Variações do Fado 1

"Silêncio... Que Se Vai Cantar o Fado!"

Ainda hoje não está resolvido o mistério da origem do Fado. Há quem veja nele um traço da presença árabe na Península, quem o julgue derivado da boca dos trovadores medievais e quem lhe descubra uma relação com o folclore do Norte de Portugal, ou ainda com as toadas dos pescadores no mar alto. Mas a tese mais credível associa-o às cadências africanas levadas pelos escravos para o Brasil - onde deram lugar a uma forma próxima, o lundum - , daí transportadas para Portugal em princípios do século XIX. Nos anos 30, o musicólogo inglês Rodney Gallop resolve a polémica escrevendo que é a «síntese, estilizada por séculos de lenta evolução, de todas as influências musicais que afectaram o povo de Lisboa».

O que importa, na verdade, é que o Fado está há muito identificado como a música singela do bas-fond lisboeta, da vida equívoca dos seus bairros populares, da fauna das suas tabernas, casas de pasto e prostíbulos. Como o próprio nome denuncia, o Fado é feito de resignação, de uma sorte madrasta, de uma vida sem esperança, de uma tragédia mansa. As suas letras, impregnadas de sentimentalismo, melancolia e saudosismo, lidam com a marginalidade e a boémia, os amores frustrados e os abandonos, as roturas familiares e a morte.

Durante a primeira metade do século XX subsistiu o Fado “castiço”, o fado vadio cantado de improviso em tascas, por vezes à desgarrada, por gente de profissões proletárias ou incertas, a que aparecem associados proxenetas, prostitutas, vadios e aventureiros. Este cenário irá incomodar os algozes do Estado Novo e da Ditadura, que chegam a regulamentar em 1927 as actuações ao vivo, abrangendo todo e qualquer recanto onde se cante o Fado, por mais discreto que fosse. Nessa regulamentação estipulava-se uma licença oficial para se poder cantar, a qual só podia ser obtida através da apresentação de um registo criminal limpo. Por outro lado, todas as letras tinham de ser sujeitas a censura prévia, restringindo-se a diversidade de temas abordados e eliminando-se a práctica do improviso.

Os novos meios de comunicação sonora vão por seu turno contribuir para multiplicar a audiência do Fado, mas também para conformá-lo à dimensão de uma canção normal, que coubesse na face de um disco de 78 rotações. Na rádio, mais uma vez, a censura é rigorosa, produzindo-se uma selectividade de músicas e intérpretes. Na rota da crescente audiência do Fado devido à revista popular, o primeiro filme sonoro português é dedicado à mais lendária das fadistas: “A Severa” (1932), de Leitão de Barros.

A partir do final dos anos 30, princípios dos anos 40, o Fado torna-se um género musical de enorme popularidade, muito para lá das fronteiras da capital, com ídolos como Ercília Costa, Berta Cardoso, Hermínia Silva e o mais mítico dos fadistas: Alfredo Duarte, dito o “Marceneiro”. A sua apresentação faz-se agora em casas da especialidade, espaços que muitas vezes se designam como “retiros”, “adegas” ou “tavernas” para reclamar autenticidade mas que se querem respeitáveis e que fazem alarde da sua frequência distinta, desde diplomatas a pacatas famílias da classe média. Fixam-se os instrumentos do Fado (guitarra e viola, com suporte da viola-baixo) e codifica-se a sua execução, com o contributo de populares tocadores como Armando Freire (o “Armandinho”) ou Georgino de Sousa, ambos falecidos na segunda metade dos anos 40.

As fadistas ritualizam a execução com um xaile que se torna obrigatório, enquanto Marceneiro impõe a roupa preta. Em Lisboa, torna-se um must para o turista visitar uma casa de fados, decorada com típicos motivos “castiços”, agora recuperados para consumo burguês. Mas para além da casa de fados tradicional, o Fado começa a ouvir-se em todo o lado: cafés, esplanadas, restaurantes, solares, colectividades e auditórios, sempre com um público entusiástico e apreciador.
Acima de qualquer outro, um nome é responsável por esta consagração: Amália Rodrigues. Revelada ainda em 1939, Amália imprime às suas interpretações uma tensão, um dramatismo e uma convicção até então desconhecidos. Cedo se torna numa espécie de rainha da noite de uma Lisboa que se diverte enquanto a Europa é destruída. Inicia pouco depois uma fulgurante carreira internacional, que levará o nome de Portugal aos quatro cantos do mundo. Com Amália, o Fado é agora, depois do vinho do Porto, o melhor produto de exportação português.

