Far Out Recordings was founded in 1994 by London DJ and record producer Joe Davis whose longstanding and insatiable passion for Brazilian music led him to become the UK's foremost authority on Brazilian music. The label's aim has been to bring the sound of Brazil to the world -- to showcase the history and culture of a land bursting with creativity and energy -- from the classic to the cutting edge. There have been numerous releases from both new and established Brazilian artists including legends such as Azymuth, Joyce, Marcos Valle, Arthur Verocai, The Ipanemas, Sabrina Malheiros, Clara Moreno and Binario, to name a few. Alongside Brazilian music, the label is also well known for its longstanding association with underground dance music, having collaborated with some of the most acclaimed and accomplished electronic producers of our times. This had led to a rich plethora of pioneering and innovative dance and beats music, forging a future for the oft-neglected role of Brazil and its rhythms in the complex dance music diaspora of the UK and US, with 12" remixes and original productions from the likes of Theo Parrish, Mark Pritchard, 4hero, Dego, Andres, Marcellus Pittman, Kirk Degiorgio, Nicola Conte, A.D. Bourke, Henry Wu and Rick Willhite among many others.
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CD
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FARO 226CD
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$14.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 8/13/2021
Residing in Rio de Janeiro, Vasconcelos Sentimento is a self-taught composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. A mosaic of lo-fi breaks, cosmic ambient jazz and wonky chromatic funk, the eccentric Brazilian DIY wizard's debut album Furto beautifully pieces together a huge range of seemingly disparate sonic elements. Calling himself an "amateur euphoric sound researcher", he has no formal training in either music theory or production, and it's simply by following his ear that has led him to creating his debut album for Far Out Recordings. It was his fascination with his fellow countryman, the enigmatic, psychedelic '70s folk artist Jose Mauro, that led the young Vasconcelos Sentimento (real name Guilherme Esteves) to first make contact with Far Out. Coincidentally living in the same region as Mauro, Sentimento managed to track him down and put label boss Joe Davis in touch, after Davis had spent years of what felt like hopeless searching for the man many assumed dead. When Joe and the FarOut team heard Guilhermes' own music, there was a sense of shock. "It was unlike anything we'd heard before, but it also sounded curiously at home on Far Out. Like it had taken little pieces of different releases from the catalog, and all the music from the '60s onwards that influences everything we do, and recreated all that magic in such an exciting new way." Indeed, Sentimento is not afraid to admit what he himself sees as acts of theft. (Furto = Theft in Portuguese). But while the debate surrounding the ethics of sampling is a never ending one, Sentimento's music -- while it does contain the odd sample, including an interview with Joe Davis himself, "One For The Masta Digga" -- steals in an entirely different way. His creative process involves an intensive period, in which he'll listen to just one artist or song over and over, for days and weeks on end. Then he'll head to his rudimentary bedroom studio, which, as he puts it, is "built for speed", hit record and "blurt" whatever comes out. "I never spend more than a day working on any one song idea"... Picasso once said "lesser artists borrow; great artists steal." And it's through this process of Furto that Vasconcelos Sentimento has somewhat ironically cultivated a sound that is unmistakably his own.
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LP
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FARO 226LP
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$23.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 8/13/2021
LP version. Residing in Rio de Janeiro, Vasconcelos Sentimento is a self-taught composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. A mosaic of lo-fi breaks, cosmic ambient jazz and wonky chromatic funk, the eccentric Brazilian DIY wizard's debut album Furto beautifully pieces together a huge range of seemingly disparate sonic elements. Calling himself an "amateur euphoric sound researcher", he has no formal training in either music theory or production, and it's simply by following his ear that has led him to creating his debut album for Far Out Recordings. It was his fascination with his fellow countryman, the enigmatic, psychedelic '70s folk artist Jose Mauro, that led the young Vasconcelos Sentimento (real name Guilherme Esteves) to first make contact with Far Out. Coincidentally living in the same region as Mauro, Sentimento managed to track him down and put label boss Joe Davis in touch, after Davis had spent years of what felt like hopeless searching for the man many assumed dead. When Joe and the FarOut team heard Guilhermes' own music, there was a sense of shock. "It was unlike anything we'd heard before, but it also sounded curiously at home on Far Out. Like it had taken little pieces of different releases from the catalog, and all the music from the '60s onwards that influences everything we do, and recreated all that magic in such an exciting new way." Indeed, Sentimento is not afraid to admit what he himself sees as acts of theft. (Furto = Theft in Portuguese). But while the debate surrounding the ethics of sampling is a never ending one, Sentimento's music -- while it does contain the odd sample, including an interview with Joe Davis himself, "One For The Masta Digga" -- steals in an entirely different way. His creative process involves an intensive period, in which he'll listen to just one artist or song over and over, for days and weeks on end. Then he'll head to his rudimentary bedroom studio, which, as he puts it, is "built for speed", hit record and "blurt" whatever comes out. "I never spend more than a day working on any one song idea"... Picasso once said "lesser artists borrow; great artists steal." And it's through this process of Furto that Vasconcelos Sentimento has somewhat ironically cultivated a sound that is unmistakably his own.
