Brit Tunes Go Brazilian
“And I Love Her,” Bossa Nova
“Blackbird,” Tropical
“Come Together,” Afoxé
“Day Tripper,” Partido Alto (play clip)
“Dear Prudence,” Marcho Rancho
“Eleanor Rigby,” Samba (play clip)
“I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” Tropical
“In My Life,” Bossa Nova
“Norwegian Wood,” Baião
“This Boy,” Choro (play clip)
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” Samba Cancão
“You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” Afro-Brazilian
(All songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney except for “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” by George Harrison.)
About This CD
Brazil and Beyond's Beatles CD was the recipient of the 2004 Detroit Music Award in the Outstanding World Music category.
Says group leader Rich K, “This is our celebration of Beatles music set against a backdrop of the exotic sounds, styles and instruments of Brazil.” As to instrumentation, Rich plays his authentic Brazilian cavaquinho on “Day Tripper” and “This Boy,” while João Bergasse, president of the Brazilian Cultural Club of Detroit, lends voiceovers to “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).”
Quite possibly a “first” on any continent, world percussionist Dennis Sheridan hammers out the melody of “Come Together” on his berimbau—normally a rhythm instrument. The resulting CD is an exciting tapestry of the enchantment of the Brazilian sound laid over the magic of some of the best Beatles melodies. It’s an unbeatable work of art.
In the Press
“This album shows how cleverly the Beatles tunes have been adapted and also proves the band’s mastery of Brazilian styles.”—Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
“The various Latin music styles you would expect on a tribute album like this are mentioned inside the CD booklet and vary from well-known Bossa Nova and Samba to the unfamiliar Afoxé or Marcho Rancho (to name but a few). The album shows a broad interest in the Beatles repertoire, from 'This Boy' to 'Dear Prudence' and 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps.' Completely new intros can often be heard before the well-known melodies pass by ('And I Love Her').
“Except for 'I Want You,' with a voice-over halfway and during the final part of the song, the album is fully instrumental. The instrumental lineup is rich in variety with lots of exotic instruments, the basis for both rhythmic and melodic (bass) guitar playing backed by stomping drumming and percussion. Perhaps the performance of the ballads is laid-back (although 'Eleanor Rigby' has a very swinging finale after a short interval), they alternate with instant catchy rhythms in other tracks, curing which you can’t keep your hands or feet still.”—Cover Corner column, Beatles Unlimited magazine, July-September 2006
Personnel
Rich K: Zimnicki 6-string Brazilian bass guitar, 6-string fretless “F” bass, Shuster double bass, Delvecchio cavaquinho
Frank Marinello: Zimnicki cedartop classical guitar, Guild G212 12-string guitar, Takamine classical guitar
Dennis Sheridan: Agogô, berimbau, cajon, cuíca, shakers, surdo drum, pandeiro, bongos, rainstick, chimes, cuxixi, jingles, tamborim, nose flute, shakers, triangle, zabumba and djembe
Rob Emanuel: Drum set, surdo drum, tamborim
Ken Braun: Sete cordas
Special guests: Dave King, Kim Swartz classical guitar; Hans Muer, congas, shakers, triangle; João Bergasse, voiceovers
Options for Ordering Beatles Online
by way of our CDs Page.
• CD Baby via this Beatles link
• www.amazon.com: Search for “Brazil and Beyond”