From Bossaland to Birdland:
Cesar Camargo Mariano/ Romero Lubambo Duet
BossaBrasil Festival
April 17-18 2007
by Gilbert Mathieu
JazzImprov

Thanks to ace producers Pat Philips and Ettore Stratta, the heart and soul of Brazil set quarters at New York’s Birdland April 17-21.
The Cesar Camargo Mariano / Romero Lubambo tandem opened the festivities, with its special guests, vocalist Leny Andrade and the ubiquitous Paquito D’Rivera on saxophone and clarinet.
The set opened with Djavan’s “Samba Dobrado”, very bluesy at the start and slowly evolving into a brisk-paced Bossa rhythm, with accelerating and decelerating tempi, and array of crescendos and diminuendos and a brilliant display of rhythmic displacements and punctuations -perfect mating of Blues and Bossa, or Samblues, as the Brazilians call it. In short, nearly twelve minutes of sheer aural joy!
An atmospheric change was brought about with Camargo Mariano’s “Choro#7”, an initially slow-paced, meditative bolero, underscoring the two musicians’ talent at teasing the tempi and using the full palette of harmonic possibilities at their disposal. Not a sound could be heard from the enraptured audience during the performance of this piece. Piano and guitar were in perfect symbiosis from beginning to end.
The pianist’s well-known “Samambaia” was reinterpreted for the occasion. Recollecting the piece’s recorded version with guitarist Hélio Délmiro, one was again in awe of the telepathy and empathy between Camargo Mariano and Lubambo, two musicians with the knack of anticipating each other’s every move and feeling.  The effect of Camargo Mariano’s caressing the keyboard’s middle and upper register with lilting flurries of notes and Lubambo often making his guitar sound like a bass, and the shifts in dynamics and volume were almost a sensual musical experience. At times, even the two protagonists seemed to surprise themselves with the spontaneity of their exchanges and anticipatory interaction.
“Shortcut”, also penned by the star pianist, was captivating by its shifts from contrapuntal to octave-playing, the rhythmic changes, and the repartition of piano and guitar soli, at times rhythmic and at times rubato. Camargo’s piano sounded like a full orchestra, with the artist tapping on all the resources offered by the keyboard. The rendition of this piece (and all the others!) bore witness to the perfect marriage between the two instruments when in the hands of consummate musicians, hence defying the notion that their pairing is not always obvious.
Being a master at playing the “sound” of the piano, Camargo Mariano showed his knack at turning his piano from a string instrument to a percussion instrument, and vice-versa, depending on the sounds emanating from Lubambo’s guitar.
Up until that moment, the audience was regaled by Camargo Mariano’s own compositions, with their Chopinesque lyricism and Bacchian harmonies.  Then, out of nowhere, came the sounds of a staple from the American standard repertoire, dressed in sexy Bossa Nova clothes, in the form of “There Will Never Be Another You”! It has often been said that a properly interpreted ballad leaves no room for narcissism or fatuousness! This was a case in point. With hardly any left hand comping, parsimonious notes on the right hand, and sinuous and hornlike guitar lines, the duo redefined the concept of space, elegance, simplicity and beauty, so well expounded by the late Shirley Horne. Lubambo’s guitar had reminiscences of Wes Montgomery and Baden Powell, whereas Camargo Mariano’s lyrical piano was almost Shearinguesque in nature!
This nugget was segued by Romero Lubambo’s bravura piece, “Mr. Junior”. It served as showcase for simultaneous free improvisation and a quasi-musical ping pong between the two virtuosi, prodding each other with exhilarating harmonic and rhythmic twists and turns. Camargo’s understated keyboard bionic wizardry and Lubambo’s total command of his instrument were nothing short of astounding. Both performers share the unique ability to tease and defy the meter as well as constantly feed each other challenging melodic lines and unexpected harmonic shifts, along with constant ebbs and flows, thereby eschewing predictability and clichés. After Romero’s dazzling choruses, Camargo Mariano treated us to a beautiful and ruminative rubato solo replete with rich bass lines, slowly evolving towards a gentle Bossa rhythm gradually gaining in intensity and vigor, with the guitar joining in the rhythmically propelled duet and its ever-present samba beat.
The “Duet” set was then augmented by the arrival on stage of genial saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera, another master of timbres, and rich harmonies, who indulged us with the exuberant and fast-paced “Pixinguinha” (humorously preceded by a few warm-up notes from “Ave Maria”!), accompanied only by Romero Lubambo’s guitar. This happy and jolly song was followed by Camargo Mariano’s “Curumim”. Never missing an opportunity to display his acute sense of humor, D’Rivera introduced the piece with quotations from “Flight of the Bumble Bee”! With “Curumim”, the trio went into spontaneous combustion, with piano and guitar fueling the fires and Camargo Mariano well in the front lines with his incisive driving piano lines and comping.
The “Duo+1” then performed a Mariano original entitled “Cristal”. The joyful “trialogue” ended an hour of sheer musical bliss, with each artist appearing to have just as much fun as the audience!
        Birdland was still filled with the magic of the first set, when guest vocalist Leny Andrade took the stage, with her famed contralto voice, richer with age and as powerful as ever, her scatting prouesses, and her inimitable and buoyant good humor--all well in evidence in the four songs she performed with her proverbial panache and self-confidence. Her ability to “swing” the Bossa Nova without sacrificing any of its Brazilian essence makes her the unique performer she is.
The first piece, “Vai de Vez”, piano and voice duet, was followed by “Influencia do Jazz”, a brisk-paced number with piano and guitar accompaniment, which gave Ms. Andrade the opportunity to showcase her Ella-like scatting, and Mr. Lubambo another chance to dazzle us with his pulsating sounds and fluid guitar lines. For a slight change of pace, Ms. Andrade regaled us with “Fim de Sonho” (“End of a Dream”), a soft-footed Bossa Nova keeping in the spirit of its title, double tempo scatting notwithstanding! With D’Rivera’s return to the stage in the middle of the song, at the behest of Ms. Andrade, the band percolated like…Brazilian coffee, much to the great delight of the enthralled audience. The musicians received a standing ovation, rare occurrence in a jazz club! D’Rivera’s wit and proverbial joie de vivre were well in evidence in his solos, strewn with quotations from “Donkey Serenade” and “Salt Peanuts” in the encore piece, “Estamos Ai”, with its exciting array of tempi and rhythm changes.
Since Ms. Philips told the audience, at the outset, that the BossaBrasil Festival would be a yearly event, one can only look forward to the next one (and many more) with great anticipation.

