Record Reviews

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