Arco Iris

Argentinian progressive rock group founded in 1968 in the Greater Buenos Aires. The band was founded by guitarist Gustavo Santaolalla, with Ara Tokatlian on flute and wind instruments, Alberto Cascino on drums, and Guillermo Bordarampé on bass. They released a couple of singles in the late 60s, and then met and befriended Danais Wynnycka, who taught them about communitarian life. The group would then release their first LP: Arco Iris (1970) followed by Tiempo de Resurrección (1972). After that, Cascino quit because he didn't agree with the new lifestyle of the band, being replaced by Horacio Gianello. After releasing their third album, 1972's Sudamérica o el Regreso a la Aurora (a double rock opera) and Inti-Raymi, Arco Iris produced their most progressive output: Agitor Lucens V (1975), though Santoalalla and Gianello left the group after this release and founded Soluna (3). The band scored the hit single Manaña Campestre in 1971, and kept releasing albums -often mixing prog rock with South American folk- until 1977, when Ara and Dana left Argentina soon after releasing Los Elementales to live in California, USA. Together with Hartt Stearns and several artists, the group kept touring and releasing folk and new age oriented cassettes and LPs. Danais passed away in 2003, putting the group in a short hiatus, but they have since reunited and released another album.