by Gilbert Mathieu
JazzImprov

BossaBrasil at Birdland-NYC

The absence of bass and drums on the program for the opening nights of Birdland’s BossaBrasil Festival in no way diminished the rhythmic excitement one would expect at such an event. Pianist Cesar Camargo Mariano and guitarist Romero Lubambo opened the second evening (Apr. 18th) with an inspired performance that revisited their critically acclaimed Duo CD, showing why they have been described as “the perfect team”. The twosome’s awe-inspiring interplay, full of emotional tension and release, thrilled the packed house with music that exuded both orchestral power and spotlighted intimacy. Beginning appropriately with the late Mocair Santos’ “April Child”, the set which also included one of each player’s own pieces plus a bossa nova treatment of “There Will Never Be Another You”, was indeed no less than perfect. Cuban reedman Paquito D’Rivera was featured on the second part of the show, pairing his woody fluid clarinet with Lubambo on “Um A Zero”, a classic choro feting Brazil’s beloved futbol team. Switching to alto for a duet with Mariano and then back to clarinet for a trio offering with the returning Lubambo, the jocular D’Rivera contributed much to the festive mood, but the evening’s greatest joys came with the entrance of the phenomenal Leny Andrade, whose majestic smoky toned, free flowing vocalizations and breathtaking scat singing gave voice to the night’s celebratory atmosphere and had elated audience members dancing in their seats.

