Tristeza on Guitar
Baden Powell
1966
Why This Album Matters
Released in 1966, Tristeza on Guitar marks the beginning of the significant nine-year collaboration between Brazilian guitar maestro Baden Powell and producer Joachim-Ernst Berendt, under the MPS label. This jazz album, although its title might suggest otherwise, is a work distinguished by its varied and expressive repertoire. The work is a sublime fusion of elements ranging from a ritualistic feel to an exuberant carnival atmosphere, encompassing intimate songs of melodic quality. Its importance is underlined by the fact that it became an international success, opening doors for Baden Powell in Europe and Japan and solidifying his reputation as one of the greatest guitarists of his time.
Context
The album Tristeza on Guitar emerged during a period of great effervescence in Baden Powell's career, marking the beginning of his prolific partnership with MPS, which would extend from 1966 to 1975. Four years prior, in 1962, Powell had begun a lasting and iconic collaboration with the poet-diplomat Vinicius de Moraes. Together, they explored the fusion of samba with Afro-Brazilian forms, such as Candomblé and Umbanda, culminating in the release of Os Afro-Sambas in 1966. Elements of this rhythmic and thematic exploration manifest themselves in Tristeza on Guitar, particularly in the tracks dedicated to the Candomblé deities, which mature and flourish in this work.
Recording
The recording sessions for Tristeza on Guitar took place on 1 and 2 June 1966, at Riosom S/A and Atonal Ltda. studios in Rio de Janeiro, and the album was initially released by the Saba label in the same year. Production was handled by Joachim-Ernst Berendt, who would become a fundamental partner in Powell's international career. For the making of the record, Baden Powell (guitar, agogô, surdo) enlisted a team of talented musicians, including Copinha on flute, Sergio Barroso on bass, Alfredo Bessa on atabaque and cuíca, Amauri Coelho on pandeiro and atabaque, and Milton Banana on drums. The ingenuity in the use of the studio space contributed to the mysterious atmosphere on tracks like "Round About Midnight".
Songs
The repertoire of Tristeza on Guitar is notable for its diversity, which contrasts with the album's title. The title track, "Tristeza", a bittersweet samba by Haroldo Lobo and Niltinho, is presented with a succession of virtuous and danceable variations. Meanwhile, "Manhã de Carnaval" is transformed into a ritualistic celebration of pain. Pieces dedicated to Candomblé deities, such as "Canto de Xangô" and "Canto de Ossanha", which had their origins in the afro-samba cycle, are central to the album and here reach perfection. The reinterpretation of Thelonious Monk's "Round About Midnight" takes on the colours of a mild tropical night, and Dorival Caymmi's song "Das Rosas" is skilfully transfigured into a serenade for the strings of the solo guitar. The album also features other striking compositions by Powell, some in partnership with Vinicius de Moraes, such as "Saravá", "Invenção em 7 1/2", "Som de Carnaval" and "O Astronauta".
Legacy
Tristeza on Guitar achieved international success, acting as a watershed that opened numerous opportunities for Baden Powell in Europe and Japan. The album is widely considered a seminal work and one of the best recordings of his career. More than half a century after its release, the record is still revered as a fascinating 'gateway drug' and a 'masterpiece of wild, swinging Brazilian carnival', being seen as an indispensable item for any Baden Powell collection. In Brazil, the Elenco label released the album in 1968, with two alternative recordings, under the title "Baden/O Som de Baden Powell".
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Wadi Gebara Netto
Joachim Ernst Berendt
Baden Powell, Copinha
Sergio Barroso
Milton Banana
Copinha
Baden Powell
Baden Powell
Gigi Berendt
Amauri Coelho
Alfredo Bessa, Amauri Coelho
Alfredo Bessa
Baden Powell
Dorival Reis, Paulo Nascimento
Hans J. Mauerer
Books
Analyses
Jazz and Blues Reveiw: Baden Powell - Tristeza On Guitar (1966)
jazz-and-blues-review.blogspot.com
Disco lançado em 1966 pelo selo alemão Saba com colaboração do jornalista, escritor e produtor espcializado em Jazz Joachim-Ernst Berendt. Trata-se de um dos discos responsáveis por consolidar a carreira de Baden Powell na Europa.
Tristeza on Guitar - Baden Powell Review | All About Jazz
allaboutjazz.com
Read the All About Jazz review of Tristeza on Guitar by Baden Powell (2017). Expert analysis, ratings, and insight into one of jazz's finest recordings.
Baden Powell - Tristeza on Guitar (1966)
musicasdonordeste.net
O repertório não é de forma alguma caracterizado pela tristeza, pois o título pode fazer com que alguém acredite. Abrange um espectro sublime que vai desde uma sensação ritual até uma atmosfera exuberante de carnaval.
1 álbum 100 palavras #105: Baden Powell - Tristeza on Guitar (1966)
radiolisipo.com
Acompanhado por músicos como Milton Banana e Copinha, Baden cria um diálogo entre tradição e modernidade, consolidando este disco como um marco do violão brasileiro.
Tristeza - revista USINA
revistausina.com
Tristeza é a música de abertura do álbum de 1966, Tristeza on Guitar, de Baden Powell. O disco se tornou um sucesso internacional, o que culminou com a abertura de oportunidades para Baden Powell de gravar e fazer concertos no exterior, principalmente na Europa e Japão.
Discogs
Tristeza on Guitar – Discogs
discogs.com