Carlos Barbosa Lima - Concerto de Violao (1959)

Hello, good evening! I had a really busy day today. I worked without interruption throughout the day in meetings away from home and made a lot of things in my modest home office. It is interesting how things change over a single day. I had very difficult moments where I thought everything was lost. But from the beginning of the night, things changed for better and I can say I had a great day as a whole.

I arrived at home exhausted, spoke a bit with the zecalouro and listen with him this album recorded by Antonio Carlos Barbosa Lima, better known as Carlos Barbosa Lima, another privileged Brazilian violao player. Carlos Barbosa Lima began his studies at 7 years of age and formal education with the Uruguayan master Isaias Savio. He recorded his first album with only 12 years old, already available here at Loronix. This is the third album recorded by Carlos Barbosa Lima, with 15, another fine release sponsored by Jorge Mello. Let’s see.

This is Antonio Calos Barbosa Lima – Concerto de Violao (1959), for Chantecler. Despite having only 15 years old, Concerto de Violao is a classic guitar album recorded by a veteran. Carlos Barbosa Lima became a respected musician, making a transparent connection between classical and popular, spreading the works of important Brazilian musicians, such like Joao Pernambuco, Francisco Mignone, Catullo, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and many others. I hope this album brings much peace, as brought to me. Tracks include:

01 - Suite em Re Menor "Preludio, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gavotte Menuet 1 y 2, Borree Giga" (Robert de Visee)
02 - Gavota (da suite Nr. 6 para violaocello) J. Sebastian Bach - version Carlos Barbosa Lima
03 - Preludio Nr. 1 da Serie "Suite a Antiga" (G. Santorsola)
04 - Dolor (Preludio Vasco) Padre San Sebastian
05 - Sevilla (I. Albeniz) version Llobet
06 - Valsa Venezuelana (A. Lauro)
07 - Valsa Choro (Camargo Guarnieri)
08 - Estudo Nr. 7 (Villa Lobos)
09 - Brasiliana Nr. 4 (Theodoro Nogueira)
10 - Sonha Yaya (Isaias Savio)

Bola Sete y Su Conjunto - Carnival in Rio (1958)

Hello, good evening! This is another fantastic contribution by Jorge Mello, featuring Bola Sete with a pretty obscure album. My searches were not successful tracking down this record. I’ve been at many discographies websites and even at Bola Sete official website. I even made a challenge at Loronix to get some information about Bola Sete and this group and could not gather additional info.

In a first sight, this lady seems to be Dolores Duran, but she isn’t Dolores Duran. She is credited as Therezinha Bittencourt, which is a singer that I never heard about and could not find a single mention on my searches. I’m afraid this is an unknown Bola Sete album for many. Let’s see.

This is Bola Sete, su Conjunto Tipico Brasilero y su Cantante Therezinha Bittencourt – Carnival in Rio (1958), for Puchito, which is a Spanish record company. The back cover brings a short description of Bola Sete early years with his Conjunto and says that Carnival in Rio was recorded in Spain, during Bola Sete European tour. The back cover also brings a “footnote” confirming Carnival in Rio was recorded in Spain, which is something that you can check at the slider below, followed by my translation to English from back cover liner notes. I would like to thanks Jorge Mello for another amazing album. Tracks include:

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Bola Sete showed his artistic skills since early childhood at the age of 7 years playing guitar, whose talent he inherited from his parents.

Bola Sete is very popular in Brazil. Just as throughout Europe and South America. It is exclusive artist of Radio Nacional in Rio de Janeiro. About three years ago, he organized a group, which is composed of Brazilians, and went into great artistic tour around the country. His first contract was at the Film Festival of Punta del Este, then in theaters in Buenos Aires, Radio Belgrano Sunset Club, where he was acclaimed for his great artistic talent. Then in Chile performed at the Waldorf; Grill in Peru in Bolivia, and throughout South America, achieving many laurels. Then they were touring Europe for artistic, and in Madrid have acted with great success in Parilla Rex. It was here where Montilla hired him to record the selections so ably interpreted in this album.

01 - Sonador
02 - Chiquito
03 - Caravana
04 - Coco Baturite
05 - Nina Brazanan
06 - Baile O Coco
07 - Uno a Cero
08 - Canta Maria
09 - Mulher Rendeira
10 - Imperio de Samba
11 - Samba no Perroquet
12 - Nino Grande



Update: Jorge Mello sent this great Bola Sete interview, available below. New findings about this mysterious album will be posted tonight. Stay tuned.

