Larry Kart Posted January 13, 2011 Report Posted January 13, 2011 I'm far from encyclopedic when it comes to Jobim, so this may be old news to some of you, but today I found an LP copy of the Jobim/Nelson Riddle Warner Bros. album from 1964, "The Wonderful World of Antonio Carlos Jobim," and am entranced by it. It's beautifully recorded (my copy is mono), Jobim's voice is captured as well I could imagine it ever being (full, close-up, but not too breathy), Riddle's charts are lovely (in Peter Levinson's Riddle bio, FWIW, he says that these are the best charts Riddle ever wrote), and if it's Jobim on piano as well as guitar, he plays superbly (some sources say he is on both, but I half suspect it's someone like, or on the level of, Lou Levy -- seems too jazz-like and strong for Jobim). Best of all, as the album says, Jobim "sings his new songs," and while some are familiar ("Aqua De Beber," "A Felicidade," "Dindi") there are at least two that are new to me and really special IMO -- "So Tinha De Ser Com Voce" and "Por Toda A Mimha Vida." I'd like to know the personnel but lots of luck. All I can find is Dom Um Romão on drums, Danilo Caymmi on flute, and Pete Candoli. There is a lovely, languid trombone solo on "A Felicidade." Quote
JSngry Posted January 13, 2011 Report Posted January 13, 2011 (in Peter Levinson's Riddle bio, FWIW, he says that these are the best charts Riddle ever wrote), This indeed a fine album, and they are indeed fine charts, but I would take issue with that particular contention. Jobim's American solo albums are are pretty nifty, with the CTI sides being, dare I say it...sublime. As far as chartage goes, can I assume that you are familiar with the Claus Ogermann charts for the first Sinatra/Jobim collaboration? Quote
Larry Kart Posted January 13, 2011 Author Report Posted January 13, 2011 (in Peter Levinson's Riddle bio, FWIW, he says that these are the best charts Riddle ever wrote), As far as chartage goes, can I assume that you are familiar with the Claus Ogermann charts for the first Sinatra/Jobim collaboration? Nope. Will try to remedy that. Quote
JSngry Posted January 13, 2011 Report Posted January 13, 2011 That is an almost criminally/sinfully/whatever sublime album... Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted January 13, 2011 Report Posted January 13, 2011 The trombone may be Urbie Green - he was Jobim's favorite - but I'm not certain. Speaking of "certain," try to find "A Certain Mr. Jobim," also on WB, from the same period (There is a CD with both albums). I love both of these. Quote
Jim R Posted January 13, 2011 Report Posted January 13, 2011 I'm far from encyclopedic when it comes to Jobim, so this may be old news to some of you, but today I found an LP copy of the Jobim/Nelson Riddle Warner Bros. album from 1964, "The Wonderful World of Antonio Carlos Jobim," and am entranced by it. It's beautifully recorded (my copy is mono), Jobim's voice is captured as well I could imagine it ever being (full, close-up, but not too breathy), Riddle's charts are lovely (in Peter Levinson's Riddle bio, FWIW, he says that these are the best charts Riddle ever wrote), and if it's Jobim on piano as well as guitar, he plays superbly (some sources say he is on both, but I half suspect it's someone like, or on the level of, Lou Levy -- seems too jazz-like and strong for Jobim). More research may reveal the exact personnel, but I can tell you that the great brazilian pianist and composer ( of "The Dolphin", for example) Luiz Eça played on some of those tracks. Eça was a formidable talent on piano, and went on to expand his range and talents as a jazz player in his later years. Dick Hyman also contributed, but according to my sources he played organ only. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Jobim was indeed the pianist on some tracks. I've always felt that he was far more accomplished as a pianist than as a guitarist, and I think he showed in his later years that he was a pretty formidable pianist. I'll see if I can dig up any more details. Oh, and speaking of sublime, check out "Terra Brasilis" (Jobim w/Ogerman, ca. 1980) Quote
