Seduzir
Djavan
1981
Rankings
Why This Album Matters
Released in 1981, Seduzir is Djavan's fourth studio album and represents a crucial milestone in consolidating his unique musical identity within the MPB scene. The work synthesises the creative effervescence of his three previous albums, distilling a sound that uniquely blends samba, pop, and jazz, elements that would become his trademarks. It is on this record that Djavan asserts his genius as a composer and arranger, presenting a harmonic and melodic eccentricity that distinguishes him from other artists of his generation. The album stands out for its melodic fluidity, unexpected rhythmic breaks, and the unusual poetry of its lyrics, which explore themes such as love, longing ('saudade'), and Northeastern roots. Seduzir not only confirmed Djavan's talent for creating popular yet profound songs, but also deepened his exploration of musical fusions, solidifying his position as one of Brazil's most respected and original composers. It is a testament to his ability to combine pop sensibility with profound musical complexity, making the complex accessible and captivating.
Context
Before Seduzir, Djavan had already paved a path of recognition in Brazilian music. His career began to gain notoriety in 1975 with the song "Fato Consumado" at the Festival Abertura, which earned him second place and opened the doors for the recording of his first LP, A Voz, o Violão, a Música de Djavan (1976), featuring the hit "Flor de Lis". In the following years, with the albums Djavan (1978), which included "Serrado" and "Álibi", and Alumbramento (1980), with "Meu Bem Querer", he consolidated his melodic and poetic signature. Seduzir, therefore, emerged as a moment of affirmation and synthesis, where the artist seemed to seek a consolidation of this initial phase of his musical trajectory. Having started his journey in Rio de Janeiro in 1973, after an adolescence in Maceió where he formed the band Luz, Som, Dimensão, Djavan had already signed with EMI-Odeon, which offered him a more robust production structure and greater artistic freedom, allowing him to deepen his musical experimentations.
Recording
The album Seduzir was released in May 1981 by the record label EMI-Odeon Fonográfica Industrial e Eletrônica S.A. Executive production was credited to Djavan himself in partnership with Mayrton Bahia, while production direction was handled by Renato Côrrea. For the creation of the record, Djavan counted on the collaboration of the band Sururu de Capote, formed by Luiz Avellar (synthesiser, electric and acoustic pianos), Sizão Machado (bass, electric piano, and percussion), Téo Lima (drums and percussion), Café (percussion), Zé Nogueira (flute, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, percussion, and vocals), Marquinhos (flutes, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, and percussion) and Moisés Nascimento (trombone and percussion). The basic arrangements were conceived by Djavan, and the orchestrations and conducting were elaborated by Luiz Avellar, resulting in a rich and detailed sound. The technical recording work was carried out by Guilherme Reis, Serginho, and Franklin Garrido, who was also responsible for the remixing. Mastering was handled by Osmar Furtado. Djavan's well-known meticulousness, who dedicated hours to adjusting each note, is reflected in the album's sound quality.
Songs
Seduzir is a melting pot of hits and experimentations, with Djavan exploring his versatility in songs that became classics. Among the highlights are the title track "Seduzir", an irresistibly pop, yet musically dense, song, and "Faltando um Pedaço", which had already been released on a promotional record in 1980 and would later achieve great success sung by Gal Costa. The album features surprising sambas like "Pedro Brasil", full of rhythmic breaks, harmonic incidents, and a unique melodic fluidity. The autobiographical theme of the 'nordestino' (person from Brazil's Northeast) in Rio is revisited in "Jogral", a complex jazz-inspired song, in partnership with Filó and José Neto. Notable partnerships also include Cacaso on "Morena de Endoidecer", described as impressionistic by critics, and Aldir Blanc on the very 'carioca' samba "Êxtase". Djavan also addresses his African roots in "Total Abandono", which displays a more explicit facet of Black identity. The album concludes with the track "Nvula Ieza Kia/Humbiumbi", sung in Kimbundu, an Angolan language, in which Djavan performs a remarkable duet with Gilberto Gil. "A Ilha" is another song that became a future classic of Brazilian music, opening the doors to Djavan's massive popularity when recorded by Roberto Carlos.
