Chiquinho Do Acordeon "Chiquinho Do Acordeon" (Visom, 1989)
A too-smooth, modern-sounding album by Chiquinho Do Acordeon, one of the great accordionists of the 20th Century. A widely recorded, very skillful session player, by the time he got around to recording this solo album, the music scene had gone a bit soft, hence this gooey-sounding muzak-y instrumental set. There are lots of high-power guest performers -- Bebeto, Roberto Menescal, Ze Menezes, Gilson Peranzetta, Helio Delmiro, Marcos Valle and others -- but they are all at their cheesiest here. This reminds me of Rildo Hora's solo work, or something like that... Blechh... nothing on here for me.
Jacob Do Bandolim - see artist discography
Mane Do Cavaco "Martinho Da Vila Apresenta Mane Do Cavaco" (RCA, 1973)
Cavaquinho whiz Mane Do Cavaco whirls through a lively set of choro and samba instrumentals, evoking the spirit of Jacob Do Bandolim, though with modernized dips into the pagode samba sound that was emerging at the time, and even shows off a little taking a spin at a Johann Sebastian Bach melody (which he includes in a medley of classic tunes by Pixinguinha and Jacob Do Bandolim...) Do Cavaco's technique is rather emphatic and forceful -- although he's clearly a virtuoso, he doesn't throw in as many of the super-sweet licks that make the best choro music sound so subtle and refined. Regardless, this is a very nice record, packed with dazzling performances and fun melodies... Recommended!
Jair Do Cavaquinho "Seu Jair Do Cavaquinho" (EMI/Phonomotor, 2002)
Do Cavaquinho, a central member of the Portela samba school's velha guarda, is celebrated and spotlighted on this fine, affectionate album, which is, amazingly enough, his first solo album. The driving force behind the album is Phonomotor label head, pop star Marisa Monte, whose father was head of the Portela escola in the 1960s, but while she bankrolled the project, Monte remains very much in the background, content merely to document, not to dominate. All the songs were written or co-written by Jair over his decades-long career, and samba fans may recognize many of them from other artist's albums. The arrangements by Pedro Amorim warmly frame Do Cavaquinho's now-frail voice. These songs don't barrel along at lightning speed, but they also don't have to: the honied lyricism and well-draped nostalgia are enough to evoke the style's glory days. A nice record; if you enjoyed the Velha Guarda da Portela album that came out a couple of years earlier, then you should definitely track this one down as well.
Dodo E Osmar "Jubileu De Prata" (Warner, 1974)
Long before Caetano Veloso and his Salvadoran cohorts plugged in and went all wiggy, the Bahian duo of Adolfo Nascimento ("Dodo") and Osmar Alvares Macedo ("Osmar") had pioneered the use of electric guitars in Brazilian popular culture, inventing the "trio eletrico," where amplified sounds blasted from Bahian Carnaval floats. They started this tradition way back in 1950 -- nearly a decade ahead of the jovem guarda rock fad that brought electrified music into the Brazilian mainstream and, indeed, several years before rock and roll developed up North in the United States. Although the trio eletricos continue to this day, this mid-'70s album was already a bit of a nostalgia curio by the time it came out. And, while it is a nice document of this unique sound, and the pioneers that created it, the music itself is a bit static and blaring. Not really an album you'd want to put on for relaxation, but nice as a reference point if you're delving into Brazilian pop culture: in particular, you can hear where guitarist Moraes Moreira (of the group Novos Baianos) have gotten some of his ideas.
Trio Eletrico Armandinho, Dodo E Osmar "Chame Gente" (RCA, 1985)
Trio Eletrico Dodo E Osmar "Ai Eu Liguri O Radio" (RCA, 1987)
On these two albums (rereleased together on a single CD) the manic pace of Dodo & Osmar's "trio eletrico" sound is slightly tempered by a greater melodic and stylistic range, though it's still a pretty weird, challenging sound. Kind of like Rush backing up Luiz Gonzaga, with a bit of a disco undertow. The Chame Gente album features guest appearances by Luiz Gonzaga, as well as Elba Ramalho, Moraes Moreira and Caetano Veloso -- it's manic, much musically solid, something to check out of you like stuff that sounds just plain weird and unlike most other music you've heard. The 1987 followup album is a bit tackier, but it branches out into reggae and funk, and is a little closer in spirit to the axe scene of the time.
