What's the story on this Elis & Tom DVD-Audio?

[zar]

And in walked Verve…

My recent reading on the Elis & Tom documentary turned up a little nugget mention that Elis had left an unfinished album with Wayne Shorter. Jazz guy that I am, it led me to a Google search around to see if there might be a lost recording that had been released. No such luck, but one of the link I click on was to 2007 thread on a forum discussing a reissue pressing from Verve of the original Elis & Tom album that is hard to get my head around (like those posting in 2007). Snip from OP back then:

“As adjunct to the ongoing bossa thread. The new reissue of Elis Regina and Tom Jobim's classic '74 Elis & Tom amounts to a different record. Whole intros that were included on the '90 reissue gone, instruments taken drastically out of the mix...stuff like that. No liners explaining what the fuck is going on. Puzzling, to say the least; what is Verve thinking?

My same first reaction was WTF!?!? A follow up snip ads more detail:

“it's substantially different. listening to the new version of "Triste" right now, and the flutes you hear on the '90 reissue are totally gone. the electric piano parts on "Brigas, Nuncas Mais" are gone, and the song sounds totally different. the guitar intro for "Photograph" (it sounds like "I'll Be Home for Christmas") is gone, as is the slow, almost rubato section that leads into the faster part (with an eletric piano part). so the new version starts at about 1 minute into the previous; and I think it might even be a different take. some of the songs aren't substantially different, and the mastering is way more forceful. it's kind of a more spare, swinging album in this version.

it's a mystery on Verve's part--uh, you reissue this record and then don't bother to indicate anywhere that it's really quite different? no liners of any kind.”

I am curious if anyone here might have heard this version of the album? I can’t imagine this would be good, the spare swinging comment leaves me wondering.. could be interesting.

See: What's the deal with the new Verve reissue of [i]Elis & Tom[/i]?

 

[zar]

Elis & Wayne

I found my answer regarding the ‘lost’ Wayne Shorter recording. Looks like Cesar pissed off Wayne when he figured out the album was only ever intended to be Wayne & Elis and that was that - and the end to a beautiful possibility.

“Another low point was an episode in the late 70's with the jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter. They were to record an album together, and Elis felt that this could launch her into an international career. She and César put up Shorter in their home; she would cook him breakfast while he meditated or went on his jog, and they generally did all they could to please him. In the end, when they finally got to the studio, it became evident that Shorter only intended Elis to play a minimal background vocal role in the recording. César became indignant at this and angrily criticized Shorter, who packed up his stuff and left the country.”

Selective quote from longer Elis bio found here:
http://celebratingelisregina.blogspot.com/2010/03/?m=1

 

[jefe1]

I am back home after traveling though I picked up a bad bug and have been sick for a few days
But I was well enough today to look through my discs and yes I do have this.
It is the same edition as above slipcase in a standard cd case with two discs a CD and a separate DVD disc labeled DVD audio.

Not only that but I found I own another Brazilian DVDA. It is Muito Mais by Caetano in a narrow hinge dvda case. Too sick to listen now or post about the new quad reissues I picked up.

 

[zar]

I am back home after traveling though I picked up a bad bug and have been sick for a few days
But I was well enough today to look through my discs and yes I do have this.
It is the same edition as above slipcase in a standard cd case with two discs a CD and a separate DVD disc labeled DVD audio.

Not only that but I found I own another Brazilian DVDA. It is Muito Mais by Caetano in a narrow hinge dvda case. Too sick to listen now or post about the new quad reissues I picked up.

Get well, rest up and enjoy the listen later.

Interesting you mention Caetano. I recall him being mentioned in Elis bio (that I read today) as someone she seems to have admired:

“Elis was afflicted with an insecurity regarding the more intellectual composer/singers such as Gilberto Gil or Caetano Veloso, and late in life even considered going back to school to enhance her intellectual side. “

For anyone wanting this Caetano compilation DVD-A disc there is one listed on flea bay right now.

 

[fredblue]

Caetano Veloso's fairly well represented in Surround, there's the 2003 Universal Music Brazil DVD-Audio compilation, "Muito Mais", his 2004 English language album from Universal Music Brazil, "A Foreign Sound", on Hybrid Multichannel SACD and the 3 singles from his 2021 Sony Music Brasil album "Meu Coco" ("Meu Coco", "Anjos Tronchos" & "Não Vou Deixar") are all currently streaming on Apple Music in Dolby Atmos.