~ Russ Musto
Allaboutjazz.com

Sabá explains how Jongo Trio became Som Três.
Founder of two of the most important bossa nova groups, the 74-year old bassist discloses stories of the movement in São Paulo

At 74 years-old and nearly six decades as a musician, bassist and vocalist Sebastião Oliveira da Paz, a.k.a. Sabá, says that the repercussion of the trio assembled in 1965 with pianist Cido Bianchi and drummer Toninho Pinheiro still surprises him. "The interest raised by Jongo is astonishing. What's there that keeps the public interested after 35 years? When the three of us perform together, something happens, and we can't explain", goes Sabá, referring to the two successful concerts that the trio played last year in São Paulo. It is at least ironic, considering that the original trio lasted less than one year.

Sabá was living in São Paulo for 13 years when Toninho Pinheiro found him in a nightclub in 1965. The drummer invited him to assemble a trio that should be similar to Tamba Trio (from Rio, led by pianist Luiz Eça). The three started rehearsing with Bianchi. In a couple of months, the bossa nova repertoire was tight. Famed songwriters like Dorival Caymmi, Johnny Alf and Vinicius de Moraes appeared alongside newcomers like Hermeto Pascoal, Théo de Barros and Marcos Valle. In the meantime, they named themselves Jongo Trio, as suggested by pianist Vera Brasil.

After much struggle, Jongo managed to perform one song as the opening act for a star-filled concert. They picked Menino das Laranjas (Théo de Barros) The feedback was so good that the director of the show made them do other seven numbers. A few days later, they were performing with Baden Powell. Besides the instrumental excellence, what called people's attention about Jongo Trio were the bold vocal arrangements. Regardless of the experience accumulated by Sabá in groups like Os Modernistas, he credits that to Cido Binachi. "He had a privileged voice and used to sing perfectly. Cido wrote the arrangements for 80% of our vocals", acknowledges the bassist.

Dismissing Chico Buarque
Soon, an invitation came up for them to make an album on the label Farroupilha (Jongo Trio, available on CD on the label Mix House). One day, they were introduced to a student who had the reputation of being a good songwriter. "We looked at him from head to toe and asked him to play something. We were disturbed because he was a really bad instrumentalist and an even worse singer. We dismissed the guy. The guy was Chico Buarque", tells Sabá, laughing and recalling that he had also dismissed Adoniran Barbosa in the 50s, while performing with Os Modernistas.

Another milestone in Jongo Trio's history were the concerts with Elis Regina and Jair Rodrigues, in April of 1965. "Much to our surprise, it was pure madness. We did not understand why the audience would get so excited", he says, revealing that, although the theater was packed every night, the Trio never got a penny for it. "All we got was a bouncing check from the producer". And it wasn't any different when the album with the live recording of the show (Dois na Bossa, originally released on Philips) came out. Besides not making any money from it, Jongo Trio wasn't even mentioned on the back cover - at the time, it was common knowledge that the album had sold most copies than any other, that year.

Som Três comes to life
In spite of the good feedback gotten with Jongo Trio's debut album, the group would be facing their first crisis in 1966. Oblivious to the real dimension of the trio, Sabá and Toninho Pinheiro began practicing with a young pianist, César Camargo Mariano. That's how the trio which would later be called Som Três (after the North-American group The Three Sounds) was born.

The new trio was immediately hired to perform on a TV show. The star was Wilson Simonal, very popular at the time. "He went nuts with our group", says Sabá, explaining that the trio was turned into a back up band for Simonal for almost six years, going out on several world tours. Som Três ended up backing up Chico Buarque (Roda Viva), Roberto Carlos (Maria Carnaval and Cinzas), Beth Carvalho (Andança) and others. "I reckon that Som Três was a lot better than Jongo Trio.

"Celso Bianchi is a fine pianist, but César really is a phenomenon", analyzes Sabá, who claims to have unssuccessfully tried talking the rest of the group into recording more songs with vocal parts. "I thought it was good for us, commercially speaking, but César disagreed. When Som Três would sing, as opposed to Jongo, it did nothing to the audience", he accepts.