Elza Soares - Somos Todos Iguais (1985)

Hello, good evening! This is one of the most requested albums by Elza Soares since the beginning of Loronix. The reason is quite simple; approximately the whole Elza Soares discography was reissued on CD in 2002, covering all albums recorded by Elza Soares for Odeon between 1960 and 1988. Everything was released on a single box set featuring 12 CDs, containing 22 LPs. This stupid parrot did not get one, now out of print. Two albums were left outside this box set, Elza Negra Elza (1980), already available at Loronix and Somos Todos Iguais (1985), which is this one we will have the chance to know right now, a sought after album and perhaps the only Elza Soares career album never released on CD. Let’s see.

This is Elza Soares – Somos Todos Iguais (1985), for Som Livre. Little I know about this album, considered an above the average Elza Soares release. I read several things today about this record and several sources says that Caetano Veloso and Lobao are in charge of production, which is something that needs to be confirmed since they are not credited here, and Caetano Veloso only appears as special guest on track 09 – Sophisticated Lady (Duke Ellington). Musicians were not credited by Som Livre, except the arranger, Glaucus Xavier. Tracks include:

01 - Osso Pele e Pano (Jorge Aragão)
02 - Mais Uma Vez (Carlos Dafé / Lourenço)
03 - Da Fuga Fez Sua Verdade (Sombrinha / Sereno / Adilson)
04 - Cacatua (Ronaldo Barcellos)
05 - Daquele Amor Nem Me Fale (João Donato / Martinho da Vila)
06 - Heróis da Liberdade (Mano Décio da Viola / Silas de Oliveira)
07 - Somos Todos Iguais (Elza Soares)
08 - Antes do Sol (Ronaldo Barcellos / Pi)
09 - Sophisticated Lady (Duke Ellington / Vrs. Augusto de Campos) with Caetano Veloso
10 - Exagero (Elza Soares / Glaucus Xavier)
11 - Milagres (Cazuza / Roberto Frejat)

Johnny Alf - Olhos Negros (1990)

Hello, good evening! I have good news to tell you. Johnny Alf, after a long period of serious health problems, takes over his activities and even made rehearsals with his quintet, just a month before his 79th anniversary. I read this new today with a great pleasure. Although very underestimated, Johnny Alf is a very important musician. He introduced a new way of singing and playing many years before the creation of Bossa Nova, influencing artists such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Marcos Valle, Carlos Lyra among many others. This is Loronix homage to this great musician. Let’s see.

This is Johnny Alf – Olhos Negros (1990), for RCA, featuring Johnny Alf music and Johnny Alf singing and playing piano in all tracks. Olhos Negros was recorded after a long hiatus of 10 years and it is a beautiful celebration of Johnny Alf music. Each track has a special guest, performing with Johnny Alf on duets. It was very hard to decide Loronix Preview Center track and I decided to deliver the opening track with Johnny Alf and Gal Costa performing Ilusao a Toa. Tracks include:

The Special Guests

GAL COSTA
CAETANO VELOSO
GILBERTO GIL
SANDRA DE SA
CHICO BUARQUE
EMILIO SANTIAGO
ZIZI POSSI
LENY ANDRADE
ROBERTO MENESCAL
MARCIO MONTARROYOS

Track List

01 - Ilusao a Toa (Johnny Alf) with GAL COSTA
02 - Dois Coracoes (Johnny Alf) with ROBERTO MENESCAL
03 - Seu Chopin, Desculpe (Johnny Alf) with CHICO BUARQUE
04 - Nos (Johnny Alf) with ZIZI POSSI
05 - Rapaz de Bem (Johnny Alf) with EMILIO SANTIAGO
06 - Olhos Negros (Johnny Alf / Ronaldo Bastos) with CAETANO VELOSO
07 - O Que e Amar (Johnny Alf) with SANDRA DE SA
08 - Eu e a Brisa (Johnny Alf) with GILBERTO GIL
09 - Nossa Festa (Johnny Alf / Alberto Chimelli) with LENY ANDRADE
10 - Sonhos e Fantasias (Johnny Alf) with MARCIO MONTARROYOS

Jacob do Bandolim - Chorinhos e Choroes (1961)

I believe it is time to make a special thank to Jorge Mello for making his collection available to our community. This is a Jacob do Bandolim career album that I never had the chance to hear. Recorded in 1961, Chorinhos e Choroes brings for the first time the musicians that would lead to Conjunto Epoca de Ouro, including the acclaimed Dino 7 Cordas and Cezar Faria. Let’s see.

