseline bohemian, In 1966 they registered the “Rebelde” initiation, promoted on the streets of the city. The band had a short existence and the drummer sought other directions for modern jazz.
In 1967, at a happening at the Di Tella Institute, he met a young man who had the same interests. The jams with Claudio Gabis mutated towards the chimera of making blues in Spanish, for which they ended up recruiting Alejandro Medina, with a proven professional path at The Seasons. Originally named Ricottain clear allusion to his admired Cream, mutated into Manal and debuted in 1968 at the Teatro Payró.
It was one of the emblematic groups of the label Cassava, lead by Jorge Álvarez, Pedro Pujó, Javier Arroyuelo and Rafael López Sánchez. In the heart of the city, between Alejandro Medina’s apartment in Once and the bohemian nights at the El Coleccionista bar in front of Parque Rivadavia, the group marked the urban pulse with an urgent but reflective lyric, between chronicle and existentialism, and built the symbolic bridges between blues and tango.
In 1970 they published Manal and in 1971 The lion, shortly before its dissolution. Martínez wrote solo hymns such as “Porque hoy nací”, “Avellaneda blues”, “Casa con ten pinos”, “No hay tiempo de más” and “Blues de la menace nocturna” and together with Medina, “Informe de un día” .
They got back together a decade laterand they released two albums, one in the studio –Meeting– and another live –Manal in Works, recorded in the Temple of Rock-. In the mid-90s, the group had a new reincarnation, now without Claudio Gabis who was based in Spain, which was also documented on CD, under the title of manal live.
The original members reunited in 2014 on the initiative of the producer Jorge corkor Rodriguez. They gave a private concert at the Red House pub, located in the town of Florida, from which a CD and DVD were released. And two years later, they played together for the last time on the stage of Vorterixin a concert organized by the producer to pay tribute to Argentine rock in general and Pappo in particular, which coincidentally had been the fourth mannal during a season in Mar del Plata in the ’70s.
In his solo career, Javier Martinez edited Southern Sun (1983), Currents (1993), swing (1998) Enough of the idiots (2003) -reissue of swing with two extra songs, Think Positive (2015) and Concert in the studio (2020). Under the name Manal Javier Martínez and with the guitarist Pino Callejas public Realize (2021), his latest production to date. He always remained active on stage and between last October and November he toured various parts of the country.
