Map – With a link to each album (if possible) marked in some referential geographical location.
Som Livre – Brazil’s Treasured Masterpieces
I have intentionally missed the return trip deadline and so my trip stretches into May.
“Cais” I’m obsessing about this song, so secondary song hole!
Caetano Veloso – Bicho (1977) – Bring the Funk! And the Disco, perhaps Caetano is the Brazilian Bowie? Recorded in Lagos, Nigeria there are some noticeable contemporary African music influences as well as Caetano’s typical Pop and Rock influences.
“Um India” – This song again! But his version not Maria Bethania’s.
“Ca Ja” – Beautiful little dream ballad here. Rippling.
Caetano Veloso – “Bicho Baile Show (with Banda Black Rio)” Seems like this is the live version of “Bicho”. Banda Black Rio is a Brazilian Soul/Funk band that collaborated, I think, for both albums, but Bicho has very little info on it. This is a great vibe for Caetano and I love that I am discovering another artist who simply presents his songs in a wide variety settings like Miles, Bowie, Bjork, Kate Bush etc. Great album! Good solos in here too. The 3rd song to the end “Carminho Da Roca” (not available individually on YouTube) is a crazy track it really declares the music they are listening to. In the 70’s Soul/Funk/Jazz were more merged than is publicly recollected – it really is a blend of the 3 here with Brazilian influences and Caetano’s songs.
“Odara” – Good move to record these songs live, more expansive, the band opens up more.
“Tigresa” – Hearing a band live is important. A very different experience than the album version of this track and Banda Black Rio is very interactive which I’m enjoying.
Caetano Veloso – “Muito” (1978) – I think it is his Mother on the cover and I am immersed in thoughts of my Mom as we arrive at May.
“Tempo De Estio” – Not dark! The beautiful sound of the piano, even more beautiful with the whistle and hand claps. Hypnotic.
“Maria Bethania e Caetano Veloso” – Sister & Brother live. Perhaps in 1978 Caetano was reflecting on his family. I think Maria Bethania often sings lower than her brother pretty interesting hearing them share this set and songs.
“Caracara” – Dark vibe! Sort of a Funk metal vamp with horns and some cool bass work.
“Reino Antigo / Adeus Meu Santo Amaro” – A medley, which has occurred a few times in these live recordings, leading me to wonder about the connection between the songs. The first half is Caetano at his most fragile sounding and then it switches to Maria and eventually the two together.
Chico Buarque – “Chico Buarque” – This is every bit as conceptual as Construcao. It’s not necessarily a concept album but it has then sense of continuity of songs and orchestrations. It has lots of contrast and Chico is a very interesting song writer, I find a surprise in each song I’ve heard. He sneaks in lots of minor shifting guide tone progressions (like the intro to “Stairway to Heaven”) in interesting places. This album is schwankier and maybe not as intense, or serious, as Construcao.
“Calice” – (w/ Milton Nascimento) – Really interesting song.
“Pedaço De Mim” – As pretty as it gets. I don’t know who Zizzi (Zizi) Possi but a beautiful contrast between their voices.
Ivan Lins – “Nos Dias de Hoje” – I know Lins from a few compositions found in Jazz Real Books and playing one of those songs in a Temple U ensemble, chosen by Greg Kettinger. At the time I felt it was a little too smooth, but the opener here reminds me of 70’s Genesis a little and I’m excited to dig into the tunes.
“Cantoria” – Here is that 1st song. Great, positive vibe. Thoughtful to end it with just voices.
Caetano Veloso – “Cinema Transcendental” (1979) – This is the last Caetano album on the listening list and I have vacillated as to wether this is a “Brazil + Caetano” project (because of the quantity of Caetano albums) or a “Brazil + Elis” project (because she is one of my touchstones and the listening will pretty much complete around when she passes). It’s probably unimportant but these trends help me reflect.
Caetano is incredibly prolific and pretty much releasing albums every year. From this listening experience he has joined Elis among me favorite artists to experience. Generally I avoided scooping up the 80’s albums when I was at Princeton Record Exchange because the 80’s music changes to match the Popular music of its time. In the 80’s albums I’ve heard he leans into more electronic, smoother and generally doesn’t have the “teeth” or sadness I search for, so I am not too concerned with that period at the moment. It was mostly a 70’s thing for me.
“Oração Ao Tempo” – What a beautiful tune, From the melody and accordion to the background voice. Very simple and pure.
Tim Maia – “The Existential World of Tim Maia” (collection) – This is a compilation but, no lie, there are 9 different albums titled “Tim Maia”…. I confess, I listened to this prior to starting this “April/May in Brazil” immersion and did not realize it was not an actual album, but a collection of Tim Maia’s work. It also continuously sounds like other hit songs, matches the feel of those hits and because it goes in different directions and is mostly in Portuguese it doesn’t sound like a rip off. But there is a feeling of “trying to be deep” and then not being as deep as is implied. But this album feels great as an alternative to overplayed R&B, Rock & Soul hits of the 70’s and is great to clean house to.
