As you may know ARC is building a Brasilian/Brazilian Collection. Now if YOU are building a Brasilian/Brazilian Collection, I think the next record you should get is Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas, Tropicalia Psychedelic Masterpieces 1967 – 1976. (Tropicalia In Furs, USA, WPFC TIF 102, 2010). This was put together by Joel Stones, our pal over at Tropicallia In Furs, New York’s best (only) Brasilian/Brazilian record store.
Bananas is a deluxe two record set, with a 3-D cover, appropriate viewing glasses, and a 48 page booklet insert providing details on all the source material in English and Portuguese. The discs sound wonderful and the illustrated booklet gives a bit of history and the inside scoop on the dogged tracking down of the sounds. You may think you’ve heard it all before, the soft sambas of the past, or those now-sound tinkly elctrobeats. Brace yourself. This is psychedelic, fuzz guitar, acid 60’s rock-solid+sloppy, loud, proud, funky druggie music. Like a good table set in Salvador, there’s plenty to eat, but you don’t know the names of any of the fruits. And occasionally there’s a bit of sand in that last bite.
Cuts are taken exclusively from elusively available, mostly promotional Brazilian seven-inch singles. It was a time when Brasil was in dangerous flux, but a mere dictatorship couldn’t stop folks from creating great pop scrambles, like Celio Balona’s take on the Batman theme, “Tema de Batman”, or Mac Rybell glow in the dark version of the Stones’, “Lantern”. Not that all of these songs are covers, but a visiting scholar, Tom Cvikota, noticed that “Som Imaginario De Jimmi Hendrix”, may begin with a Experience-like crescendo, but is an unaccredited cover of the James Gang’s, “Funk 49”.
ARC regularly trades with and shops at Tropicalia. Sure it’s predictably colorful, and fun, and Joel is cute and lovable and knowledgeable – but go anyway.
Tropicalia In Furs, 304 E. 5th St., New York, NY 10003, near Second Ave in the East Village. Open, more than likely, late afternoon into night. Call to make sure: 212-982-3251 No webthing. So just order it from Joel. Say B. sent you. $20 for the discs, and $6 for shipping and handling. There’s also a documentary on the enhanced CD, What Are Fuzz Bananas, which highlights the hunt (hey Joel, where’s the ARC copy?)
Today I took two friends to buy copies. Last night Fred, Beco + B (the Dino, Desi and Billy of crate digging) spent a few hours at the store and returned with these fine, finer, finest vinyl’s – first the Brazilian+ world, then other assorted:
• Joao Bosco. Galos De Briga (RCA Victor, Brasil, 103.0171, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1976)
• Victor Assis Brasil. Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim (Continental, Brasil, LP 0-46 411 068, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1981)
• O Pequeno Burgues. Azes Do Samba (Cartaz, Brasil, LPC 5062, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d.)
• Erasmo Carlos. O Tremendao (RGE, Brasil, XRLP-5.306, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, n)
• Cartola. Pranto De Poeta, Serie Documento (RCA Victor, Brasil, 130 0058, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1989)
• Manâ Do Cavaco. Martinho Da Vila Apresenta (RCA Victor, Brasil, 103 0068, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1973)
• Dori Caymmi. Dori Caymmi (EMI-Odeon, 31C 064 422899, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 88)
• Nana Caymmi. Renascer (CID, Brasil, 8016, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, Mid-70’s)
• Maria Creuza. Pecado (RCA Victor, RCA, 103.0306, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1979)
• Carlos Dafâ. Malandro Dengoso (Warner Bros, Brasil, BR 26.036, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1979)
• Djalma Dias. Nno Faéa Drama,,, Caia No Samba (Som Livre, 403 6050, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1974)
• A.C.Jobim. Matita PerÉ (Philips, Brasil, 6349071, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1973)
• Ed Lincoln. A Volta (Musidisc, Brasil, HI FI 2088, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, –)
• Lord Kitchener. Hot Pants (Trinidad, Trinidad, TRCS 0002, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d.)
• Machito. Machito Goes Memphis (RCA Victor, USA, LPM 3944, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d.)
• Ruy Maurity. Ganga Brasil (Som Livre, Brasil, 403.6127, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1977)
• Marilia Medalha. Caminhada (RGE / Fermata, Brasil, 303.0017, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1973)
• Sencion Minaya. Y Los Quisqueyanos (Madely, 116, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d.)
