Instrumental
Almir Sater
1985
Why This Album Matters
Released in 1985, Instrumental marks a turning point in Almir Sater's discography and in the perception of the viola caipira within Brazilian music. As his first entirely instrumental album, it transcends the boundaries of traditional sertanejo by presenting a sophisticated and experimental sound, blending regional roots with elements of folk, blues, rock and even classical music. Almir Sater's originality, with his exquisite ten-string viola technique, paved the way for a new aesthetic for the instrument, demonstrating its versatility and potential beyond more conventional arrangements. The album stands out for its boldness in incorporating instruments uncommon for the genre, such as the berimbau, electronic drums and the sitar, creating sonic landscapes that evoke the vastness of the *cerrados* and *pantanais*, but with a modern and universal guise. Instrumental is not just a collection of songs, but an artistic declaration that solidified Almir Sater as an innovative viola caipira player and one of the main figures responsible for the valorisation and modernisation of the viola caipira in the Brazilian music scene.
Context
Before Instrumental, Almir Sater was already treading a path of musical experimentation. Having started his career in the 70s and released albums such as Estradeiro (1981) and Doma (1982), he was already recognised for his ability to fuse the viola caipira with influences from folk, rock, blues and frontier rhythms such as Paraguayan polka, guarânia and chamamé. His search for new sounds and cultural deepening led him to create "Comitiva Esperança" in 1984. In this project, Sater travelled through Mato Grosso in intensive research into local culture, documenting the lives of the pantaneiros and exploring regional styles previously little known. The result of this immersion was not only the album Instrumental, but also the eponymous documentary Comitiva Esperança, directed by Wagner de Carvalho in 1986. This period was crucial for the maturation of his artistic vision, allowing him to incorporate the discoveries of his journey into his repertoire and instrumentation.
Recording
The production of Instrumental was a collaboration between Almir Sater and Carlão de Souza, demonstrating the artist's direct involvement in the project's sonic conception. Recordings took place in important studios of the time, such as Transamérica in São Paulo and Polygram in Rio de Janeiro, ensuring refined technical quality for the proposed innovations. The album featured the participation of several talented musicians, and although the complete list is not always explicit, names such as Heraldo do Monte (acoustic guitar) and Dominguinhos (accordion) contributed to the richness of the sonic textures. This significant collaboration, combined with Sater's vision, resulted in arrangements that harmonised the viola caipira with the introduction of instruments considered unorthodox in the sertanejo scene, such as the sitar and berimbau.
Songs
The ten tracks on Instrumental reflect Almir Sater's compositional diversity, with most being his own compositions or co-written. Songs such as "Corumbá", "Minas Gerais", "Luzeiro" and "Benzinho" exemplify Sater's ability to paint sonic landscapes through the viola, exploring melodies that are both rooted in tradition and open to experimentation. One of the album's highlights is the reinterpretation of the classic "O Rio de Piracicaba", by the trio Tião Carreiro, Piraci and Lourival dos Santos. Sater's version not only retrieves the beauty of the traditional "moda de viola", but elevates it to a sophisticated instrumental level, incorporating the modern elements that permeate the album. The inclusion of instruments such as the berimbau and sitar in tracks like this and others, such as "Doma" and "Viola de Buriti", demonstrates Sater's intention to expand the horizons of roots music, fusing it with global and contemporary sounds.
Legacy
Instrumental was acclaimed by specialised critics, with Tárik de Souza, from Jornal do Brasil, highlighting its "note of personal originality amidst the homogenisation of timbres in the Babel of Consumption". Marco Augusto Gonçalves, from Folha de S. Paulo, praised Almir Sater's "first-class technique", which "travels through the cerrados, the pantanais and the sonic corners of the wilderness". The album's recognition extended beyond specialised circles, reaching the wider public through television. The track "Luzeiro" was chosen as the opening theme for the Globo Rural programme, remaining on air for over 38 years and becoming an iconic melody associated with the Brazilian rural landscape. "Benzinho" also gained prominence by featuring on the soundtrack of the soap opera Cabocla. The influence of Instrumental is undeniable, consolidating Almir Sater as an innovative viola caipira player and paving the way for the viola caipira to be seen not just as a folk instrument, but as an element capable of dialoguing with contemporary instrumental music and MPB, inspiring generations of musicians to explore new possibilities with the instrument.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Marcus Vinicius
Almir Sater
José Luiz de Carvalho, Robson Leite
Marcus Vinicius, Wilson Gonçalves
Almir Sater, Marcus Vinicius
Robson Leite, Ronaldo
Podcasts
Neste podcast vamos falar sobre a obra instrumental do Almir Sater, lançada na década de 80.Contato: magodosompodcast@gmail.con
Analyses
Instrumental – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
MUSICA&SOM: Instrumental - 1985 - Almir Sater
tabernanovostempos.blogspot.com
Primeiro LP completamente instrumental de Sater, é fruto da pesquisa empreendida pela "Comitiva Esperança", que tinha o objetivo de visitar e colher os frutos da cultura pantaneira.
Criatura de Sebo: Instrumental - 1985 - Almir Sater
criaturadesebo.blogspot.com
Primeiro LP completamente instrumental de Sater, é fruto da pesquisa empreendida pela "Comitiva Esperança", que tinha o objetivo de visitar e colher os frutos da cultura pantaneira.
Discos Escondidos #036: Almir Sater - Instrumental (1985)
ojardimeletrico.com
Em 1985, Almir Sater lança o álbum Instrumental, disco - como o próprio nome indica - totalmente instrumental que mostra toda a sua virtuosidade na viola caipira e que serve até hoje para nos lembrar que estamos diante de um dos grandes mestres das 10 cordas.
Disco Instrumental Um, de Almir Sater, no Revoredo
jornal.usp.br
O programa Revoredo desta semana apresenta faixas do CD Instrumental de Almir Sater, o disco instrumental de 1985. Entre as obras que marcam esse programa estão Corumbá de Almir e Guilherme Rondon; Na Piratininga de Jeep do compositor Tavinho de Moura; e Minas prá Riba de Almir.
Discogs
Instrumental – Discogs
discogs.com