Edu Lobo: Brazilian Artist Of The Month

[Rudy]

For December 2005, we are featuring composer and performer Edu Lobo as our featured Brazilian Artist Of The Month. This feature will serve as a discussion launch pad, a buying guide to his recordings (with purchase links to Amazon), and a link to other threads on our forum and other internet resources featuring his works.

First some recommended CDs:

Sergio Mendes Presents Lobo: Edu Lobo's classic A&M album, reissued on CD.

Edu & Tom: A great album featuring Edu and Tom Jobim.

Personalidade: Unfortunately, this compilation is out of print, but it features a good collection of many of the songs he is famous for. Worth seeking out IMHO.

Edu Lobo: A 2004 reissues of his classic 1967 album. The booklet features new notes by the artist, and two 2003 re-recordings of two of the songs on the original album.

Cantiga de Longe: Another classic reissue on CD.

If you have other recommendations, mention them in this thread and we'll add them to this list.

 

[Dave]

I enjoy "Hey, Jude" from Sergio Mendes Presents...; just uncanny how well this song works, with a Brasilian arrangement! "Pontieo", also done by Walter Wanderley is good, too!


Dave

 

[Rudy]

One of my favorite Edu Lobo covers is on Earth Wind & Fire's early Head To The Sky album; they devote nearly an entire side of this album to Lobo's "Zanzibar", featuring some lengthy instrumental solo sections.

Of course, there is the track "Lobo" on the Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela album, which sadly is out of print right now. (Maybe we'll luck out and see it reissued?)

Of course, countless Brasil '66 albums feature Lobo's compositions. If I had to credit anyone with bringing Edu Lobo to my attention, it would have to be Sergio Mendes.

BTW, "Ponteio" is on Wanderley's When It Was Done album on A&M/CTi. You can also find some of his compositions on the Paul Desmond A&M/CTi album From The Hot Afternoon, which is a favorite of mine.

 

[seashorepiano]

Many thanks to Rudy to opening up this topic. It brings some of my favorite Brazilian artists to a nice intersection.

I have come to appreciate in recent years the honesty and integrity Lobo brings to his work, particularly in his album Sergio Mendes Presents. He seems to be a real man of the people.

In a previous thread I said that I did not consider the album a protest outing, but I think that there are certainly political undercurrents in the lyrics. The music is moving, thought-provoking, and brooding. There is not a single track that comes across, to my mind, without a stroke of melancholy (particularly "Ponteio," "Jangarda," and even "Hey Jude").

Walter Wanderley's cover of "Ponteio" is great. When listening to Paul Desmond playing the Lobo tunes, I couldn't think of a better instrumentalist-let alone saxophonist-capable of phrasing the melodies in such a simple, elegant, yet somber way. Much like Lobo himself, Desmond takes it with some tristeza.

 

[JMK]

So many great Edu albums, so little time. Just off the top of my head:

Edu Lobo Por Edu Lobo Com Tamba Trio (Edu Lobo By Edu Lobo with the Tamba Trio)
Meia-Noite
Corrupiao
Edu & Bethania (Maria, that is)
Missa Breve
Limite das Aguas
Edu & Chico Buarque
Tempo Presente

 

[Rudy]

So many great Edu albums, so little time.

I'll have to check out some from your list, especially this one:

Edu Lobo Por Edu Lobo Com Tamba Trio (Edu Lobo By Edu Lobo with the Tamba Trio)

 

[PartyRico]

One of the best versions I've ever heard of "Ponteio" is on an album titled "Paul Mauriat." It used to be a gatefold cover with a beautiful nude model with long flowing hair. That is one I'm still looking for on CD. It also has a great John Philips (of Mommas and Poppas fame) tune called "San Francisco" ("Flowers In Your Hair") Also a great version of "Over and Over" ("The World We Knew" also made famous by 'Ol Blue Eyes".) Another great tune on that lp was "The Last Waltz" (Englelbert Humperdinck I believe also recorded it.) I love Paul Mauriats music.
The Jobim/Lobo is great. I also have the Personalidade cd, a fantastic one.

 

[Brasil_66_Fan]

An excellent choice for Artist of the Month! One composition of his in particular I haven't seen mentioned specifically (which has a Brasil '66 tie-in) is 'Upa Neguinho', with lyrics by Gianfrancesco Guarrnieri. Listening to his version, recorded in 1966 and on the 'Nova Bossa: Red Hot On Verve' CD, it's virtually copied note for note on Sergio's 'FOTH' cover. This CD also features Tamba Trio's 'Mas Que Nada', Joao Gilberto's 'Bim Bom' and Sergio's 'After Sunrise' among several other noteables - available from Amazon.com.....

 

[Captain Bacardi]

One of my favorites is Missa Breve, which had the original version of "Vento Bravo" (which TJB fans will remember from Coney Island), plus another favorite tune of mine called "Zanga, Zangada". Like everyone else I absolutely loved the Sergio Mendes Presents Lobo album. Songs like "Zanzibar", "Casa Forte" and "Crystal Illusions" are incredible compositions. I need to check out his collaborations with Jobim!

The Missa Breve album:

Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

Lobo's "To Say Goodbye" and "Crystal Illusions" were also done by Paul Desmond and by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (the former understanding the Jazz parameters enough to make them rootsy within a "serious" structure, while the latter makes them a little "fun" shaking a Pop feel and giving them a sort of outreaching psychedelic bent--though not helped by David Grusin's OVER-extravagant string arrangements, especially detracting from the otherwise gentle environment of "Crystal Illusions" by Mendes, et. al.)

"Casa Forte" is another Lobo-written piece, again, given similar treatments as the other two songs by Sergio and saw a clever remake by trombonists J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding, on the Experimental, almost Rock/Fusion album, Betwixt & Between...


Dave

...Noticing that it's 'sort'a quiet', over here, too!

 

[Rudy]

Does any site have translations of his lyrics?

 

[PartyRico]

Glad to see Edu Lobo getting some attention here. I know many here love Brazilian music as I do. There is a great composer from Brazil named Carlos Lyra. He recorded two great early 60's albums with that great sax player named Paul Winter. (A&M connection) If you find them, you won't be dissapointed. Happy New Year to A&M'ers on the World Wide Web, and at the Speed of Light.... You are all: "Longe do meus olhos....perto do meu coracoao" (Portuguese for: "Far from my eyes...but close to my heart".)