A partir dos meados dos anos 50 o Fado começa a intelectualizar-se, apesar de continuar a preservar uma faceta de índole marcadamente popular. Cruzando influências musicais e culturais diversas, começa a usufruir dos novos públicos que o teatro de revista, a rádio, a gravação em disco e o cinema, progressivamente lhe trazem. O seu trajecto confunde-se com a evolução da própria cidade lisboeta e da sua população. A poesia dita erudita descobre o universo fadista pela mão de figuras literárias tão proeminentes como David Mourão Ferreira, José Régio, Pedro Homem de Mello, Luíz de Macedo, Alexandre O’Neill, Cecília Meireles, José Carlos Ary dos Santos, Manuel Alegre, entre tantos outros. Mas a entrada da poesia no Fado não foi pacífica, houve críticas, como recorda Carlos do Carmo, um dos principais responsáveis pelo engrandecimento do género: «Cheguei a ter receio disso, mas hoje estou-me nas tintas. Nunca o fiz na tentativa de ser o menino transgressor, antes por acreditar que vale sempre a pena seguir em frente.» Em mais de 40 anos de carreira Carlos do Carmo construiu um repertório de figuras tão distintas como Teixeira de Pascoais, Pedro Támen, António Lobo Antunes, Fernando Pessoa ou Camões.

Felizmente, este relacionamento da poesia com o Fado manteve-se até aos nossos dias e deu os seus frutos. Hoje, as novissimas gerações já não prescindem do adorno da poesia para as melodias que entoam: basta ouvir-se Ana Moura, Camané, Cristina Branco ou Mariza para percebermos que o Fado percorreu um longo caminho desde os seus tempos de vadiagem.

Agora que se estreia em Portugal o já aclamado filme-documentário “Fados”, de Carlos Saura, cujo argumento se resume à trilha sonora composta por várias vertentes do Fado, Rato Records achou oportuno iniciar mais esta colecção, intitulada “Variações do Fado”, que irá reunir as vozes do passado e do presente, as versões clássicas e as modernas, num desfile de perspectivas diversas sobre o género. E faço minhas as palavras do realizador espanhol: «Adoro o fado porque está marcado pela saudade, pela melancolia. Nasce da despedida, de quando a gente partia para as colónias e segue vivo pelo sentimento, como se comprova vendo os fadistas cantarem de olhos fechados. O fado é força, é sincero e honesto, e expressa o sentimento do carácter português».

E agora, silêncio...

THE BEAT OF THE BRASS

Original Release on LP A&M 146 / SP 4146

(May 1968)

The Brass give us more trademark arrangements on this album, and this is the first album by Herb Alpert to spawn a Billboard number one single! "This Guy's In Love With You" was a first Number One for Herb Alpert, composers Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and the record label A&M. The single itself was credited only to Herb Alpert, due to his vocals and lack of TJB contribution; Pete Jolly provides the electric piano opening to this classic tune. This album coincided with a television special which featured the songs from this album, and reaction to the show's vocal opening tune was enough to convince A&M to release it as a single. The Pisano/Alpert song "Slick" is a great big band jazz workout tune, and one of the late Julius Wechter's best tunes, "Panama", can be found on this album. This would be the final A&M album commercially available in both stereo (SP 4146) and monaural (LP 146) versions.