Larry Kart Posted January 13, 2011 Author Report Posted January 13, 2011 I'm far from encyclopedic when it comes to Jobim, so this may be old news to some of you, but today I found an LP copy of the Jobim/Nelson Riddle Warner Bros. album from 1964, "The Wonderful World of Antonio Carlos Jobim," and am entranced by it. It's beautifully recorded (my copy is mono), Jobim's voice is captured as well I could imagine it ever being (full, close-up, but not too breathy), Riddle's charts are lovely (in Peter Levinson's Riddle bio, FWIW, he says that these are the best charts Riddle ever wrote), and if it's Jobim on piano as well as guitar, he plays superbly (some sources say he is on both, but I half suspect it's someone like, or on the level of, Lou Levy -- seems too jazz-like and strong for Jobim). More research may reveal the exact personnel, but I can tell you that the great brazilian pianist and composer ( of "The Dolphin", for example) Luiz Eça played on some of those tracks. Eça was a formidable talent on piano, and went on to expand his range and talents as a jazz player in his later years. Dick Hyman also contributed, but according to my sources he played organ only. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Jobim was indeed the pianist on some tracks. I've always felt that he was far more accomplished as a pianist than as a guitarist, and I think he showed in his later years that he was a pretty formidable pianist. I'll see if I can dig up any more details. Oh, and speaking of sublime, check out "Terra Brasilis" (Jobim w/Ogerman, ca. 1980) Many thanks for the info. I've got "Terra Brasilis" on LP, must have bought it way back when. Quote
Jim R Posted January 13, 2011 Report Posted January 13, 2011 The trombone may be Urbie Green - he was Jobim's favorite - but I'm not certain. Good possibility, or perhaps Edson Maciel, or Raul de Souza. Speaking of "certain," try to find "A Certain Mr. Jobim," also on WB, from the same period (There is a CD with both albums). I love both of these. Yep, the Warner Bros. CD "Composer" contained those two albums, plus the album "Love, Strings And Jobim". Quote
JSngry Posted January 13, 2011 Report Posted January 13, 2011 Oh, and speaking of sublime, check out "Terra Brasilis" (Jobim w/Ogerman, ca. 1980) Seconded, thirded, etc. At some point, "pop song" becomes "art song", and exactly what defines that point is not something about which I care to speculate right now, but it is a point that I believe is reached on that album. Quote
Jim R Posted January 13, 2011 Report Posted January 13, 2011 According to this page at the Clube do Tom site, Jobim played piano on one track... "Valsa do Porto das Caixas". Candoli played on "Useless Landscape" (aka "Inútil Paisagem"). Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted January 14, 2011 Report Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) Not only was Jobim a much better pianist than guitarist, but he resented being presented as a guitarist, which was largely due to Sinatra's insistence (the TV special, the album, etc.). He felt it perpetuated the image of the "latin lover with the guitar." He played guitar only because everyone in Brasil played guitar. But piano was his true instrument (aside from the pen). Larry, you really should read Ruy Castro's "Bossa Nova" book if you haven't already. Edited January 14, 2011 by Teasing the Korean Quote
Big Al Posted January 18, 2011 Report Posted January 18, 2011 Oh, and speaking of sublime, check out "Terra Brasilis" (Jobim w/Ogerman, ca. 1980) Seconded, thirded, etc. Quadrupled, quintupled, sextupled, etc etc etc This is a desert island disc for me, not to mention my favorite Jobim album. By all means, find that CD with the two WB albums called COMPOSER, which has been mentioned previously. Not only do you get both of Jobim's WB albums, but there are extra cuts from the sessions of the second album featuring Jobim singing his songs in Portugeuse (on the original LP, he's singing the English lyrics). In addition, the placement of the two albums reveals the different yet no less appealing approaches of Riddle and Claus Ogerman, who it would seem was Jobim's favorite arranger, having collaborated with Jobim on the bulk of his work. Oddly enough, many people (myself included) don't see this particular album as one of the strongest collaborations between Jobim & Ogermann (IMO, Riddle sounds more Claus-like than Ogerman himself), but this is not to say that the music contained within the grooves is anything less than sublime. In any event, I'm glad you mentioned finding the album in mono, Larry, because now I've added that to my list of "mono vinyl to acquire before I die!" And as Jim S (not the original California Jim S, or even Jim R (who IS in fact from California, but whose name is really Al)) mentioned earlier, the CTI work is sublime. But that's Deodato work, a whole nuther can o' worms, and equally mesmerizing! And then there's Jobim's singing, as honest and heartfelt an instrument as the piano or guitar he so delicately plucked. Certainly not a technically correct voice, but a distinct one; most assuredly a "voice God gave." "This Happy Madness" from TERRA BRASILIS is exhibit A of what I'm referring to. Ah, I can see I'll be spinning a lotta Jobim today! Thanks, Larry! Quote
