EXPRESSO 2222: the semi-official BRAZILIAN MUSIC LISTENING CLUB.

xxpost : well, good great

Dude don't salt everyone's opinions just yet. There will be a lot of different reactions to this, let's air it out first.

love this album. really good stuff. deep and dark and playful all at once. nice pick.

is this the one with the cannonball adderly (cry for me) track on it

it's super swirly and hypnotic and great

Yes this is the one: "Cannon."

And should we say "Let's talk about this until April 29, at which point we'll have a new one chosen by elephant rob?" Okay, consider it said.

Good choice, I love this album. The Cannonball memorial track is otherwordly, the way he treats all those sped-up voices. And the moment in "Just Listen" when he picks up the mike is both ridiculous and awesome!

hey i actually have this one ... i'll have to dig it out and listen.

If you need volunteers to suggest albums in this club, I'd be happy to do it.

Duly noted, thanks Tuomas. But let's get busy with discussion of the issue at hand first, then I'll make my pick for who gets to make next pick. I'm taking it again the week after Mr. elephant rob, got some filthy stuff.

What's the tune he starts playing in "Just Listen" at 4:30? I'm pretty sure it's a song I have on some other album, but I can't put my finger on it.

Playing now via Spotify

I think the only thing that makes this album short of a flawless classic is that "Cherry Jam" is not super impressive. It's a good jam tune, yeah, but all the other songs are so idiosyncratic and delightful that "Cherry Jam" is kind of a boring way to close the album.

Dude don't salt everyone's opinions just yet. There will be a lot of different reactions to this, let's air it ohavenut first.

― T Bone Streep (Cave17Matt), Thursday, 22 April 2010 16:08 (16 minutes ago) Bookmark

my bad. haven't listened to this in a while, and revised my initial opinion until re-evaluated. Will hold on a minute with my thoughts, henceforth!

Tuomas: the song at the 4:30 mark is Gilberto Gil's "Sai do Sereno," off the album this club is named for! Good catch!

No, Tannenbaum, you are correct and I was wrong. Not going to mod every reaction, it's freedom of speech here and everywhere. And you might be right!

I'm listening to "Cherry Jam" now, and actually it sounds better than what I remembered. But what the heck kind of a flute does Hermeto plays on it, it sounds kinda odd... Does it just a have a special mouthpiece or something?

First track very appropriately named--this is dense!

But what the heck kind of a flute does Hermeto plays on it, it sounds kinda odd...

he's singing through the flute, it's a technique where you both blow and sing at the same time - pioneered by Rahsaan Roland Kirk iirc

Yeah, I know that technique, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the timbre of the flute in "Cherry Jam" where he isn't singing through it - it sounds kinda odd to me, I was wondering if that's a flute at all or something else?

Hmm, I guess it could be a soprano sax, but there's still something odd about the sound.

I guess it's finally time for me to listen to him (rather than assuming he's too avante-jazzy for me based on something I read once).

Btw, the movie doc "Beyond Ipanema" is showing again in W. DC tonight and Thursday.

this actually is a little too avant-jazzy for me tbh

I didn't find it avant-jazzy at all tbh, some of it was quite smooth, but then again whats smooth for me is another guys avantweirdo shit.

I think the avantness is in the use of sound and the somewhat odd arrangements, but if you can get past that the compositions themselves aren't particularly avant, they're actually pretty melodic. There's no "free" playing at all except maybe on "Just Listen".

bump, here's a live video of Escuta Meu Piano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZynsU8Dpro

Not having much luck finding a copy of this to listen to just lying around online. (I have Cérebro Magnético, but I'm really not into it.)

Incidentally, Matt, do you know of this band--they seem like something you'd like:

http://www.myspace.com/moveis

Hermeto Pascoal meets classic rock, etc. etc.

I know it doesn't have exactly to do with the spirit of this thread, but Hermeto's kinda of gone crazy. Dude met a girl 30, 40 years younger than him and people just can't reach him now. And all decisions about his career must have her approval.

Móveis Coloniais de Acaju. Great live, not so great on record.

x-post:

Haha. That would make me crazy too, in a good way (but better make it twenty years younger). How old is he anyway? I don't think I've ever seen a photo of him in which he didn't look old.