Legacy
Seduzir was acclaimed by specialist critics, with Alex Henderson from the AllMusic website and Mauro Ferreira from Notas Musicais awarding the album a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. Critics noted the impact of American artists on the singer's sound, including Stevie Wonder's influences on the title track "Seduzir", despite it being sung entirely in Portuguese. Mauro Ferreira, in turn, classified the album as a "synthesis of the artist's initial discography phase", highlighting its importance in Djavan's career. The album is often recognised as one of the high points of Djavan's discography, having been chosen to represent the artist in the book "300 discos importantes da música brasileira", being considered his greatest achievement in album format. Seduzir also solidified Djavan as a 'hitmaker' who did not compromise on quality or his personal touch in songs, with tracks like "A Ilha" and "Faltando um Pedaço" being recorded by big names such as Roberto Carlos and Gal Costa, respectively, which significantly expanded his popularity in Brazil. The album's success also coincided with the period when Djavan received the award for best composer from the Associação Paulista dos Críticos de Arte in 1981 and 1982.
Tracks
Credits
Djavan
Djavan, Mayrton Bahia
Luiz Avellar
Monique Gardenberg, Paulo Albuquerque
Renato Corrêa
Djavan
Banda Sururu De Capote
Sizão Machado
Teo Lima
Léa Freire, Marquinhos, Zé Nogueira
Filó
Luiz Avellar
Café
Marquinhos, Zé Nogueira
Moises
Osmar Furtado
Franklin Garrido
Franklin Garrido, Guilherme Reis, Sérgio Bittencourt
Tadeu Valério
Noguchi
Fernando Carvalho
Podcasts
Ensaio de Mesa · Estúdio Elétrico
E aí, pessoal! O 34º episódio do Ensaio de Mesa está no ar. Nessa semana, Álvaro Camões Padilha e Rodrigo Vita fazem uma análise do disco “Seduzir” do mestre Djavan. Aperte o play e entre no papo.
Acorde - Música e Psicanálise · Rafael Garbuio e Ricardo Pezati
Vigésimo nono episódio do podcast Acorde - Música e psicanalise, vamos analisar a obra obra Faltando um Pedaço, lançada em 1981 pelo Djavan no álbum Seduzir. Para esta conversa vamos receber o André Liberali que é psicanalista e coordenador do Programa Brincada do Ouvir. O contato para o programa Brincada do Ouvir é o WhatsApp nr 011-98689-7509Edição e apresentação: vinhetando.com.brInstagram @v
Films
Books
Analyses
Seduzir – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Djavan - Seduzir (1981 Music Video) | #55 Brazil Song - Playback.fm
playback.fm
In 1981 the #55 Brazil song in the charts was Seduzir by Djavan. Watch the music video and discover trivia about this classic Brazil song now.
MUSICA&SOM: Djavan - Seduzir (1981)
tabernanovostempos.blogspot.com
The importance of this album as a transitional work in Djavan's discography seems unequivocal to me. Moreover, my contact with his music came precisely with Seduzir, in the distant year of 1984, when I bought the LP in question. My liking for the album resulted from the discovery of that new voice, the beauty of his songs, the delicacy of the sung verses, the aesthetic mix...
Bruno Leal: Homenagem musical: Djavan - Seduzir (1981) - Blogger
blogbleal.blogspot.com
When, in 1981, this album was put on the record player, the listener was then invited to experience a heterogeneous work par excellence. Seduzir is the very image of everything Djavan has produced in recent years and the mirror of the composer's undeniably inventive style.
Álbum Seduzir — Djavan
djavan.com.br
After surprising with originality on his first album, establishing himself as an author on the second, and opening up to Brazilian music on the third, with "Seduzir" Djavan seems to want to consolidate this first phase of his career. For this reason, a mix of the three previous works marks the new album.
