MONICA VASCONCELOS - The Sao Paulo Tapes
MOVAS005
Monica Vasconcelos - voice; Ife Tolentino - guitaR; Liam Noble - piano; Andres Lafone - bass guitar; Yaron Stavi - bass; Marius Rodrigues - drums
The subtitle for this record is ‘Brasilian Resistance Songs’ - it’s a collection of material from the golden age of Musica Popular Brasilieira, or MPB, when artists like João Bosco, Caetono Veloso Chico Buarque and Gonzaguinha blended the folkloric sounds of their native Brasil with influences from American jazz and funk and current pop sounds such as the Beatles to create a vibrant international hybrid. This period also coincided with Brasil’s 20-year repressive military dictatorship; many of the writers represented here were censored, imprisoned or fled to the UK (hence those Beatles influences), and underneath the infectiously joyful spirit of the music there are messages of defiance and resistance, giving an added weight and depth to much of the material.
In keeping with the original music’s international outlook, the band is a blue-ribbon blend with top-flight players from South America, the UK and Israel, and the music is as immaculately performed as you might expect. Pianist Liam Noble contributes a pair of apposite interludes that show him absorbing the language into his own unmistakeable voice. The arrangements are dominated by nylon string guitar, light, sensitive drumming from Rodrigues and Vasconcelos’ warm, clear vocals - the obvious reference is Joyce Moreno, especially on the storming version of Bosco’s ‘Ronco Da Cuica’ and the baião flavoured ‘Disparada’ - Vasconcelos’ voice has a similar tone and delivery, and the carefully plotted, tastefully swinging arrangements are reminiscent of Joyce’s early 80s releases with her husband, drummer Tutty Moreno. There’s great solo work from Noble, especially on ‘Mestre-Salas dos Mares’ and the rich tones of Stavi’s bowed double bass add sonorous weight to ‘Agnus Sei’ and the album’s stand-out, the astonishing and little known composition ‘Sete Centas De Imyra’ by the heavily censored artist Taiguara Chalar da Silva. Non-Lusanophones can benefit from the detailed booklet included that gives cultural and historical background to each song, but this album is equally accessible to all by virtue of the superb quality of the performances, and the arrangements that do justice to the timeless quality of the songwriting from some of Brasil’s greatest composers.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
MOVAS005
Monica Vasconcelos - voice; Ife Tolentino - guitaR; Liam Noble - piano; Andres Lafone - bass guitar; Yaron Stavi - bass; Marius Rodrigues - drums
The subtitle for this record is ‘Brasilian Resistance Songs’ - it’s a collection of material from the golden age of Musica Popular Brasilieira, or MPB, when artists like João Bosco, Caetono Veloso Chico Buarque and Gonzaguinha blended the folkloric sounds of their native Brasil with influences from American jazz and funk and current pop sounds such as the Beatles to create a vibrant international hybrid. This period also coincided with Brasil’s 20-year repressive military dictatorship; many of the writers represented here were censored, imprisoned or fled to the UK (hence those Beatles influences), and underneath the infectiously joyful spirit of the music there are messages of defiance and resistance, giving an added weight and depth to much of the material.
In keeping with the original music’s international outlook, the band is a blue-ribbon blend with top-flight players from South America, the UK and Israel, and the music is as immaculately performed as you might expect. Pianist Liam Noble contributes a pair of apposite interludes that show him absorbing the language into his own unmistakeable voice. The arrangements are dominated by nylon string guitar, light, sensitive drumming from Rodrigues and Vasconcelos’ warm, clear vocals - the obvious reference is Joyce Moreno, especially on the storming version of Bosco’s ‘Ronco Da Cuica’ and the baião flavoured ‘Disparada’ - Vasconcelos’ voice has a similar tone and delivery, and the carefully plotted, tastefully swinging arrangements are reminiscent of Joyce’s early 80s releases with her husband, drummer Tutty Moreno. There’s great solo work from Noble, especially on ‘Mestre-Salas dos Mares’ and the rich tones of Stavi’s bowed double bass add sonorous weight to ‘Agnus Sei’ and the album’s stand-out, the astonishing and little known composition ‘Sete Centas De Imyra’ by the heavily censored artist Taiguara Chalar da Silva. Non-Lusanophones can benefit from the detailed booklet included that gives cultural and historical background to each song, but this album is equally accessible to all by virtue of the superb quality of the performances, and the arrangements that do justice to the timeless quality of the songwriting from some of Brasil’s greatest composers.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