Som Três split up soon after returning from a tour with Wilson Simonal around Mexico, during the World Cup in 1970. Elis Regina invited César Camargo Mariano to join her band for a series of shows in Rio, but Sabá and Toninho decided to stay in São Paulo. It was the end of the trio that had just released the LP Um É Pouco, Dois é Bom, Este Som Três É Demais on Odeon.

Carlos Calado

Cesar Camargo Mariano & Pedro Mariano

With a career that has passed the 40-year mark, Cesar Camargo Mariano continues to stay on top of his game. His arranging skills are unique and are permanently set in Brazilian music through singers such as Elis Regina, Simone and just about the best in Brazil and around the world. He produces and arranges music with the same ease that he writes them. Throughout his long-standing and very accomplished career, in addition to his solo efforts, he has recorded some remarkable duet albums. Samambaia (with Helio Delmiro), Duo (with Romero Lubambo), Voz e Suor (with Nana Caymmi) and Nós (with Leny Andrade) are all critically and popularly acclaimed albums.

On the other side of this duo, we find Pedro Mariano, son of Cesar Camargo Mariano and the late Elis Regina. Though father and son had previously collaborated in Pedro's three solo albums, with Piano & Voz they formalize that artistic synergy with a memorable recording (also available on DVD). Choosing an eclectic repertoire such as the one here must have been a difficult task. We find songs that cover several genres of Brazilian music and periods: Bossa Nova ("Caminhos Cruzados"), MPB ("Acaso" and "Dupla Traição"), traditional samba ("Tarzan, o Filho do Alfaiate") and even Brazilian rock, or BRock ("Caso Sério"). In front of it all, we find Cesar and Pedro doing what they do best: making music and simply having fun doing it together.

"Acaso" is a beautiful Ivan Lins song with touching lyrics by Abel Silva. The song, in brief, addresses the mere chance that causes two people's paths to cross in life. Of course the gentle idea behind the song is completely mastered by these two performers. Pedro's voice and Cesar's piano are tender and emotional. In the middle of the song, during Cesar's solo, the piano lines are breathtakingly beautiful. As Pedro ends the last verse in the song, Cesar takes over giving the listener a sensation of flying clear skies. Three single notes start the solo and carry you into a splendid musical interlude. Simply put, you could swear this is a Chopin melody. Right on the first track, you are already a captive of these two artists. Just so you get the same feeling again, Cesar gives us another stunning solo in "Dupla Traição." With Rita Lee and Roberto de Carvalho's hit "Caso Sério," Cesar and Pedro have a good time trading solos, particularly in the section when the father does his piano solo with the son providing the bass notes vocally. It is quite remarkable. Keeping up with the lightness of that number, this duo performs Vadico and Noel Rosa's hilarious tune "Tarzan, o Filho do Alfaiate." It hits yet another high moment in the CD.

Piano & Voz had a limited release of 10,000 units, but in case you are not able to get a hold of the album, there is also DVD release of the same project. You can hear samples of this album in either Pedro Mariano's or Cesar Camargo Mariano's web sites. Better yet, you can see and hear Cesar Camargo Mariano talking about each track in the CD and DVD at Trama.

E.L.
(musicabrasileira.org)

Cesar Camargo Mariano & Hélio Delmiro
Samambaia
Cesar Camargo Mariano & Romero Lubambo
Duo

What can be better than having a new Cesar Camargo Mariano CD? Two of his albums, of course. Not only do we have a brand new recording with Duo, but there is also the long awaited CD reissue of Samambaia. Together, these two albums give you a good dosage of the Mariano touch along with two Brazilian guitarists.

In the original liner notes for Samambaia, Mariano sums up the dream realization it was to record that album with Hélio Delmiro, one of Brazil's most respected and sough-after musicians:

" On August 17, 1981, we got to the studio and I showed him one of my themes, Samambaia. Once again the musical and sensitive identification of this duo was confirmed, for while I was showing Helinho the theme, he just "started playing right off the bat" and the track was recorded on its first take".