Original Liner Notes:

The beat of America is more than a musical experience. It finds its pulse and rhythms in the very life of the country: the crack of a bat against a baseball, the spinning wheels and pounding machinery of a modern factory, a swinging crowd in New Orleans at Mardu Gras, a saddle brone twisting desperately against his rider – a young girl walking. Add the shimmering lights of Times Square, State Street and the Las Vegas Strip, the rhythmic churning of a Mississippi paddlewheel, and a man in love with a woman.All these form a small part of the American beat – and the American beat itself merely reflects the life of people from any and everywhere. The tempo of life – as varied and moody, sad and capricious, driving and smooth as the tempo of Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. Listen to the beat of people alive – listen to the Beat of the Brass. (Tom Mankiewicz)

WALLPAPER: "The Beat of the Brass"

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DEMIS ROUSSOS EN ESPAÑOL

"When the Moon is in the 7th House..."

Original Released on LP Command

ABC 946-S (1969)

- Not available on CD, as far as I know -
(Directly ripped from the vinyl album)

Programming by Walter Sear

Cover Art by Byron Goto

Notes:

Some may find it surprising that a "Programmer" is credited on this album considering that it was released in 1969. The Moog Synthesizer was employed here along with the Maestro Rhythmaster (an early drum machine) to record tunes by The Beatles, Booker T & the MGs, James Brown, Joni Mitchell and more. As the cover photos will attest, analog synths were no walk in the park. You didn't stroll up, select "flute" from the drop down menu on the display and proceed to make with the flute music. Oh no, gentle reader. This was work for the engineers, the brain trust, the geeks. Patching the various wave shapers, oscillators and such took an inordinate amount of involvement. But I'm glad someone took it upon themselves to do it for us. The cover art has one foot in the Aquarian age and one in the space age. Very cool daddy-O. In a delightfully cheesy way, of course. (in Trafalz Archives)

Born in New York City in 1927, Dick Hyman studied at Columbia University and played with some of the greatests Jazz musicians like Teddy Wilson, Red Norvo, and Benny Goodman… In the late ‘60s he investigated the earliest periods of Jazz and Ragtime and researched and recorded the music of some of the first early Jazz figures. Hyman experimented with various keyboard instruments, including Baldwin and Lowrey organs. In the late 60’s he recorded a series of Avant-Garde albums using a Minimoog synthesizer focused in the instrument. He recorded some of the most appreciated albums from the Space Age Pop. Hyman has also worked for TV, scoring film soundtracks for Woody Allen, and as a Jazz pianist and organist.

From Dick Hyman Wiki:

“The Age of Electronicus was an experimental 1969 album of electronic music recorded by jazz pianist Dick Hyman and released on Command Records.The album was one of many in the period which saw then-current popular songs set to Moog synthesizer. Two songs from The Beatles were covered, namely the album’s opening track of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and Blackbird, both from the so-called “White Album.” Musical styles ran the gamut from the funk of the number one R&B hit Give It Up Or Turn It Loose by James Brown, the Memphis soul hit instrumental Green Onions by Booker T. & the M.G.’s to easy listening, evidenced by covers of Alfie and the Joni Mitchell hit, Both Sides Now.”

VINTAGE COVERS

It would be nice if someone

could fill these covers...

WALLPAPER: "With a Little Help..."

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(By courtesy of Bernardo)

WALLPAPER: "Hit The Road, Jack"

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(By courtesy of Bernardo)

SWINGING HAMMOND

NATASCHA 72

ZACHARIAS SUPERGOLD: 1968 >>> 1977

LET'S SEE SOME ACTION IN STEREO!

YOU ARE INVITED

TO LISTEN! TO DANCE! TO ENJOY!

ONE EXOTICA, EXCITING

INSTRUMENTAL NEW COLLECTION

FROM THE VAULTS OF RATO RECORDS!

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOG

Original Released as LP Dot Records DLP 25961

(1970) THIS IS A NEW UPLOAD BY REQUEST
- Not available on CD, as far as I know -

(Directly ripped from the vinyl album)

"Hey, man, I'd like to hear a little more of that phased rubber band."
That's just one of the comments that went down at the time this album was recorded. Because The Plastic Cow Goes MOOOOOOG is a pioneer effort in many ways, an entirely new language had to be created for its production.