This is Jacob do Bandolim – Chorinhos e Choroes (1961), for RCA Victor, if you are in the mood to listen to classic tunes by Pixinguinha, Luiz Americano, Ernesto Nazareth and Zequinha de Abreu performed by an exceptional group of musicians, this is the album you were waiting for. Jacob do Bandolim delivers some of his greatest renditions here. My highlight goes to Ameno Reseda, Os Cinco Companheiros, Proezas de Solon and Assanhado, which is the one selected to Loronix Preview Center. Tracks include:

Personnel

Jacob do Bandolim
(bandolim)
Jonas
(cavaquinho)
Cezar Faria
(violão 6 cordas)
Carlinhos
(violão 6 cordas)
Dino 7 Cordas
(violão 7 cordas)
Luiz Marinho
(bass)
Gilberto
(pandeiro)
Barao
(tamborim)
Pedro dos Santos
(reco-reco)

Track List

01 - Assanhado (Jacob do Bandolim)
02 - E do que Ha (Luiz Americano)
03 - Proezas de Solon (Pixinguinha)
04 - Santa Morena (Jacob do Bandolim)
05 - Os Cinco Companheiros (Pixinguinha)
06 - Ameno Reseda (Ernesto Nazareth)
07 - Nao me Toques (Zequinha de Abreu)
08 - Vou Vivendo (Pixinguinha)
09 - Serpentina (Nelson Alves)
10 - Juventude Saudosa (Amador Pinho)
11 - Benzinho (Jacob do Bandolim)
12 - Bola Preta (Jacob do Bandolim)

Gade & Walfrido Silva - Gafieira (1956)

Hello, good evening! I have been learning several things since Loronix has started. Actually, every day I learn a new thing with the community or with the albums made available here. There is another thing that I find out, which is to never underestimate an album, whatever it is, no matter who are the performers, even if you never heard about them.

This album is a perfect example, found in a state of abandonment in an old vinyl shop, sold for a ridiculous price two months ago. Since then, information about Gade and Walfrido Silva came up to me easily, and I feel a little guilty of not having now these guys before. Let’s see.

This is Gade & Waldrido Silva – Gafieira (1956), for Musidisc, featuring the Gade (piano) and Walfrido Silva (drums), performing Gade and Walfrido Silva compositions. I can’t remember such unusual formation on recording, only piano and drums. Together with Luciano Perrone, Walfrido Silva is considered one of the pioneers of modern drumming in Brazilian music. Oscar Bolao gave an interview to Brasileirinho saying that Walfrido Silva plays with hands only, which is something you can easily realize with Gafieira. This cover artwork is truly amazing, but the artist was not credited by Musidisc. Tracks include:

01 - Na Cadencia do Tambor (Gade / Walfrido Silva)
02 - Vou Casar no Uruguai (Gade / Walfrido Silva)
03 - 100 Anos de Perdao (Gade / Walfrido Silva)
04 - Tudo Agora e Sonho (Gade / Walfrido Silva)
05 - Vai Cavar a Nota (Gade / Walfrido Silva)
06 - O Feitico Virou (Gade / Walfrido Silva)
07 - Perdi a Aposta (Gade / Walfrido Silva)
08 - Meu Consolo (Gade / Walfrido Silva)

Waltel Branco - Recital (1976)

Hello, good evening! Waltel Branco is one of the most important Brazilian musicians. And this is not my hypothesis; it is consensus among experts, researchers and specialized journalists. If you search Loronix for Waltel Branco, will be very easy to understand what I’m saying. Waltel Branco was the arranger of essential albums such like Joao Gilberto – Chega de Saudade (1958) and Mancini Tambem e Samba. I want to thank Jorge Mello for another fantastic contribution to Loronix. Let’s see.

This is Waltel Branco - Recital (1976), for Som Livre, featuring a repertoire that blends Classical and Popular music, with Waltel Branco compositions and adaptations. I found good information about Waltel Branco and I want to make something different showing a Luis Nassif writing from his Luis Nassif Online, one of the most important blogs in Brazil and recently awarded as the best Brazilian politics blog by Premio iBest. Congratulations Luis Nassif and thanks for writing this wonderful article about Waltel Branco. Tracks are included below Luis Nassif writing.

