Apresentamos Nosso Cassiano
Cassiano
1973
Rankings
Why This Album Matters
Apresentamos Nosso Cassiano, released in 1973, is an indelible landmark in Brazilian music, consolidating Cassiano as one of the pillars of soul music in the country. Although it is his second solo work, the album is often perceived as an introduction to his oeuvre, given the artist's modest visibility at the time. It is on this record that Cassiano refines his sound, blending the cadence of American black music, especially soul and R&B, with Brazilian melodic sensibility, creating an unmistakable style. With sophisticated arrangements and a velvety vocal timbre, the album stands out for the originality of its compositions and the depth of its harmonies. It showcases a refined musicality which, on some tracks, flirts with experimental characteristics and elements of progressive rock, demonstrating the artist's avant-garde approach. The record is considered one of the most important in national music, displaying Cassiano's creative peak and his ability to transcend labels, offering a rich and timeless sonic experience.
Context
Before Apresentamos Nosso Cassiano, Genival Cassiano dos Santos already had a relevant musical trajectory, albeit behind the scenes. Born in Paraíba and based in Rio de Janeiro, he began his career in the 60s, founding Bossa Trio in 1964, a group that mixed samba, soul, and jazz. Later, alongside his brother Camarão and Hyldon, he formed Os Diagonais, a seminal group that pioneered the fusion of samba and funk in Brazil, releasing their first album in 1969. Cassiano's refined musicality quickly caught the attention of other artists. He was a guitarist on Tim Maia's first album in 1970, and penned highly successful compositions for the Síndico, such as "Primavera (Vai Chuva)" and "Eu Amo Você", both in partnership with Silvio Rochael. Despite his talent as a composer having already catapulted Tim Maia to stardom, Cassiano remained a revered name in musical circles, but still unknown to the general public, which made the title "Apresentamos Nosso Cassiano" highly pertinent in 1973. His first solo album, Imagem e Som, had been released in 1971 by RCA.
Recording
The album Apresentamos Nosso Cassiano, released by Odeon records in 1973, was produced by Pedrinho da Luz, a guitarist who was then a member of the group The Fevers. The orchestral arrangements, which lent a psychedelic and refined tone to the record, were the responsibility of pianist Carlos Alberto Girio, better known as Dom Charles. The LP's recording involved musicians identified with the language of black music, such as the then-newcomer Robson Jorge on bass, and Dom Charles himself on piano. The resulting sound blended elements of R&B and soul with Brazilian music, enriched by complex harmonies and instrumentation which, in certain passages, incorporated traits of progressive rock.
Songs
The repertoire of Apresentamos Nosso Cassiano is entirely original, featuring ten previously unreleased songs at the time. Seven of them were signed exclusively by Cassiano, while others featured collaborations. "Me Chame Atenção" was composed with Renato Britto, and the tracks "Calçada" and "Cedo ou Tarde" featured the collaboration of Suzana Tostes. Among the standout songs, "O Vale" opens the album as one of the composer's most beautiful and obscure ballads. "A Casa de Pedra" displays a musical architecture with traits of progressive rock, which was then prominent. Funk tracks like "Slogan" and "Cinzas" (the latter with a 'carnivalesque' spirit) contrast with sinuous ballads such as "Melissa" (composed for the artist's daughter) and "Castiçal", which diverged from the more palatable song format of the era. The song "Chuva de Cristal" displays echoes of the sound produced by Charles Stepney, an arranger associated with groups like Earth, Wind & Fire.
Legacy
Despite its musical richness, Apresentamos Nosso Cassiano did not achieve significant commercial acceptance upon its release, contributing to Cassiano remaining relatively unknown to the general public. However, over time, the album was re-evaluated and solidified its place as a classic of Brazilian soul music, being considered one of the most important records in national music. Cassiano's work, and this album in particular, became a fundamental reference for black music in Brazil, influencing generations of artists. Names such as Sandra de Sá and Nelson Motta revived tracks from the record, and his work is revered by musicians like Ed Motta and mentioned in Racionais MC's raps, such as in "Vida Loka (Pt.2)". Although massive commercial success as a performer only arrived with singles from later albums, such as "A Lua e Eu" and "Coleção", the depth and innovation of Apresentamos Nosso Cassiano are widely recognised, solidifying its place in the pantheon of MPB.
Tracks
Credits
Orlando Silveira
Maestro Carlos Alberto Girio
Milton Miranda
Lindolfo Gaya
Z. J. Merky
Jorge Teixeira
Dacy Rodrigues, Nivaldo Duarte, Toninho
Joselito
Podcasts
Um Papo sobre Som · Pedro Schwarcz
Há alguns artista que se inserem em alguma medida em um universo pop, influenciam artistas dentro do mundo pop, criam linguagens referentes dentro de um universo que podemos enquadrar como parte de uma música brasileira pop, porém seu som muito refinado e elegante não deixam de o colocar à margem desse mesmo mundo e dessa indústria. Cassiano foi um dos pais da música black e soul brasileira e é re
Books
Os 500 Maiores Álbuns Brasileiros de Todos os Tempos
Ricardo Alexandre · 2022
The largest Brazilian music election ever conducted: 162 specialists, spanning journalists, critics, musicians, producers and podcasters, each nominated 50 essential albums, supported by a masterlist of more than 2,000 works. Led by Ricardo Alexandre with tabulation by Sérgio Jomori, it was published in December 2022 as a 200-page hardcover book with graphic design by Fernando Pires.
HERÓIS DA GUITARRA BRASILEIRA
Leandro Souto Maior , Ricardo Schott · 2014
This book explores the history of the guitar in Brazil, presenting biographical profiles of the greatest Brazilian guitarists, based on interviews and unreleased testimonies. Given Cassiano's prominence as a guitarist and pioneer of Brazilian soul music, it is highly probable that his work and influence will be covered in depth, making it relevant for understanding the album's musical context.
Analyses
Discos para descobrir em casa - 'Apresentamos nosso Cassiano ... - G1
g1.globo.com
The title of the second solo album by singer, songwriter, acoustic guitarist and electric guitarist Genival Cassiano dos Santos suggested it was the debut album by this refined stylist of Brazilian soul.
Discos Brasil: Cassiano - Apresentamos Nosso Cassiano (Odeon) 1973
discosbrasilblog.blogspot.com
Cassiano - Apresentamos Nosso Cassiano (Odeon) 1973. Of Master Cassiano's albums, this is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best, an infallible blend of Brazilian music and soul.
Discos para descobrir em casa - 'Apresentamos nosso Cassiano', Cassiano ...
tvkweb.com.br
A master who needs to be introduced to new generations thanks to iconic albums like this progressive and psychedelic soul album, Apresentamos nosso Cassiano.
Discos para descobrir em casa - 'Apresentamos nosso Cassiano', Cassiano ...
popeartebrasil.wordpress.com
Opening with O vale, one of the most beautiful and obscure ballads from the composer's songbook, the album Apresentamos nosso Cassiano lined up 10 then-unreleased songs in its entirely self-penned repertoire. Seven were credited solely to Cassiano. Me chame atenção was a collaboration between the artist and Renato Britto.
Discos Escondidos #053: Cassiano - Apresentamos nosso Cassiano (1973)
ojardimeletrico.com
In 1971, he released his first solo album, titled Imagem & Som, through the RCA label, but it was in 1973, through the Odeon label, that Cassiano released Apresentamos nosso Cassiano, the second and – in the opinion of this writer – best album of his career.