• Marilia Medalha / Vinicius De Moraes. A Caneno E A Voz De Marilia Medalha Na Poesia De V (RGE, Brasil, 303, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1972)
• Paulinho Nogueira. Moda De Graviola (Continental, Brasil, 1-01-404-110, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1975)
• Cir Pereira & Jaime Santos. Avante Brasil (ACS, Brasil, LP 002, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d)
• Jair Rodrigues. Abra Um Sorriso Novamente (Philips, Brasil, 6349 120, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1974)
• Claudette Soares. Gil, Chico E Veloso Por Claudette (Philips, Brasil, R-765 021 L, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1968)
• Elza Soares. Elza Negra (CBS, Brasil, 1 38184, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1980)
• Raimundo Sodre. Massa (Polydor, Brasil, 2451 144, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1980)
• Sparrow (Mighty). Sparrow Come Back (RCA Victor, Trinidad, LPB – 3006, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d. [1962])
• Zimbo Trio. Zimbo Trio Vol, 2 (RGE, Brasil, XRLP-5 277, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, –)
• Nana [Vaconcelos]. Amazonas (Philips, Brasil, 6349 079, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1973)
• Marcos Valle. O Compositor E O Cantor (Odeon Brasil, MOFB-3413, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1965)
• Vanusa. Vanusa (Continental, Brasil, SLP-10 156, 12”, vinyl disc-Lp, 1974)
• Veloso, Caetano & Chico Buarque. Caetano E Chico Juntos E Ao Vivo (Philips, Brasil, 6349 059, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1972)
• Caetano Veloso / Gilberto Gil. Tropicçlia 2 (Philips, Brasil, 79339, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1993)
…and here’s the other odds + ends we got…
• David Robert Jones [ David Bowie ]. ChangesThree (GRACE, AZL1-1984, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Arnett Cobb. Sizzlin’ (Status / Prestige, ST 7227, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1961)
• Julian Dash. A Portrait of Julian Dash (Master Jazz Recordings, MJR 8106, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Davis, Eddie “Lockjaw”. Cookbook Volume 1 (Prestige, 7141, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Davis, Eddie “Lockjaw”. Trackin’ (Prestige, PR 7271, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Freddie and the Dreamers. You Were Mad for Me (Columbia, UK, 33SX 1663, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1964)
• Ron Goodwin. Music in Orbit (Captiol, T 10188, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• The Harmonizing Four. Tommie, Lonnie & Me (Atlantic, SD R026, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1970)
• Hollywood Saxophone Quartet. Jazz in Hollywood (Liberty, LJH 6005, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Carl Holmes & the Commanders. Twist Party at the Roundtable (Atlantic, 8060, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1962)
• Harlan Howard. To the Silent Majority, With Love (Nugget, NRLP-105, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Richard Hayman. The Era of Cleopatra (Time, USA, S 2080, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d.)
• The Jet Black’s. Twist (Chantecler, Brazil, CMG-2.184, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• King Curtis. Azure (Everest, LPBR 5121, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1960)
• B. B. King. Blues, The (Crown, CLP 5063, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry. Guitar Highwway (Verve Folkways, FV-90919, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp , n.d.)
• Houston Person. The Big Horn (Muse, MR 5136, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1979)
• James & Bobby Purify. James & Bobby Purify (Bell, BELL 6003, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Reno & Smiley. On the Road with Reno & Smiley: Songs Truck Drivers Love (King, 911, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Reparata and the Delrons. 1970 Rock & Roll Revolution (AVCO Embassy, AVE 33008, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Shorty Rogers and His Giants. Shorty in Stereo (Atlantic, SD 1232, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Sonny Stitt. All God’s Children Got Rhythm (Prestige, 7248, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Sonny Stitt. Come Hither (Solid State, SS 18057, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• Al Wagner and his Philharmonic Strings. £12 English Sterling – The Music of Randolph Adcock (Soundscape, , SRC 33700 P, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, n.d.)
• The Who. Pop History Vol. 3 (Polydor, France, 2673 007, 12″, vinyl disc-2Lp, n.d.)
• Sondra Williams. Hark the Voice (Atlantic, SD R003, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1967)