Affinity, artistry, sensitivity, musicianship - those words are a few of the terms that come to mind when one tries to classify the work created by Cesar Camargo Mariano. Whether arranging for the best in Brazilian music - e.g., Elis Regina, Simone, Nana Caymmi and many more - composing, producing or playing, Mariano excels in every way and in each release he puts out or is involved in. He innovates and sets new standards to be followed by other musicians. So, it was with such anticipation that fans worldwide finally received the CD version of Samambaia. In addition to Mariano's and Delmiro's own compositions, such as the title track, "Emotiva Nº 4" and "Maria Rita" (a beautiful lullaby to Mariano's daughter), this recording also features some Brazilian classics. "Carinhoso" and "No Rancho Fundo," for example, touch on the traditional whereas the suite for "Milagre dos Peixes" explores more contemporary sounds in Milton Nascimento's elaborate and intricate music. Those tracks give these consummate artists the chance to freely showcase what they are capable of doing. That is nothing short of spectacular. The same can be said of Delmiro's "Das Cordas," with its flamenco introduction and subsequent dazzling solo. Mariano's own "Choratta" beautifully mixes choro with Bachian influences.

Twenty-one years later, another landmark encounter takes place with yet another Brazilian guitarist. This time Mariano brought to the studio another long-time friend: Romero Lubambo. The result, as expected, was the outstanding Duo, which just recently won the 2003 Tim Award for Best Brazilian Instrumental album. From the bouncy and dynamic opening track, "Samba Dobrado" (Djavan), to the unpredictably serene and beautiful "Wave" (Jobim), Duo is full or surprises - from the music and musicians to the classy liner notes with gorgeous close-up photos of the instruments themselves. One remarkable trait of Mariano's arrangements lies on his ability to recreate and make even the most well-known songs sound new. He did that in his last album, Nova Saudade, with "Chega de Saudade," for example. In Duo, besides the previously mentioned "Wave," there are others that are noteworthy. "Joy Spring," "Mr. Jr.," "Fotografia" and "April Child" come to mind. Just a like spring day blossoms with colors and life, so does the arrangement in "Joy Spring." From the slow, piano beginning, this tune grows and shifts into a nice samba. In "Mr. Jr." and ""April Child," both Mariano and Lubambo let loose and get down to just plain fun. Both artists dazzle you with their individual solos in those tracks. In closing Duo, Mariano and Lubambo truly saved the best for last. Jobim's "Wave" receives a well-deserved new arrangement that puts that song in new heights. The gentle guitar and peaceful piano solos are like nectar from the gods.

Egídio Leitão
(musicabrasileira.org)

Obrigado Brazil. Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma is the latest among many musicians who have fallen under the spell of Brazil's seductive sounds. Today Brazil sings with many voices and they echo through this recording - the choros that blended European salon music with African rhythms, sambas and bossa nova. For this recording Yo-Yo ma has surrounded himself with a large adopted family of musician including Brazilian percussion master Cyro Baptista, celebrated Cuban-born clarinettist Paquito D'Rivera, bossa nova singer and guitarist Rosa Passos and Brazilian pianist Cesar Camargo Mariano. A fascinating CD.
(opuscds.com review)

Yo-Yo Ma -Obrigado Brazil

World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma's latest is a real treat for music lovers. This recording is a masterful blend of European salon music, African rhythms, sambas, and bossa nova, and includes such famous musicians as Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista, Cuban clarinettist Paquito D'Rivera, bossa nova singer and guitarist Rosa Passos, and Brazilian pianist Cesar Camargo Mariano.
An excellent change of pace.
(askman.com)

Capturing the soul of Brazil with Yo-Yo Ma

08/01/03

Ariana Falk

Yo-Yo Ma Takes Musical Journey to Rio

By MARTIN STEINBERG
The Associated Press

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma celebrates Brazil's unique musical style in his new album, "Obrigado, Brazil." It brings together some of Brazil's leading musicians in a carnival of sambas and bossa novas, contemplative classics and heartfelt choros.