According to composer/arranger/performer Mike Melvoin, "The public misconception of the Moog synthesizer, in my opinion, is that it's a bloodless, body-less sound-producing machine. This came to be the case because so many Moog albums, in the past, have relied on Moog effects rather than communicative musicianship for their foundations. This album is based on musicianship, performances, and repertoire more than effects. I think it's the first pop electronic album with a soul. It's a very human electronic album."
Just what is a Moog synthesizer? It's an electronic device that can create the four different basic sound waves with their characteristic tambours. After the initial production of the basic sound wave, a variety of different modulation devices enable the player to create innumerable different sounds and effects. The sounds of "old" standard musical instruments can be simulated, but more importantly, as in this album, entirely new musical instruments can be created.

The first recording session for this album produced the rhythm tracks for all the cuts.
Guitarist Dennis Budimir, drummers Paul Humphrey, Earl Palmer, and Colin Bailey, and Melvoin playing the bass register on the Moog laid down the rhythmic base for all the tunes. Future sessions involved Melvoin playing only the Moog as a composer/conductor "plays" an orchestra. The sounds in this album are within the ranges of all the standard musical instruments, but were not designed to duplicate their sounds.
Technical assistance was provided by Bernie Krause and Paul Beaver, electronic masters of the Moog synthesizer. They, along with producer Tom Mack, and Melvoin are the men responsible for the creation of the new Moog language needed to put together this album. Listen, if you will, for such onomatopoetic sounds as a "phased rubber band," a "glass shower," "damped bells," and a "soprano with a gurgle." They're there. You've never heard them before, but you will hear them again!
Mike Melvoin, originally from the jazz world, was the Musical Director of the nationally syndicated Woody Woodbury television show, and in the last several years has recorded with and for every major West Coast recording artist as a keyboard performer. One of America's most talented young musicians, he here makes great inroads in the electronic music field. The trail has been blazed, the sound has been phased. Sopranos with a gurgle . . . and listeners with an ear . . . may never be the same!

WALLPAPER: "Pink Floyd's Albums"

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WALLPAPER: "A Saucerfull Of Secrets"

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THE POP SIDE OF THE FLOYD

The first target of this collection are the people who never liked Pink Floyd too much. Or, at least, the experiment side of them. Of course I’m not included in that group, ‘cause I’ve always loved every side of the band. But many pop fans have many times catalogued the Pink Floyd’s sound as strange and “difficult” to listen to.

With this “Pop Side Of The Floyd” is my intention to convert those ceptics to the great and exciting music of one of the best bands in the Universe. The chosen period is precisely the first years (1967 – 1972), during which the band experimented almost everything, including… pop songs! Then, in March 73, came out “The Dark Side Of The Moon” and the Pink Floyd conquered the whole wide world. But that is another story…

WALLPAPER: "UFO SHOW 67"

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THOSE CLASSIC GOLDEN YEARS 28

WALLPAPER: "Hockney 1970"

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"Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy"

(Painting by David Hockney, 1970)

THOSE CLASSIC GOLDEN YEARS 27

VINTAGE COVERS

ANY HELP OUT THERE?

THOSE CLASSIC GOLDEN YEARS 26

Ricky King & Roberto Delgado

One more great instrumental album, from 1976, courtesy of Roman Schmahl (Pinicchio's Easy Listening Corner)

... and another, this one from 1971

BLUE HIPSTER

I forgot to mention (better later than never) that several instrumental albums shared here, on Rato's blog, were originally ripped by Bert from Blue Hipster site. Just click above, and you'll be directed to his groovy place.

WALLPAPER: "CSN Inside"

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"It's been a long time comin'..."

Original released as LP Atlantic SD8229 (US);

588189 (UK) - 1969, May 29

(Bonus Tracks included)
CREDITS:
David Crosby - rhythm guitar, vocals
Graham Nash- vocals
Stephen Stills - lead guitar, organ, bass, vocals
Dallas Taylor- drums
Bill Halverson - engineer
Gary Burden - art direction/design
Henry Diltz - cover photo
David Geffen - direction
Ahmet Ertegun - spiritual guidance
Produced by Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Graham Nash
Recorded at Wally Heider's Studio III, Los Angeles

Through the 1960s, power in the music industry gradually moved from managers, promoters, producers, and songwriters, to the performers themselves.
Many followed The Beatles’ example and wrote their own material, and by 1968 a small number of musicians were venerated as rock equivalents of the virtuosos of classical music. If one rock superstar made a band great, the logic ran, surely four superstars would make a group four times greater.