Jorginho Do Imperio "Brilhantes" (Sony-Columbia, 1998)
The son of one of the founding members of the Imperio Serrano samba school, Jorginho is a fine songwriter and stylist, much in the mold of Martinho Da Vila. This best-of collection is a lovely set of pretty-sounding samba-pop of late 1970s/early '80s vintage, much in the classic '70s pagode style of artists such as Clara Nunes and Martinho Da Vila... This isn't as transcendant or magical as some music in the style, but it holds its own with the best of the style. Consistently pleasant and low-key, with an adequately sexy, laid-back delivery... Worth tracking down!
Jorginho Do Imperio "Um Cidadao Do Samba" (Rio Quadra, 2002)
Jorginho Do Imperio "Pra Quem Gosta De Samba: Ao Vivo" (Sony-BMG, 2002)
Jorginho Do Imperio "20 Super Sucessos" (RCA, 2007)
Jorginho Do Imperio "O Sucesso" (EMI, 2007)
Domenico +2 "Sincerely Hot" (Pingpong, 2003)
An atypical band, seeking an atypical audience, this trio was known a year earlier as Moreno Veloso +2, gaining widespread praise in Brazil and abroad for an alluring mix of indie rock, electronica and modernized MPB. Part of their acclaim came from the presence of Moreno himself, son of the mega-superstar Caetano Veloso, who showed much of his father's adventurous musical spirit and relaxed performance style. But, having established itself as a "world music" band to content with, the Plus Twos went ahead and followed the ultrademocratic game plan they'd set out with at the start, to have each of the band members record a disc under their name... This time around, it's drummer Domenico's turn, and the shift in musical direction is quite remarkable... This album boasts a pronouncedly modern, American-style tilt towards brash, bright electronic pop and indierock motifs worthy of any critic's darling out of Seattle, Portland or Chicago. The band dips into some softer, textured melodies that borrow from the bossa nova stylebook, but for the most part the point seems to be to make sure that we can see that the kids in Brazil are keeping up with hipsters in the rest of the world. This disc may not have the same mellow, mystic allure as their debut, but it's still pretty darn good, and consistently engaging. Worth checking out!
(See also: the +2 discography page.)
Dominguinhos - see artist discography
Joao Donato - see artist discography
Donga/Various Artists "A Musica De Donga" (Philips, 1974)
Legendary samba composer Donga (1890-1974) was a Rio native who worked for decades with choro pioneer Pixinguinha, and whose song "Pelo Telefone" is considered to have been the first samba song ever recorded, back in 1917. This album, which was released the year he died, is a tribute featuring artists such as Almirante, Elizete Cardoso, drummer Mestre Marcal, and an up-and-coming Leci Brandao. The disc also features a lengthy interview from 1969 wherein Donga discusses his career and music... Donga can be heard performing with Pixinguinha in the Oitos Batutas group, as well as in their Depression-era band, the Orquestra Tipica Donga-Pixinguinha. But for a more modern, nostalgic look at his work, this disc is pretty nice.
Dona Edith Do Prato "Vozes Da Purificacao" (Quintanda, 2003)
A delicious folkloric set of sambas de roda (circle sambas), featuring an elderly, 87-year old Bahian singer with a remarkably robust voice. Sounds very similar to records by Clementina De Jesus or Ivonne Lara; likewise, Dona Edith has attracted some heavy-hitting "youngsters" to her side, including Maria Bethania and Caetano Veloso, who each contribute sweetly restrained duet vocals, and Mariene De Castro, who sings on several songs. As the head of the Quintanda label, Bethania is the album's executive producer; I believe Dona Edith and her Vozes Da Purificacao ensemble have also been featured on some of Bethania's recent albums. Nice record... recommended!
Dona Edith Do Prato "Dona Edith Do Prato" (Eldorado, 2006)
Jackson Do Pandeiro - see artist discography
Pernambuco Do Pandeiro & Seu Regional "Batucando No Morro" (Tiger, 1958)
Future avant-jazz pioneer Hermeto Pascoal plays accordion on this lively forro set...
Robertinho Do Recife "Jardim Do Infancia" (1977)
Robertinho Do Recife (& Hermeto Pascoal) "Robertinho No Passo" (1978) (LP)
An ambitious -- but irritating -- jazz-fusion update of the frenetic, fast-paced frevo style popular in the state of Recife. Guitarist Robertinho do Recife blazes away on noodly riffs, as avant-jazzman Hermeto Pascoal crafts an unusual, challenging soundscape, replete with Moog, keyboards and a large band behind him. I found it all rather grating and annoying, but despite myself I was slowly drawn in to their web, as I gave the disc a second chance. Anyone interested in fusion music as an avant-garde artform, as opposed to a brand of muzak, might want to check this out. The instruments themselves -- the production sound and guitar tone, etc. -- sound quite dated, but the music is quite futuristic, edging into a spazzy kind of electronica, with lots of weird tones and densely layered passages. It's not very pleasant or relaxing, but it is innovative and weird.