 

[zar]

There is an inherent beauty to the timbre of well-sung Portuguese that has always resonated with me. Though I’ve been drawn to it, I’ve never really gone deep in to the genre. Despite that, I still find it interesting to consider the historical connections where this music has intersected with my more primary musical interests.

Jazz has always embraced and been inspired by or ‘borrowed’ from Brazilian music. One triangulation of musical paths notable in the Elis Regina story is that of Milton Nascimento. I heard his unique voice first on Wayne Shorter’s album Native Dancer. The album came after his Blue Note run and didn’t move the needle for a lot of Shorter fans, but the haunting falsettto voice of Milton stayed with a lot of us.

This story intersects with Elis early in his career (well before Native Dancer) when she was an established star that chose to record one of his songs. Her endorsement of his talent bestowed a level of notoriety that later proved to be his big break.

“Back in the mid-sixties when Milton Nascimento had gone to Rio as a freelance bass player and a singer-songwriter trying to get a break, he hit the jackpot. His first big break was offered by Elis Regina, the reigning queen of Brazilian music.

They met and Elis Regina asked to hear Milton’s songs. He sang. She chose to record “Canção do Sal” in 1966. Regina arranged for Milton to secure a feature on Fino da Bossa, a popular Brazilian television program. Offers began to pour in. In 1967 Agostinho dos Santos entered three of Milton’s songs in the 2nd International Song Festival. “Travessia” took second place and Milton also won as best performer. Later in the year his debut solo album was released.”

More on Milton here: https://www.kalamu.com/bol/2008/08/11/milton-nascimento-“ponta-de-areia-epilogo”/

 

[fredblue]

there's a Milton Nascimento Quad as well, a reissue of 1973's "Milagre Dos Peixes" on EMI/Odeon Brazil, from 1974.

it came in a fairly elaborate SQ Quad matrix-encoded vinyl package, in the form of an SQ-encoded Quad LP and SQ-encoded Quad 7" 3-track EP, with a poster.

it's one i never had, so i can't comment on the mix etc., unfortunately

 

[zar]

there's a Milton Nascimento Quad as well, a reissue of 1973's "Milagre Dos Peixes" on EMI/Odeon Brazil, from 1974.

it came in a fairly elaborate SQ Quad matrix-encoded vinyl package, in the form of an SQ-encoded Quad LP and SQ-encoded Quad 7" 3-track EP, with a poster.

it's one i never had, so i can't comment on the mix etc., unfortunately

View attachment 99794

I took a quick spin of this album via YouTube. Jungle sounds and mostly instrumental tracks wasn’t quite what I was expecting. What I’m coming to understand is that it’s hard to ‘get’ the artists intention in a number of albums (both pre and post) this period without considering the context of the political climate of the times they were recorded - and the political shizzle in Brazil was seriously repressive from what I’ve read, and in turn reflected in popular music.

“Milagre dos Peixes Review by Alvaro Neder

One of Milton Nascimento's most experimental albums, Milagre Dos Peixes was originally released in 1974. Accompanied by the Som Imaginário, Nascimento presented this album in a theater show in Rio and São Paulo, with orchestra, and the result live recorded and released on a double album called Milagre Dos Peixes Ao Vivo. In one of the worst periods of military dictatorship, all lyrics were systematically censored, the reason why the album is instrumental. Not entirely, to be sure. He can be heard crying "Eu Tô Cansado" (I Am Tired), and he also sings the lyrics of "Sacramento," having the boy Nico Borges delivering "Pablo" with that mixture, so dear to Nascimento, of a poor boy's ingenuity filled with a religious aura. It can be said that this album was especially suited for the talents of Naná Vasconcellos, who adds so much life to it. A must-have classic.”

I read a brief synopsis of Brazilian music as it relates to their history and no doubt there was a lot of fragmentation associated with political changes.

