The Group " La Saga " was born at the end of the year 1999 integrated by Eloy Alquinta in alt saxo , Michael Jiménez in electrical guitar, Francisco Bascuñán in bass guitar and Juan Antonio Sepúlveda in drums and percussions. What in a beginning started as a workshop of jazz, in the surroundings of the Central Vega, met enriched with the incorporation of Chilean and Latin-American music to the digest. This communion of energies evolved towards a concept of instrumental music, which fuses rhythmic elements of these lands with harmonic modern elements, what met formed on the disc"Calienta Oreja" ( Warms Ear ), recorded in the winter of the year 2001 and financed by Fondart. We must be grateful for the participation of the "Gato" Alquinta (in the theme Camino Lunar), of Juan Pablo Bosco, Ankatu Alquinta and Guillermo Pinto.
This material appeared in diverse stages of the country, both in Santiago and in regions. In year 2003 they join Rodrigo Jorquera in fretless bass and Diego Sepúlveda in alt sax hig , two new visions of the concept, which have refreshed the sonority of the quartet.
In year 2004 Diego moves away and enters Felipe Martinez, in flauta traversa and saxo high. During this year 2004, we were recording in our study, and try to make an independent production.
In what it runs of this year 2003, the band has concentrated its work in everything what implies this change, as well as in the creation of new themes. To the moment of the draft of these lines, the material and the longing is of recording a new disc.
Among the elements that this quartet fuses, a balance exists between topics of the Jazz and Rock, as well as of the music altiplánica, Mapuche, African, and of the central zone of Chile. Inside this context, each instrumentalist has the space for the expressiveness and improvisation, in a search of the different possibilities of record and sonority of every instrument.
On the offer of The Saga there converge the huayno, the saya, the sanjuanito, the cueca and the chacarera, the Joropo and the mozambique, which results in a particular and typical sound, which places inside a current of musical " Chilean merger ". The energies are put in walking towards an own language, without not knowing the natural influences that every human musical being has, and that definitively tries to be as honest as possible.
Miguel Angel Jimenez L., Guitarist.
He, initiates his studies of classic guitar with the teacher Martin Pino - Ricercare Academy- in 1990, which he, deals until the year 1992. Later he studies Composition and Arrangements in Popular Music with the teacher Guillermo Riffo, in the Modern School of Music (1993). Between the year 1994 and 1995 he studies Pedagogy in Music in the University Educares (current Andrés Bello).
In the School Projazz he completes the Interpreter's career in Electrical Guitar, Composition and Musical Arrangements (1996-2000).
Parallel, he is employed as musician at the theatrical works "Hamlet" and " The Art o the Escape ", directed by Horacio Videla, " The Consecration of the Poverty " directed by Andrés Perez, and at Tours of Itinerant Theatre of the Department of Education.
In his curriculum presentations are included the Festival of Music of Porto Alegre (Brazil), Room SCD, Room Studio Master, Concepción's Republic, Jazz Club of Santiago. With the quartet The Saga, they take to end the recording of the disc Calienta Oreja, with support of the Fondart. Nowadays he is teacher of the Interpreter's career in Electrical Guitar in the Projazz School.
Juan Antonio Sepúlveda Canales, drums.
At the beginning of the ' 90, he developes by studies of drums and percussion of a self-taught way, in a space of 5 years.
Later, he, dealed studies of Drums (teacher Gonzalo Muga ) and Theory in the School of Music Projazz.
He formed the Binary Trio (group of Contemporary Music), where he develops as musician and composer.
At the end of the year 1999 the group integrates The Saga, with whom he,records the disc Oreja Caliente, financed by Fondart.
His spiritual search leads him to a beginning with the master Vaisnava Srila Paramadvaiti Suami Maharaj. He integrates the group of Oriental Music Govinda Shakti (Krishna's Captivation) as interpreter of flute travers and table.
From middle of the year 1999 up to the date, he works as teacher of drums at the School Projazz.
Felipe Andrés Martinez Torres, Flute an Sax. In the Conservatory of the University of Chile, has studies of Superior Interpreter in Flute, between years 1985 and 1991; Harmony of jazz and improvisation, with professor Patricio Ramirez. It attended a year of Composition and Musical Adjustments in the Escuela Moderna de Música (Chile).
Participated in La Hebra, next to Antonio Restucci; In the orchestra the Mambos Latin (with presentations in the Casino of Monaco, years 1994 to 1996); Next to Emilio Garcia trio; In the Big-Band of the Clássica radio with direction of Víctor Durán. He composes incidental music for the assembly Sostiene Pereira, Teatro Ictus, years 1997-1998. In addition, one at the moment evolves like professor in the Projazz School Music and Colegio Altamira.
At the beginning of the decade ' 90, he initiates his way in electric bass in a self-taught way, motivated by the rhythmic capacities of this instrument.
He takes the most formal study of skills and concepts by means of particular classes with diverse teachers, among whom the teachers Jorge Campos and Miguel Perez.
With the band of Latin-American merger La Comarca,he takes part in diverse presentations, between which there is included a tour along several cities of the south of Chile. At the beginning of the year 2002, he forms a trio of jazz - rock with Miguel Jiménez and Antonio Sepúlveda, old friends, and recaptures his studies with the teacher Jorge Díaz. In the year 2003, he joins to The Saga.