Like this infectious track “Do Leme Ao Pontal” which can happily replace “Mr. Big Stuff” for me… (And yet after re-listening to “Mr. Big Stuff” I cannot replace it, a pretty perfect song by Jean Knight. They can happily sit together as two songs that can heal the same pain)
The entire album grooves, has some great psychedelic guitar moments and definitely some STRANGE STRINGS that snake out and sound together out of tune.
Elis Regina – “Vento De Maio” (collection – I thought) – Woe! I don’t know what this is a collection of, I can find almost no information about it and it picks up like alternate tracks from “Falso Brilliante”.
After translating this a reissue of her last studio album “Elis” (1980) before her death. And it sounds like her albums but mixing with more 80’s type of sounds and choices. It doesn’t feel as complete as Falso but has some incredible moments and satisfies me as a new album to love and listen to.
“Vento de Maio” Had to stop what I was doing.
Followed by this “Sai Dessa” which I’m describing as “Elisco” (Elis + Disco) which could fail miserably and yet the band, and the bass player, are wriggling like funky fish, resist if you are able.
“Aprendendo a Jogar” – This is so completely 80’s and her voice is ripping through the fabric of time. The background vocals belong in a psychedelic dance-off scene in a movie and could be Elis was hanging out Kate Bush? (I would give everything if that had happened). I’m here for it!
Maria Creusa, Toquinho, Vinicius De Morais – “O Grande Encontro De” (collection) – This may be a collection of times these artists collaborated, though the album appears as if the 3 are sharing a concert. Pop Bossa with strings that lack strangeness (on the 1st track). I enjoy the simpler arrangements here. And clearly Bossa is not lost after MPB creates a spectrum of styles mixing together, it’s just more old school and nostalgic feeling in this time period.
Elis Regina – “Live at Montreux” (1979/1982) – The band is killing it, Elis sounds in command and the second tune just lifts off – burning! “Can Dentro” feel the burn! She is stretching a lot and the cheese is mostly mitigated in the live band – it sounds like a Jazz Fusion group grinding up groove after groove. The end of Elis’s career from about 1976-1982 seems a little confusing but this and “Vento de Maio” both are strong collections and she is at the peak of her powers. It is a tragedy that she passed soon after this was released at the age of 36. One of the many whom could have given us so much more inspiration.
“Ponta de Areia/Fé Cega, Faca Amolada/Maria, Maria” – An incredible medley of tunes and Elis’s voice is really driving things. She can really out pace the instruments around her. Her voice more powerful, her musicianship exquisite. She really repudiates the idea of singers being less musical than great instrumentalists.
“Corcovado” – A very different version with Hermeto on piano, expansive!
I nearly added a 4th (& a 5th) track from this album to the playlist but that is also expansive. This is a great live album, shows Elis stretching, the killer collab with Hermeto, an incredible band and good arrangements. My only question being “Why did it sit in the can for 3 years after it was recorded?”. Perhaps a move to capitalize on her passing? Some reissues have more tracks, there is I believe live video of the entire show and it is very confusing to decipher what is what at the end of Elis’s catalogue: Sometimes listed as Montreux 1979, sometimes 1982 etc.
Hermeto Pascoal – “Lagoa da Canoa, Município de Arapiraca” (1984) – This is much more Jazz based but also feels like a missing part of my soul. Hermeto is deeply gifted and able to sort of communicate his music anywhere and anytime. It’s all a really interesting sandwich of crazy musicianship in a very easy to love package. The vocal style is really intriguing too. The level of acceptable weirdness is really an asset in Hermeto’s music – it is as out there as a lot of Jazz, Zappa and Psychedelic music but always very acceptable – probably because its always grooving.
“Ilza na Feijoada” – It’s a nice way to jump in.
“Tiruliruli” – This sounds like Hip Hop from much later than 1984, but it’s short and doesn’t expand on the idea.
Airto, Flora Purim & Joe Farrell – “Three Way Mirror” (1985) – In general these last 3 records appear to head back into a Jazz/Brazil direction, which is sort of fitting. This is also Farrell’s last recording, he is a favorite horn of mine so this has multiple entry points of interest. The recording definitely sounds American but of 2/3rds Brazilian artists and it is interesting to check Farrell in comparison to Getz as a sax on the scene. I also don’t get the choice to have Airto as the lone naked musician on the cover?
“Misturada” – There are some strong similarities with this and the prior Hermeto album. They have a history together and Airto could (and maybe should) have been more featured in this listening excursion.
Hermeto Pascoal – “Festa Dos Deuses” (1992) – Seventies Brazilian fusion that just evolved until the Nineties? There are Zappa qualities to the melodies and then a sound palette that fits that mix of the best Fusion, interspersed with Roosters, bird calls and found sounds. Very buoyant despite its complexity and also free in a way that never overstays its welcome. The vocalese is both performed at an exceptional level, a little cheesy and totally recalls Pat Metheny and others 70’s/80’s Jazz musicians who worked in the voice as instrument.
“O farol que nos guia” – Completely forward thinking, yet incredible dated too. Epic, swirling, referencing Coltrane but so many different other artists and styles simultaneously.
There is a lot to love about this album and I recommend it but this a perfect way to end the Brazilian sound journey. Perhaps a Coda of post Brazilian and Jazzers playing Brazilian music down the road.
Found Sounds 