He's 73.

http://www.hermetopascoal.com.br/galeria_detail.asp?id_fotos=7&id_galeria=1

I guess he hasn't changed much since the 70s.

http://www.hermetopascoal.com.br/galeria_detail.asp?id_fotos=7&id_galeria=1

Rudipherous: Go to a place called lala.com dude, this album is just sitting there waiting for you...only one listen, but still.

It is around if you look in some less legit places also. I'm in Canada so lala.com is unavailable. Some of the album is on Grooveshark, enough to get me curious to find the rest. Not to condone file sharing, but it sure would be nice if the licensing legalities would catch up to the reality of the internet already. But that's another conversation. Really digging this album from what I've heard so far.

Week 2

http://loronix.net/loronixcontent/capasloronix/E/EB/JorgeBenATabuadeEsmeralda-FRONT.jpg

Jorge Ben - A Tábua de Esmeralda (1974)

Listen on Lala. Sorry, I don't have access to Spotify--maybe someone else can check?

AMG Review:
A Tábua de Esmeralda (together with Jorge Ben's 1976 album África Brasil) could be said to represent the creative culmination of his astonishing '70s. The music that Ben recorded during this period had tremendous influence on Brazilian musicians at that time and to a great extent helped to ignite the creative explosion that took place in the Brazilian samba rock and samba soul scenes during the '70s. The sound on this particular album is very simple, with the songs being driven by Ben's characteristic acoustic guitar playing together with a bass guitar and percussion. Floating in the background on several tracks are also some nice string arrangements and a double bass. The melodies are magnificently crafted, managing to be catchy and free-flowing without ever feeling banal or predictable. One of many great songs on this album is the upbeat opening track, "Os Alquimistas Estão Chegando," with its funny lyrics about alchemists. Other especially fine moments are the space-themed "Errare Humanum Est," "Zumbi," with its Africa-inspired lyrics, "Cinco Minutos," and "Magnolia." A Tábua de Esmeralda belongs in the record collection of any fan of Ben's music and is also a great starting point for someone who wants an introduction to his work.

I definitely agree with that last point, though I have yet to hear a bad Ben album (I haven't listened to anything past 1976) and funk fans might find Africa Brasil an even more welcoming entry point.

A broader question: this thread hasn't been nearly as lively as the other listening clubs--should we go up to two albums a week? Does only having one album to talk about make this harder?

I'm more interested in this thread than the other listening threads (and I think I might have better things to say on this one than I would on the others), but I just haven't had a good chance to listen to the Pascoal album. Some stuff blew up at work this week and I've been too stressed to feel like listening to try to sit down and give my attention to something unfamiliar that might not suit my mood.

(But that just accounts for me, of course.)

I'm interested in this thread as well but betweeen dayjob, parenting, watching my Capitals choke in hockey, and listening to Baaba Maal and Simon Shaheen, whom I'm writing up for my local alt-weekly with deadlines today, I did not give Pascoal as much attention as I wanted.

I'm interested too, but only just finally found the last album online. That and I was busy watching my Habs beat the Caps.

Ha

sounds good guys, I'm happy with this being the more relaxed listening club!

I definitely agree with that last point, though I have yet to hear a bad Ben album (I haven't listened to anything past 1976) and funk fans might find Africa Brasil an even more welcoming entry point.

album he made after africa brasil is pretty good, too. I think I leonardo'd it at one point, it's not easy to find.

i would also like to add that i'm most excited about this listening club but just haven't had time to get to the first record (which looks great btw). that should be changing in a week or so.

a tabua is a record i've had for a long time and it's awesome, tho if ppl haven't heard africa brasil we absolutely must spend a week on it at some point.

I'm assuming most ppl interested in this thread have heard africa brasil, kinda like kicking off the metal thread with paranoid, but hey I'll talk about that record any day of the week if y'all are up for it

yeah this is the only listening club getting me excited

and I don't mind the leisurely pace, seems fitting and easy to keep up with

remind me one week to post my favorite baile funk bootleg comp, funk cruel vol 10

the followup to africa brasil I was thinking of was actually from '78 - A Banda Do Zé Pretinho

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTuN-BnrKW4

rolling stone brasil's top 100 albums... I start thinking I'm familiar w/ brazilian music but then I see a list like this and I'm like whaaaa

