Curation 0607 The Gear Shop

The twelfth record in our Brazil 45s series - http://www.mrbongo.com/products/elza-soares-mas-que-nada-elizabeth-vou-falar-lhe-francamente-7

A. Elza Soares - Mas Que Nada
AA. Elizabeth - Vou Falar-Lhe Francamente

Elza Soares - Mas Que Nada

Finn Rees, one of the key members of Melbourne’s bubbling music scene, announces his debut solo album, Dawn Is A Melody on Mr Bongo with the first single, ‘Looking Up’. As part of 30/70 and Close Counters his previous work has found form in its groove, Dawn Is A Melody instead places the piano and arrangements centre stage, embracing a timeless warmth infused with bittersweet melodies and saturated textures.
 
The lead single ‘Looking Up’ is a divine dose of uplifting, soul-rousing optimism that kicks off the album. A blank canvas for Finn and a whole host of Melbourne’s finest talent to fill with colour. Sitting between spiritual and cinematic, the track instantly envelops you in a swell of vintage hues, Lucky Pereira feathering the drums as Blakely McLean Davies riffs on the double bass. Finn’s fingers flow across the ‘70s Yamaha grand piano, delicately dancing around Siwei Wong’s stunning harp playing as the track builds and breaks. A sublime string section made up of Chloe Danger, Eunise Cheng, Nils Hobiger and McLean Davies, alongside shimmering vocal harmonies by 30/70 bandmate Allysha Joy, lift the track to limitless heights.
 
Finn’s layered synthwork on the Moog and Prophet provides a contemporary touch to proceedings, but one of the beauties of ‘Looking Up’ and the rest of the Dawn Is A Melody is its inability to be placed by age or era. A blend of inspirations from Arthur Verocai to Alice Coltrane, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson to Kamasi Washington, tied together with recording and mix engineer Henry Jenkin’s vintage recording setup warmth.
 
Just as the swell washed in at the start, the tide draws ‘Looking Up’ to a close, fading back out across the horizon as the sun sets another story.

Finn Rees - Looking Up

‘Expansion’ is the second single from Melbourne-based, Finn Rees’ forthcoming debut album, Dawn Is A Melody. A Brazilian-inspired, spirit-embracing jazz immersion, that nods to greats like Luiz Eça, Dom Salvador and Cesar Camargo Mariano yet showcases the vibrancy of Finn’s contemporary palette. 

Further illuminating the microcosm of colour that is Dawn Is A Melody, ‘Expansion’ explores the connection between the worldly and those cosmic realms that float in between, with the help of some of Melbourne’s finest musicians. Igniting the track, Lucky Pereira’s exquisite drumming marries with Blakely McLean Davies’ strutting double bass playing, as a Latin touch shines through Dom Kirk’s percussion. 

Sitting at the helm, Finn’s signature mastery across the keys from the ‘70s Yamaha grand piano to the warming tones of the Rhodes, elevate your mind to a weightless dimension. Enhancing those earthly measures, he taps into the cosmic-channelling Moog to add an undertone of interstellar electronics.  A foundation that gives ground for the triplet of horns to form a harmonious unison, Audrey Powne on trumpet, Cheryl Durongpisitkul on tenor sax, Josh Moshe on alto sax, all gliding as one. 

Both grounded and galactic, it’s an intricate, soulful and spiritual jazz journey with a depth and richness that is perfectly saturated by recording and mix engineer Henry Jenkin’s vintage recording setup.

Finn Rees - Expansion

Mr Bongo proudly presents the debut album from Tasmania-born, Melbourne-based, Finn Rees. Gliding across a swirling palette of saturated hues, Dawn Is A Melody feels vintage yet vibrant, new but familiar at the same time. A spiritual, deep and textured jazz record, tipping its hat to greats from the past, capturing memories and reformulating them into new ideas with the help of some of Melbourne’s finest talent.

Expert keys player for the likes of 30/70 and Elle Shimada, alongside one-half of Close Counters, this debut LP was Finn’s conscious departure from the realm of groove-based jazz. Instead, Dawn Is A Melody places the piano and arrangements centre stage, giving Finn and his fellow Melbourne crew freedom to explore the spaces in between, new emotions and alternate soundscapes.

In Finn’s own words: “My intention with Dawn Is A Melody was to create a world; a microcosm of colour. Something rich and beautiful that allowed the melodies and compositions to reach their full potential. It was driven by hope, curiosity and the search for beauty and reassurance in this ever-changing world. The emotion behind the music is really about the journey of life, growing up and changing, as well as my relationship with Tasmania’s natural landscapes where I grew up, a part of the world that is incredibly unique and beautiful.”

The album arcs between opening, middle and end. Beginning with the optimism of ‘Looking Up’ and ‘Lagoon’, the former a celestial, string and harp marbled slice of positivity, the latter a spiritual journey of exuberance and hope, Finn’s fingers dancing across the ‘70s Yamaha grand piano. From there the songs blossom outwards with the cinematic soulful journey of ‘It’s Behind Me Now’ and Brazilian-inspired ‘Expansion’, as the divine ‘Crossing’ signals a transition to a new realm. The energy is transformed from the rich cosmic textures to a more intimate and personal feeling with ‘Ablaze’, ‘Between Spaces’ and ‘As It Passes’ which blissfully fades down to simply piano and strings to close out the record.

