:: These reviews were originally published
Elizete Sobe o Morro
Now on CD.
22 November 2005
EMI Brasil, the label we all love to hate, is giving us a reason to rejoice. It has just returned Elizete Sobe o Morro to its catalog.
Until now, there has never been a complete CD edition of the album—considered one of the singer’s best. EMI previously released some of the tracks in the 4-CD set A Divina (1998) and in the compilation CD Raízes do Samba—Elizeth Cardoso (1999). Like all EMI products, both soon went out of print.
Fortunately, this year marks the 70th birthday of Hermínio Bello de Carvalho, and EMI is reissuing three discs ina special edition called As Damas de Hermínio. Hermínio is famous for having discovered and produced female legends from Clementina de Jesus to Zezé Gonzaga. In 1965, he directed the celebrated stage musical Rosa de Ouro. Elizeth attended a performance and was so enchanted that she informed Hermínio of her intention to record all the songs from the show.
The singer invited the entire cast to lunch at her house. This was followed by more reunions, in which Elizeth selected the songs and rehearsed them with the musicians so thoroughly that they were able to enter the recording studio with no written arrangements and laid down all the tracks in just four sessions. Teh LP received the title Elizete Sobe o Morro, and Hermínio was the producer. He would go on to produce the singer’s most memorable shows and albums, like the 1968 Teatro João Caetano live set with Jacob do Bandolim, Zimbo Trio, and Época de Ouro.
From Rosa de Ouro, only the title song made it into Elizete Sobe o Morro. Instead, the singer offered three sambas by Nelson Cavaquinho, who until then had been recorded only once (by Nara Leão, who included “Luz Negra” in her 1964 debut LP).
The accompanying musicians are the crème de la crème of the samba world: Bucy Moreira, Anescarzinho, Arnô Carnegal (tamborim); Raul Marques (surdo); Jair (cavaquinho); Nelson Cavaquinho (voice & guitar), Cartola, Nelson Sargento, the young Paulinho da Viola (guitar); and Elton Medeiros (plate-and-knife, matchbox).
In addition to Elizete Sobe o Morro, As Damas de Hermínio includes the previously reissued Dalva by Dalva de Oliveira and Marinheiro Só by Clementina de Jesus.
Elizeth Cardoso: Elizete Sobe o Morro
(Copacabana/EMI; 1965/2005)01. Vou Partir (Nelson Cavaquinho/Jair Costa)
02. Malvadeza Durão (Zé Ketti)
03. Folhas no Ar (Elton Medeiros/Hermínio Bello de Carvalho)
04. Pecadora (Joãozinho/Jair Costa)
05. Rosa de Ouro (Elton Medeiros/Hermínio Bello de Carvalho/Paulinho da Viola)
06. A Flor e o Espinho (Nelson Cavaquinho/Guilherme de Brito/Alcides Caminha)
07. Minhas Madrugadas (Candeia/Paulinho da Viola)
08. Águas do Rio [Só Resta Saudade] (Anescar Pereira Filho/Noel Rosa de Oliveira)
09. Sim (Cartola/Oswaldo Martins)
10. Meu Viver (Jair Costa/Elton Medeiros/Kleber Santos)
11. Ele Deixou (Nelson Sargento/(Jair Costa)
12. Luz Negra (Nelson Cavaquinho/Amâncio Cardoso)
Copyright © 2005–2008 Daniella Thompson. All rights reserved.
