Radamés Gnattali Sexteto
Radamés Gnattali
1975
Why This Album Matters
The album Radamés Gnattali Sexteto, released in 1975, is an essential work in Brazilian discography, highlighting the genius of Radamés Gnattali, a composer, conductor, and arranger who masterfully navigated between classical and popular music. This particular work is notable for its reinterpretations of choro and samba-canção classics, as well as original compositions, revealing a rich fusion of Brazilian folk music elements with classical and jazz influences. Gnattali's style, at times energetic and with dense arrangements, explores harmonic and compositional depths, demonstrating a high standard of Brazilian musical execution. The album stands out for arrangements that are both majestic and audacious, inviting attentive listening that uncovers its complex musical layers.
Context
Radamés Gnattali had a vast and consolidated musical trajectory before the recording of this album. He worked for three decades at Rádio Nacional do Brasil, starting in 1936, as a pianist, soloist, conductor, composer, and arranger, and also spent 11 years working for a television network in the 1960s. The Sextet that bears his name originated from the Quarteto Continental, founded by Gnattali in 1949, and solidified as a sextet in 1960, including his sister Aída Gnattali on the second piano. This ensemble, incidentally, toured Europe. The album's release in 1975 occurred during a period of intense repression under the Brazilian military dictatorship, which lasted from 1964 to 1985. In this scenario, Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) flourished as a form of cultural resistance, serving as the soundtrack to both the "years of lead" and the process of "political opening".
Recording
The album Radamés Gnattali Sexteto was released by the Odeon label in 1975, as part of the "Depoimento Vol. 2" series. The album's production was handled by J. T. Meirelles, with Renato Corrêa also credited as a producer in some sources. The sextet's line-up for this recording featured Radamés Gnattali on piano, Chiquinho do Acordeon on accordion, Zé Menezes on acoustic and electric guitar, Laércio de Freitas on second piano, Pedro Vidal on double bass, and Luciano Perrone on drums. The arrangements for all tracks were credited to Radamés Gnattali. It is notable that some album tracks feature the participation of a string orchestra, although without detailed credits in the original album's technical sheet.
Songs
The album's repertoire is a rich sonic tapestry that blends works by other composers with original pieces by Radamés Gnattali. Among the standout tracks are reinterpretations of classics such as Pixinguinha and Benedito Lacerda's "Um A Zero", Pixinguinha, João de Barro and Alberto Ribeiro's "Cochichando", and Louro and João de Barro's "Urubu Malandro". Gnattali's compositions include "Meu Amigo Tom Jobim", a tribute to the celebrated conductor and composer, and the suite "Divertimento Para Seis Instrumentos", an original three-movement piece that exemplifies the maestro's ability to integrate the complexity of classical music with the soul of Brazilian music. The diverse instrumentation and elaborate arrangements result in a sound that journeys through choro, samba, and bossa nova elements, all filtered through Gnattali's jazzy and classical vision.
Legacy
Radamés Gnattali Sexteto is universally recognised as a landmark in Brazilian instrumental music, an "excellent example of Brazilian musical art of the highest calibre". The album's inclusion in lists of the "100 best Brazilian music albums" reinforces its importance and permanence in the country's cultural landscape. Radamés Gnattali's influence extends across generations of musicians, with him being considered a pioneer of the big band jazz-samba style, known as gafieira, and a crucial mentor for the choro renaissance in the 1960s and 1970s. Tom Jobim's tribute with the song "Meu Amigo Radamés" on his final album, Antonio Brasileiro, is a testament to Gnattali's profound admiration and lasting impact on Brazilian music.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Radamés Gnattali
João Theodoro Meirelles
Chiquinho do Acordeon
Zé Menezes
Pedro Vidal Ramos
Luciano Perrone
Laércio De Freitas
Videos
Série Depoimento Vol. 2 - Radamés Gnattali Sexteto (1975)
Choro E Samba
Books
Analyses
About Radamés - Radamés Gnattali
radamesgnattali.com.br
It has a few measures that I could never do as Radamés did. He would show me what he wanted me to do, [Aída solfeja] I would do it exactly the same, vigorously, but it did not sound the same.
Radamés Gnattali - Radamés Gnattali
radamesgnattali.com.br
Aqui você poderá obter informações importantes e precisas sobre a vida e a obra de Radamés Gnattali, fazer buscas em seu catálogo de música de concerto, navegar no primeiro catálogo de composições e arranjos de música popular do maestro, pesquisar sua discografia.
Radamés Gnattali Sexteto | Radamés Gnattali Sexteto
radames-gnattali-sexteto.bandcamp.com
so i finally sat down and gave this radamés gnattali sexteto album a proper listen. not gonna lie, i didn't know much about it before-just saw it pop up while digging through some latin jazz reissues on discogs. the cover's kinda plain, like one of those old library records, but whatever. it's a japan-only reissue from 2015, limited ...
Radamés Gnattali Sexteto | Radamés Gnattali
radames-gnattaliyp.bandcamp.com
Gnattali's name pops up a lot in Brazilian music circles, mostly behind the scenes-arranger, conductor, that kind of guy. But here he's front and center with his sexteto, playing choro, jazz, folk... it's a mix.
Radamés Gnattali - Radamés Gnattali Sexteto (Grandes Solistas em ...
radamesgnattali.com.br
INTERPRETE (S) Sexteto Radamés ; Orquestra de cordas ; Radamés Gnattali (regência)
Discogs
Radamés Gnattali Sexteto – Discogs
discogs.com