Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Luiz Carlos Vinhas & Emilio Santiago - Ao Vivo (1974)

Hello, good evening! Yesterday, we had Sabadabada.com tribute and today this amazing contribution by JIN, Jose Ignacio Neto, which is another Brazilian music hero in cyberspace. In case you don't know who, JIN belongs to the third generation of the Ignacio's family, a family devoted to Brazilian music. His grandfather, the legendary Jose Ignacio, was the man behind the anthological "A Volta" podcast. JIN delivers a contribution that I'm sure you never had the chance to hear before, an unissued session featuring Luiz Carlos Vinhas and Emilio Santiago, recorded live in 1974 by Bill Horn. I will leave now as the show will be hosted by JIN from now one with his own knowledgeable words. JIN, my apologies for taking a long time to make this one. Let's see.

Jose Ignacio Neto says: "One of the key figures amongst global collectors of funky Brazilian bossa over the last 20 years was undoubtedly the leader and pianist Luiz Carlos Vinhas.

A charismatic figure and stalwart of the Rio nightclub scene until his early death a few short years ago, Vinhas sometimes straddled the line between fantastic good taste and total 'cafonice' to use a word from back in the day. An instinctive pianist, I remember seeing him playing in 2000 at the Vinicius Piano Bar in Rio, on a crappy keyboard and being amazed as I watched his small chubby fingers seemingly bounce around the keyboard in the manner of someone pretending to be able to play the piano, and yet out came incredible sounds full of swing and rhythm!

For many, the CBS album from 1968 (produced by Helcio Milito from Tamba Trio) simply called L.C.V - O Som Psicedelico was his best work. A frenetic mixture of pop tunes, bossa, afro cuban funk - and the Chattanooga Choo Choo! His seminal composition on this album Ye-Me-Le is known to millions via the Sergio Mendes version.

After that LP he didn't record much and the 1973 album 'No Flog' on EMI Odeon was a bit of a disappointment - just pot pourris with added cheers and clinking whisky glasses.

But imagine if there was a long lost recording with music on a level with O Som Psicodelico? And imagine if that recording also marked one of the earliest recordings of super soul singer Emilio Santiago?

Back in 1974 trumpeter and studio owner Bill Horne (known to Loronix fans from his many appearances in the 'Guess Who' photo competitions) recorded this session with Vinhas backing Santiago.

For many years the tapes languished on a dusty shelf in Leblon, but some years ago my grandfather Jose Ignacio was given a copy, un-mastered and straight from the tapes but so fantastic that it deserves to see the light of day for all dedicated Vinhas and Emilio fans.

The musicians' names are long forgotten (but some Loronix fans please tell us if it's you playing!) but are 'feras' in their own right.

And if this super rare session wasn't enough, I've included a demo recording of Emilio Santiago that I believe was used to get his recording contract with Durval Ferreira at CID in 1975. Edson Frederico is the pianist here, drummer was probably Ronie Mesquita.

As Zeca would have said back then, Valeu, Bicho!"

zecalouro: "Valeu! JIN!"

Track List

01 - Voce Que e de Samba
02 - Sem Titulo/Que Sera Mi Vida/Go-Go-Ma
03 - Zazueira/Aruandaei
04 - Aquarela do Brasil/Bahia/Rhapsody in Blue/Aquarela
05 - Muito a Vontade/So Lagrimas
06 - Quero Morrer Na Bahia/Vou Sair de Palhaco e Voce de Careta/A Praca Carlos Gomes
07 - Don't Misunderstand (Faixa Bonus -Demo) - Emilio Santiago com Edson Frederico

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