Vagamente
Wanda Sá
1964
Why This Album Matters
Vagamente, released in 1964, is the debut album by singer and guitarist Wanda Sá and an essential landmark of bossa nova. At 19 years old, Wanda Sá personified the charm and lightness of the genre, presenting a soft and engaging voice that would become her trademark. The record stands out for the purity and sophistication of its approach to bossa nova. It is a fundamental piece for understanding the evolution of the style in Brazil, with modern arrangements and the participation of elite instrumentalists from the Brazilian bossa-jazz scene, who elevated the musical standard of the work. This work by Wanda Sá transcended simple interpretation, consolidating her as a serious instrumentalist and an original voice in the music scene. Her melodic and harmonic aesthetic, coupled with her delicate performance, gave the album a prominent place, capturing the essence of bossa nova in its most authentic and elegant form. It is an invitation to listen carefully to the nuances that define one of Brazil's most influential musical movements.
Context
Before recording Vagamente, Wanda Sá already demonstrated her musical talent. At 13 years old, she began her guitar studies with the renowned Roberto Menescal, who would later go on to produce her debut album. Her professional debut occurred in 1962, and she quickly attracted attention, being discovered by Ronaldo Bôscoli. This led her to appearances on important television programmes of the time, such as Dois no Balanço (TV Excelsior) and O Fino da Bossa (TV Record), before releasing her first solo work.
Recording
The album Vagamente was recorded in April 1964, in São Paulo, under the production of Roberto Menescal. The recording featured some of the most talented musicians from the Brazilian bossa-jazz scene. The backing band included names such as Luiz Carlos Vinhas, Tenório Jr., Eumir Deodato and Dom Um Romão. It is notable that this work marked one of Eumir Deodato's first arrangements, revealing the start of a brilliant career. The original recording was made in monaural, a common characteristic of the era.
Songs
Vagamente features a carefully selected repertoire, with compositions by some of the biggest names in bossa nova and MPB. Among the album's twelve tracks, highlights include the title track "Vagamente", by Roberto Menescal and Ronaldo Bôscoli, which became an immediate success, and "Inútil Paisagem", by Tom Jobim and Aloysio de Oliveira, released through this record. The album also includes other gems such as "Só Me Fez Bem" (Edu Lobo and Vinicius de Moraes), "Vivo Sonhando" (Tom Jobim) and "Tristeza de Nós Dois" (Durval Ferreira, Maurício Einhorn and Octávio Burnier). The lyrics explore themes such as love, 'saudade' and the beauty of everyday life, while the complex harmonies and delicate melody are striking characteristics of the genre. Wanda Sá's interpretation lends each song a particular sensitivity, emphasising the lightness and sweetness that consecrated her.
Legacy
Vagamente was a success upon its release, boosting Wanda Sá's career and solidifying her as one of bossa nova's prominent voices. The album's popularity led her to join Sérgio Mendes's group Brasil '65 in the same year, undertaking successful tours in Brazil and the United States. The album had important reissues, including one in Japan in the 2000s, which demonstrates its lasting recognition and cultural relevance. Subsequently, the album was acclaimed on other occasions, with vinyl reissues. Although the initial reception in terms of exact sales and awards of the time is not widely documented, the record's impact was fundamental in consolidating Wanda Sá's image on the music scene. Years later, outlets such as National Public Radio would call her "one of Brazil's best-kept musical secrets" and The Wall Street Journal would describe her as "legendary", attesting to the belated, but significant, recognition of the value of her work, which began with Vagamente.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Eumir Deodato
Roberto Menescal
Manuel Gusmao, Octavio Bailly Jr, Sergio Barroso
Conjunto Luiz Carlos Vinhas, Conjunto Tenório Jr., Roberto Menescal E Seu Conjunto
Dom Um Romao, Edison Machado, João Palma
Henri Ackselrud
Celso Brando, Roberto Menescal
Eumir Deodato, Luiz Carlos Vinhas, Tenorio Jr.
Pedro Paulo
Ugo Marotta
Ronaldo Boscoli
Books
O barquinho vai--
Bruna Fonte · 2010
O Barquinho Vai..., de autoria da escritora Bruna Fonte, é uma narrativa acerca da vida e da carreira do músico, compositor e produtor Roberto Menescal, um dos criadores da Bossa Nova. O prefácio é assinado pelo escritor Paulo Coelho, amigo de Menescal. O estilo literário do livro não é biográfico, mas aborda sua trajetória, o que certamente inclui suas colaborações com Wanda Sá.
300 Important Albums of Brazilian Music
Charles Gavin, Tárik de Souza, Carlos Calado, Arthur Dapieve · 2008
Conceived by Titãs drummer and musical researcher Charles Gavin, the 434-page book brings together covers and reviews of albums released between 1929 and 2007. The texts were written by journalists Tárik de Souza, Arthur Dapieve and Carlos Calado.
Bossa Nova
Ruy Castro · 2000
Uma tradução do best-seller brasileiro de 1990, esta é uma história do que aconteceu quando o 'samba de rua' se mudou para dentro e se tornou uma forma internacional de pop/jazz. Este livro é repleto de entrevistas com artistas e pessoas próximas a eles, e o autor Ruy Castro deixa clara a importância da Bossa Nova, contextualizando o movimento musical do qual Wanda Sá e o álbum 'Vagamente' fizeram parte.
Analyses
Wanda - Vagamente (1964) | Toque Musical
toque-musicall.com
"Vagamente" é um álbum muito bonito, simples e literalmente tocante em todos os sentidos. Por isso faço questão de também tê-lo em nossas postagens. "Vagamente" foi o álbum de estréia da cantora e violonista Wanda Sá. Ela foi descoberta por Ronaldo Boscoli. Foi aluna de Roberto Menescal em sua famosa escolinha de ...
Wanda Sá - Vagamente (1964) - Discoteca Pública
discotecapublica.com.br
Artista: Wanda Sá Título: Vagamente Ano: Original de 1964/Reedição de 1990 Gravadora/Fabricante/Selo: RGE Formato: LP/12 polegadas Nº série: 320 6050 Lado A 01 - Adriana - Roberto Menescal e Luiz Fernando Freire 02 - E Vem O Sol - Marcos Valle e Paulo Sérgio Valle 03 - Encontro - Wanda e Nelsinho Motta
Wanda Sá - Wanda Vagamente (1964) - BR 320
br320.blogspot.com
Em 1964, durante o antológico show O Fino da Bossa, no Teatro Paramount, atual Teatro Abril, de São Paulo, foi lançado seu LP Wanda Vagamente, produzido por Roberto Menescal e com a participação de Dom Um Romão, Edison Machado, os conjuntos de Luís Carlos Vinhas, Tenório Júnior e Sérgio Mendes, com os primeiros arranjos de ...
Wanda Sá canta as canções de 'Vagamente', LP que ... - Estadão
estadao.com.br
RIO — Em agosto de 1964, aos 21 anos recém-completados, Wanda Sá era uma jovem dourada de praia, de voz doce e violão bossa-novista na mão, a entrar no estúdio da RGE para gravar Wanda Vagamente.
Wanda Sá 1964-1965-1973 - revoluciomnibus.com
revoluciomnibus.com
E que CAST! Wanda Vagamente, o primeiro disco de Wanda Sá, nasceu um clássico.
Discogs
Vagamente – Discogs
discogs.com