Vagamente
Wanda Sá
1964
Rankings
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.
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..., by writer Bruna Fonte, is a narrative about the life and career of musician, composer, and producer Roberto Menescal, one of the creators of Bossa Nova. The foreword is signed by writer Paulo Coelho, Menescal's friend. The book's literary style is not biographical, but it addresses his trajectory, which certainly includes his collaborations with Wanda Sá.
300 Discos Importantes da Música Brasileira
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
A translation of the 1990 Brazilian bestseller, this is a story of what happened when 'street samba' moved indoors and became an international form of pop/jazz. This book is filled with interviews with artists and those close to them, and the author Ruy Castro makes clear the importance of Bossa Nova, contextualising the musical movement of which Wanda Sá and the album 'Vagamente' were a part.
Analyses
The Music of Parallel Realities: Wanda Sa - Wanda Vagamente (1964)
parallelrealitiesmusic.blogspot.com
Come to think of it, there has so far been not one career album by singer Wanda Sá on Parallel Realities. The main reason for it was that I assumed that her albums are all copyright protected, as many have been released also as CD.
Wanda Sa - Wanda Vagamente (1964) - PARALLEL REALITIES STUDIO
parallelrealitiesstudio.wordpress.com
Come to think of it, there has so far been not one career album by singer Wanda Sá on Parallel Realities. The main reason for it was that I assumed that her albums are all copyright protected, as many have been released also as CD.
Wanda - Vagamente (1964) | Toque Musical
toque-musicall.com
"Vagamente" is a very beautiful, simple, and literally touching album in every sense. That's why I make a point of including it in our posts. "Vagamente" was the debut album by singer and guitarist Wanda Sá. She was discovered by Ronaldo Boscoli. She was a student of Roberto Menescal at his famous little school of...
Wanda Sá - Vagamente (1964) - Discoteca Pública
discotecapublica.com.br
Artist: Wanda Sá Title: Vagamente Year: Original 1964/Reissue 1990 Record Label/Manufacturer/Imprint: RGE Format: LP/12 inches Serial No.: 320 6050 Side 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
In 1964, during the legendary show O Fino da Bossa, at Teatro Paramount, now Teatro Abril, in São Paulo, her LP Wanda Vagamente was released, produced by Roberto Menescal and featuring Dom Um Romão, Edison Machado, the groups of Luís Carlos Vinhas, Tenório Júnior and Sérgio Mendes, with the initial arrangements by...
