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It's
easy to look back to recall one of the seminal moments of rock
and roll's birth: It was Alan Freed, a disk jockey on the Cleveland
radio dial in the early 50's who championed the teen beat by taking
the term from a song called "My Baby Rocks Me With A Steady
Roll."
After
dark, his AM station broadcast a new sound which had yet to find
its form. It borrowed from many styles - R&B, gospel and the
blues - even country and jazz. But by the time Bill Haley and
the Comets had crossed over with the first bona fide rock and
roll hit with 'Rock Around The Clock' in 1954, rock and roll had
moved well beyond its roots. Two years later, Elvis Presley shook
up the Ed Sullivan Show and rock and roll was mainstream - at
least from the waist up.
But
something quite different was simmering in late 40's Rio de Janeiro,
and it had the same musical intensity and its own disk jockey
to thank for it. Rio's Rádio Nacional was the top station
in town and Haroldo Barbosa's show 'Um Milhão de Melodias'
(A Million Melodies) regularly featured versions of top US hits
in Portuguese. In fact, International songs outnumbered Brazilian
songs on the radio three to one. Many of these cover versions
were performed live on the radio or recorded in one of the station's
sound studios or its amphitheater. And just like its close competitor,
Rádio Tupi, Rádio Nacional employed orchestras,
arrangers and vocal groups full time. That's where João
Gilberto and other singers got their start.
If
Carioca teens weren't tuned in, then it probably was because many
of them were busy debating the hits of the day at an electrical
appliance and music store called Lojas Murray, in the heart of
Rio.
Murray's
might not have been the best place to buy a new refrigerator,
but on weekday afternoons, the mezzanine was crowded with after-school
discussions on the merits of American music. But they weren't
talking about Chuck Berry, Fats Domino or Ike Turner; they were
fans of Nat King Cole, Stan Kenton and Ella Fitzgerald, and especially
Frank Sinatra and Rio-born crooner Dick Farney, who had changed
his named from Farnésio Dutra and in 1946 - at age of 25
- boarded a ship bound for New York and a career as a American
singer.
In
true Brazilian fashion, the Sinatra-Farney Fan Club emerged to
reflect the popularity of this new trend and the little green
wallet that came with membership was the musical doorway to the
rest of the world.
Bossa
Nova took its own time to develop: it wasn't even a blip on Rio
de Janeiro's radar screen in 1950. But pioneers like Sylvia
Telles, Os Cariocas, Ronaldo Bôscoli and Roberto Menescal
were each advancing the sound note by note and by the time torch
singer Elizeth
Cardoso set foot in Antonio Carlos Jobim's studio to record
that ultimate, proto-Bossa tune 'Chega de Saudade' in 1958, the
stage was sent for the birth of a brand new style of music. It
was a playfully sophisticated sound that was based on the Brazilian
Samba with a hint of American jazz. It was completely different
from anything else coming up from Latin America.
And
it wasn't rock and roll.
Don't
forget: Each of our radio shows on The Sounds of Brazil! are available
free - 24/7 - all week long on the 'Radio
& Webcasts' page at Connectbrazil.com!
Back
in the U.S. of A, Alan Freed organized the first rock and roll
concert, in Cleveland. 'The Moondog Coronation Ball' was held
at the Cleveland Arena on March 21, 1952 and was shut down after
the first song due to overcrowding. It's estimated that 20,000
fans tried to more than double the arena's capacity.
Bossa
Nova's first 'official' concert came along eight years and two
months later. Organized by Ronaldo Bôscoli, this was the
event that solidified Bossa Nova as a musical movement. As with
most historical events, the story behind the show has made that
evening become larger than life. Here's a recounting:
It
goes back to a Bossa Nova breakup in January 1960 - between Bôscoli
and his songwriting partner Carlos Lyra. They were at the vanguard
of a group of teens who were blazing forward with Rio's new style
but Lyra had an independent streak to bolster his musical ego
and the temptation to sign a solo record deal instead of waiting
for one to materialize with Bôscoli and their group proved
to be irresistible. A photo capturing the signing swept through
Rio's newspapers the next day and it shook the Bossa Nova community
to its core. A war between two record companies broke out between
Phillips Records (who had promised Lyra that he'd become the 'next'
João Gilberto) and Odeon Records, which had only loosely
committed to a recording featuring the two songwriters and their
group.
Months
simmered under the Brazilian sun. The Phillips deal caused Lyra
to distance himself from the rest of his Bossa brethren, to the
point were he decided to find a new name for the music he played.