1. Acabou Chorare (1972), Novos Baianos
2. Tropicália ou Panis et Circencis (1968), vários artistas
3. Construção (1971), Chico Buarque
4. Chega de Saudade (1959), João Gilberto
5. Secos e Molhados (1973), Secos e Molhados
6. A Tábua de Esmeralda (1974), Jorge Ben
7. Clube da Esquina (1972), Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges
8. Cartola (1976), Cartola
9. Os Mutantes (1968), Os Mutantes
10. Transa (1972), Caetano Veloso
11. Elis & Tom (1974), Elis Regina e Tom Jobim
12. Krig-Ha Bandolo! (1973), Raul Seixas
13. Da Lama Ao Caos (1994), Chico Science & Nação Zumbi
14. Sobrevivendo No Inferno (1998), Racionais MC's
15. Samba Esquema Novo (1963), Jorge Ben
16. Fruto Proibido (1975), Rita Lee
17. Racional (1975), Tim Maia
18. Afrociberdelia (1996), Chico Science & Nação Zumbi
19. Cabeça Dinossauro (1986), Titãs
20. Fa-Tal - Gal A Todo Vapor (1971), Gal Costa
21. Dois (1986), Legião Urbana
22. A Divina Comédia ou Ando Meio Desligado (1970), Os Mutantes
23. Coisas (1965), Moacir Santos
24. Roberto Carlos Em Ritmo de Aventura (1967), Roberto Carlos
25. Tim Maia (1970), Tim Maia
26. Expresso 2222 (1972), Gilberto Gil
27. Nós Vamos Invadir sua Praia (1985), Ultraje a Rigor
28. Roberto Carlos (1971), Roberto Carlos
29. Os Afro-Sambas (1966), Baden Powell e Vinícius de Moraes
30. A Dança da Solidão (1972), Paulinho da Viola
31. Carlos, Erasmo (1970), Erasmo Carlos
32. Pérola Negra (1973), Luiz Melodia
33. Caymmi e Seu Violão (1959), Dorival Caymmi
34. Lóki? (1974), Arnaldo Baptista
35. Estudando o Samba (1976), Tom Zé
36. Falso Brilhante (1976), Elis Regina
37. Caetano Veloso (1968), Caetano Veloso
38. Maria Fumaça (1977), Banda Black Rio
39. Selvagem? (1986), Os Paralamas do Sucesso
40. Legião Urbana (1985), Legião Urbana
41. Meus Caros Amigos (1976), Chico Buarque
42. Bloco do Eu Sozinho (2001), Los Hermanos
43. Refazenda (1975), Gilberto Gil
44. Mutantes (1969), Os Mutantes
45. Raimundos (1994), Raimundos
46. Chaos A.D. (1993), Sepultura
47. João Gilberto (1973), João Gilberto
48. As Aventuras da Blitz (1982), Blitz
49. Tim Maia Racional Vol 2 (1976), Tim Maia
50. Revolver (1975), Walter Franco
51. Clara Crocodilo (1980), Arrigo Barnabé
52. Cartola (1974), Cartola
53. Novo Aeon (1975), Raul Seixas
54. Refavela (1977), Gilberto Gil
55. Nervos de Aço (1973), Paulinho da Viola
56. Amoroso (1977), João Gilberto
57. O concreto já rachou (1986), Plebe Rude
58. Antônio Carlos Jobim (1963), Tom Jobim
59. Canção do Amor Demais (1958), Elizeth Cardoso
60. Gil & Jorge: Ogum, Xangô (1975), Gilberto Gil e Jorge Ben
61. Força Bruta (1970), Jorge Ben
62. MM (1989), Marisa Monte
63. Milagre dos Peixes (1973), Milton Nascimento
64. Show Opinião (1965), Vários Artistas
65. Nelson Cavaquinho (1973), Nelson Cavaquinho
66. Cinema Transcendental (1979), Caetano Veloso
67. África Brasil (1976), Jorge Ben
68. Ventura (2003), Los Hermanos
69. Samba Esquema Noise (1994), Mundo Livre S/A
70. Getz/Gilberto Featuring Antônio Carlos Jobim (1963), João Gilberto, Stan Getz e Tom Jobim
71. Noel Rosa e Aracy de Almeida (1950), Aracy de Almeida
72. Jardim Elétrico (1971), Os Mutantes
73. Angela Ro Ro (1979), Angela Ro Ro
74. Õ Blésq Blom (1989), Titãs
75. Tim Maia (1971), Tim Maia
76. A Bad Donato (1970), João Donato
77. Canções Praieiras (1954), Dorival Caymmi
78. Gilberto Gil (1968), Gilberto Gil
79. Álibi (1978), Maria Bethânia
80. Gal Costa (1969), Gal Costa
81. Psicoacústica (1988), Ira!
82. O Inimitável (1968), Roberto Carlos
83. Matita Perê (1973), Tom Jobim
84. Qualquer Coisa/Jóia (1975), Caetano Veloso
85. Jovem Guarda (1965), Roberto Carlos
86. Beleléu, Leléu, Eu (1980), Itamar Assumpção e Banda Isca de Polícia
87. Verde, Anil, Amarelo, Cor-de-Rosa e Carvão (1994), Marisa Monte
88. Nada Como Um Dia Após O Outro Dia (2002), Racionais MC's
89. Meio Desligado (1994), Kid Abelha
90. Quem é Quem (1973), João Donato
91. Cantar (1974), Gal Costa
92. Wave (1967), Tom Jobim
93. Lado B Lado A (1999), O Rappa
94. Vivendo e Não Aprendendo (1986), Ira!
95. Doces Bárbaros (1976), Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil e Maria Bethânia
96. A Sétima Efervescência (1997), Júpiter Maçã
97. Araçá Azul (1972), Caetano Veloso
98. Elis (1972), Elis Regina
99. Revoluções por Minuto (1985), RPM (Banda)
100. Circense (1980), Egberto Gismonti