UM MÚSICO EXTRAORDINÁRIO (Luis Nassif)

Waltel Branco é o derradeiro integrante de uma seleção brasileira de maestros, contratados da Rede Globo, que tinha em Radamés Gnatalli o Pelé. Quando se decidir a divulgar Waltel, é possível que se descubra um dos mais célebres músicos anônimos do país.

Waltel nasceu em Paranaguá em 22 de novembro de 1929. Seu primeiro professor foi o pai Ismael Helmuth Scholtz Branco, saxofonista e clarinetista. Quando o conheci, me passou a nítida impressão de ser mulato. Na foto do livro (A Desconstrução da Música na Cultura Paranaense de Manoel de Souza Neto), parece mulato. Mas é neto de alemães legítimos.

Uma gravação com o acordeonista italiano Cláudio Todisco, nos estúdios da Odeon, permitiu-lhe conhecer o maestro Radamés Gnatalli. Não levou muito tempo para ser convocado para tocar com o mestre. Depois, passou a ter aulas de regência com dois outros maestros históricos, Alceu Bocchino e Mário Tavares. Conseguiu ser o maestro que ensaiou a orquestra nos concertos de Stranvinsky no Rio de Janeiro.

Aos 20 anos, rumou para Illinois, EUA, atrás de aulas com o guitarrista Sal Salvador, que tocava com Nat King Cole. Dava aulas de violão clássico para sustentar o aprendizado de jazz.

Chegou a tocar em um trio com Nat King Cole, além de ter produzido o disco de seu irmão Fred Cole e, mais tarde, o de Natalie Cole, filha de Nat.

Depois, participou de um trio com o baterista Chico Hamilton. Nesse período, conheceu Peggy Lee, cantora que se casou com o maestro Quincy Jones. Waltel se casou com a irmã de Peggy, Lede Saint-Clair Branco, tornando-se, por força do casamento, co-cunhado de Quincy Jones. Com ele tocou muito jazz e música clássica e conheceu o maestro Henry Mancini.

Na época, Mancini promovera uma revolução nos direitos autorais. Até então, os direitos eram todos dos estúdios. Quando sobreveio a crise dos estúdios, aceitou fazer trilhas sonoras para a nova produção, com a condição de ser o titular dos direitos. Estourou na primeira trilha, para o seriado de TV "Peter Gunn". Ao lado de outros pioneiros, como o argentino Lallo Schiffrin, montou um escritório para atender à nova demanda. Assim que ouviu nosso Waltel tocar, contratou-o. E foi nessa condição que Waltel tornou-se o arranjador de uma das mais famosas trilhas sonoras da história do cinema, do filme "A Pantera Cor de Rosa".

De volta ao Rio, Waltel pegou o início da bossa nova. Fez todos os arranjos do "Chega de Saudades", de João Gilberto, seguindo o método peculiar do violonista. João Gilberto o chamava, mostrava a harmonia que desenvolvera ao violão, e Waltel a seguia para o arranjo, como se cada instrumento seguisse uma corda. Depois gravou dois discos solos, "Guitarra em Chamas 1 e 2", tendo como acompanhador o violão de Baden Powell.

Em 1963, nos EUA, conheceu o jornalista Roberto Marinho, que o convidou a ser crítico musical do jornal "O Globo". Quando foi constituída a TV Globo, Waltel foi contratado, indo compor um time de primeiríssima, com Radamés, Guerra Peixe e Guio de Moraes. Compôs e dirigiu as trilhas sonoras, entre outras, de "O Bem Amado", "Roque Santeiro" e "Morte e Vida Severina".

Tempos depois, o chileno Zamacois, que ele conhecera em seus tempos no seminário de Curitiba, convidou-o a ir para a Espanha. Lá, estudou mais harmonia e técnicas de violão, venceu o concurso da Rádio Difusora Francesa e, como prêmio, ganhou uma bolsa para estudar com Andrés Segóvia, o maior violonista clássico do século. Fã de Segóvia, que tocava desde criança, Waltel se lembrava de peças das quais o próprio mestre se esquecera. Em vez de aulas, passou a tocar junto com Segovia.

