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Luiz Bonfá - Solo in Rio 1959

mikeweil

By mikeweil
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mikeweil Veteran

mikeweil

Posted
Posted

B00079R052.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I'm not a guitar freak, but a favourable downbeat review made me curious, and after only a short listen at a Frankfurt shop last week I took it home. This is one of the greatest solo acoustic guitar records I ever listened to! The liner places Bonfá among the best guitarists of the 20th century - no exaggeration.

Downright beautiful, inspired, recorded and remastered very well and an extremely rare item until this CD reissue.

Run and get this!!!

Or do you have it already?

Kalo Newbie

Kalo

Posted
Posted (edited)

You've piqued my interest.

Anyone care to characterize this music?

Of course, I could just look up reviews on the web, but I value the opinions of Organnissimites at least as much as I value those of the "official" reviewers.

Actually, I value them more.

Edited by Kalo
jazzbo Grand Master

jazzbo

Posted
Posted

I'd have to say this is. . . Bonfa music. It is of its time, but also timeless. . . it's Brazilian but also transcends such a simple category.

It's the work of a vrituoso who impresses mightily with technique and is also able to express feeling and color and narrate. . . .

It's might fine stuff indeed.

Jim R Newbie

Jim R

Posted
Posted

Downright beautiful, inspired, recorded and remastered very well and an extremely rare item until this CD reissue.

The original LP ("O Violao de Luiz Bonfa")...

Cook1134.gif

...

was reissued by Blue Moon some years ago as "Sambolero" (Blue Moon 3059)...

BMCD3059.gif

The new version contains a few more tracks, but I haven't picked it up since I have "Sambolero".

BEAUTIFUL web-discography here, for those that haven't seen it:

http://kanji.zinbun.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~yasuoka/Bonfa/

mikeweil Veteran

mikeweil

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

You've piqued my interest.

Anyone care to characterize this music?

Of course, I could just look up reviews on the web, but I value the opinions of Organnissimites at least as much as I value those of the "official" reviewers.

Actually, I value them more.

If you have some intererest in excellent acoustic guitar playing and/or Brazilian music, this will not disappoint you.

He sings a few titles, but it is so charming. Plenty of highly developped technique - he was trained by an Uruguayan classical teacher - but the chops never get in the way of the expression. Simply delightful. Short pieces, a lot of diversity, surprisng turns, great variety of moods - charming!

My interest was piqued by the downbeat review, and the music by far surpassed my expectations.

Please post after you got it - I'm sure you will! ;)

Edited by mikeweil
mikeweil Veteran

mikeweil

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The new version contains a few more tracks, but I haven't picked it up since I have "Sambolero".

BEAUTIFUL web-discography here, for those that haven't seen it:

http://kanji.zinbun.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~yasuoka/Bonfa/

Thanks for the link, Jim - what of this worth would you specifically recommend for a soul enchanted by this solo disc?

I think the half hour of unreleased music is worth getting the CD, just as good as the rest. Sound could be better, too, as Folkways owns the original tapes.

vibes Newbie

vibes

Posted
Posted

Thanks to everyone who has mentioned this disc. Up until this thread, I was completely unaware of Smithsonian Folkways. I've been checking out their website last night and this morning, and there's a ton of really interesting music available from them. I've added this Bonfa disc to my want list. :tup

Jim R Newbie

Jim R

Posted
Posted (edited)

The new version contains a few more tracks, but I haven't picked it up since I have "Sambolero".

BEAUTIFUL web-discography here, for those that haven't seen it:

http://kanji.zinbun.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~yasuoka/Bonfa/

Thanks for the link, Jim - what of this worth would you specifically recommend for a soul enchanted by this solo disc?

I think the half hour of unreleased music is worth getting the CD, just as good as the rest. Sound could be better, too, as Folkways owns the original tapes.

You know, Mike, I'm not even sure what's in print these days. I think Bonfa was quite a consistent artist... I don't know that any of his recordings (at least among the ones I have) really stand out above the others. Some feature quite a bit of Maria Toledo's vocals, which I'm not crazy about (kind of "operatic", to my ears). Other than that, I've enjoyed just about everything I've heard.

Dusty Groove has carried the EMI/Odeons on the past, and the Verve (which should be relatively easy to find) is very good.

The Brazilian Guitar Of Luiz Bonfa - Capitol (Japan)

O Violao E O Samba - EMI (Odeon) (released on Epic in US as "Softly")

Recado Novo De Luiz Bonfa - EMI (Odeon)

Bossa Nova - Verve

I didn't realize the extra tracks on the new CD amounted to a half hour. Wow... I may have to change my thinking now. :cool:

What I would LOVE to find are his recordings with Caterina Valente (I love a TV video clip I've come across).

Edited by Jim R
Kalo Newbie

Kalo

Posted
Posted

You've piqued my interest.

Anyone care to characterize this music?

Of course, I could just look up reviews on the web, but I value the opinions of Organnissimites at least as much as I value those of the "official" reviewers.

Actually, I value them more.

If you have some intererest in excellent acoustic guitar playing and/or Brazilian music, this will not disappoint you.

He sings a few titles, but it is so charming. Plenty of highly developped technique - he was trained by an Uruguayan classical teacher - but the chops never get in the way of the expression. Simply delightful. Short pieces, a lot of diversity, surprisng turns, great variety of moods - charming!

My interest was piqued by the downbeat review, and the music by far surpassed my expectations.

Please post after you got it - I'm sure you will! ;)

Thanks! It's going on the want-list. I'll let you know what I think when I get it.

paul secor Newbie

paul secor

Posted
Posted

Mike, Thanks for starting this thread. I bought this CD from from Daedalus (along with a couple of others - the Bonfa was kind of an afterthought). I played half of it on my ride home from work the day I got it and was disappointed. I just couldn't get into it. I set it aside for another listen and didn't do that until today. Perhaps it was the stress of the workday, but today I can hear it - wonderful music for a lazy Sunday morning!

  • 6 months later...

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