Robertinho Do Recife "Brilhantes" (2007)
Dorina "Samba.com" (2000)
Dorina "Eu Canta Samba" (2005)
Dorina "Samba De Fa" (2005)
Dorina/Carlinhos 7 Corda/Claudio Jorge "O Violao E O Samba" (Brazil & Us, 2009)
Dorina/Claudio Jorge/Carlinhos 7 Corda "O Violao E O Samba" (Brazil & Us, 2009)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Convite Para Ouvir" (Parrot, 1992)
Slow-paced ballads from a crooner who was best known for his work on the film Black Orpheus. This disc includes his versions of "A Felicidade," and "Manha De Carnaval," which were originally from the film. For the most part, this collection is full of slower, super-syrupy romantic material, Brazilian boleros, practically... It's okay, but probably not for everyone; similar in tone to Jair Rodrigues's schmaltzier material.
Agostinho Dos Santos "Agostinho Dos Santos" (InterCD, 2000)
Although this cheaply packaged reissue starts off with a drab, later recording, the remainder of the record seems to be earlier material, from the late 1960s (judging from the inclusion of early Chico Buarque tunes, etc. ) and was apparently recorded, at least in part, in Portugal, where Dos Santos spent part of his career. Again, it's fairly underwhelming material, probably of limited interest to the average Brazilian music aficiando. It's skippable.
Agostinho Dos Santos "Uma Voz E Seus Sucessos" (Polydor, 1957)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Antonio Carlos Jobim E Fernando Cesar... Na Voz De Agostinho Dos Santos" (Polydor, 1958)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Espetacular" (RGE, 1958)
Agostinho Dos Santos "O Inimitavel Agostinho" (RGE, 1959)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Agostinho, Sempre Agostinho" (RGE, 1960)
Agostinho Dos Santos "...Canta Sucessos" (RGE, 1961)
Agostinho Dos Santos "A Presenca De..." (RGE, 1962)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Os Grandes Sucessos" (RGE, 1962)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Vanguarda" (RGE, 1963)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Agostinho Dos Santos" (Elenco, 1966)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Musica Nossa" (Ritmos, 1967)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Agostinho Dos Santos" (London, 1970)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Agostinho Dos Santos" (Continental, 1973)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Perolas" (Som Livre, 2000)
Agostinho Dos Santos "Grandes Vozes" (Som Livre, 2007)
A strong set of early work -- probably the best CD to aim for if you want to check this guy out!
Joao Do Vale "O Poeta Do Povo" (Philips, 1965)
Rough-hewn acoustic samba music, with a distinct folkie feel, similar to Dorival Caymmi's work of the late 1950s... Do Vale and his songwriting partner Ze Keti became famous as standard-bearers of authentic "people's" culture during the politicization of the early 1960s bossa nova scene. The prole-y political posturing, along with the stentorian delivery, make this a little less fun than it might otherwise be, but it's still a neat album, and certainly a document of its times. I'm not sure who the backing musicians are, but overall this is a nice samba set, though perhaps not as sensuous or alluring as other albums in the style.
Joao Do Vale "Convida" (1981)
Joao Do Vale "Joao Do Vale" (Columbia, 1981)
Composer Joao Do Vale had huge commercial success in the early 'Sixties with his politically-oriented songs on various "shows" and theatre pieces (particularly the popular play, "Opinao," co-written with Ze Keti, which made a bossa nova star out of Nara Leao) But for whatever reasons, Do Vale rarely recorded on his own, and this disc was only the second of three albums he completed within his lifetime. Although it starts off on shaky ground, with an overly saccharine MPB arrangement (to "Na Asa Do Vento"), this album quickly settles into more comfortable, classy terrain. Working with the top of Northeastern Brazil's pop crop -- Ze Ramalho, Jackson Do Pandeiro, Luiz Gonzaga Jr., Alceu Valenca -- and other luminaries such as Chico Buarque (who co-produced the album), Tom Jobim, Nara Leao and Clara Nunes -- Do Vale gets a nice cohesive sound out of an all-star cast. May be a bit mushy for some, but there was certainly much worse to be heard in MPB at this time. Worth checking out.