He came up with the name 'Sambalanço' (Samba Beat) and
while he personally preached this new gospel to the press and
during his shows, Phillips Records didn't think twice about Sambalanço:
When they released his debut album in early May it was titled
'Bossa Nova Carlos Lyra.'
As
a songwriter, Lyra's contributions on that first recording were
brilliant, but the LP was more hype than help to Lyra the singer,
who sounded nothing like João Gilberto - in voice or style.
Gilberto was the source of the revolution: The trademarks that
helped make him a remarkable performer were the way he sang, really
softly, radically diverting from the classic tradition of old
time radio singers, famous for their huge vocal capacities; and
the way he played his guitar, taking on a different beat that
relocated samba's traditional punch.
The
battle between the two Brazilian record companies came to a head
on May 21st, 1960, right under the noses of an unknowing public
and most of the musicians involved. Bossa Nova and Sambalanço
would square off with separate concerts on the same night - the
former at the School of Architecture near Praia Vermelha and the
latter at the Catholic University in Gávea. Rio's Bossa
Nova fans would have to choose - the distance between the venues
was too great to attend both shows.
History
tells us that Lyra's show 'Noite do Sambalanço' (A Night
of Sambalanço) and Boscoli's show 'A Noite do Amor, do
Sorriso e da Flor' (A Night of Love, A Smile and a Flower) earned
their respective audiences: Three thousand were said to have filed
into the School of Architecture's assembly with a similar number
outside, while Lyra's crowd was smaller, due to less space. But
there's no doubt as to which was the better show.
Lyra's
showcase to support his debut album couldn't stand up against
the breadth of talent produced by Ronaldo Bôscoli. The house
band for the event would have been good enough for a memorable
night: Luiz Carlos Vinhas at the piano, with guitarist Roberto
Menescal, bass player Luiz Paulo, drummer Helcio Milito and saxophonist
Bebeto.
The
list of featured singers read like a 'Who's Who' from Bossa Nova's
best: Sylvia Telles, Johnny Alf (who was flown in from São
Paulo by a local newspaper), Norma Bengel, Sergio Ricardo, Os
Cariocas, Trio Irakitan, Elza Soares and young Astrud Gilberto
with her new husband João Gilberto, who was in attendance
as the star attraction; the concert's title and the name of his
second Odeon Records album 'O
Amor, O Sorriso e A Flor' were nearly identical.
Author
Ruy Castro's recounting of the event in his book 'Bossa
Nova' is typically insightful - and a wonderful
read:
"
The two biggest stars closed the show," he writes. "Mr.
and Mrs. João Gilberto. He came on stage to an abyss-like
silence, and before three thousand mouths and noses that were
trying desperately not to breath, sang "One Note Samba"
and "O Pato". He then accompanied Astrud on the guitar,
providing vocal harmony, in "Lamento", [Lament] and
"Brigas, Nunca Mais" [Fights, Never More], both by Jobim
and Vinicius. People though that Astrud sang very well, but if
anyone had hinted that only four years later she's be selling
millions of records in the United States, they would have been
admitted to the psychiatric hospital next door to the school."
What
must it have been like to be in the audience that night? Now you
can experience it for yourself.
In
early October, a blogger
named Zecaloro posted the complete, recorded audio tracks of that
first, famous Bossa Nova concert. His site, in association with
a download
site called Loronix has posted the enitre audio of that legendary
concert for you to download for your persoanl enjoyment.
Click
here
to access Zecaloro's Blog and to download these song in their
entirety. Then click on the text link just below the playlist
on that page, which reads: "This is A Noite do Amor, do
Sorriso e da Flor - Faculdade de Arquitetura (1960), at Loronix,
here."
You'll be taken to a download page at Rapidshare. Read the
page carefully and follow the posted instructions. There is no
need to register.
