Baden Powell - Poema on Guitar (1967)

Everybody who loves the music from Brazil is with a little sadness inside and I'm also feeling tired, by this not usual day. We must go on. I would not think twice moving forward with a instrumental guitar album recorded by Baden Powell taking the help of the folks of Brazil-on-Guitar, I could not make better than BOG to describe Poema on Guitar, which is considered one of the best instrumental only Baden Powell album in the 60's.

This is Baden Powell - Poema on Guitar (1967), for Saba. Brazil-on-Guitar says: "In 1967 BP recorded his first album in Germany: Poema On Guitar. It was his second record on the SABA label and again JEB was the producer. What can be said about Tristeza on Guitar can be found on this record, too. Both are among his best instrumental recordings of the sixties.

After his appearance in the Berlin Jazz days on November 5th JEB organised first class musicians for the recording sessions: Eberhard Weber on bass, Sidney Smith on flute and Charly Antolini on drums. BP was so impressed with this rhythm group that he wanted to return to Germany to record more with them. But only in 1971 he recorded two albums with the well appreciated Eberhard Weber.

A possible interpretation of this record can be done on the selection and order of the songs: it could be seen as personal reminiscence of Sylvia Telles, who died on December 17th 1966. Feitinha, the girl, followed by Dindi, dedicated to her, Consolacao, comfort and melancholy Tristeza e Solidao.

On the second side there are baroque elements combined with Jazz: Samba triste, BP's first hit in Brazil and his opening piece in the Berlin Jazz days, Euridice, calling from the realm of the dead, All the things you are, in a very beautiful arrangement for accoustic guitar, and Reza, a prayer, sung in 1966 by Edu Lobo in the last tour with Sylvia Telles.

In Japan POG was released in 1999 on CD in the known high quality. On the sampler "Three originals" (1993) can be found the entire record. It is however split on two CDs, but follows the original side change of the LP." Tracks include:

Personnel

Baden Powell
(guitar)
Sidney Smith
(flute)
Eberhard Weber
(bass)
Charly Antolini
(drums)

Track List

01 - Feitinha Pro Poeta (Baden Powell / Luis Fernando Freire)
02 - Dindi (Tom Jobim / Aloysio de Oliveira)
03 - Consolação (Baden Powell / Vinicius de Moraes)
04 - Tristeza e Solidão (Baden Powell / Vinicius de Moraes)
05 - Samba Triste (Baden Powell / Billy Blanco)
06 - Valsa de Eurídice (Vinicius de Moraes)
07 - All The Things You Are (J. Kerr / O. Hammerstein II)
08 - Reza (Edu Lobo / Ruy Guerra)

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