Friday, December 26, 2008

PRIMAL ROOTS! Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77



So if Boston is completely encrusted in snow and Christmas just ended then Primal Roots has to be one of the most amazing Brazilian Jazz albums of all time. It's certainly a seminal influence for many a rollin' around on the floor afro house track. In my opinion As well have having the aforementioned deeply rooted influences across the board for many dance music producers and even a lot of their hiphop counterparts. This is YET another $.25 thrift store score for your's truly. Couldn't believe my eyes. I almost don't want to put this up so I can keep sample sources a secret but screw it. Only 60 people read this blog regularly anyhow.
This is a WAV file so there's no previewing but if that really bothers you, don't download it :) This as close as you'll get to vinyl on your PC. Primal Roots was a Sergio Mendes brainchild with Chick Corea also lending a big wide one to the mix. For the time of it's creation in 1972, this album was something else to hear I'm sure. Blending classic Brazilian folk structures and techniques like call and response vocals. Ritualistic in it's structuring, the tasteful use of instruments such as the agogo, cuica, atabaques and the sometimes haunting single-string berimbau: Sergio creates an absolutely timeless masterpiece. The music dances from haunting to upbeat to pensive quickly with a grace unparalled. Perhaps my favorite dynamic between the contributing musician is their way of morphing a chaotic sonic tapestry almost instantaneously into a groove to be envied by the most accomplished disco worshiper... AND back again... and back again...
But I gush. Just listen if you've not before and you'll know what I mean.

Please enjoy...

Primal Roots - Brasil '77

A1 Promise Of A Fisherman (Promessa De Pescador) (3:29)
A2 After Sunrise (3:28)
A3 Canto De Ubirantan (2:07)
A4 Iemanja (2:56)
A5 Pomba Gira (2:30)
B1 The Circle Game (Jogo De Roda) (18:23)
B2 Promise Of A Fisherman (Promessa De Pescador) (0:37)

2 comments:

Voix said...

Whoa!! A real Gem...

I have a trashed vinyl of this overlooked masterpiece, and no matter which stylus profile I use, can´t extract the music in the grooves in all of it´s glory...

Thank you very much!!

Federico, Buenos Aires (not Brazil; Argentina)

Unknown said...

Picked this up in the outdoor milk crate bin of Academy Records on 18th st. here in NYC. Without a doubt the very best $3.00 I've ever spent in my life!