Sessão da Tarde
Leo Jaime
1985
Why This Album Matters
Released in 1985, Sessão da Tarde is the second studio album by singer Leo Jaime and represents a fundamental milestone in his solo career and in the Brazilian pop rock scene of the 1980s. With a sound that skilfully transitions between pop rock, new wave, rockabilly, and captivating ballads, the album stood out for its ability to connect with the youth of the era. The album found the 'formula for success' by addressing universal and bittersweet themes of youth life, such as adolescent anxieties, high school love, loneliness, and even subtle social critiques, all permeated by characteristic humour and double entendres. By giving voice to the feelings of romantic 'losers', poor boys, and those in love with girls from other social classes, Leo Jaime created a captivating original repertoire that, despite being strongly rooted in the 80s, maintains its thematic relevance to this day. The album's dedication to Erasmo Carlos also signals the profound influence of the Jovem Guarda on Jaime's work, uniting the freshness of 80s rock with the romantic and rebellious spirit of previous decades.
Context
The year 1985 was a watershed moment for Brazilian music, marking the effervescence of national rock in a Brazil breathing the air of 'post-dictatorship' and re-democratisation. In this scenario of intense musical production, Leo Jaime, who had been part of the original line-up of the rockabilly group João Penca e Seus Miquinhos Amestrados, was already seeking to consolidate his solo career. His debut album, Phodas 'C' (1984), although irreverent, had not achieved the expected success and was considered controversial. Sessão da Tarde thus emerged as a watershed, an opportunity for Leo Jaime to turn things around and establish himself as one of the most charismatic voices of the new generation. Interestingly, before his solo career and time with the Miquinhos Amestrados, Leo Jaime was even invited to be the vocalist for Barão Vermelho, but he declined the offer, claiming his voice would be 'too soft' for the band's style and suggesting Cazuza for the position.
Recording
Produced by Mariozinho Rocha for the Epic Records (CBS) label, Sessão da Tarde was recorded and mixed by Guilherme Reis, with Leo Jaime himself taking on the musical direction of the project. The recording process, however, was not without its challenges. Leo Jaime revealed he faced impasses with the record label, which wanted an album more aligned with the commercial standards of other artists in their catalogue and even requested that the album be redone. However, Jaime defended his vision for a simpler, more direct sound, inspired by garage rock, and his conviction was crucial for the final result to reflect his artistic intentions, ultimately being approved by the record label's president. The album featured a talented core band, including Sergio Serra (guitar), Iuri Cunha (bass), Paulo Henrique (keyboards), and Rodrigo Mauá (drums), as well as notable special guest appearances: Kid Abelha e Os Abóboras Selvagens on "A Fórmula do Amor", João Penca e Seus Miquinhos Amestrados on backing vocals, and Os Paralamas do Sucesso on the instrumental section of "Solange". The photographs that make up the booklet, captured by J.R. Duran and Mircea Dordea, contribute to the visual aesthetic of the work, which, incidentally, owes its title to the famous film programme on TV Globo.
Songs
With ten tracks and a total duration of 37 minutes and 24 seconds, Sessão da Tarde consolidated a series of songs that would become major hits and Leo Jaime's trademarks. Among them, "A Fórmula do Amor", a collaboration with Leoni and featuring Kid Abelha e Os Abóboras Selvagens, emerged as one of the biggest hits, celebrating youthful love with a catchy melody. "Só", another standout track, features the charming doo-wop style in the backing vocals by João Penca e Seus Miquinhos Amestrados. The album is also notable for tracks such as "O Pobre", co-written with Herbert Vianna, which narrates the perspective of a boy without resources in love with a girl from a higher social class, a theme that permeates several songs on the album and resonated deeply with the public. The romantic and humorous tone extends to "Amor Colegial", composed by Tony Bellotto and Marcelo Fromer of Titãs, and to the ballad "A Vida Não Presta". There is also the amusing "Solange", a parody of The Police's classic "So Lonely", which featured the instrumental work of Os Paralamas do Sucesso and served as a humorous dig at police chief Solange Hernandez, then head of the Public Entertainment Censorship Division. "As Sete Vampiras" is another highlight, a rock track tailor-made for Ivan Cardoso's eponymous film, in which Jaime also acted.
Legacy
Sessão da Tarde was a resounding success, selling over 160,000 copies across Brazil and reaching eighth position on the Nopem weekly charts, decisively propelling Leo Jaime's career to stardom. The album is frequently cited as a classic of 80s Brazilian rock, comparable in importance and commercial impact to other seminal releases of that year, such as works by Kid Abelha, Lulu Santos, Ultraje a Rigor, Titãs, and RPM. Even decades after its release, the album maintains its relevance, largely due to its universal themes of love, youthful disillusionment, and social issues. Proof of this is that, in 2021, Leo Jaime revisited and re-released acoustic versions of "A Vida Não Presta", "O Pobre", and "Só" as singles, confirming the enduring quality of his songbook. Despite its undeniable importance and the quality of his work, some critics point out that Sessão da Tarde and Leo Jaime's discography sometimes do not receive the recognition they deserve in lists of the best national rock albums.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Leo Jaime
Mariozinho Rocha
Sérgio Serra
Leo Jaime
Paulo Henrique
Guilherme Reis
J. R. Duran, Mircea Dordea
Podcasts
Sons e Histórias · Daniel Queiroz
Nesse episódio comentamos o disco Sessão da Tarde do cantor e compositor Léo Jaime
Videos
UMA NOITE DE AVENTURAS (1987):CURIOSIDADES DO FILME QUE FEZ MUITO SUCESSO NA SESSÃO DA TARDE
BlackCloud Film OFICIAL
Todos os FILMES da SESSÃO DA TARDE | ESPECIAL 50 ANOS | Parte 1
Anos Incríveis
Books
Analyses
Sessão da Tarde – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Leo Jaime - Sessão Da Tarde (1985)
musicasdonordeste.net
Em 1985, Leo Jaime gravou o LP "Sessão da tarde", do qual se destacou o sucesso "A fórmula do amor". Outro destaque foi a faixa "Solange", versão para "So lonely", do grupo pop inglês The Police.
Leo Jaime reapresenta músicas do álbum 'Sessão da tarde' em ... - G1
g1.globo.com
Com registros acústicos, artista volta ao cancioneiro do disco de 1985 em que deu voz aos sentimentos agridoces de garotos pobres e solitários.
Leo Jaime - Sessão Da Tarde 1985 - Ivan DJ
ivandj.com.br
Leo Jaime - Sessão Da Tarde 1985 Posted by By: Ivan DJ. Artista: Leo Jaime Disco: Sessão Da Tarde Ano: 1985 Esta edição: 2015 (Parte do Box "Nada Mudou") Gravadora: Epic (Edição original) / Sony Music (Esta edição) Estilo: Pop Rock Tempo total: 37:31 Formato: MP3 320k (+ scans) Leo Jaime em 1985 Faixas 01. O Pobre - 4 ...
Leo Jaime reapresenta músicas do álbum 'Sessão da tarde' em trilogia de ...
cafm.com.br
Em bom português, Leo Jaime deu voz aos sentimentos agridoces dos garotos pobres, solitários e apaixonados por meninas de outra classe social. Além de ter marcado época no movimento pop brasileiro dos anos 1980, o álbum Sessão da tarde continua atual pela temática universal.
Discogs
Sessão da Tarde – Discogs
discogs.com