this unlikely musical object
has long been identified by the most curious groove enthusiasts
It was 1972 when Ronald Ventura de Mesquita recorded the
fabulous Bresil 72 for Barclay, which would go on to become
a collectable, sought out by rare groove fetishists the world
over.
This autodidact drummer was born 28th Match 1941 in Salvador
de Bahia, but grew up in Rio de Janeiro.
At the beginning of the sixties, he found himself in France,
where he would record as part of a sextet with bassist Ricardo
do Canto, saxophonist and flute-player Ricardo Pontes, and
pianist and guitarist Gilson Perranzzetta.
Also, very notably, with two vocalists:
Marly Tavares, a dancer from Rio, and Rolando Faria.
Bresil 72 is distinctly Samba Soul.
Beginning with he opener Balança Peme, a theme borrowed
from Jorge Ben.
Dabadeia, the second theme is rich with pop bossa flavours.
Side One of the LP is signed by a trio of names:
Tom Jobim, Milton Nascimento and Gilberto Gil, three of Rio's
major forces.
The first with the classic Aguas De Março.
The second in a pot-pourri Tema De Tostão.
And third and finally, Fechado Pra Balanço which takes
on a distinctly groovy feel, two years on from being created
by Gil.
Side Two carries on where Side One left off.
From the first notes of O Gato, to Gonzaguinha, it's samba
soul on the musical agenda.
Like on the cover of Tarde Em Itapoã from the Toquinho
and Vinicius de Moraes duo, with off-beat electric piano notes
and dotted percussion, on Casa No Campo, which flies the flag
for Popular Brazilian Music in the voice of Elis Regina, or
in the samba Quatro De Dezembro.
What's to be said about Papagaio, a short farce with the rhythm
section taking the lead role?!?
This turnery allows the vocalists to launch into a crescendo
of a final, in Edu Lobo's famous Zanzibar, practically scat-style
in its arrangements.
One thing's for sure, after listening to all that, we can
understand why this unlikely musical object has long been
identified by the most curious groove enthusiasts. |