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7"
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JD 051EP
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$14.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 8/6/2021
Far Out Recordings presents two previously unreleased tracks of glorious Brazilian sunshine music. Written and recorded in 1978 by pianist, composer, sound engineer, studio owner and former amateur skateboarding champion Ricardo Bomba, "Eu Sei" and "Flutuando" were almost doomed to total obscurity when the master tapes were binned following a ruthless studio clear out. Luckily, Bomba kept a cassette tape copy from which Far Out has remastered the release for 7" vinyl. Throughout a varied career, which included a four year stint as bandleader of Jorge Ben's live show (78-82), Ricardo Bomba had a string of idiosyncratic, underground pop hits throughout the '80s, including "Você Vai Se Lembrar" which recently featured on Soundway's Onda De Amor (Synthesized Brazilian Hits That Never Were 1984-94) compilation, as well as his then award-winning, now obscure solo album Ultralight (1988). With the stunning vocals of Mariana Couto (the first wife of Chicago percussionist Laudir de Oliveira), legendary drummer Peninha who has recorded with the likes of Jorge Ben, Quarteto Em Cy, Lincoln Olivetti, Tony Bizarro and Gal Costa, and Brazilian guitarist Blimba Buarque, "Eu Sei" and "Flutuando" truly are lost gems of the late '70s Rio de Janeiro MPB scene. *Disclaimer!: This release was mastered from cassette tape, so the sound quality may differ from other releases on Far Out Recordings.
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CD
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FARO 225CD
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$14.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 7/30/2021
From the slums of Recife in Brazil's North-East to international jazz icon, Amaro Freitas has worked tirelessly to become the artist he is today. His debut and sophomore albums Sangue Negro (2016) and Rasif (FARO 205CD/LP, 2018) arrived on a wave of instant acclaim. His new album Sankofa -- a spiritual quest into the forgotten stories, ancient philosophies and inspirational figures of Black Brazil -- is his most stunning and sincere work to date. But for Amaro Freitas, work isn't just playing the piano, his art delves far deeper than music theory and practice. Explaining the impetus behind Sankofa, Amaro elucidates the imperative behind his music: "I worked to try to understand my ancestors, my place, my history, as a black man. Brazil didn't tell us the truth about Brazil. The history of black people before slavery is rich with ancient philosophies. By understanding the history and the strength of our people, one can start to understand where our desires, dreams and wishes come from." Sankofa is an Adinkra symbol depicting a backward-facing bird. He soon came to understand what it represents, and it became the foundational concept for his new album. With the help of Jean Elton (bass) and Hugo Medeiros (drums), who have formed the Amaro Freitas Trio since the very beginning, Amaro employs intricate rhythmic patterns and time-signature variations as if reimagining the ancient designs of his ancestors, and every track is imbued with a message or a story Amaro is compelled to tell. "Baquaqua" highlights the seldom told story of the West African Mahommah Gardo Baquaqua, who was brought to Brazil as a slave but escaped to New York in 1847 where he learned to read and write. The delicate "Vila Bela" takes its name after an area near the Bolivian border, in Brazil's Mato Grosso region, where the 18th century Quilombola queen Tereza de Benguela led the black and indigenous community in resisting slavery for two decades. "Nascimento" is a warmhearted tribute to the great star of Minas Gerais, who Amaro sees as a talisman of contemporary Black Brazilian culture. "Ayeye", Sankofa's most joyful moment, means celebration in Yoruba and features gorgeous, fluttering piano, shuffling hi-hats and a stuttering bass groove, at times sounding as much like a D'Angelo or Alicia Keys hit as it does Bill Evans or Thelonious Monk. Named after a mythical bull from the tropical region of Maranhão, "Cazumbá" represents the interdependence of all living things. A jazz rock pulse represents a noisy urban city port, and as the track develops it's as if the group moves out into the tranquility of the rainforest river.