jazzbo Posted January 18, 2011 Report Posted January 18, 2011 I love Jobim. But these fully-orchestrated dates don't do as much for me as smaller group dates do. Don't listen to these Riddle or OGerman recordings often at all. Over time my favorite Jobim has become late Jobim, the Banda Nova material. Quote
mr jazz Posted January 19, 2011 Report Posted January 19, 2011 Urubu is another that I like more with each listen as well as Jobim. Quote
crisp Posted January 19, 2011 Report Posted January 19, 2011 Hm, I very much like Jobim as a songwriter, and he's OK as a guitarist and pianist, but I find his singing frustrating: not only does he not have the chops to do the material justice, he has many mannerisms (sniffing, gulping etc) that annoy me. In fact, I once returned a number of his albums (including the Riddle one, and I love Nelson Riddle) because of the vocals. But then most of the great songwriters couldn't sing -- Cole Porter, for example -- and Jobim was a great songwriter. Quote
jazzbo Posted January 20, 2011 Report Posted January 20, 2011 Personally, one of the big appeals of the man's work for me is Jobim's singing. Just unique, so expressive. Charming, enchanting. One of my favorite singers of any type. Quote
seeline Posted January 20, 2011 Report Posted January 20, 2011 Not sure that there's any middle ground on his singing - either you like it or you don't. I'm in the "don't" camp, though I wish I could tolerate it better, because I'd like more of his albums. but his compositions - and his piano playing - can't say enough good things about all of that. (Teasing the Korean is correct re. Jobim not wanting to be represented as a guitarist; can't say I blame him.) Quote
shaft Posted January 21, 2011 Report Posted January 21, 2011 Jobim + Deodato (+Sinatra) = Pure Bliss! Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted January 23, 2011 Report Posted January 23, 2011 I love Jobim's voice - not so much because of the instrument itself, but because of what it says about the composer. Especially his 70s albums. Jobim sounds like a man who has lived well, smoked the best cigars, ate the best steaks, and drank the best scotch. I imagine these decadent dinners at his place in Rio, with Vinicius, Michel Legrand, Henry Mancini, Morricone and Bacharach all sitting around the table with wine decanters and lots of cigarette smoke in the air. The lights are dim, and the room is furnished in dark wood furniture. I see this in a grainy 8mm kodachrome, with the room bathed in dark orange light. It looks like a made-for-TV early 70s gothic supernatural film or a Cutty Sark ad in Playboy. Jobim's voice conveys all that. Quote
king ubu Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 Ha, read this thread last night and today stumbled over the double LP "Terra Brasilis" in very good condition (that's what it looks to me, I'm not talking the vinylratingolingo) for a good price - thanks to everyone, I'm sure I'll love it, will warm up that lazy turntable now... Quote
Big Al Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 Well, how'd ya like it? I've been listening to it today, and being reminded again why I love it so! "This Happy Madness" sounds like a tender lullaby. {{{swoon}}} Quote
king ubu Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 It's great! I played some of twice, before flipping the records... will need some time to sink in, but there are plenty of beautiful moments on it! Quote
skeith Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 (edited) Does Jobim sing on those CTI recordings, use anothother vocalist, or are they purely instrumental? Have to say that I am partial to Jobim's songs being sung by Joao Gilberto. Edited January 25, 2011 by skeith Quote
seeline Posted January 26, 2011 Report Posted January 26, 2011 There are lots of people out there - mostly in Brazil - who are wonderful interpreters of Jobim's work. Just gotta start looking! Quote
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.