Stephen Stills had an early taste of the supergroup when he played on “Super Session”, a project arranged by keyboard player Al Kooper, where Stills shared guitar duties with Mike Bloomfield of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Previously Stills had been a member of Buffalo Springfield along with Neil Young. In 1969, David Crosby (ex-Byrds) and Graham Nash (ex-Hollies) sang together with Stills at a party in Los Angeles. Genuinely surprised by how well their voices blended, they got together and recorded this album, which made the US Top 30 and UK Top Ten. As well as the hit single “Marrakesh Express”, the album includes the multisectioned “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”, written for Judy Collins, and Crosby’s “Long Time Gone”, inspired by the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy and used by Michael Wadleigh as one of the tracks which introduced his Woodstock movie. “Lady of The Island” was about Joni Mitchell, and “Guinevere” was written for Crosby’s girlfriend Christine.

The album’s textured production perfectly suits the simmering vocal harmonies, and is to this day one of the more convincing arguments for old-fashioned vinyl and the analog mixing desk.
It would all go downhill from here, unfortunately. Despite their often-inspired work with Neil Young in the following decade, they would never quite shake off the “disillusioned hippies with too much money and drug problems” aura. But this first, excellent three-quarters of an hour of wistful exuberance remains a landmark.
(Joel McIver in “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die”)

WALLPAPER: "CSN Front"

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THE BOB DYLAN SONGBOOK - VOLUME 6

20 more covers to improve Dylan's songbook

WALLPAPER: "Dylan 67"

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(Designed by Milton Glaser)

Y VIVA ESPAÑA!

WALLPAPER: "Let's Dance The Mambo!"

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COOP!

And one of the vintage covers was filled.

One of the great West Coast tenors, Bob Cooper made even the most complex solos sound swinging and accessible. "Coop" joined Stan Kenton's big band in 1945, and he was a fixture with several of the editions (including the Innovations Orchestra) through 1951; in 1947, he married Kenton's singer, June Christy. After leaving Kenton, Cooper settled in Los Angeles, where he was a busy studio musician for the next four decades. He was a regular member of the Lighthouse All-Stars from 1952-1962, sometimes playing oboe and English horn (being the first strong jazz soloist on both of those instruments). The cool-toned tenor (whose sound fit into the "Four Brothers" style) was on many records in the 1950s (including those of Shorty Rogers, Pete Ruglo, and June Christy), and continued working steadily in Los Angeles-area clubs up until his death, in 1993 August 5.

PHILICORDA STARS...

These charmin' dancing couples happily demonstrates the possibilities of the Philicorda Organ. Philicordas were made in the late sixties in Holland by Philips (that's where their name comes from...). The back cover says: Demonstration record. Not for sale.

Sid Hamilton was the artist alias of Pierre Palla, who was born with the name Peter Pala (1902-1968). Well, what's wrong with this name? In 1922 he started as a pianoplayer in the Theater Orchestra of Max Tak in Theater Tuschinsky in Amsterdam. In 1928 he became an adviser and player of the organ and piano factory of Phillips in Germany. He did a lot of radio and televisionwork until his retirement in 1967.

WALLPAPER: "Je t'aime..."

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Je t'aime dix fois...

This post must bring some happiness to all Easy - Listening fans: it's the "JE T'AIME" complete series by Anthony Ventura's orchestra. Thanks to Roman Schmahl ("Pinnichio's easy-listening blog") who sent me all the files.

DISC 1 (1973)

DISC 2 (1975)

DISC 3 (1975)

DISC 4 (1976)

DISC 5 (1977)

DISC 6 (1977)

DISC 7 (1978)

DISC 8 (1979)

DISC 9 (1981)

DISC 10 (1982)

WALLPAPER: "It's Only Music..."

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THE BEAT OF THE POPS 18

WALLPAPER: "Listening to Barbra"

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WALLPAPER: "ATOMIC MAG 2"

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LET'S RAG! LET'S TONK! LET'S SWING!