Free show at Lincoln Center Outdoors in NYC:

a double bill pairing the seminal krautrock of Hallogallo 2010: Michael Rother & Friends perform the music of NEU! and the visionary Brazilian "Sorcerer" of sound, composer/multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal (August 6);

My favorite Jorge Ben album is África Brasil and originally it was my choice for this week. But 'Tábua' is great. There's a friend of mine who used to tell us how this album helped in a sad period of his life. 'O Homem da Gravata Florida' is sweet and it sounds - in a really subtle way - Jorge was high on pot when he wrote the lyrics.

In re: Paebiru; this reviewer seems like kind of a dick but basically he sums up my feelings about it.

you think it's a hoax?

What this guy's saying in PopMatters is complete bullshit. And did you read what he writes at the end of the article?

* This is said purely for dramatic effect. I do actually believe that this record came out, albeit briefly, in 1975. However, if it turns out that this is a massive hoax, this note is null and void, and I want credit for discovery.

By the way, there's a Paêbirú doc in the making

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LvQD5O8v24

Shin, that's kind of a weird reaction considering a) The "dick" in question says that he likes the album you posted, and b) the end part is a footnote and obviously a gag. Otherwise, I'm enjoying your picks from this week. I'd never heard the Powell and de Moraes and think it's pretty hot.

I was just saying that the 'hoax theory' is absurd. Sorry if it sounded like overreaction.

praise for those Black Rio comps seconded, great stuff

My hackles went up when i started the review too, but I guess all he's saying is that it's hard to believe that a record of such genius almost totally vanished. Personally I don't think it is hard to believe, given how much amazing stuff came out of Brazil in the mid-70s, and once you hear other records from the Pernambuco psych scene, Paêbirú doesn't sound quite so completely out of the blue.

Also, just so you know, I AM THAT DICK WHO WROTE THAT REVIEW. And yes, I love the record, and yes, it was supposed to be kind of a joke.

I AM THAT DICK WHO WROTE THAT REVIEW

^^^oh new board name plz

I've been a bit absent from this listening club, but I just wanted to say I love love love Os Afro-Sambas, though I'm a bit torn whether I prefer the original 60s album or the new recording of these songs that Baden Powell made in the 90s. On the one hand, the original album has a cooler "psychedelic" sound and better backing vocals, but on the other hand, the 90s Os Afro-Sambas obviously has better sound quality in general, and I prefer Baden Powell's own vocals over Vinicius's... He has such a sweet and frail singing voice that it's always pleasure to listen to it. Also, while Baden Powell is not the best singer in the world technically, he certainly is better than Vinicius.

The other album is totally unknown to me, but I'll give it a listen and post some more thoughts later on.

Btw, I'd still be willing to do a week in this club, do I need to send an email or something? There were some instructions but I can't find the correct post anymore.

i prefer the original. i love the way that it sounds like it was recorded late at night in some apartment somewhere...

