La Mona Jiménez

Carlos " La Mona" Jiménez (actually Juan Jiménez Rufino Carloz; born January 11, 1951 in Córdoba) is an Argentine singer who helped to shape the music direction Cuarteto.

Jiménez ' artist name La Mona (Spanish for female monkey ) comes even from his childhood when he was compared with the Tarzan games from friends and neighbors with the chimpanzee Cheeta, which occurs in several Tarzan movies.

Life and career

Jiménez was born in a working class family, his parents were immigrants from the provinces of Tucumán and Salta. In his childhood, he made his first musical experiences in the folk style.

At the age of 15 years, " La Mona " won an audition and integrated the local band Cuarteto Berna, with which he brought out five albums. In 1972 he debuted as a soloist, assisted by his uncle, who procured him the contacts to the Cuarteto scene. In the same year he suffered a serious accident when a bottle he was beaten over the head in a football stadium. After 4 months in a coma and a longer rehabilitation period, however, he was able to continue his career. In 1973, he met his first wife, Juana, whom he married in 1975. As from 1976, the then military dictatorship, the music direction Cuarteto was forbidden, was followed by a prolonged period of inactivity.

In 1984, he parted with his uncle because he made ​​too many of these rules on the musical arrangement of his songs in his own words. Jiménez, whose claim was to modernize the then stylistically stagnant Cuarteto so began an independent career and was very successful. He imitated with an afro - mullet and a glamorous costumes, the glam rock movement and was able to establish the Cuarteto also in the youth culture of the central part of Córdoba - before it was popular only in the suburbs.

In 1988 he appeared for the first time in Buenos Aires and has established itself at the beginning of the 1990s in this important market. He unleashed a veritable Cuarteto boom and prepared the ground for Rodrigo Alejandro Bueno and La Barra, which reach statewide Cuarteto hits from the mid- 1990s.

In 2000 he separated from his wife, with whom he had two daughters and a son. His daughters are fashion designers and design the costumes for performances of La Mona. His son is also a singer.

In the context of a nationwide tightening of the rules for events after the accident at the nightclub República Cromañón it came to riots at a concert of La Mona 2005 on an initiative from the right wing of the local city government under Luis Juez, dance events in Córdoba only with severe restrictions ( as alcohol prohibition to allow forcible entry ban for violent offenders ). As a protest against Jiménez announced shortly after his resignation as a singer. Following discussions with the city administration and presentation of a safety concept on the part of the organizers, which led to the withdrawal of the controversial initiative, however, Jiménez took his activity again.

Carlos Jiménez is today especially among the youth of the lower layer of Córdoba to be very popular and, despite his advanced age, three to four times a week concerts (so-called Bailes de Cuarteto ).

Musical work

" La Mona" is probably one of the most prolific musicians in the world: To date, he has released more than 70 albums, but some of which contain cover versions of old titles. One of the last albums, Selección Privada ( No. 72), is a collection of newly -arranged old hits. From this album Jiménez tried to circumvent the established structure of the music industry and his phonograms for sale in kiosks and supermarkets, in order to offer significantly lower the rates. This is of importance because of the Cuarteto market is dominated by illegal traders in Argentina, and "La Mona" could offer the CDs at prices similar to the CD Pirates by these commercial move.

Filmography

• De caravana, 2010 (directed by Rosendo Ruiz )