Recorded at Rolling Stock in Collingwood, Melbourne, Henry Jenkins was drafted in as recording and mix engineer, his minimal vintage mic setups giving a live aesthetic and warmth to the arrangements. Lucky Pereira and Blakely McLean Davies form the rock-solid rhythm section, with a hand-picked line-up of other Melbourne talent on display, including Cheryl Durongpitikul on tenor sax, Siwei Wong on harp, Audrey Powne on trumpet and Allysha Joy on vocals to name only a few.

Plotting a course from Alice Coltrane, through Herbie Hancock, to Arthur Verocai, this is a debut nourished by the past but firmly made in the present. A record unable to be age-stamped, casting ambiguity as to when, what era and by whom it has been crafted. Like a vintage lens capturing a current scene, Dawn Is A Melody is warm and familiar yet focused on the here now.

Finn Rees - It's Behind Me Now

Finn Rees - Horizons

Finn Rees - Lagoon

http://www.mrbongo.com/product/tudo-ben-jorge-ben-covered-cd-1149

A collection of covers of master Brazilian musician and writer Jorge Ben. With such classics under his belt as Mas Que Nada, covered by the likes of Sergio Mendes, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Al Jarreau, and the song Taj Mahal which was the source of Rod Stewart’s Do You Think I’m Sexy?, Ben is a huge force in Brazilian popular music.

Often described as the James Brown of Brazilian music due to his prolific output, he is the most sampled Brazilian artist ever with people from the Black Eyed Peas to DJ Marky lifting elements off his tracks. His song catalogue has also been covered by some of the finest bands in Brazil.

This selection represents a more dance-floor orientated outing including mega rarities for the collecting fiends like Cosa Nostra by Os Mutreteiros Grilados and tracks that even Ben himself never got around to singing like Rei Do Maracatu's Cyro Aguiar.
Available on CD, LP, 7" and digital download.


Salinas - Tenha Fé, Pois Amanhà Um Lindo Dia Vai Nascer

Wilson Simonal - País Tropical

Friends, let's get a little nostalgic.
Who of you lived in the 1990s? Where did you live in them? Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, or maybe in Miami?

At that time, we were experiencing our first feelings, building our first relationships in all directions. The world was huge and women were so beautiful. And men too. In general, everything was cool, really cool.

Close your eyes and go back to the past for 5 minutes.

Romulla - Timeless - R&B - 1994's Sound

Brazil 45, number 52 – http://www.mrbongo.com/products/antonio-adolfo-a-brazuka-gloria-glorinha-erasmo-carlos-os-tremendoes-coqueiro-verde-7

‘Gloria Glorinha’ – quirky, upbeat MPB-funk with soaring vocals, JB esque stabs, horns and bubbling piano. Originally released as part of a 4-track 7” EP on Odeon from 1970. This is the third appearance for Antonio Adolfo in the Brazil 45 series, previously with ‘Transamazonica’ (BRZ45.11) and ‘Dois Minutos De Uma Nova Dia’ (BRZ45.048).

‘Coqueiro Verde’ is taken from Erasmo’s sought after ‘Erasmo Carlos E Os Tremendões’ LP from 1970 on RGE. Uplifting percussive Samba/MPB laiden with horns and woodwind. Erasmo – one of the leading figures in 70/80s Brazilian alongside Jorge Ben, Tim Maia and Veloso – also appears on our ‘Brazilian Beats Brooklyn’ compilation with the brilliant ‘Jeep’; this is his first appearance in the Brazil 45’s series.

Erasmo Carlos & Os Tremendões – Coqueiro Verde

Rita Lee - Agora é Moda

Ela é minha menina

Far Out Recordings proudly presents the 1975 self-titled debut album from Brazilian vocalist and bossa nova luminary Emilio Santiago. Nicknamed ‘the Nat King Cole of Brazil’, Santiago was a master bossa balladeer and a top-class crooner. But he is known equally for his Brazilian funk, soul and boogie classics. One of his best know is album opener ‘Bananeira’, a party-starting version of the song originally written by Joao Donato and Gilberto Gil. ‘Brother’ is a smooth-grooving killer with great horn arrangements and a huge backing choir, while ‘La Mulata’ is a soulful, swinging salsa stepper.

Originally released on the CID label, the album showcases the full range of Emilio’s talents, while paying homage to some of Brazil’s greatest composers, including Jorge Ben, Marcos and Sergio Valle and Ivan Lins among others. 

The credits on the album are a ‘who’s who’ of Brazil’s greats, with João Donato on keys, Wilson das Neves, Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti and Paulinho on drums, Durval Ferreira, Carlos Roberto Rocha and Helio Delmiro on guitar, Ariovaldo, Orlandivo, and Chacal on percussion, Danilo Caymmi on flute, a brass section featuring Victor Assis Brasil, Edson Maciel and Jesse Sadoc, and backing vocals from Jaime and Nair, Lúcia Lins, Jurema and Marcio Lott.

Emilio Santiago - Brother

Emilio Santiago - Bananeira

O movimento samba Soul teve fulgor, no Rio, nos anos 70. Este tema maravilhoso prova-o!

01 Coluna Do Meio - Zeca Do Trombone & Roberta Sax

Helio Matheus - Eu, Réu, me condeno

7" Eu, Réu, me condeno / Feijão com farinha
RCA VICTOR, 1973

Helio Matheus - Eu, réu, me condeno (1973)

Record label. Record shop. Film label. Since 1989.

Salinas - Tenha Fé, Pois Amanhà Um Lindo Dia Vai Nascer

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