Ouro Negro

So I'm in Sao Paulo having dinner with a Brazilian friend and we're discussing Brazilian music and he mentions this CD and Moacir Santos. He knows I know something about Brazilian music despite the fact I'm a gringo. But I had never heard of this guy and so I must have flashed a completely blank look. My friend shrugged and told me to go buy it. Of course I couldn't find it in Brazil so I ordered it online and it was waiting for me when I got home. But I did pick up a copy of Coisas and got a taste of what to expect.Oh my goodness--it is heaven! It is unbelievably familiar especially for those who pay attention to jazz and to movie soundtracks. Apparently Santos has lived in Pasadena for over 30 years, toiling in obscurity in the film business. His sound is unbelievably comforting and listenable.Perhaps this is his time and this is an extraordinary pair of cds. Obviously a labor of love by those who organized and produced this in Brazil, I can not recommend it enough.Definitely check it out...

With the release of a new double album of the Maestro's beautifulsongs a whole new generation of music lovers will be able to hearand feel some of the most beautiful and complex rythms and melodys that have ever been recorded. This is a look at a life time of work and love of music. Moacir will take you on a ride through Brazil and the world. Sit at the feet of the Maestro and be transported to a wonderful world of music.

Composições de enorme beleza e muito bem executadas, em gravações de alta qualidade, tudo deu certo nesse maravilhoso projeto de resgate da excelente obra do maestro Moacir Santos.

Great Bossa!!!!!

When people mention Brazilian Music, of course they know The Girl Form Ipanema, works from Antonio Carlos Jobim and maybe Joao Gilberto. But those were not the only masters of Brazilian music & jazz. Sometimes I think the likes of Moacir Santos and Dorival Caymmi get lost in the USA market. So to put it mildly, you HAVE to check out their work. If you're a fan of Brazilian music and composers and the sheer class that's there, you're doing yourself a grave injustive if you haven't heard Moacir Santos or Dorival Caymmi (Dori and Danilo are his sons, Nana his daughter).I like to think I don't throw 5 star reviews around lightly. But this is a 5 star album. In this double disc feature, you're treated to tunes from some of Moacir Santos best works through the years with some very impressive guest artists and musicians. I can't go into every song because that'd be a bit too much! But with guest artists like Joyce, Milton Nascimento, Joao Bosco and more (I believe Flora Purim also featured), added to tremendous orchestration and an imaginative musical direction, you're treated to a couple of hours of wonderful music. Some of the highlights to me were "Mae Iracema", of course "Nana" and I absolutely loved "Orfeu", sung by IMO the Brazilian king of soul, Ed Motta. And those are just tidbits from the first album! Never mind "Bodas de Prata Dourada" and the several other outstanding tracks on the second disc. Coisa 7, Coisa 2 and Lamento Astral... the first three tracks on the second disc alone are amazing.Check this out. It's a bit pricey, but it comes with a booklet with loads of details about the artists and songs, and it is a double-disc set. And again, it's class - a perfect piece to your music collection. Some might label the sound here as 'mature', what with the big-band ambiance and perfect orchestration. If you like this, also check Moacir Santos earlier works, you may also like some of Joyce's recent albums on Far Out Records like 'A Little Bit Crazy', and "Rio-Bahia", which she did with Dori Caymmi, and you may like Rosalia De Souza's latest too. And you MUST check out an older album that featured Dizzy Gillespie, Flora Purim and several other friends in an album titled 'Rhythmstick' - it has a neat version of "Nana" in it too.

Moacir Santos is a master composer, arranger and saxophonist. His shore is Brazilian Jazz with a combo comprising rhythm section + brass in a unique combination which is consistently applied to such original and unconventional compositions.In the late 60s, Santos went to live in the USA where he's recorded three albums for Blue Note Records. He also became an auxiliary writer for some great arranger just like Billy Byers was to Quincy Jones.'Ouro Negro' is a 2-CD album dedicated to the music of Moacir Santos. It was recorded in 2003 under his direction. He was already retired then at his 79 years old but all his great arrangements are there as played by current important in Brazil's music scene in brand-new renditions.Tracks cover music from Santos' classic album "Coisas" (also available here @Amazon) and also from his three American albums.Features some Santos' standards like 'Coisa #5' (aka 'Nana'), 'April Child', 'Suk-Cha' and 'Mother Iracema' all with great updated arrangements.Also features Gilberto Gil, Djavan and Milton Nascimento plus sime unnecessary vocals.

An overview, of sorts, of Brazilian jazz composer and saxophonist Moacir Santos, who emigrated to the United States in the late 1960s, where he recorded prolifically, mostly as a session player. This isn't exactly a best-of, but rather a sleek, double CD set of rerecorded versions of songs originally recorded in the 1960s and '70s, on albums such as "Coisas" (Forma Records, 1965), "Maestro" (Blue Note, 1972), "Saudade" (Blue Note, 1974), and "Carnival Of Spirits" (Blue Note, 1975). On these new versions, Santos guides a band that it joined by plenty of heavyweight Brazilian guest stars, including Milton Nascimento, Joyce, Gilberto Gil, Joao Bosco, Ed Motta, Joao Donato and Djavan. For the most part, it's actually the kind of jazz I hate -- simultaneously noodly and aggressive, though competently produced and pretty lively. Jazz fans should find this set pretty absorbing.