The original has so much more charm. And the way it gets that ethereal sound from such a low-quality recording is amazing.

Haha, Matt, you are a third-person using trickster!

http://sabadabada.com/music.htm

Wow

This probably will be a Nike ad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Ej6UvAmEU

There's stuff here that I haven't listened to yet, but should.

Dunno why I never posted here, I love this stuff...

There are several other great ILM Brazilian threads also

Expresso 2222 is the perfect before-bed record.

Weird, after I posted that YouTube of a Brazilian band in the Beirut thread, I thought, "I wonder what Matt C.'s up to."

Expresso 2222 is the perfect before-bed record.

Love how this unfolds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYFSjtPxEH0

The various Brazilian threads always remind me that I need to get more bossa and tropicalia music and other Brazilian items. Just got Red Hot and Rio 2 in the mail (and I like the Brazilians on it more than the Anglos on my first few listens)

if you guys want to get this back on track I will give you an assignment... shakey and tuomas never gave their picks so if they want to take it after this they can

Week #57

Jorge Ben - A Banda Do Zé Pretinho (1978)

there's no blurb on the internet about this one, allmusic doesn't even list it in his discography, but it's one of my fave jorge albums, an unappreciated gem in his sprawling discog, side b is a thing of perfection, a perfect summer album and a worthy follow up to africa brasil, happy hunting....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y176/edwardiii/front.jpg

^^ will definitely check that out, always want more good Ben in my life. This revival gives me an excuse to post one of my favorite things on the internet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja7yBF5WzOk

if you guys want to get this back on track I will give you an assignment... shakey and tuomas never gave their picks so if they want to take it after this they can

d'oh! totally forgot when these threads started to fall off. um, would happily pipe back in.

Thought this revive was for Hermeto's 75th birthday tomorrow.

ok shakey c u next tuesday

will do!

btw, if you're in the US you can listen to Edward's pick on grooveshark: http://grooveshark.com/#/album/+1978+A+Banda+Do+Z+Pretinho/6145557.

cool, thx for that! it can be hard to find, even on the internets.

translation of track 4 is "where's the penalty?", another classic futbol song lol

Okay this Ben album is seriously great. I should have listened to you last year (I am "elephant rob" upthread).

side b is a thing of perfection

That is the truth. At first I wasn't sure about a whole album of slightly syrupy disco-samba, but the second half moves away from that to a more relaxed, Tabua-ish sound.

glad you are digging it!

I really don't understand the sequencing there. the back half is rife with his trademark beautiful languorous choruses but I'm not sure if anybody gets far enough into it to find out.

tracks 1, 5, 7-11 are all first rate. even some of the clangers have grown on me over time, tho. is it just me or does "bom dia, boa tarde" sound like he's trying to channel veloso?

"Languorous" is otm. And yes, "bom dia..." does have a downbeat, restrained quality to it that does sound a bit like Veloso.

turns out "bom dia, boa tarde" is in the fine tradition of ben recycling his own material, an earlier version is on 1967's o bidu silencio no brooklin.

looks like "amante amado" might be a veloso cover? or did he cover ben? internet is failing me but either way ben's version is way better...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSjflObz-LY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws3r24Uhu74

It sounds more like a Ben song than Veloso to me, especially the way the lines end in that drifty way I associate strongly with JB.

Paulo Bagunca "...E A Tropa Maldita" 1974
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQskStan7du5BpcP21K4R5cCvhzP2gwHkBKDOCEHGGxAi4yMSY_JQ

I know next to nothing about this record or the performer(s) that made it. What I do love about it is the combo of acoustic instruments and hard-driving, loose-limbed Brazilian funk rhythms. The guitars are bright and dense, the melodies sundazed and meandering, the percussion is fantastic, and there are flashes of horn parts, moog, and other great touches. it's like the perfect cross section of funk, folk, and samba to my ears. It bears some similarity to Tim Maia's 70s stuff (altho not as firmly rooted in American R&B) and Jorge Ben (altho not as pop-savvy or concisely arranged). Kinda hard to find any info (in English) about it, if anyone has any insights please chime in.

sweet

so this paulo bagunca album is really good

in some weird way it reminds of new zealand pop stuff, in that it's simultaneously droney and driving and tuneful

but yeah I'm liking it a lot!

looks like the whole thing is on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmt2YbI1Ajk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLUHqMfBsYI

Any recommendations (old or new albums)?