“Minorisa” (1975) was the best and last record by Fusioon, the band formed by Santi Arisa, Martí Brunet and brothers Jordi and Manel Camp. They were the most consistent Spanish prog rock band of the first half of the 70s, and their daring compositions mixed traditional music from Manresa, Ibiza and Menorca with elaborate instrumental passages. The first half of the 70s was a dark age for Spanish rock, but some bands held on to their vision with wonderful stubbornness. Fusioon recorded three albums and achieved certain recognition: they can be seen performing on national television (the video is available on Youtube) defending their radical sound. “Minorisa” was their peak and also their farewell. Hailing from the industrial city of Manresa, the band consisted of keyboardist Manel Camp, his bassist brother Jordi, the spectacular drummer Santi Arisa and guitarist Martí Brunet. Some had a rock background and others came from music school; they shared an attraction for progressive rock and the feeling that folk music could be an ingredient in their experimentations. They recorded two LPs for Belter, a commercial label that didn’t know what to do with them. The first one (from 1972) contained folk and popular influences and opened with a composition by Manuel de Falla. The second one (1974), also without title, featured self-written songs and a piece by Tchaikovsky. The band used to play seasonal residencies at clubs in Castelldefels, Barcelona and, during the summer, Ibiza. In 1975, there were winds of change: the dictator Francisco Franco began his decline. In July, Fusioon took part in Canet Rock, an open air festival which presented the new musical offerings for the soon-to-arrive times of freedom. The four-piece hoped to join Zeleste, the company which organised the festival and which had a record label, live venue and management office. They weren’t interested. Zeleste’s rejection demoralized the band. Although they were pioneers in recovering their native roots, they were considered “imperialist” (!) due to their solemn instrumental passages. Unfortunately for them, the stylistic focus had moved from prog rock to jazz rock. Moreover, they didn’t have any political message and – check this out – they were looked down on as hicks because of their coming from Manresa, in contrast with the cosmopolitan character of their peers from Barcelona. And the two cities were only 60 kilometres apart. Despite all that, they bade farewell in style. The Spanish subsidiary of German label Ariola wanted to open up to creative music and signed Fusioon. The band recorded “Minorisa” in Madrid, their most complex and mature record. The two suites, written by Manel Camp, used folk melodies from Ibiza and Menorca. The third piece, ‘Llaves del subconsciente’, revealed Martí Brunet’s passion for electronic music. “Minorisa” was a superb swansong for the first period of Spanish prog rock. Diego A Manrique