"...Aside from his musical genius, Ma has a talent for assembling the best musicians for his many projects. Those on the Brazil album also include composer and multi-instrumentalist Egberto Gismonti, clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera, vocalist Rosa Passos, percussionist Cyro Baptista, pianist Cesar Camargo Mariano and guitarist Romero Lubambo..."

Yo-Yo Ma Captures Brazil with Elegant, Intoxication

By Steve Smith

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma is ready for his next musical destination -- Brazil

"...Now Ma has gathered a group of notable musicians and recorded "Obrigado Brazil," a graceful, elegant disc of Brazilian fare issued July 29 by Sony....
...In the end, Ma united an exceptional ensemble of musicians from diverse backgrounds -- including Passos, Castro-Neves, Stott and the Assads, as well as noted jazz musicians Paquito D'Rivera, Egberto Gismonti, Cesar Mariano and Romero Lumbambo -- to offer a rich, expansive survey of Brazilian idioms..."

"OBRIGADO BRAZIL" by Yo-Yo Ma

review by Ed Vincent
"Oak Park Journal Highly Recommended"

This album is so mello and smooth you could take a moment to sit in your yard and imagine a peaceful pond even if you have no water in your yard. This is a tremendous selection of tunes to make all right no matter what is going on at work or home.
"..Joining Ma on Obrigado Brazil in new treatments of their own works are Egberto Gismonti ("Bodas de Prata" & "Quatro Cantos" and "Salvador"), Sergio Assad ("Menino") and Cesar Camargo Mariano ("Cristal" and "Samambaia"). "All of the musicians on this album are absolute masters of their specific genres of Brazilian music, and everybody is incredibly generous," Ma says. "The recording session was like one long party - really warm and festive..."

Yo-Yo Ma -Obrigado Brazil

In1960, at the age of five, Yo-Yo Ma performed at his first public recital. Forty-five albums and 12 Grammy awards later, Ma has firmly established himself as a musical prodigy and the most adored cellist in the world today.

With his new album, Obrigado Brazil, Ma experiments with new and diverse styles and musicians while keeping his own distinctive expressiveness that has kept him in the musical spotlight for so many decades. Obrigado Brazil blends piano, guitar, drums, bass, flute, and of course the cello to create its smooth South American beats, sprinkled with the sensuous and seductive melodies that characterize Brazilian music. The second and 13th track offer vocals by the talented Rosa Passos, whose mature, ripe voice quiets the soul while stirring the hips. Throughout the album, a feeling of unabashed, undaunted confidence permeates. From the subdued “Menino” to the more playful and spirited “Samambaia,” these compositions present themselves boldly and brazenly, aware of their own greatness, perhaps whether the listener is or not.

The diversity of musicians reflects the diversity of emotions, ranging from cool and sultry to light and airy to serious and subtle, making this album not only well-rounded, but appealing to a variety of listeners and states of mind. In his 30 year career, Yo-Yo Ma hasn’t failed us yet and this new album is yet another triumph.
Neysa King

Cesar Camargo Mariano /Romero Lubambo "Duo"
Review - ****

Mojo Music Magazine - England

An exquisite series of Brazilian jazz duets by pianist Cesar Camargo Mariano and guitarist Romero Lubambo. With a lilt and rhythmic attack only Latin guys have, the two musicians are in perfect, simpatico on a pair of Jobins, a few Mariano originals and an intriguing reworking of Clifford Brown's hard bob classic, Joy Spring.
CI.

