Slaves Mass
Hermeto Pascoal
1977
Why This Album Matters
Released in 1977, Slaves Mass is a remarkable work by the Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal. This album stands out not only for its authorship, but also for bringing together some of the most celebrated Brazilian musicians of the time. The recording by Warner Bros. Records underlines the relevance and international reach of this singular project. The album represents a window into Hermeto Pascoal's inventive universe, showcasing his ability to blend different sounds and influences. Its musical proposal challenges traditional classifications, solidifying Pascoal's reputation as an artist ahead of his time, always exploring new musical frontiers.
Recording
The recording of Slaves Mass took place in 1977, in the city of Los Angeles, United States. The album's production was led by the renowned Brazilian artists Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, who brought their expertise to the project. One of the most unique facts of the recording process involved the title track. For the composition of "Slaves Mass", Hermeto Pascoal acquired two pigs at Paramount Studio and used them as a musical instrument, recording their squeals to incorporate into the music.
Songs
Among the compositions that make up Slaves Mass, the track "Little Cry For Him" gained prominence when it was released as the album's only single, aimed directly at radio stations. Hermeto Pascoal's inventiveness is evident in several songs, such as the title track "Slaves Mass", where the inclusion of live pigs as an 'instrument' demonstrates his experimental and avant-garde approach. The album also shines through the richness of its arrangements and the participation of a talented cast of instrumentalists and vocalists. In addition to Hermeto Pascoal's multifaceted performance on piano, keyboard, soprano sax, flutes, acoustic guitar, and vocals, the presence of Flora Purim and Airto Moreira on vocals for "Slaves Mass" and "Cannon", and of Raul de Souza, Hugo Fattoruso, and Laudir de Oliveira on vocals for "Cannon", enriches the album's sonic tapestry.
Legacy
Slaves Mass had an initial release in the United States in February 1977, followed by its arrival in Brazil in April of the same year and in Argentina in 1978. Critical reception was largely positive, with Revista Pop describing it as "Música de vanguarda, da melhor qualidade" (Avant-garde music, of the best quality) and an item that "Não pode faltar na sua coleção" (Cannot be missing from your collection). The newspaper O Pasquim considered it the "mais importante lançado este ano no Brasil" (most important released this year in Brazil), while João José Miguel, from Correio Braziliense, praised it as an "disco de valor indiscutível" (album of undeniable value), a "Registro da força criativa de um músico no melhor da sua carreira" (Record of the creative force of a musician at the peak of his career). In 1978, the album achieved 2nd position on the list of the 10 best national albums of 1977 by the newspaper O Poti. The recognition of Slaves Mass endured over time. The album was re-released on CD for the first time in 1992, as part of the "Mestres Da MPB" series, and again in 2004 by Rhino Records, with bonus tracks, receiving renewed acclaim. The BBC praised the 2004 re-release, highlighting the track "Little Cry For Him". The All About Jazz website classified the album as an "essential recording na história das contribuições do Brasil para o mundo do Jazz" (essential recording in the history of Brazil's contributions to the world of Jazz), while Jazz Panorama described it as "um passeio pela veia nordestina desse mestre" (a journey through the Northeastern vein of this master). More recently, in 2022, Slaves Mass was included in the list of the 500 greatest albums of Brazilian music, a poll conducted by the Discoteca Básica podcast.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Airto Moreira, Flora Purim
Hermeto Pascoal
Flora Purim
Ron Carter
Airto Moreira, Chester Thompson
Alphonso Johnson
David Amaro
Hermeto Pascoal
Airto Moreira
Raul De Souza
Kerry McNabb
Ruy Pereira
Flora Purim
Joel Sussman
Tom Copi
Podcasts
MUSICOFILIA · Juliano Dupont
O guitarrista Felipe Taborda, o especialista em generalidades Juliano Fontanive Dupont, o pianista Rafael Vignatti (Teclas) e o colecionador de discos Guilherme Piccoli debatem o disco Slaves Mass, de Hermeto Pascoal
Music Stuff · Adam Ellery
A very original, well thought out podcast about music and stuff. Slaves Mass - Hermeto Pascoal: https://open.spotify.com/album/55yVwJbFIy1OrBBhdCTssq Altars - Sadistik: https://open.spotify.com/album/4c2exPugnSRkvg8TlyV2ZG Hermeto Pascoal slapping himself and masticating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPMPye2gg3o&t=116s Hermeto Pascoal in a river, probably: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06Qm-
Films
Books
Analyses
Slaves Mass – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
.: interlúdio :. Hermeto Pascoal: Slaves Mass - P.Q.P. Bach
pqpbach.ars.blog.br
Quase como uma respiração ao contrário. Este Slaves Mass, de 1976, seu segundo álbum, foi quem sedimentou o nome de Hermeto no cenário do jazz mundial, onde se consagraria três anos depois, no festival de Montreaux.
Boteco dos Bloggers: Hermeto Pascoal - Slave Mass (1977)
botecodosbloggers.blogspot.com
Diversas apresentações, e um disco lançado "Hermeto" em 72, mostrava que só havia espaço para ser conquistado. Somente em 77, com o clássico, Slaves Mass "Missa dos Escravos", Hermeto ganharia uma projeção poderosa nos EUA e Europa. Com uma capa maravilhosa do fotógrafo Tom Copi.
G. Álbuns: Hermeto Pascoal | Slaves Mass (1977) - Na Mira do Groove
namiradogroove.com.br
Nos EUA, o músico ficou famoso por apresentações tão improváveis quanto viscerais. Foi nesse período que ele gravou um de seus álbuns mais enérgicos: Slaves Mass, com aquela capa que o exibe como um tecnicista do piano num contraste P&B que me remete a An Electric Storm (1969), do White Noise.
Álbuns Clássicos - Hermeto Pascoal - Slaves Mass
femtavares.com.br
Slaves Mass foi o segundo disco gravado por Hermeto Pascoal nos Estados Unidos, com a participação de renomados músicos do cenário Jazz/Fusion. Todas as faixas foram compostas e arranjadas por Hermeto, que se destaca no álbum tocando uma ampla gama de instrumentos, como piano acústico, Fender Rhodes, clavinete, sax soprano, flauta e violão.
Discogs
Slaves Mass – Discogs
discogs.com