This set contains two German 10" vinyl from Capitol Records: "Party Music Für Junge Leute" (volume 1 & 2). I don't know the year of release, but probably it's the early fifties, because the whole stuff is a ragtime revival: dixieland, honky tonk and ragtime! And what an exciting cover!

WALLPAPER: "ATOMIC MAG 1"

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THE BEAT OF THE POPS 17

TONI'S TIJUANA GROOVES!

The Dutch version of Herb Alpert and with songs like "Alpertino" and "Alpert Dixie" he shows where he is listening to. Most songs are composed by Will van Hensbergen.

HAROLD SMART: "29 POWER SONGS"

Harold Smart: famous because of his "At The Theatre Organ" lp. On this record Harold Smart not only plays 4 different Thomas Organs (Celebrity, Trianon, Cameo Royale and European) but also explores the Thomas Moog Satellite Synthesizer.

VINTAGE COVERS

Another set of four to be filled

WALLPAPER: "Table for One?"

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SOUNDS OF YESTERDAY

Nice instrumental covers made in 1984 by Anthony Ventura & His Orchestra from tunes of the sixties and early seventies. A great company to spend quitely your sunday afternoon.

A Few Oldies in German

A curious 10" record from Electrola with four songs on either side (what a magnificent cover!).

Some additional info:

- Track 1: Original recording from the Heinz-Paul-Union Color movie "Hula-Hopp" (1959)

- Track 8: From the 20th Century Fox production.

Ralf Bendix discovered Heino(!) in 1965 and became his producer.

Friedel Berlipp changed his name into Barry Lipman and became a famous bandleader, composer, arranger, producer and had his own Berry Lipman Orchester.

TOMMY GARRETT 50 GUITARS

All major music producing studios in Hollywood, with one exception, were strangely dark and silent on three evenings last1 February. Guitars and guitarists, an essential part of any modern recording session, were not available for regular duty. Instead, every guitar virtuoso in the film city had been booked to record en masse in three night-long sessions at Liberty Records. During those sessions, in a huge studio alive with the sounds of music, Liberty added a chapter to the history of the guitar. That chapter, entitled 50 Guitars Go South Of The Border, recorded the combined efforts of many of the world's most renowned guitar soloists. Playing together for the first time, they produced a new string dimension - the sound of the guitar in depth. With a guitar perfectionist in each chair, the guts, steels, guitarrones, Mexican harp guitars and rhythm guitars demonstrate that the richest heritage for modern is found in musical history.

The solos of Laurindo Almeida are backed by the elite choir of Mexican and jazz guitarists, including Barney Kessel, Howard Roberts, Al Viola, Bob Bain, Tiny Timbrell, Bill Pitman, Jose Barroso and many others whose exclusive contracts do not allow their names to be included here. The result is awesome. A bullring overflowing with the world's most outstanding mariachis, flamencoists and classicists could do no more to astound and enrapture a critical listener. The music of these guitars in concert will fill the ears of the aficionado with sounds he had not imagined possible - sounds he had not hoped to hear. Liberty takes pride in presenting Tommy Garrett's fifty guitars.
Tommy Garrett was "Snuff" Garrett, A&R director for Liberty from 1958-1966, producer of numerous early 60s hits by white rock-n-roll artists such as Bobby Vee, Johnny Burnette, and Gary Lewis. Garrett also gave Phil Spector his first job in the business, as A&R man in New York for Liberty. He produced a series of LPs for Liberty under the name of "The 50 Guitars of Tommy Garrett," one of the least adventurous and most easy-listening guitar groups, usually arranged by Ernie Wilkins and with Tommy Tedesco as lead guitar. Garrett also produced a number of exotica recordings by "The Midnight String Quartet" and Jonathan Knight on the Viva! label.

(Original liner notes)

It Was Another World...

A rare LP of German musician and orchestra leader Werner Müller (1920-1998) that I've discovered in the net. He was the leader of the "RIAS-Tanzorchester" in Berlin and later became leader of the "WDR-Tanzorchester" in Cologne.

It’s a pity they don’t have home-parties (including the great interior) anymore. Life was much more easy in the fifties...

VINTAGE COVERS

Can anybody fill

the insides of these covers?