September 27, 2004
Brazil 10.
Reeee-wind! The phone has been running red since I posted that little rap about Caetano Veloso, so I've decided to play to my audience and bash up some more sleeves from the archives. Scratches head. This looks frighteningly like the "specials" of yore! Firstly apologies for not listing all the 5 records in the holy quintet of Tropicalia classics. I omitted to mention the Gal Costa LP (which I have and only really like "Baby" off) and the Gilbert Gil record with him in the admiral's suit (which I have and is very good). I have all these on vinyl (with the exception of the Smetak, sobs) and while it's a pretty random selection from the vaults, all these are unreservedly reccommended. Spiel to a minimum.
Baden Powell/Vinicius Moraes: Afro Samba
Swee-eet. Here with a slightly dodgy cover, not the reissue you see. Vinicius is essentially a poet, as I discovered to my chagrin when I bought an impenetrable record of his on the the strength of this classic. Also in the vaults Baden Powell's "Tristeza" on the German label MPS. It's safe to say magic is wrought here by legendary arranger Guerra Peixe.
Jorge Ben: A Tabula Esmerelda
I also have "Africa Brazil", "Ponte de Lanca Africano" off which is the killer cut. I'd like to take that track out for a walk on the dancefloor (never had the opportunity to play it out) The guitar on it SLAYS. Also Jorge Ben "1969". "O Bidu" is supposed to be excellent and is swilling around on reissue. This is the winner for "Zumbi" which sprouts impossible new layers of harmony and melody. Kind of like a favela dwelling with improvised bamboo loft extensions. And of course the occult-ish cover. We like.
Jair Rodriguez: Orgulho de um Sambista
A recent discovery, as plangeant and straw-strewn as "Afro-Samba."
Edu Lobo: Cantiga de Longe
Anything with Quarteto Novo on it. Here they're fresh from the Miles Davis "Live Evil" sessions. Edu v.dread.
Tom Jobim: Matita Pere
It took me ages to work out that Antonio Carlos Jobim and Tom Jobim were the same man. Many factors complicated this. His hugely varied look, his trans-continental presence, the gulf of years he was active, the polarity between his pop persona (Sinatra and Astrid Gilberto) and his more underground work. As a rule if you're a groovy cat like me, you refer to him as "Tom." I reckon he's been slightly dismissed, completely left out of Ben Borthwick's excellent "Tropicalia" primer in The Wire (which again though it purported to be about Tropicalia, was more or less a whistlestop guide to Brazilian music) This could be owing to his strong 1950's American barbecue profile. "Matita Pere", which also comes in a brown cover with a photo of him on it (I gave my other copy to Reynolds) is his masterpiece, and I know one of David Toop's favourite records too. Words can't do it's aching windswept orchestral score and Jobim's brooding portuguese justice. I also have "Urubu" (which has it's moments) and have often been tempted by "Stone Flower" (good vintage).
Milton Nascimento: Milton
This is great. But better, indeed possibly one of the 10 greatest records of any genre, is "Clube Da Esquina". I discovered this three years ago in what was a bad time, and it's food for the soul. Indeed it was for me then, almost in defiance of music that was being made then, my "Record of The Year." When you first hear it, it can be easy to miss it's wholly unusual unique qualities. I don't tend to be one to reccommend sticking with a record, a knock-out first encounter should lead to time spent together, but here's one exception. White chapels by the sugar-cane. Also have "Minas" which is nice.
Novos Baianos: Acabou Chorarc
Repeating myself here, but can't avoid including this babe.
Quarteto Novo: Quarteto Novo
Damn I LOVE this group. It's Hermeto and Airto's first outfit and they are SO hot. What could be mistaken for bossa nova were it not well-deep and entirely devoid of cliche, the rhythm here overpoweringly conduisive. I've always thought "Algodao" sounds like Led Zeppelin, and I also bet that The Beatles must have heard this record (whether that's any kind of recommendation I'll leave to you to decide). A classic.
Gilberto Gil: Refazenda
Gil here along with the "Refavela" LP (which I have and don't think is as good) plying a vision of pan-africanism. "Refazenda" off this is such a superb tune, the way that accordian starts, like a clockwork policeman spinning backwards anti-clockwise. The whole record consistently excellent, and what a great cover!
Walter Smetak: Smetak
A recent discovery, almost the skeletal other to these well-endowed raptures. Oblique, endlessly inventive but warmly engrossing.
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A big holler to Seb Morlu, Jon Dale and Nick Wrigley.
Posted by Woebot at September 27, 2004 04:23 AM