From that Milton bio linked above:

“In the 1960s Brazilian music did not make the same kinds of musical distinctions in as the “folk music” and “rock music” movements of the United States. Brazilian music was fractured into factions that in some measure expressed attitudes to the dictatorship that took hold in 1964. Musicians who favored a contemporary, relatively apolitical and generally acoustic “pop” style like matinee idol Roberto Carlos adhered to a genre was known as Música Popular. An iconoclastic group known as Tropicalismo, headed by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, introduced electronica and provocative costumes and props into what was essentially performance theater to goad the authorities; the two were exiled before the end of the decade. Nascimento was associated with MPB – Música Popular Brasileina – that acknowledged and often drew from rural folkloric roots, maintained an acoustic sound, and though aligned with leftist protest, did not always express political views in music and when it did, the message was oblique. For example, another MPB artist, Chico Barque composed songs with satirical lyrics that alluded to the silencing of the population. It is important to point out that MPB was not only attached to folkloric music in the sense of preserving it; that was, to them, literally a dead-end. The initial album released by the creative nucleus Milton belonged to in Belo Horizonte, Clube de Esquina(1972), was pure MPB. During this period Nascimento developed his unique style of falsetto vocalise that thrills audiences to this day, a timbre that somehow brings to mind fine-grained wood and a gift for penning compelling lyrics that incorporate the musicality of the Portuguese language. One hears the influences of American jazz as well as the balladry of Lennon and McCartney to whom he paid tribute and one of his later songs.”

The last part was notable to me as I have always thought more about the way that Jazz was influenced by Brazilian music and not so much about how Brazilian artists were influenced by Jazz (or popular music). Myopic on my part.

 

[Tres Discrete]

Haha on validating necro posting around here. It’s one of those things that new members to a community often get savaged over…

Glad to know that I have encouraged you to grab a copy for yourself. Happy listening!

Maybe we can build momentum for a poll creation for Elis & Tom? There truly is a shortage of listener info on surround discs (in general) and polls serve as a valuable repository of otherwise hard to find info. As time allows, I am hoping to do more necro posting to the poll threads as a means of giving back to the community that first piqued my interest in surround discs.

Wow
Necro post on, my man…this is an absolute winner in terms of music & mix…subtle but gorgeous…the perfect remedy to a LONG week back to work following the Holidays.
The last bonus track had me wondering if an entire album in English by these 2 would have been monumental.
Rhetorical question.
Absolutely.
Thank you!

 

[zar]

Interesting to ponder what might have been, Tres. Not sure about an English language album being better for Elis, in spite of it making her music more accessible for American audiences. For me, Portuguese is such a beautiful language. When sung well, it is so incredibly melodic and expressive that I find it transcendent. I have to believe the language greatly inspired much of the brilliant phrasing by Elis.

Over the holiday break I decided to listen to Jazz at Massey Hall (in Toronto). While it was the polar opposite of in terms of recording excellence, it was something of a parallel to the unique circumstances of the Elis and Tom recording in that it was a singular gathering of greats. The Massey Hall date was the last time Charlie Parker played with Dizzy Gillespie and the quintet included Bud Powell, Charles Mingus and Max Roach. It was the only time these legends of jazz ever recorded together.

Sadly, I’m also remind of the foreshortened lives of these two amazing musicians. Charlie Parker died at age 34 and Elis Regina at age 36. Both deaths were related to their vices; Bird had his heroin problem and Elis got lost in cocaine and ended on a night where she added tranquilizers and Vermouth to the mix. Both were brilliant at their craft, and no doubt once in a generation talents, that were unfortunately gone too soon— leaving us to wonder at the possibilities of what might have been.

 

[Tres Discrete]

Interesting to ponder what might have been, Tres. Not sure about an English language album being better for Elis, in spite of it making her music more accessible for American audiences. For me, Portuguese is such a beautiful language. When sung well, it is so incredibly melodic and expressive that I find it transcendent. I have to believe the language greatly inspired much of the brilliant phrasing by Elis.

Over the holiday break I decided to listen to Jazz at Massey Hall (in Toronto). While it was the polar opposite of in terms of recording excellence, it was something of a parallel to the unique circumstances of the Elis and Tom recording in that it was a singular gathering of greats. The Massey Hall date was the last time Charlie Parker played with Dizzy Gillespie and the quintet included Bud Powell, Charles Mingus and Max Roach. It was the only time these legends of jazz ever recorded together.

