What's the deal about Edu Lobo?

[Steven J. Gross]

I have recently been made aware that this guy wrote a lot of the Fool On The Hill tracks, among other familiar stuff. Is there a definative album of his stuff?

 

[jimac51]

Gee,I was going to recommend the compilation PERSONALIDADE-(3145141332)part of a series from then-Polygram's Verve label though original sources were primarily from their Phillips label. It looks like it is out of print. That would primarily leave the SERGIO MENDES PRESENTS A&M album. Not a bad choice,and mid line priced,but I felt that the older material was a bit less produced. Edu handles his material quite well,thank you. Check out the A&M album at www.amazon.com and read all of the reviews-I think you recognize a few of the critics. Mac

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Gee,I was going to recommend the compilation PERSONALIDADE-(3145141332)part of a series from then-Polygram's Verve label though original sources were primarily from their Phillips label. It looks like it is out of print.

I think it is out of print. A great compilation all the same...if you can get your hands on one, do so. Edu is a sensational artist.

That would primarily leave the SERGIO MENDES PRESENTS A&M album. Not a bad choice,and mid line priced,but I felt that the older material was a bit less produced.

SERGIO MENDES PRESENTS EDU LOBO is a wonderful representation of where Edu was about the time of Sergio's STILLNESS. Great sound all the way around. Highly recommended.

Jon

 

[Mr Bill]

How funny to find this thread -- I listened to the Verve reissue while I cooked dinner for myself and the kidlets... A great album/CD indeed. I particularly love Lobo's rendition of "Jangada," my favorite cut off Lani's Hello It's Me...

--Mr Bill

 

[Brasil_Nut]

How funny to find this thread -- I listened to the Verve reissue while I cooked dinner for myself and the kidlets... A great album/CD indeed. I particularly love Lobo's rendition of "Jangada," my favorite cut off Lani's Hello It's Me...

--Mr Bill

Oh! I love Lani's version of "Jangada" too!! What an incredible reading she gives the song. Almost as if she said, "I've still got it...listen to me go!" and man, did she! Whew!! Must have taken her breath away -- masterful!

I love Edu's reading also. Soft, almost pensive. This is how Edu sings a song. And, jimac is correct: in comparison to Sergio's take on the Lobo sound, his earlier efforts were, indeed, toned down. Edu said so himself.

Jon

...In celebration of Lani, Sergio & Edu, online...

 

[Steven J. Gross]

I ended up with this one from Dusty Groove:
Edu Lobo -- Edu Lobo -- Serie Sem Limite . . . CD . . . $13.99 (Item: 50105)
Universal (Brazil), 1960s/1970s (2CD) Condition: New Copy View Cart
A great collection of classic work by Edu Lobo -- one of Brazil's greatest composers and arrangers ever! Lobo got his start in the bossa generation -- as you'll hear from some of his uniquely baroque arrangements and compositions that make up the early part of this set -- and as the years progressed, he kept on evolving his style, picking up bits of jazz and more complex instrumentation, but never losing a sense of the groove. Titles on the set include "Dono Do Lugar", "Quase Sempre", "Memorias De Marta Sare", "Canto Triste", "Zambi", "Bate Boca", "Moto Continuo", "Reza", "Dizer Adeus", "Upa Neguinho", "Vento Bravo", "Luiza", "Boranda", "Cheganca", "Cancao De Amanhecer", and "Casa Forte". 30 tracks on 2CDs!

 

[W.B.]

SERGIO MENDES PRESENTS EDU LOBO is a wonderful representation of where Edu was about the time of Sergio's STILLNESS. Great sound all the way around. Highly recommended.

Sergio Mendes Presents Edu Lobo was also notable in another sense: It was one of the last records to feature the work of cellist Eleanor Slatkin (d. 1995) who was one of four cellists who took part in the sessions for this LP. Eleanor, the widow of noted violinist Felix Slatkin (and mother of orchestra conductor - and now musical director of the National Symphony Orchestra - Leonard Slatkin, and cellist Fred Zlotkin), was one among many string players who were featured in many made-in-L.A. pop recordings from the 1940's up to this point. She and Felix had also been part of the Hollywood String Quartet (which also featured Paul Robyn - later to be replaced by Alvin Dinkin - and Paul Shure) which played classical works on the side in between movie scores and pop recording sessions. The Slatkins, B.T.W., were also friends of Frank Sinatra, and played on several of his records (they were his personal favorite string players).

 

[Rudy]

That Personalidade CD was a good one--too bad it's out of print. Has my favorite version of "Upa Neguinho" on it.

 

[JMK]

I have just about all of Edu's recordings on either LP or CD and I can honestly say you can't go wrong with any of them. I especially recommend his recording with the Tamba Trio which has some outstanding stuff on it. Unfortunately his 1967 Philips LP with Gracinha has yet to see the CD light of day (one of the very few of his not to). In the trivia department--this hasn't been mentioned (that I saw, sorry if it has), but Edu was married for a long time to Wanda de Sah the "sunny voiced" singer of Brasil '65. Edu and Wanda's son Bena released a nice disc a couple of years ago that Edu guests on. Personally, while I love his A&M outing, it lacks the "edge" of some of his native Brasilian stuff.

 

[Harry]

My first experience with Edu Lobo was about three or four years ago. Paula and I had swapped a few albums and tapes back and forth and she had an LP copy of the A&M Edu Lobo album. I was enough of a fan of his songs through Brasil '66 to want to hear it. I recall instantly liking it, even through a cassette tape of scratchy vinyl, and knew I had to own it (and the whole thing too -- Paula's vehement dislike for the final "Hey Jude" track prevented her from even taping it for me!). It wasn't too long after that that the Japanese re-issue came out on CD -- and then recently we were blessed with the Verve re-mastered reissue here in the States.

In another exchange, I acquired Edu Lobo's Cantiga de Longe, and was delighted to hear more of his work, and some of the same songs in another setting.

I'd read about Personalidade here on the Corner, and found a copy in the Orlando Virgin MegaStore a year or so ago. Sorry to hear it's out of print, but happy I found one before it disappeared.

Harry
...adding his two cents, online...

 

[Steven J. Gross]

I ended up with this one from Dusty Groove:
Edu Lobo -- Edu Lobo -- Serie Sem Limite . . . CD . . . $13.99 (Item: 50105)
Universal (Brazil), 1960s/1970s (2CD) Condition: New Copy View Cart
A great collection of classic work by Edu Lobo -- one of Brazil's greatest composers and arrangers ever! Lobo got his start in the bossa generation -- as you'll hear from some of his uniquely baroque arrangements and compositions that make up the early part of this set -- and as the years progressed, he kept on evolving his style, picking up bits of jazz and more complex instrumentation, but never losing a sense of the groove. Titles on the set include "Dono Do Lugar", "Quase Sempre", "Memorias De Marta Sare", "Canto Triste", "Zambi", "Bate Boca", "Moto Continuo", "Reza", "Dizer Adeus", "Upa Neguinho", "Vento Bravo", "Luiza", "Boranda", "Cheganca", "Cancao De Amanhecer", and "Casa Forte". 30 tracks on 2CDs!

Truly amazing- every Brasill '66 fan should get it!

 

[Brasil_Nut]

...Truly amazing- every Brasil '66 fan should get it!

Agreed...take it from Steven and Jeff Kauffman...this one's masterful! Edu is one heck of a gifted musician and performer. If it's relaxation and true Bossa Nova you want, he'll deliver every time. His music is a gift.

Jon