Tempos atrás, seu amigo Fidel Castro ficou chateado com o "Buena Vista Social Club" de Win Winders, por suas distorções musicais, e incumbiu o maestro Leo Brower (adido cultural da diplomacia cubana e o compositor para violão clássico mais prestigiado da atualidade) de providenciar uma nova versão, mais autêntica. Quem Brower convoca para a empreitada? Entre outros, Waltel Branco.

01 - Bachiana Nº 5 (Villa-Lobos)
02 - Ponteio (Waltel Branco)
03 - Brasil (Waltel Branco) Andante / Moderato / Presto
04 - Argamassa (Waltel Branco)
05 - Estudo Nº 1 (Francisco Tárrega) adapt. Waltel Branco
06 - Dolor (Francisco Tárrega) adapt. Waltel Branco
07 - Siciliana (Maria Thereza Paradis) adapt. Waltel Branco
08 - Diferenca sobre Guarda-me las Vacas (Luiz de Navais)
09 - Estudo Nº 2 (Radamés Gnattali)
10 - Ballet (Gluck) adapt. Waltel Branco
11 - Minueto (Johann Sebastian Bach) adapt. Waltel Branco
12 - Prelúdio Nº 13 (Johann Sebastian Bach) adapt. Waltel Branco
13 - Romance do Pescador (Manuel de Falla) adapt. Waltel Branco

Elizeth Cardoso - Grandes Momentos com Elizeth Cardoso (1962)

It is surprising that we still have Elizeth Cardoso albums not yet shown at Loronix and also out of print. This album was kept on “waiting position” for a long time; I thought it was only a compilation of her best songs released in the 78 RPM format. I decided to compare these recordings with their respective 78rpm releases and could easily understand that Grandes Momentos com Elizeth Cardoso is a career album with new recordings of her major success in 78s. Once again, Elizeth Cardoso delivers a lovely record featuring the artistic direction of Moacyr Silva, who also puts his tenor sax to play. When Elizeth Cardoso and Moacyr Silva work together it is a failure proof mission. Let’s see.

This is Elizeth Cardoso – Grandes Momentos com Elizeth Cardoso (1962), for Copacabana, featuring new recording of very old Elizeth Cardoso cuts. I think you will feel uncomfortable as I was reading “ELIZETE” instead of “ELIZETH” as we are used. This is not an error; Elizeth Cardoso only adopted the “TH” in 1966. Copacabana did not credit musicians in this session. Tracks include:

01 - Canção de Amor (Chocolate / Elano de Paula)
02 - Caixa Postal Zero Zero (Oscar Bellandi / Luis de França)
03 - Subúrbio (Luis Antônio)
04 - O Amor É Uma Canção (José Maria de Abreu / Jair Amorim)
05 - Se Eu Pudesse (José Maria de Abreu / Jair Amorim)
06 - Dá-me Tuas Mãos (Erasmo Silva / Jorge de Castro)
07 - Graças a Deus (Carioca)
08 - Nunca É Tarde (João Pinto)
09 - Venho de Longe (Dermeval Fonseca / Alberto Ribeiro)
10 - Seresteiro (Zé Keti / Renato Lima / Tufic Lauar)

Music Video | Astrud Gilberto @ Bossa-Filmes

Hello, good evening! This is to announce a new website, Bossa-Filmes, subsidiary of the essential Bossa-Brasileira, owned and maintained by a veteran blogger, Thiago Mello. Bossa-Filmes is a surprising Brazilian music video collection featuring several rare clips from the artists we like most. There you can find an awesome video with Maestro Heitor Villa Lobos playing violao, Maestro Radames Gnattali playing piano and the sweet Astrud Gilberto performing on an Italian TV, among many others films to keep you busy for the rest of the year.

Bossa-Filmes is http://bossa-filmes.blogspot.com

Hope uEnjoy!

Jamelão

Jamelao, one of the most important Samba interpreters in Brazil has died today, was 95. Jamelao was the lead singer of the legendary Samba Scholl Estacao Primeira de Mangueira, and also very active on recordings, releasing more than 200 albums, starting in 1949 until his last release in 2002.

This is Loronix tribute to Jamelao - Ela Disse-me Assim (1959), a compilation released by Continental with selected tunes taken from selected 78rpm records. Loronix Preview Center features 09 - Ha Sempre um que Fica (Alcebiades Nogueira / Jamelao), recorded in 1959 with Jamelao backed by Maestro Severino Araujo e Sua Orquestra Tabajara.