Words by Justin Turford

For a longtime lover of Brazilian music and of jazz in its myriad permutations, this recording’s appearance caused a delighted drawing of breath. A ‘wow’ moment in the midst of a million promos, I instantly recognised the importance and quality of this beautiful record that is now happily sitting in my home (obrigado Duncan Ballantyne!).

The late Letieres Leite and the 22 piece big band Orkestra Rumpilezz’s new album, ‘Moacir de Todos os Santos’ is a reinterpretation of Moacir Santos’ 1965 Afro-Brazilian big-band jazz classic ‘Coisas’, and features the ageless voice of Tropicalista Caetano Veloso and the (also sadly departed) trombonist Raul De Souza. Released in Brazil in 2022 to great fanfare, the tragedy at the heart of the recording is that the driver and genius behind this, Letieres Leite didn’t witness its completion, one of the many Brazilians who died of Covid complications in late 2021.

“In Salvador, Letieres Leite brought together a select and eclectic group of musicians, some twenty or so, black, mixed-race, and white - all of them associated with the more popular or more classical-erudite strands of music made in Bahia. Coming from concert orchestras, dance ensembles, candomblé ceremonies, musical clubs that cultivate jazz, and the most recent vanguards of international pop, these musicians came together under the direction of Letieres who is a multi-artist interested in rediscovering and promoting the music of Bahia and Brazil.

Inspired by the great master from Pernambuco, Moacir Santos, who preceded him by a few decades in this task of stimulating the most comprehensive and profound fusion of languages in African-American music (American, Cuban and Brazilian), Letieres accomplished, in the brief period that life granted him, a work of great magnitude that is now registered in this record that we have in our hands” - Gilberto Gil

The original album was made up of ten themes numerically ordered under the banner of the word Coisa (translated as ‘thing’), but Leite only used seven of the ten, the only vocal led track on the album ‘Nanã - Coisa nº 5’, the exception to the instrumental rule (some of you may know the song from the brilliant Gilles Peterson produced ‘Sonzeira Brasil Bam Bam Bam’ project in 2014).

Before we examine the music itself, we’ve got to bow down to the production of this record. I have personally never heard such a powerful big band jazz recording (except perhaps the invincible (Duke) ‘Ellington At Newport’ album from 1956). Hat doffed to the production and recording genius of Leite, Sylvio Fraga, Pepê Monnerat, and Edu Costa at Estúdio Rocinante. Twenty two musicians together make a lot of sound and as the orchestra also includes a number of percussionists, the mixing and engineering has to be exceptional, which it is. The drum kit and the wide variety of Brazilian drums (surdo, tams, timba, repinique, bells, etc) are wonderfully captured, the bass thump of the surdo finding its own powerful space next to the tubas and bass player - a feat of sound engineering brilliance.

The album begins with ‘Coisa nº 4’ featuring the incredible Brazilian trombonist Raul de Souza who also passed away before the album was released. A heavy swinging tune with driving hand percussion and a heart-thumping bassline, the song surges and swells, and alongside de Souza features a number of sublime brass solos, de Souza’s powerful tone punching through the full orchestral wall with sensitivity and verve, a suitable finale to a career that saw him work with George Duke, Cal Jader, Milton Nascimento, Sergio Mendes, Hermeto Pascoal, Flora Purim amongst the many.

‘Coisa nº 8’ contains an instantly recognisable melody that is both romantic and wandering - the soundtrack to a promenade in the park. Leite famously scored the arrangements on this album without consulting the original (he knew it so well) and the section parts are beautifully spaced out and performed, the casual slow dance of the piece assured and full of exotic drama.

The intricate bells and Marcelo Martins tenor saxophone opening of ‘Coisa nº 9’ expands into another glamorous charmer. The promise of love floats in the air as the combination of Afro-Brazilian rhythms and the jet set lifestyle collide. Horn riffs aplenty, there is an earthy, nearly sleazy allure to the sax solos. Once again the arrangement is a work of art, repeat listens reveal more and more subtle joys, with layers upon layers of harmonic inventiveness and suspense.

The B side opens with (the numerically out of position) ‘Coisa nº 1’ - an absolutely stunning big band groover, all shuffling snares and surdo bounce, the tuba bass the aviation fuel for a long climb into the clouds. Another fantastic saxophone solo and aching brass counterpoints lead to a punchy 007 ending. In a world of hard edges, pieces of music like this soften the sting.

The only non-instrumental on the record is a spectacle of sensual rhythmic and melodic poetry voiced in English by the one of the greatest of Brazilian composers and musicians - Caetano Veloso. Sensual but not sexy - Moacir Santos demanded that the Nanã of his song couldn’t be seen in that way, she was after all a female orixá in Afro-Brazilian religions, the mother of all other orixás and the oldest goddess of the waters. He therefore, tasked Mário Telles to write lyrics that kept her innocence. ‘Nanã - Coisa nº 5’ really is a remarkable piece of music and has been covered on endless occasions by many great artists but the complexity of the rhythm section here alongside the flute solo and Veloso’s unbelievably youthful voice (he’s 80!) transcends all others in my opinion.

‘Coisa nº 7’ is probably the most percussive of the songs here, the vital Afro-Brazilian rhythms the foundations of the track rather than the accompaniment. The orchestral parts are more abstracted, jazzier and wilder with killer solos that draw vigorous counterpunches from the drummer, passages of funky drama interrupted by forceful and dynamic brass punctuation. There’s a touch of the New Orleans marching brass band tradition about this baby and it kicks up dust.

The album comes to a close with ‘Coisa nº 2’ - the orchestra at full pelt throughout, an exhilarating ride brimming with tension and peppered with intricate breaks and brass stabs. Less about a singular overarching melodic refrain and more of a story in different stages, the track strains at the leash before a monster percussion breakdown that discloses the Blackness, the African-ness at the core of Brazilian music.

Can I give this LP more than 10? I will, I adore this record - 11/10.

Out now!

Buy here! https://lusofoniarecordclub.bandcamp.com/