Making Waves

Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club House Magazine - London

The Trama label deals another ace with Duo, pairing the divine guitarist
ROMERO LUBAMBO with the pianist CESAR CAMARGO MARIANO, better known, probably, for his celebrated musical collaborations with his wife, the late Elis Regina. Duo salutes summer with a sun-kissed mix of Brazilian flavours from soulful samba (Samba Dobrado), A.C. Jobim favourites (Fotografia, Wave), bebop (Clifford Brown's Joy Spring) and the duo's beautifully played originals.
Chrissie Murray
(ronniescotts.co.uk)

Brazilian series aimed at thirtysomething set

by Paul Jackson Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer

"Marking its first anniversay in the music business, Aosis records has
released a series of four Brazilian music recordings featuring top artists
such as keyboardist Cesar Camargo Mariano and guitarist Romero Lubambo. The series is being heavily plugged in the world music sections of major record stores in Tokyo and other cities across the country, and in part this is attributable to the record company's agenda--to win back the over 30s to a record market that has largely disenfranchised them.Mariano, who performed on and arranged a large proportion of the tracks featured in the series, is one of Brazil's most famous producers and arrangers. In Japan, Mariano is known not only for his work and his marriage to the late singer Elis Regina, but also for his collaborations with local sax player Sadao Watanabe.As Mariano now lives in New York--as does Lubambo--it is not surprising that his second CD for Aosis, Nova Saudade, has an East Coast jazz feel to it, as do the other recordings in the series. Although the CD mainly comprises slick, self-penned numbers, the opening number is an updated arrangement of Tom Jobim's 1958 composition, "Chega de Saudade," which is considered by many to be the first-ever track of the bossa nova genre, in which Mariano has distinguished himself."

Jazz - Carnegie Hall - Variety

by Robert Daniels

"An intoxicating April Child featured cunning interplay between guitarist Romero Lubambo and pianist Cesar Camargo Mariano in what turned to be the evening's most rewarding musical feast."

Cesar Camarga Mariano "Nova Saudade"

Cesar's latest album was produced by Atsushi "Sushi" Kosugi for the
Aosis label, and was released last year (2001) here in Japan. It contains a marvelous re-working of Chega de Saudade with a clarinet solo from Paquito D'Rivera. Also included are three originals by Cesar entitled Crying,Choro #12, and an especially charming tune called Sushi & White Wine.This one might be a bit hard to find, but well worth the effort.
(markisbell.com/mae/corner.htm.)

Cesar Camargo Mariano -- Nova Saudade Aosis (Japan), 2001

An excellent new album by one of Brazil's greatest arrangers! Cesar Camargo Mariano has had a wealth of experience -- from early 60s bossa nova sessions, to backings on nearly all the great Elis Regina albums of the 70s, to his own strong fusion work of the 80s -- but he hasn't made an album this great in years! The set's got a smooth jazzy feel -- but not sanded-down or without feeling, more in the complicated mode of some of his best arrangements from earlier years, with a sublime blending of the baroque and jazzy, and a dance between joy and darkness that keeps all the work very fresh! Titles include "Sushi & White Wine", "Crying", "Choro 12", "Pra Machucar Meu Coracao", and "The Shadow Of Your Smile".
(dustygroove.com)

Cesar Mariano & CIA -- Sao Paulo - Brasil -- Serie 100 Anos De Musica CD BMG (Brazil), 1977

A fantastic bit of funky fusion from Brazil! Keyboardist Cesar Mariano leads the group through a set of tight choppy electric tunes that easily rank with the best work on American 70s labels, like CTI or Kudu, but with some excellent additional touches that take the work to a whole new level!
Electric keyboards mix with acoustic bass and piano -- for a groove that'sboth funky, but also touched with strong elements of Brazilian jazz. Includes the cool funky track "Metropole", the break cut "Fabrica", and the mellow groover "Imigrantes" -- as well as the tunes "Meto", "Litoral", and "Futebol De Bar". (Part of the excellent Serie 100 Anos De Musica on BMG.)
(dustygroove.com)

