Black Orpheus [Original Soundtrack]

by Luiz Bonfa

Overview

Black Orpheus the film by Marcel Camus, and its soundtrack, were the signposts by which the world first learned of samba and bossa nova and fell in love with it. Therefore, it is staggering to consider that it took until 2008 for a definitive edition of the soundtrack to be released, one that assembled all the songs and music heard in the film. After all, this is the score that created the partnership of composer Antonio Carlos Jobim and poet Vinicius de Moraes, and introduced the brilliant and influential guitarist Luiz Bonfa. Universal France has assembled all the sound recordings into one 17-track volume. These include the two original 45 EPs, and the 10" 33 rpm album, as well as some tracks that have never appeared before now. Given the wild success of the readily recognizable album on both LP and CD over the decades, this amounts to an entirely new hearing of Brazilian music -- bossa was emerging in Rio at the time too, a brand new genre. The sounds of the various samba schools from the carnival parades are accompanied by the gorgeous instrumental interludes by Bonfa (including the now ubiquitous "Manha De Carnaval," written with poet Antonio Mara), and the songs of de Moraes and Jobim (including "A Felicidade," as sung by Elizeth Cardoso). The songs may be well known now; the music of the favelas, as practiced by the escolas de samba with their agogo bells, atabaques drumming, stomping batacuda solos, and duels, folk line chants, and unusual (even now if one thinks about it) blend of African rhythms, dissonance, and extended harmonics, is still revolutionary today. A 13-minute encore medley by Brazilian guitarist Bola Sete that recorded in 1966 at the Monterey Jazz Festival, has been added as a bonus cut, wedding "Manha de Carnaval," to "A Felicidade," and "Samba de Orfeo." The presentation is handsome. There is an exhaustive historical essay by French scholar Anais Flechet, complete discographical information, and photos. The sound quality is only fair, but considering the neglect of the original masters, it's actually remarkable. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	03/21/2025
UPC:	8436563186172

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Antonio Carlos Jobim   Primary Artist
Luiz Bonfa   Primary Artist,Guitar
Bola Sete   Primary Artist
Banda de Frevo   Primary Artist
Henri Crolla   Primary Artist,Guitar
Agostinho Dos Santos   Primary Artist,Vocals,Chant
Roberto Menescal   Primary Artist,Guitar
Bateria de Escola de Samba   Primary Artist
Chiquinho Acordeon   Primary Artist
Chiquinho do Acordeon   Primary Artist
Joao Gilberto   Guitar
Elizeth Cardoso   Vocals
Maria Alice   Vocals
Vanja Orico   Vocals
Aurino Cassiano   Vocals
Jorge Dos Santos   Vocals
Odette Ernest Dias   Flute
Raul de Barros   Trombone

Technical Credits

Antonio Maria   Composer,Lyricist,Composer
Egberto Gismonti   Composer
Andre Salvet   Composer
Antonio Carlos Jobim   Composer
Seth Rothstein   Reissue Producer
Althea Logila   Reissue Design
Bateria de Escola de Samba   Orchestration
Richard Seidel   Reissue Producer
Traditional   Composer
Vinicius de Moraes   Lyricist,Composer
Luiz Bonfa   Composer
Cees Schrama   Reissue Producer
Traditionnel   Composer
Imme Schade VanWestrum   Liner Notes