Sadly, I’m also remind of the foreshortened lives of these two amazing musicians. Charlie Parker died at age 34 and Elis Regina at age 36. Both deaths were related to their vices; Bird had his heroin problem and Elis got lost in cocaine and ended on a night where she added tranquilizers and Vermouth to the mix. Both were brilliant at their craft, and no doubt once in a generation talents, that were unfortunately gone too soon— leaving us to wonder at the possibilities of what might have been.

Just to clarify - My comment was not meant to slight the Portuguese language in any way - I was just thinking that her singing is also so beautiful in English that it might have helped to bring this wonderful music to a wider audience (a la The Girl From Ipanema…)
Sorry to hear about her untimely death…truly tragic.

 

[ar surround]

Just to clarify - My comment was not meant to slight the Portuguese language in any way - I was just thinking that her singing is also so beautiful in English that it might have helped to bring this wonderful music to a wider audience (a la The Girl From Ipanema…)
Sorry to hear about her untimely death…truly tragic.

I was just listening to the Getz / Gilberto SACD yesterday. Truly an iconic album. I never get tired of it. My parents had it. It's probably easier to count the number of people back then who didn't own the album rather than the number who did. And remember, they were competing directly with Beatlemaina.

 

[zar]

Just to clarify - My comment was not meant to slight the Portuguese language in any way - I was just thinking that her singing is also so beautiful in English that it might have helped to bring this wonderful music to a wider audience (a la The Girl From Ipanema…)
Sorry to hear about her untimely death…truly tragic.

No worries - I didn’t read your comments as a slight to the Portuguese language. I totally get where you are coming from.

For me, it is a tonal thing with the language I find so beautiful. The way the vowels are drawn out and enunciated, along with the phrasing that I feel are unique to Portuguese - and all of the Romance languages.

Interestingly, I listened Elis’ Falso Brilhante album, suggested here earlier, and was far less enamored with her music. Very different styles. That was MBP (Musica Popular Brasileira), and now I understand the trepidation she had doing a Bossa Nova album with Tom. She was a fiery woman and this album helped me better see the balls-y performer she wanted us to know. I felt there was too much pyrotechnics and places where the limits of her vocal range were exposed.

Such a contrast to nuanced performance on Elis & Tom. The beauty of Portuguese was far less evidenced and her tone decidedly less transcendent here. I wish Elis was around long enough to have made a crossover album in English. Maybe someone will leverage AI to make it happpen.

 

[zar]

I was just listening to the Getz / Gilberto SACD yesterday. Truly an iconic album. I never get tired of it. My parents had it. It's probably easier to count the number of people back then who didn't own the album rather than the number who did. And remember, they were competing directly with Beatlemaina.

Great album! Absolutely iconic!

 

[Tres Discrete]

No worries - I didn’t read your comments as a slight to the Portuguese language. I totally get where you are coming from.

For me, it is a tonal thing with the language I find so beautiful. The way the vowels are drawn out and enunciated, along with the phrasing that I feel are unique to Portuguese - and all of the Romance languages.

Interestingly, I listened Elis’ Falso Brilhante album, suggested here earlier, and was far less enamored with her music. Very different styles. That was MBP (Musica Popular Brasileira), and now I understand the trepidation she had doing a Bossa Nova album with Tom. She was a fiery woman and this album helped me better see the balls-y performer she wanted us to know. I felt there was too much pyrotechnics and places where the limits of her vocal range were exposed.

Such a contrast to nuanced performance on Elis & Tom. The beauty of Portuguese was far less evidenced and her tone decidedly less transcendent here. I wish Elis was around long enough to have made a crossover album in English. Maybe someone will leverage AI to make it happpen.

I was perfectly happy with all the songs in Portuguese & then was kind of shocked how beautifully she sang in English
Makes you wonder what might have been…

 

[~dave~~wave~]

No worries - I didn’t read your comments as a slight to the Portuguese language. I totally get where you are coming from.

For me, it is a tonal thing with the language I find so beautiful. The way the vowels are drawn out and enunciated, along with the phrasing that I feel are unique to Portuguese - and all of the Romance languages.