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LP
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FARO 225LP
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$22.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 7/30/2021
LP version. Includes 60x30cm poster. From the slums of Recife in Brazil's North-East to international jazz icon, Amaro Freitas has worked tirelessly to become the artist he is today. His debut and sophomore albums Sangue Negro (2016) and Rasif (FARO 205CD/LP, 2018) arrived on a wave of instant acclaim. His new album Sankofa -- a spiritual quest into the forgotten stories, ancient philosophies and inspirational figures of Black Brazil -- is his most stunning and sincere work to date. But for Amaro Freitas, work isn't just playing the piano, his art delves far deeper than music theory and practice. Explaining the impetus behind Sankofa, Amaro elucidates the imperative behind his music: "I worked to try to understand my ancestors, my place, my history, as a black man. Brazil didn't tell us the truth about Brazil. The history of black people before slavery is rich with ancient philosophies. By understanding the history and the strength of our people, one can start to understand where our desires, dreams and wishes come from." Sankofa is an Adinkra symbol depicting a backward-facing bird. He soon came to understand what it represents, and it became the foundational concept for his new album. With the help of Jean Elton (bass) and Hugo Medeiros (drums), who have formed the Amaro Freitas Trio since the very beginning, Amaro employs intricate rhythmic patterns and time-signature variations as if reimagining the ancient designs of his ancestors, and every track is imbued with a message or a story Amaro is compelled to tell. "Baquaqua" highlights the seldom told story of the West African Mahommah Gardo Baquaqua, who was brought to Brazil as a slave but escaped to New York in 1847 where he learned to read and write. The delicate "Vila Bela" takes its name after an area near the Bolivian border, in Brazil's Mato Grosso region, where the 18th century Quilombola queen Tereza de Benguela led the black and indigenous community in resisting slavery for two decades. "Nascimento" is a warmhearted tribute to the great star of Minas Gerais, who Amaro sees as a talisman of contemporary Black Brazilian culture. "Ayeye", Sankofa's most joyful moment, means celebration in Yoruba and features gorgeous, fluttering piano, shuffling hi-hats and a stuttering bass groove, at times sounding as much like a D'Angelo or Alicia Keys hit as it does Bill Evans or Thelonious Monk. Named after a mythical bull from the tropical region of Maranhão, "Cazumbá" represents the interdependence of all living things. A jazz rock pulse represents a noisy urban city port, and as the track develops it's as if the group moves out into the tranquility of the rainforest river.
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12"
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JD 048EP
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Following on from his critically acclaimed 2019 solo album Poison Fruit (FARO 208CD/LP, 2019), Azymuth's iconic drummer Ivan "Mamão" Conti returns with Katmandu. Though it was recorded and mixed in the same sessions, "Katmandu" was mysteriously omitted by Mamão from the Poison Fruit album, either accidentally or on purpose, he's not quite sure. What is for sure is that it's one of the most potent poison grooves of them all. The original mix, produced by Daniel Maunick, accompanies remixes from three of mainland Europe's finest DJ/producer combos, prolific German nu-jazz collective Jazzanova, MCDE Recordings and Faces Records' Pablo Valentino, and Croatian house veteran Eddy Ramich with assistance from Zagreb duo Jan Kinčl & Regis Kattie. This EP is the second in a series of limited edition dance 12"s celebrating 25 years of Far Out Recordings and is housed in a special sleeve which uses the label's original semiquaver logo from 1994. 180 gram vinyl.
