Submitted by Chuck Reider
This is part two of a two-part story on Brazilian music and its influence on an arrangement in Reno Jazz Orchestra’s Earth, Wind, and Fire recording project. Read part one.
Yesterday we took a trip to Brazil to learn more about types of Brazilian music and instruments, all to shed light on one arrangement to be featured on the Reno Jazz Orchestra’s (RJO) Earth, Wind, and Fire recording project. It is actually two Brazilian songs put together into one piece “Ponta de Areia” and “Zanzibar.” Today, we’ll discuss the composers.
The samba “Zanzibar” was composed by Brazilian singer, guitarist, and composer Edu Lobo. I was not familiar with his work until I began researching this column. He was a part of the 1960’s bossa nova movement where he gained notoriety.
His first album was released in 1964 with his latest album released in 2017. Over thirty albums. His music has been performed by such artists as Sergio Mendes, Sara Vaughn, Toots Thielman, and of course EWF.
Lobo recorded “Zanzibar” in 1970 and EWF recorded it in 1973 and can be found on their Head to the Sky album. This song has been recorded seventeen times with latest released in 2018. Before researching this column, the only version I had ever heard was EWF’s and I was very pleasantly surprised to learn about all the versions and to hear them.
Milton Nascimento has been one of my music heroes dating back to Wayne Shorter’s 1974 album “Native Dancer” where five of the nine pieces were composed by Nascimento. This is a must have album for any jazz fan.
He was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1942. His mother, a maid, died when he was eighteen months old and was adopted by the couple who had employed his mother. The family moved to Tres Pontas where he grew up. He noted, “My first companion was the echo of the Minas Mountains. When I was a kid, I used to have a lot of fun with it. That was when I discovered my musicality. And that echo is an element that is still present today in my singing.”
In Tres Pontas he met pianist Wagner Tiso who lived on the same street and who forged a life-long friendship. There they listened to everything they could find on the radio. Sambas, bossa nova, boleros, early rock and roll, even French popular songs. Both of them moved to the big city of Belo Horizonte where Nascimento was to study economics.
At first overwhelmed, both settled into the music scene where they help found the group Clube da Esquina (street corner club) which helped define the MPB music style. Nascimento recorded several albums prior to the 1972 Clube da Esquina, but it was this release that put him in Brazil’s national spotlight. The group created a modern popular music style with a strong Beatles influence.
Note, if you can find it get this album; it is as interesting and relevant now as it was in 1972.
As noted above, it was “Native Dancer” that introduced Nascimento to jazz, a collaboration that continues today. The list of artists who have worked with him is a who’s who of jazz and popular music from Sarah Vaughn to Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Paul Simon, and Sting.
“Ponta de Areia”, recorded by EWF on the 1977 album All ‘n All, is a sweet/nostalgic remembrance of the Minas Gerais railroad line that once ran through his hometown. Nascimento has recorded over forty albums and I hope I have encouraged you to take a listen and you enjoy it as much as I have!
It’s time for a shout out to all our supporters who have made the EWF recording project possible. Thank you!!!
For more information on the Earth, Wind, and Fire recording project visit: https://www.renojazzorchestra.org/ewf/index.html
Chuck Reider is the executive director of the Reno Jazz Orchestra.
