Jazz pianist Manfredo Fest (1936-1999) was a leading light of the Brazilian jazz scene, both before and after the bossa nova era. Fest was perhaps more adventurous and nuanced than man of his bossa-era compatriots, moving away from the clattersome "bossa trio" sound that dominated Brazilian jazz in the early 1960s. In the 1970s, he moved to America and worked for a while with Sergio Mendes but never attained the same level of recognition as many other Brazilian expatriates. Nonetheless, he left behind an interesting musical legacy... Here's a quick look at his work...
Manfredo Fest "Bossa Nova, Nova Bossa" (1963) (LP)
Manfredo Fest "Evolucao" (RGE, 1964) (LP)
Manfredo Fest Trio "Alma Brasileira" (RGE, 1964-?) (LP)
An early outing that's mostly typical bossa "jazz trio" material, with the same full-speed ahead, go-go-go feel that all the Braz-jazz bands of that era seemed to exult in. Interestingly, although Fest became known as an artist who played the keyboards in a rhythmic, percussive manner, on these early recordings he actually shows more melodic nuance than many of his contemporaries. It's not great, groundbreaking, jazz, but Fest did have a subtle feel that was lacking in other pianists of the time. This disc starts off with his medley of "Maria" tunes -- Carlos Lyra's "Maria Ninguem," "Eu Sem Maria" by Dorival Caymmi, Ary Barroso's "Maria," "Sohno De Maria" by Marcos Valle, and others -- the performance is a little clunky, but I bet the concept wowed audiences back in '66... Worth a spin.
Manfredo Fest Trio "Manfredo Fest Trio" (RGE, 1965) (LP)
(Produced by Jose Scatena)
A mostly-manic set, with a fast-paced feel in keeping with the aggressive vibe of the "jazz trios" scene. One highlight is the tune, "M.E. Vestido Amarelo," on which Fest overdubs his recording to add an organ line on top of the piano, and sets a slinky, sinuous tone that's much more relaxed than the rest of the album... The rest of it's a bit too brisk and propulsive for my taste.
Manfredo Fest "Some People" (1965) (LP)
Manfredo Fest "Alma Brasileira" (1966) (LP)
Os Sambeatles "Os Sambeatles" (Fermata Records, 1966) (LP)
(Produced by Manoel Barenboim & John Kibelkatis)
Brisk, bright, unsubtle covers of a dozen early Beatles classics, with pert jazz combo backings that mostly serve to frame Manfredo Fest's piano plunking. I can't say this really stuck to my ribs or really resonated in any way, though there is a playful, Vince Guaraldi-type feel to his performance that's a little fun. Kitschy, though, mostly. The band name, of course, is a pun on the term used for samba musicians, sambistas. Hah. I get it now. Speaking of the band, alas the drummer and bassist are not identified.
Manfredo Fest "Bossa Rio" (A&M Records, 1969) (LP)
Manfredo Fest "Alegria" (Blue Thumb Records, 1970) (LP)
Manfredo Fest "Bossa Rock Blues" (1972) (LP)
Manfredo Fest "Brazilian Dorian Dream" (T&M Productions, 1976) (LP)
Manfredo Fest "Manifestations" (Tabu Records, 1979) (LP)
Manfredo Fest "Jungle Cat" (DMP Records, 1989)
Manfredo Fest "Braziliana" (DMP Records, 1990)
Manfredo Fest "...And Friends" (1992)
Manfredo Fest "Oferenda" (Concord Records, 1994)
Manfredo Fest "Comecar De Novo" (Concord Records, 1995)
Manfredo Fest "Fascinating Rhythm" (Concord Records, 1996)
Manfredo Fest & Dave Setten "Dragau Vermelho (Red Dragon)" (Igmod Records, 1996)
Manfredo Fest "Amazonas" (Concord Records, 1997)
Manfredo Fest "Just Jobim" (DMP Records, 1998)
Manfredo Fest & Brian Torff "Some Call It Jazz" (DVD) (2006)
Manfredo Fest & Hendrik Meurkens "Dig This Samba! Hendrik Meurkens Meets Manfredo Fest " (Candid Records, 1998)
Manfredo Fest "Prestigo: Manfredo Fest Trio" (RGE, 1994)
This CD combines material from two early 1960s albums -- the self-titled Manfredo Fest Trio from 1964 and its companion, "Alma Brasileira, which both came out on the RGE label. If you're looking into vintage Brazilian jazz, this is definitely an album to check out. (See LP reviews above.)