Here's
the complete track list:
01
- Apresentação - Ronaldo Bôscoli & Sylvia
Telles
02 - Sambop - Sylvia Telles
03 - Fuga - Sylvia Telles
04 - Chora Sua Tristeza - Sylvia Telles
05 - Apresentação Johnny Alf - Ronaldo Bôscoli
06 - Rapaz de Bem - Johnny Alf
07 - Ceu e Mar - Johnny Alf
08 - Apresentação Norma Bengel - Ronaldo Bôscoli
09 - Não Faz Assim - Norma Bengel
10 - Dona Baratinha - Trio Irakitan
11 - Ideias Erradas - Trio Irakitan
12 - Menina Feia - Trio Irakitan
13 - Se Acaso Você Chegasse - Elza Soares
14 - Zelão - Sergio Ricardo
15 - Oceano e o Mar - Sergio Ricardo
16 - Menina Feia - Os Cariocas
17 - Esquece - Os Cariocas
18 - Samba de Uma Nota Só - João Gilberto
19 - O Pato - João Gilberto
20 - Pode Esquecer - Astrud Gilberto & João Gilberto
21 - Brigas Nunca Mais - Astrud Gilberto & João Gilberto
22 - Encerramento - Ronaldo Bôscoli
23 - Insensatez - João Gilberto
Unlike
that musical revolution to the north, Rio's new beat didn't have
a name until well after Joao Gilberto scored the new genre's first
hit song with his version of 'Chega de Saudade'. And while it
can be argued that today's rock bears little resemblance to its
origins, Bossa Nova has more or less remained true to its roots,
even as it prepares to enter its sixth decade.
And
to put it all into some sort of perspective, three nights after
that famous concert at the School of Architecture, Lena Horn sang
Joao Gilberto's 'Bim Bom' (in Portuguese no less!) at Rio's world-famous
Copacabana Palace Hotel on Avenida Altantica. She stayed for three
encores that evening.
Bossa
Nova had arrived.
~
~ ~
This
month kicks off our celebration for Bossa Nova 50th Anniversary,
which will continue throughout 2008. I hope that our month-long
'History of Bossa Nova' feature at Connectbrazil.com and on the
radio with The Sounds of Brazil will serve as a happy introduction
to the year ahead!
Weekends
in November
Our
month-long weekend lineup for The Sounds of Brazil is also available
24/7 via our webcast channel from our 'Radio & Webcasts' page.
Here's a look ahead:
We'll
begin the month with a look back at one of Bossa Nova's most prominent
patrons - and perhaps Brazil's most famous songwriter before Antonio
Carlos Jobim. Back in the 30's and 40's Ary
Barroso put the 'pop' in Brazilian popular music and his bands
swung just as hard as Benny Goodman or Glenn Miller. Two of his
most famous songs became big hits in the US: 'Bahia' (Na Baixa
Do Sapateiro) and 'Brazil' (Aquarela do Brasil) have a storied
past and we'll explore these famous songs and several more written
by the man whose music influenced the Bossa sound from the very
start. And don't miss our medley at the top pf our second hour.
Wow!
Week
two turns our ears in the direction of a Carioca pianist whose
decision to travel north to America would result in changing the
musical landscape on both sides of the equator, worldwide. Sergio
Mendes came along for that first memorable Bossa Nova Concert
at Carnegie Hall in 1962 and returned a few years later to create
'Brasil 66'. We've lined up two hours of his best songs - with
a few surprises!
We'll
set aside our third week to spend some musical time with Oscar
Castro-Neves, who traded his role as a member of the Sergio
Mendes' group to carve out a unique niche in Brazilian (and American)
song. His CDs have given us a panorama of sound - all centered
on the Bossa beat that he and his brothers helps to create in
the early 60's. You'll find out why America considers Oscar to
be the "hardest working man'" in Brazilian music.
Finally,
our annual special, 'The History of Bossa Nova' takes its place
on the calendar to wrap up our month-long tribute to Brazil's
best music. Always a fan favorite, this year's show will touch
on Bossas old and new, from forgotten classics from Rio's 60's
club scene to the cutting-edge sounds of the New Bossa beat from
Italy, Germany and right here at home. A not-to-be-missed explosion
of sound!
So
enjoy all that this month has to offer. And don't forget the music
when you head down the road to enjoy the colors of the season.
Explore our e-store at Connectbrazil.com and pick up a few CDs
if you want. You'll find that it's easy to understand why Brazil's
greatest gift to the world isn't coffee, cachaça or even
ethanol - it's the Brazilian beat!
As
we do every month, we'll expand our view with fresh additions
to both our Brazilian Blend webcast channel and the Connectbrazil.com
Premium channels. And don't forget each weekly radio show for
The Sounds of Brazil is available via our 24/7 on-demand webcast,
all week long.
This
month's Banner: 'The
History of Bossa Nova'
Fifty
years of growth has resulted in a musical style that towers above
the rest, and our grouping of palms is an elegant recognition
of seven of its most influential characters: Sergio Mendes, Astrud
Gilberto, Roberto Menescal, Oscar Castro-Neves, Bossa's muse Nara
Leão and of course, João Gilberto and Antonio Carlos
Jobim!
All
the best,
Scott Adams
Publisher, Connectbrazil.com
Program Host, The Sounds of Brazil radio show
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