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CD
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FARO 224CD
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Far Out Recordings present a reissue of José Mauro's A Viagem Das Horas, originally released in 1976. For years it was believed that José Mauro was dead. Rumors on blogs and comment sections circulated that the mysterious Brazilian genius had either been killed in a road accident, or been "disappeared" by Brazil's military junta in the 1970s. But following Far Out's 2016 reissue of José Mauro's debut album Obnoxius (FARO 191CD/LP), the label heard word that José Mauro is in fact alive and well, living a quiet life on the outskirts of Rio. Far Out Recordings now present, with the blessing of the man himself, the long-awaited release of José Mauro's forgotten masterpiece A Viagem Das Horas, featuring three previously unreleased and unheard tracks from the original studio sessions. Recorded in 1970 at Odeon studios in Rio de Janeiro: the same time and place as all the music he ever recorded, José Mauro's A Viagem Das Horas wasn't released until six years later, when label owner and producer Roberto Quartin licensed the tracks to fellow Brazilian label Tapecar, who curiously released the album with several tracks already released on Obnoxius. Finally, over half a century on, A Viagem Das Horas will be released with three never before heard tracks, "Rua Dois", "Moenda" and "Variação Sobre Um Antigo Tema", as Mauro and Quartin had originally intended. Conceived under the gloom of Brazil's military authoritarianism, from which many artists had either fled or been exiled, José Mauro and his songwriting partner Ana Maria Bahiana, combined their shared interest in Candomblé -- a syncretism of traditional West African religions and Roman Catholicism -- with MPB, psychedelic folk and orchestral music. Expressing a spiritual response to the world they found themselves in, the result was a sacrosanct, post-tropical music of pure transcendence. With apparitional vocals and propulsive, open-tuning acoustic guitar, and Lindolfo Gaya's spine-tingling orchestrations soaring overhead, the music has the power to inspire in the listener an almost trance-like state of ecstasy.
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LP
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FARO 224LP
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LP version. 180 gram vinyl. Far Out Recordings present a reissue of José Mauro's A Viagem Das Horas, originally released in 1976. For years it was believed that José Mauro was dead. Rumors on blogs and comment sections circulated that the mysterious Brazilian genius had either been killed in a road accident, or been "disappeared" by Brazil's military junta in the 1970s. But following Far Out's 2016 reissue of José Mauro's debut album Obnoxius (FARO 191CD/LP), the label heard word that José Mauro is in fact alive and well, living a quiet life on the outskirts of Rio. Far Out Recordings now present, with the blessing of the man himself, the long-awaited release of José Mauro's forgotten masterpiece A Viagem Das Horas, featuring three previously unreleased and unheard tracks from the original studio sessions. Recorded in 1970 at Odeon studios in Rio de Janeiro: the same time and place as all the music he ever recorded, José Mauro's A Viagem Das Horas wasn't released until six years later, when label owner and producer Roberto Quartin licensed the tracks to fellow Brazilian label Tapecar, who curiously released the album with several tracks already released on Obnoxius. Finally, over half a century on, A Viagem Das Horas will be released with three never before heard tracks, "Rua Dois", "Moenda" and "Variação Sobre Um Antigo Tema", as Mauro and Quartin had originally intended. Conceived under the gloom of Brazil's military authoritarianism, from which many artists had either fled or been exiled, José Mauro and his songwriting partner Ana Maria Bahiana, combined their shared interest in Candomblé -- a syncretism of traditional West African religions and Roman Catholicism -- with MPB, psychedelic folk and orchestral music. Expressing a spiritual response to the world they found themselves in, the result was a sacrosanct, post-tropical music of pure transcendence. With apparitional vocals and propulsive, open-tuning acoustic guitar, and Lindolfo Gaya's spine-tingling orchestrations soaring overhead, the music has the power to inspire in the listener an almost trance-like state of ecstasy.
