Record Reviews
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  | DIVINA INCRENCA ~ DIVINA INCRENCA
EDITIO PRINCEPS 14 (Barcode: 7898901556145) ~ BRAZIL ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1980 Released: 2007
This is a reissue of the only album recorded by pioneering Avant-Garde Brazilian Jazz trio Divina IncrencaFind albums by this artist, which comprised of multi-instrumentalist Felix WagnerFind albums by this artist, bassist Rodolfo StroeterFind albums by this artist and drummer Azael RodriguesFind albums by this artist. The album also features three guest musicians, who play on selected tracks: saxophonists Mauro SeniseFind albums by this artist and Roberto SionFind albums by this artist and flautist Claus PremeFind albums by this artist. In addition to the eight tracks included on the original LP album, this remastered edition also includes five previously unreleased outtakes from the original sessions and one live track. All the music is original and all was composed by the trio members.
Together with such early Brazilian Jazz ensembles like Grupo UmFind albums by this artist and Pé Ante PéFind albums by this artist, Divina Increnca basically shaped to Brazilian Jazz an Jazz-World Fusion scene for years to come, creating for the first time original Brazilian Jazz rather than Bossa Nova music, which was more associated with Brazilian Folklore and adapted to Jazz by musicians from outside of Brazil. Divina Increnca was clearly the most advanced of these ensembles as far as Avant-Garde and Free Jazz is concerned and most of this album can be described as belonging to the searching music, which puts the individual freedom at the centre, but maintains a strong ensemble mood and presents clearly coherent melodic motifs.
Dominated by Wagner´s excellent piano parts, the album presents all the trio members and their guest as excellent instrumentalist, who are clearly able to swing when needed and to develop freely improvised passages, which are inspired and interesting. Although Free Jazz reached Brazil about a decade after it exploded in the US and Europe, the Brazilian response to the challenge was formidable, even if only within a small sphere of musicians.
Albums like this are sacred pieces of music history, which deserve to be preserved and brought back to life. As far as Brazilian music is concerned, the small Editio PrincepsFind albums on this label label made a superb job of it and its releases are all worth their weight in gold!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 13/04/2018 | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | GRUPO UM ~ A FLOR DE PLASTICO INCINERADA
EDITIO PRINCEPS 18 (Barcode: 7898901556183) ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion
Recorded: 1982 Released: 2010
This is the reissue of the third and final album by the legendary Brazilian ensemble Grupo UmFind albums by this artist, led by brothers Lelo NazarioFind albums by this artist (keyboards) and Zé Eduardo NazarioFind albums by this artist (drums). On this album the lineup also included saxophonist / flautist Teco CardosoFind albums by this artist, bassist Rodolfo StroeterFind albums by this artist and guests: clarinetist Felix WagnerFind albums by this artist and narrator Regina PortoFind albums by this artist. This remastered edition presents the original album and three bonus tracks: an excerpt, an alternate version and one previously unreleased track from the original recording session. The music is all original and was composed mostly by Lelo Nazario.
In the three years that separated the recording of this album and their groundbreaking debut "Marcha Sobre A CidadeFind albums with this title", Grupo Um progressed dramatically towards new forms of expression and much more complex melodic / harmonic structures, embracing Free Form improvisation and electronics. As a result this album is less accessible to the average Jazz listener and much more suitable for lovers of Avant-Garde and contemporary music. The transformation is truly remarkable and the new music emphasizes the desire to experiment and move beyond conventions.
A conceptual change is expressed also by the fact that one of the tracks is a solo performance on a plethora of percussive instruments, beautifully executed by Zé Eduardo Nazario and another one is a fascinating duo by Stroeter and Cardoso. The folkloristic Brazilian elements are much more subtle and mostly subdued and the music becomes much more universal and unconstrained geographically.
Only by the fourth track on the album the core quartet returns to the Jazz-Rock-World Fusion idiom, familiar from the earlier albums, but the music is much more spacey and full of irregularities and wonderful twists and turns, both melodically and rhythmically. In contrast to the age of the musicians involved, this music is deeply mature and encompasses an entire musical universe.
The fact that Grupo Um did not continue to record more albums is a great pity, but at least it contributed a trilogy of instrumental music, that changed the face of Brazilian and South American music forever, even if this remains mostly a deep secret to most music listeners in their own country and the world over. I can only recommend to the listeners to follow later recordings by the Nazario Brothers and other musicians who were involved in the Grupo Um saga, as they are all fascinating.
Of course the album remains completely untouched by time and sounds as good today as it did at the time of its recording. Essential stuff!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 10/08/2016 | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | GRUPO UM ~ UMA LENDA AO VIVO
SELO SESC 0085 (Barcode: 7898444701286) ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016
This is a live recording of a reunion concert by the legendary Brazilian ensemble Grupo UmFind albums by this artist, the country´s pioneering Jazz-Rock-World Fusion outfit originally active in late 1970s and early 1980s. This reunion lineup includes four musicians associated with the original band: brothers: Lelo NazarioFind albums by this artist (keyboards) and Zé Eduardo NazarioFind albums by this artist (drums), saxophonist Mauro SeniseFind albums by this artist and multi-instrumentalist Felix WagnerFind albums by this artist. Bassist Frank HerzbergFind albums by this artist completes the lineup. The ensemble performs ten original compositions, seven of which were composed by Lalo Nazario and one each by Zé Eduardo Nazario, Zeca AssumpcaoFind albums by this artist (the original bassist not present on this recording) and Felix Wagner. Eight of the compositions originate from the three albums recorded by the group, one is a recent composition from an album by the Nazario Brothers and the composition by Wagner is previously unrecorded.
The music should be familiar to the fans of the group, but it has been completely rearranged and updated, so the similarity to the original recordings is quite limited. As usual the music is a fantastic amalgam of great melodic themes with Jazzy improvisations, Rocky rhythms and strong flavors of Brazilian folklore, creating together the unique Grupo Um phenomenon, which remains unparalleled to this very day. The ensemble remains an example of the purest form of Jazz-Rock-World Fusion, uncontaminated by commerciality and fads of fashion.
All the musicians on this album are absolute Masters of their respective instruments and having matured over time only made them stronger and more focused as improvisers and musicians. This album is full of fabulous solo parts by all the participants and the excellent recording quality turns it into an absolute gem.
Overall this album is an instant classic and I can´t imagine any serious fan of Jazz-Rock-World Fusion not wanting it desperately in their collection. Satisfaction guaranteed and big, big thanks to the Nazario Brothers for keeping this magnificent and exquisite music alive! Obrigado my Friends!
| | Updated: 13/01/2017Posted: 13/01/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
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