Raíces de América ( 1980 - First Vynil Album )
In the beginning of 1980, my ears were filled with music, I had just directed Simone's show in Canecão Theater, in Rio de Janeiro, fortunately, a great success ! In our last Sunday there, in the afternoon, I received a call from São Paulo, it was a voice speaking in portuguese, but with a porteño accent asking me for na appointment. The voice spoke about the intention of development of a show with some latin american artists and it also asked me for some more time for a more detailed exposition of the whole project.
I said, "It's Ok!" , and explained that I would stay in Rio for a few more weeks and that he could come for me whenever he wanted to. Very soon, actually, the next morning, my flat bell rang by nine AM, a very peculiar time. I opened the door and there he was, an excited, bright eyed, bearded guy who presented himself as Enrique. I was yet surrounded by the previous night effects, thus it took me a lttle time to link that figure to the call from Sunday night. He said he had created a band called "Raíces de América", that was exceptional, excelent, a real wonder and that he wanted me to direct their starring night show, he was so enthusiastic that I, suddenly, was moved to follow him, first in a taxi, and then, in na airplane, and from the São Paulo airport, taken to a humble house in Villa Pompéia, where I was presented to the band itself.
They were Willy Verdaguer and Tony Osanah, both musicians, already known in Brazil for some years and that were playing rock in a pub, by the time Enrique met them, Julio Cesar Peralte, that arrived with his guitar and record in his hands. Also, Enzo Merino, Oscar Segovia, Celso Ribeiro and Fredy Goes, that had already played together in a band called Machitun, and who had been reached by Enrique in one of those bars that fill the Enrique Schaumann avenue. Enrique told me that there was yet somebody else to arrive, that was Mariana Avena, a splendidi singer he had known in a small place in Buenos Aires, singing and playin her guitar.
The group performed a different style of music, peculiar, exquisite, uncommon, but what enchanted most, was the strenght, the faith, emotion and passion that came out from those instruments. They showed me fourteen songs that had been already rehearsaled, they didn't have a musical director and they were their own arrangers. I decided to join them at once. Enrique and I had our first midninght working together organizing the show. I called my dearest friend and actress Isabel Ribeiro, cause I wanted her to recite some poems, the legend and the chants. She loved the group as soon as she knew it. She cried when she saw the rehearsal at that time just a rough draft of what it would be.
I suggested the inclusion of "Guantanamera" and "Disparada" and a happier section in the show. We worked restlessly for four weeks in the preparation of the show, everything was hardly discussed, until all the band integrants were satisfied. The starring night show was a great success and generated this record. I believe Enrique was right in his faith. I hope the godsof music keep protecting these artists.
Flávio Rangel
Words of Mercedes Sosa, "Godmother" of the Raíces de América:
Hoy fui feliz, cansada, pero veo jerminar el canto y decir de los Nahuatl, Se está produciendo mi transplante de palabras.Mercedes 80 in América Continente.
- Side I
- Los Pueblos Americanos (Violeta Parra) - To hear MP3 (422 KB)
- Zamba de Las Tolderías (Buenaventura Luna) - To hear MP3 (628 KB)
- Excerpt from the poem: "CANTO GERAL" (Pablo Neruda) – 1,25¨
- Cantor de Ofício (A. Morelli) – To hear MP3 (736 KB)
- La Carta (Violeta Parra) - To hear MP3 (720 KB)
- Plegaria Por Victor Jara (Tony Osanah / Enrique Bergen) – 2´25¨
- La Telesita (Andrés Chazarreta) – 1´50¨
- El Condor Pasa (Daniel A. Robles) – To hear MP3 (868 KB)
- Side II
- Guantanamera (Jose Martí) – To hear MP3 (788 KB)
- Los Ejes de mi Carreta (Atahualpa Yupanqui) - To hear MP3 (728KB)
- Los Caminos (Enzo Merino/ Fredy Goes/Oscar Segovia / Enrique Bergen) – 4´03¨
- Trecho do poema "Há Uma Criança Na Rua" (Armando Tejada Gomez) – 50¨
- Negrita Martina (Daniel Viglieti) – 2´45¨
- Disparada (Théo de Barros / Geraldo Vandré) - To hear MP3 (828 KB)
- The Raíces de América are:
- MARIANA AVENA - Vocals (solos)
- TONY OSANAH - Vocals (solos), transverse flute, sweet flute, kalimba, charango sauro, autoharp, ovation guitar, organ.
- ENZO MERINO - Charango, zampoñas, quena, cuatro venezolano, guitar, caipira guitar, chillador, rabeca, vocals.
- WILLY VERDAGUER - Counterbass, organ, vocals.
- OSCAR SEGOVIA - Andino Drums, bombo leguero, zabumba, tremeterra(earth shaker), surdo drum, caixa ( box drum ), tumbadoras, bongós, pratos( plates ), agogô, triângulos( triangles ), reco-reco, pau-de-chuva( rain stick ), trucu-trucu, cascabeles, maracas, vocals.
- JULIO CÉSAR PERALTA - First guitar( lead ), vocals.
- FREDY GOES - Charango, zampoña, guitar, vocals.
- CELSO RIBEIRO - Guitar, charango, viola, zampoña, ovation guitar, vocals.
- Poems recited by ISABEL RIBEIRO
- Technical Profile:
- Phonographic Producer : Eldorado Records Studio Ltda
- Artistic Coordination : Aluízio Falcão
- Studio Direction: Sidney Morais
- Recording Technician : Luiz Carlos Baptista
- Mixing : Luiz Carlos Baptista e Sidney Morais
- Pictures : Eleonora/Antonio Lúcio
- Art Direction : Ariel Severino
- Production Direction : Enrigue Berger
- Executive Production : Syrney Morais
- Arranges and regency : Raíces de América
- Recorded in Eldorado Studio on April, 1980