Interestingly, I listened Elis’ Falso Brilhante album, suggested here earlier, and was far less enamored with her music. Very different styles. That was MBP (Musica Popular Brasileira), and now I understand the trepidation she had doing a Bossa Nova album with Tom. She was a fiery woman and this album helped me better see the balls-y performer she wanted us to know. I felt there was too much pyrotechnics and places where the limits of her vocal range were exposed.

Such a contrast to nuanced performance on Elis & Tom. The beauty of Portuguese was far less evidenced and her tone decidedly less transcendent here. I wish Elis was around long enough to have made a crossover album in English. Maybe someone will leverage AI to make it happpen.

One advantage of streaming Brazilian content on Apple Music is that one can see them in the lyrics window.
The Eliane Elias album Quietude from 2022 is delightful, in the softer "nuanced" vein of Elis y Tom.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Jazz Samba with Charlie Byrd is at the top of my Atmos Bossa Nova instrumentals playlist.
The recording is so good, & the Atmos mix & re-master opens up the sound field.
Listening on Airpod Pros on a recent walk was transcendent.

The one that started it all, went to Number One on the Billboard Pop Albums chart in 1963. In mono!

An appreciation in the Washington Post on the 50th anniversary when some of the participants were still around:
https://wapo.st/3tNzAtm

 

[jefe1]

I have a beat up vinyl copy of this found at a goodwill long ago.
Hard to remember that there was some good music before the Beatles......

 

[humprof]

Caetano Veloso's fairly well represented in Surround, there's the 2003 Universal Music Brazil DVD-Audio compilation, "Muito Mais", his 2004 English language album from Universal Music Brazil, "A Foreign Sound", on Hybrid Multichannel SACD and the 3 singles from his 2021 Sony Music Brasil album "Meu Coco" ("Meu Coco", "Anjos Tronchos" & "Não Vou Deixar") are all currently streaming on Apple Music in Dolby Atmos.

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From this morning's Nonesuch newsletter:

It was 20 years ago this week: Caetano Veloso's A Foreign Sound was released. On his first all-English set, Veloso—who concludes a US tour in Boston on Saturday—pays tribute to 20th century American pop composers, from Cole Porter to Kurt Cobain. "His more outré or unconventional choices," says the Washington Post, "sit comfortably alongside such standards as 'Nature Boy' and 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.'"

Heartbroken that I had to miss a chance to hear Veloso in Oakland (California) over Easter weekend. But at least we have this and the other albums that @fredblue listed in surround!

 

[Tres Discrete]

From this morning's Nonesuch newsletter:

It was 20 years ago this week: Caetano Veloso's A Foreign Sound was released. On his first all-English set, Veloso—who concludes a US tour in Boston on Saturday—pays tribute to 20th century American pop composers, from Cole Porter to Kurt Cobain. "His more outré or unconventional choices," says the Washington Post, "sit comfortably alongside such standards as 'Nature Boy' and 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.'"

Heartbroken that I had to miss a chance to hear Veloso in Oakland (California) over Easter weekend. But at least we have this and the other albums that @fredblue listed in surround!

From this morning's Nonesuch newsletter:

It was 20 years ago this week: Caetano Veloso's A Foreign Sound was released. On his first all-English set, Veloso—who concludes a US tour in Boston on Saturday—pays tribute to 20th century American pop composers, from Cole Porter to Kurt Cobain. "His more outré or unconventional choices," says the Washington Post, "sit comfortably alongside such standards as 'Nature Boy' and 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.'"

Heartbroken that I had to miss a chance to hear Veloso in Oakland (California) over Easter weekend. But at least we have this and the other albums that @fredblue listed in surround!

From this morning's Nonesuch newsletter:

It was 20 years ago this week: Caetano Veloso's A Foreign Sound was released. On his first all-English set, Veloso—who concludes a US tour in Boston on Saturday—pays tribute to 20th century American pop composers, from Cole Porter to Kurt Cobain. "His more outré or unconventional choices," says the Washington Post, "sit comfortably alongside such standards as 'Nature Boy' and 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.'"

Heartbroken that I had to miss a chance to hear Veloso in Oakland (California) over Easter weekend. But at least we have this and the other albums that @fredblue listed in surround!

Well…since I trust you 2 implicitly & like to dabble in “World” music, I just ordered the SACD & the DVD Audio…can’t wait to hear them…thanks for the tip!