Walter Branco - Meu Balanco
It is a much-requested title with original copies becoming ever more-scarce and
the price tag increasingly rising, so it feels fitting to present this stunning record
once again for all to enjoy! Waltel Branco was born in Paranaguá, Brazil in 1929
and died in Rio de Janeiro in 2018. During his triumphant career he accumulated
an impressive musical portfolio. A true maestro who from the 1950s onwards
appeared on productions as a guitarist, writer, conductor, composer, and arranger.
He worked with some of the greats of Brazilian music including Elis Regina, Dom
Um Romao, Bossa Três, Marcos Valle and Tony Bizarro to name just a few. 'Meu
Balanço' was originally released on CBS Records Brazil in 1975. It is Brazilian big
band, orchestrated jazz-funk at its finest. Echoing the library and film productions
created in Europe and the USA at the time, it also displays the hallmarks of
Waltel’s heritage with distinct threads of Brazilian favour running throughout.
The musicians on the record include under- the- radar players that were the
backbone of the Brazilian music industry in the 1970s including Luizão Maia on
bass, Edmundo Maciel on trombone and Paulinho Braga on drums.
The album flirts between jazz- funk, cinematic library excursions, breaks and
beats, easy- listening, and 70s cop show instrumentals. It is a breezy ride into
Waltel's world, wonderfully nostalgic and of another time and place, yet snippets
of the production echo the beats of contemporary hip-hop iconic artists such as
Madlib and The Alchemist.
Brazilian jazz-funk at its finest from an iconic composer. Originally released in
1975, it echoes library and film productions created in Europe and the USA, but
with a distinctive Brazilian favour.
Vinyl edition features tip-on sleeve.
Tracks:
1. Luar Do Sertão
2. Sonho No Céu
3. Meu Balanco
4. Lady Samba
5. Apenas Um Coração Solitário
6. Jael
7. Walking
8. Satiricon
9. Carmen
10. Meiguice
11. Petit Fils
12. Zoraia