Any Portuguese Speakers?
June 3, 2008 5:16 PM Subscribe
The Brazilian musician Walter Santos just died (on May 29, in Sao Paulo), yet despite the fact that he is one of the pioneers of bossa nova (and also father of the singer Luciana Souza), there is precious little information about him available. Are there any Portugese speakers who might help me translate his obituary?
I found out about his death today at this site, and also found mention of it here (halfway down page), but I'm collecting information about Brazilian music (maybe for a book someday, we shall see), and would like if possible to have a clean translation of the obituary that's taken directly from the Brazilian press. Santos is a key figure, and I also may put together a wiki page for him.
Furthermore, I have two related questions: if any Brazilian music fans can share your insights or any additional info into his work (I only know of the one record, recently reissued as Azul Contente, but also that he wrote a number of songs recorded by others), it would be great, and also--more generally--if there are any Brazilian music fans who have been to Brazil and might be interested in exchanging emails (I am hoping to go in the next year or so) about it, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I found out about his death today at this site, and also found mention of it here (halfway down page), but I'm collecting information about Brazilian music (maybe for a book someday, we shall see), and would like if possible to have a clean translation of the obituary that's taken directly from the Brazilian press. Santos is a key figure, and I also may put together a wiki page for him.
Furthermore, I have two related questions: if any Brazilian music fans can share your insights or any additional info into his work (I only know of the one record, recently reissued as Azul Contente, but also that he wrote a number of songs recorded by others), it would be great, and also--more generally--if there are any Brazilian music fans who have been to Brazil and might be interested in exchanging emails (I am hoping to go in the next year or so) about it, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Response by poster: jewzilla--many thanks for that. I pieced together snippets, but it's nice to have it translated smoothly in its entirety. Hopefully the New York Times will give him an obituary: I may see if there's a way of emailing some of their music critics to let them know.
posted by ornate insect at 6:20 PM on June 3, 2008
posted by ornate insect at 6:20 PM on June 3, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
His songs were recorded by Alaíde Costa, Claudette Soares, Isaurinha Garcia, Walter Wanderley, Hermeto Pascoal, Zimbo Trio, Milton Banana, Dick Farney, Pery Ribeiro, Heraldo do Monte, Lafayette, Dom Salvador e Edison Machado, Brazilian Octopus, Agostinho dos Santos, Jane Duboc, Elis Regina and Jair Rodrigues, Marcia, Luiz Gonzaga, César Camargo Mariano, Marisa Gata Mansa, and others.
According to the Dicionário Cravo Albin da Música Brasileira, Santos started his career in his 40s in Juazeiro, in Bahia. In 1946, he founded, with João Gilberto and other friends, the vocal group Enamorados do Ritmo, while still in Juazeiro. In 1957, he moved to Rio de Janeiro, and lived in the same pension as João Gilberto, Luís Carlos Paraná and the drummer Guarani. He gave guitar lessons, appeared in nightclubs and and distanced himself from being a bossa nova guitarist. There, he met the poet Tereza Souza, whom he met and who was his partner in many songs.
His names appears, along with João Gilberto and Tom Jobim, on the historic disc Canção do Amor Demais, on which Elizeth Cardoso recorded works by Tom e Vinicius, and which appeared for the first time the distinct "drum of the guitar" of João Gilberto, which charactereizes bossa nova.
Invited by Luís Carlos Paraná to sing in a nightclub in São Paulo, he moved to the city in 1959, acting initially beside a Paraguayan duo and a Spanish Flamenco guitarrist. In 1960, he recorded a 78 with his song Primavera e Ternurinha, along with his wife, Tereza Souza. That same year, he launched another 78, containing his compositions Barracão and É bom chorar por você,also with Tereza. Also in 1960, he worked on a compaign for Volkswagen, starting a successful career in advertising. He worked in the São Paulo-ian stuodias Pauto, Eldorado e Scatena, among others.
In 1962, he launched a compact double titled Walter Santos, recording Cadê o Amor and O Bolo. Also in that year, he recorded the LP Bossa nova, for Audio Fidelity. The disc, considered precious by collectors and lovers of the genre, was relaunched under a Spanish label in distributed in the US, Japan, and Europe.
In 1964, he recorded Caminhos, which contained the compositionsDe onde Vem essa Tristeza, Manhã de ser Feliz, Um Canto de Esquecer, Só Tristeza, Leva, Rosa a Rosa, Pai do Pai do Pai, Menininha, Cogumelo, Primavera, É Bom Chorar por Você, Canção Para o Meu Verso, Iemenjá and Quem Entra no Balanço, all with Tereza Souza, along with Quando Meu Bem Voltar (c/ Luiz Carlos Paraná).
He acted in the recording of diverse collections launched between '61 and '68, with the recordings of festivials of music of TV Record and of shows of Teatro Paramount, led by Elis Regina and Jair Rodriugues, in São Paulo, and also on the project O Fino da Bossa, also with Elis e Jair.
Also in the 60s, he participated in historic shows in the Teatro Paramount, of musicians of TV and two edicions of the Festival da Música Popular Brasileira (TV Record): in 1966, with his song Marcha de Todo Mundo (with Tereza Souza), interpreted by the vocal group Os Cariocas; and in 1967, with his song O Combatente (with Tereza Souza), interpreted by Jair Rodrigues. He recorded a duet with Tereza Souza in records launched by RCA, Áudio Fidelity and Fermata, playing with Walter Wanderley (keyboard), Arrudinha (drums) e Azeitona (bass).
Beside Tereza Souza, he created, in 1974, the Nossoestúdio, where he realized his work as a producer of jingles. Also with his wife he founded in 1981 a label Som da Genta, which has in its catalog 50 LPs dedicated exclusively to instrumental music.
His most emblematic works are Amanhã (with Tereza Souza), which became a classic of bossa nova, with more than 30 reocordingss in and outside of Brazil, and Samba pro Pedrinho, which was the first recourding by Hermeto Pascoal as a flautist.
posted by jewzilla at 6:07 PM on June 3, 2008 [2 favorites]