Sambalanco Trio
Audio Fidelity/Ubatuqui, 1964

Great reissue of the first LP by the Sambalanco Trio, one of the key early bossa groups, and the one whose material is the hardest to find. The CD's got grooves, played by a crack Brazilian group with a sound that's beautifully light on the drums, with a nice dancing feel that goes along great with the soulful piano solos. Cesar Camargo Mariano is on piano, and a very young Airto's on drums. Prime bossa, of the mode that keeps you coming back to the genre long after you've heard all the throwaway pop stuff.
Includes the classic "Samblues", plus "Homenagem a Clifford Brown",
"Sambinha", "Balanco Zona Sul", and the great "Jacqueline K" -- dedicated to guess who?
(dustygroove.com)

Sambalanco Trio

As the bossa nova style exited seven nascent years of development and entered into a post-pubescent stage full of confidence, the Sambalanço Trio hit the Brazilian music scene with a splash. Comprised of Cesar Camargo Mariano on piano, Humberto Clayber on bass, and future percussion superstar Airto Moreira on traps, the Sambalanço Trio had a sophisticated and multi-faceted sound, one that melded an aggressive, samba-school-on-parade sound with a subtler air, redolent of Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto, and even the Bill Evans Trio. For example, "Samblues" -- the opening track on the Sambalanço Trio's self-titled re-release -- combines Moreira's samba-derived partido alto rhythms with Mariano and Clayber's cool, blues-based melodies. On "Berimbau," traditional elements -- such as a Brazilian bagpipe intro and syncopated Capoeira rhythms -- are fused with a five-four melodic passage that sounds like a section from David Brubek's "Take Five." These two songs, along with the album as a whole, deftly illustrate how the Sambalanço Trio infused the soporific bossa nova scene of
1964 with much-needed doses of energetic rhythms, cutting-edge jazz
voicings, and spontaneity. One of the only drawbacks to this release is its short length, but whatever the CD lacks in quantity of songs, the Sambalanço Trio more than makes up for it in their quality. ~
John Vallier, All MusicGuide
(artistdirect.com)

Casa da Bossa ao Vivo

After the successful release of Casa de Samba ao Vivo in
1996, PolyGram decided to repeat that formula. This time, however, Bossa Nova was the focus. With Cesar Camargo Mariano as arranger and music director, you know the result had to be good. The non-stop music marathon presents some of the greatest hits from the bossa nova era, such as "O Barquinho," "Corcovado," "Samba de Verão," "Desafinado," "Lobo Bobo," and "Mocinho Bonito," in duets featuring Alaíde Costa & Joyce, Tito Madi & Cláudia Telles, Leny Andrade & Emílio Santiago, Zimbo Trio & Márcio Montarroyos, among other well-known performers.
(caravanmusic.com)

Memories From Waterside
[Aosis/Victor]

With a mission to "deliver a refreshing kind of cool with just the right amount of artistic essence," new jazz label Aosis brought together for Memories a diverse group of players, among them top French piano player Philippe Saisse, in a number of recording sessions. Sitting comfortably in the "smooth jazz" category, the album is restrained, and at moments funky, without being unctuous. Things get underway with the nostalgic accordions of "Mare" by Cesar Camargo Mariano, giving way to the acoustic guitar-and-vocals reverie of "By The Stream." Philippe Saisse chips in two numbers including the dreamy "Como La Lluvia (Just Like Rain)" and the breezy "Watercolors." I hate to diminish this album with words like "nice" and "pleasant," so instead just imagine you're sitting at the beach on a warm summer day, without a care in the world.
(metropolis.co.jp)

Hall of Fame
CESAR MARIANO Sao Paulo-Brasil

This album is one of the finest examples of Rhodes/synth led fusion - the percussion is as good as you'd expect from a Brazilian band and often 100 mph! The compositions though are as varied and complex as anyyou'd find on a Herbie Hancock album. Imigrantes changes completely before coming full circle and Metro just rides on a wave of wah wah'd clavinet and String Ensemble. The original of this album is probably near impossible to find outside of Brazil, but luckily it was re-released by BMG Ariola in the late 80's and even made it on to CD a few years ago.
(kirk-degiorgio.com)