Baden Powell - Samba Triste (1989)

I think AdHoc will be taken by surprise with this post that has several elements of his contributions. This CD was issued in France, 1989, and nowadays is a very hard to find album, since it never had a reissue since them. I'm really glad to make this album available, the last Baden Powell career album at Loronix was made available in the beginning of July by one of those fantastic contributions by Caetano Rodrigues, a five months hiatus. I think Loronixers will be pleased with this one. Let's see.

This is Baden Powell - Samba Triste (1989), for Accord, featuring two Baden Powell records in one, Samba Triste Vol. 5 (1975) and Tristeza (1976). I can't make better than Brazil-on-Guitar, which is the best-known resource to Baden Powell music. I'm taking BOG reviews on Samba Triste Vol. 5 and Tristeza to guarantee a flawless Baden Powell release at Loronix. Do not miss Brazil-on-Guitar at http://brazil-on-guitar.de.

BOG Samba Triste Vol. 5 (1975) review:

"BrazilOnGuitar says: Samba Triste is a cleanly produced studio record. We believe that it was recorded after the 1974 tour in the beginning of 1975 as Pedro Santos and Joaquim Paes Henriques (his drummer on tour and in the studio during the last years) do not play on this record. On the following Festival records Jean Arpino took over the drums.

Most likely, 1975 at the studio in the Normandy there were recorded three albums within five days: Samba Triste, Melancolie and Tristeza 1976. These recordings were the last with Janine de Waleyne, Guy Pedersen, his preferred musicians of the last years.

On the record of Samba Triste is written Vol.5 next to the title. This should probably put this record in context with the other four Festival albums, as Baden Powell had wanted to record five instead of four albums. However the style of this record belongs to another phase of his musical development.

We think that at least one track is a outtake from another recording session: Casa Velha (Apaixonado). Further BP did rename two compositions: Alo Ernesto became Valse No.1 and Babel later became Samba Novo.

1989 Samba Triste was released on CD, together with Tristeza 1976. Nowadays this is a rarity as it has never been re-released."

BOG Tristeza (1976) review:

"We think that the 1976 record Tristeza, compared with Samba Triste and Melancolie that were produced at the same time, is the most interesting one. Except for two tracks, A Primeira Vez and Na Baixa Do Sapateiro, BP is accompanying himself on guitar, more often than on any other record. It can only be guessed whether the title Tristeza 1976 is a reference to the 1966 Tristeza on Guitar.

Unusual is the slower version of Canto de Ossanha, which like the other songs on the record belongs to the faster part of the live repertoire of these years. BP's Version of A Primeira Vez is anticipating his later singing and playing style.Na Baixa Do Sapateiro comes in his usual masterly effortlessness, that is always surprising. Also on this record are musicality and imaginativeness more important than mere technical virtuosity.

The studio recordings Tristeza 1976 and Samba Triste show style and experience of the live repertoire of the mid-70ies with and around the bass player Guy Pederson. These recordings were the last studio recordings with Guy, his preferred musician of the last years, between 1972-1975.

1989 Tristeza 1976 was released on CD, together with Samba Triste, except for the track So Danco Samba. Nowadays this is a rarity as it has never been re-released with the original cover."

Personnel

Baden Powell
(guitar, vocal)
Janine de Waleyne
(vocal)
Guy Pedersen
(bass)
Jean Arpino
(drums, percussion)
Jorge Arena
(percussion)

Track List

01 - Samba Triste (Baden Powell / Billy Blanco)
02 - Do Jeito Que a Gente Quer (Ed Lincoln)
03 - Valsa Nº 1 (Baden Powell)
04 - Babel (Baden Powell)
05 - Samba de Deixa (Baden Powell)
06 - Chico Ferreira e Bento (Dorival Caymmi)
07 - Casa Velha (Baden Powell)
08 - Tempo Feliz (Baden Powell / Vinicius de Moraes)
09 - Tristeza (Haroldo Lobo / Niltinho Tristeza)
10 - A Primeira Vez (Alcebíades Barcelos "Bide" / Armando "Marçal")
11 - Canto de Ossanha (Baden Powell / Vinicius de Moraes)
12 - Samba da Minha Terra (Dorival Caymmi)
13 - Cidade Vazia (Baden Powell / Luis Fernando Freire)
14 - Bahia
15 - Imagem (Baden Powell)