The return of Maurício Tapajós

CD commemorates the composer’s life
with previously unreleased songs.

Daniella Thompson

6 November 2006

“A vida jogada fora sempre volta pela janela,” sings Joyce in the opening track of Maurício Tapajós—Sobras Repletas. Life thrown away always returns through the window.

Notable popular composer, songwriting partner of Paulo Cesar Pinheiro and Aldir Blanc, talented architect, founder of the Saci record label, copyright activist—Maurício Tapajós’ life was more than full. If his life can be said to have been thrown away, the reason is that he died before his time, at the age of 51.

Tapajós passed away in 1995, and Saci, which had released a series of remarkable discs—practically all collector’s items today—ceased to exist. His own two albums are long out of print. What remains is AMAR/Sombrás (Associação de Músicos, Arranjadores e Regentes/Sociedade Musical Brasileira), the professional copyright association that Tapajós co-founded and of which he remains honorary president.

AMAR/Sombrás celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. To mark the occasion, the composer’s friends and associates in the organization found a way to make Maurício Tapajós return—not through the window but by way of a commemorative CD. The songs on this album, all previously unreleased, range from light-hearted sambas (“Sábado à Noite,” “Calça de Veludo”) through social-commentary sambas (“Neide,” the Noel Rosa-like “E a Vergonha?” and “Esse Pobre Brasileiro”) to lyrical songs (“Vida Jogada Fora,” “Que Nem Manequim”). They had been recorded by Tapajós on cassettes.

Listening to these home recordings is an exemplary lesson on how the right arrangement and the right interpretation can make or break a song. The compositions are excellent, but hardly anyone listening to Tapajós’ voice would recognize them as such until hearing the same songs executed by the top-caliber professionals assembled on the CD.

Prepare to be pampered, because you have a unique opportunity to enjoy not only audio samples but videos of entire songs from Sobras Repletas performed by the likes of Joyce, Chico Buarque, Zé Luiz Mazziotti, Zé Renato, and MPB-4.

Maurício Tapajós—Sobras Repletas
(CPC-UMES CPC 546; 2006) 59:30 min.

01. Vida Jogada Fora (Maurício Tapajós/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) Joyce
02. Sábado à Noite (Maurício Tapajós/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) Chico Buarque
03. Calçadas (Maurício Tapajós/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) Alaíde Costa & Fabio Torres
04. Neide (Maurício Tapajós/Aldir Blanc) Zé Luiz Mazziotti
05. Calça de Veludo (Maurício Tapajós/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) MPB-4
06. E a Vergonha? (Maurício Tapajós/Aldir Blanc) Zé Renato
07. Esse Pobre Brasileiro (Maurício Tapajós/Capinan) Zelia Duncan
08. Valsa do Bem e do Mal (Maurício Tapajós/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) Zezé Gonzaga & Maogani
09. Desconsolo (Maurício Tapajós/Nelson Cavaquinho/Hermínio Bello de Carvalho) Mônica Salmaso & André Mehmari
10. Maresia (Maurício Tapajós/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) Dori Caymmmi
11. Surdina (Maurício Tapajós/Cacaso) Tatiana Parra & Gianluca Littera
12. Quem Me Dera (Maurício Tapajós/Hermínio Bello de Carvalho) Clara Nunes
13. Que Nem Manequim (Maurício Tapajós/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) Guinga
14. Vou Deixar Pra Amanhã (Maurício Tapajós/João Nogueira/Aldir Blanc) Fabiana Cozza

 

Copyright © 2006–2008 Daniella Thompson. All rights reserved.