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CD
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FARO 222CD
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Far Out Recordings present Mora! and Mora! II. Mexican-American percussionist and former member of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Francisco Mora Catlett originally recorded and released his debut solo LP as a private press in 1987, but the sequel he recorded over the course of the next few years was shelved for decades to follow. A pan-American melting pot of hypnotic Afro-Cuban rhythms, frenetic batucadas, and fiery sambas, Mora! I & II are holy grails of Latin jazz, masterminded by an unsung hero of the genre. Mora grew up in Mexico City where he began working as a session musician for Capitol Records in 1968, before moving to study at Berklee Music College in Boston, MA in 1970. He very briefly returned to Mexico City with the best intentions of cultivating an avant-garde movement in the city, but when the Sun Ra Arkestra came to perform, Mora ended up leaving with the band to tour. Settling in Detroit, Francisco set to work on his self-titled debut, gathering an ensemble of musicians including keyboardist Kenny Cox, founder of the legendary Strata Records, bassist Rodney Whitaker (Roy Hargrove Quintet) and percussionists Jerome Le Duff, Alberto Nacif, and Emile Borde. The album openly embraces and unites the broad spectrum of improvisation, rhythm, and jazz that has thrived throughout the American continents for centuries. In Mora's own words the album intended to "manifest the African heritage presence in the American continent." Epitomizing this outlook, album opener "Afra Jum" deploys a melody based on Haitian, African, and Native American motifs, which is expanded upon by the soulful excellence of the Detroit veterans Cox and Whitaker, amidst a backdrop of Afro-Cuban inspired percussion. The sequel Mora! II was recorded shortly after with an expanded line-up that included trumpet legend Marcus Belgrave, famed for his work with Ray Charles, Charles Mingus, and others. Continuing the concept of the first album, the follow up moves deeper into South America with the samba jazz dance belter "Amazona", led by the rich vocals of Francisco's wife Teresa Mora. The "Afra Jum" concept is further explored, with the original motifs beefed up by the additional horns, and interspersions of Sun Ra inspired rumbling free improvisations. This follow up album remained shelved until 2005, when Mora put it out as a now obscure CD titled River Drum.
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LP
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FARO 220LP
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LP version. Beyond their highly sought-after 1978 album Festa Para Um Novo Rei -- home to the mystical jazz-funk classic "Vidigal" and released on Philips' iconic Musica Popular Brasileira Contemporanea series (MPBC) -- little is known about Marcos Resende & Index, even to aficionados of obscure Brazilian music. Far Out Recordings present their previously unreleased self-titled debut album from 1976, contributing a crucial missing work from the glory days of progressive Brazilian instrumental music. Born in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil in 1947, Marcos Resende was a prodigious musical child. In spite of his immense musical potential, he travelled to Lisbon in the '60s to study medicine. Yet continuing to explore his musical passion on the side, he formed a trio which went on to open for Dexter Gordon at the Cascais Jazz Festival in 1971. From here he formed the electronic oriented prog-jazz group Status, who opened shows for the likes of Elton John, Phil Woods, Stan Getz, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, but in spite of their relative live success they have no known recordings. Now established as a highly regarded keyboardist, composer, and innovative electronic musician, Resende returned home to Brazil following Portugal's Revolução dos Cravos in 1974. Inspired by US jazz and British progressive rock he'd experienced while residing in Europe, Resende went all out acquiring a keyboard arsenal to be reckoned with, which included the Prophet 5, Yamaha CP-708, and Mini Moog. Determined to integrate his newfound inspirations with Brazilian rhythms and jazz traditions, he formed a new quartet with Rubão Sabino (bass), Claudio Caribé (drums) and the late great Oberdan Magalhães, of Banda Black Rio and Cry Babies fame. Marcos Resende & Index recorded their self-titled debut at Sonoviso Studios with the legendary sound engineer Toninho Barbosa, known as the "Brazilian Rudy Van Gelder". Marcos Resende & Index has both the timeless ethereal qualities as well as the progressive and futuristic ideals of Light As A Feather. Marcos kept the tapes from the Sonoviso sessions safe and presented them to Far Out's Joe Davis at his home in Lisbon in 2018, but only after 25 years of Joe pleading to hear them. Marcos has worked closely with Far Out towards restoring these recordings over the last two years, but tragically passed away after a battle with stomach cancer on November 12th, 2020 at the age of 73.
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LP
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FARO 221LP
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LP version. From samba and bossa nova through to baile funk, with carioca expressions of jazz, rock, and hip-hop in between, the sound of Rio de Janeiro, while continually evolving, has always held an unnamable quality which reflects the magic and mystique of the city itself. Multi-instrumentalist and arranger Antonio Neves is the city's newest trailblazer: the enfant-terrible of Rio's music scene, leading a vital and diverse constellation of both emerging and well-known artists advancing the city's musical legacy. "It all started one sleepless night, after watching a Quincy Jones documentary." Inspired by the legendary music magnate, Neves began writing a list of artists residing in Rio de Janeiro "people that I admire, that I consider geniuses of their instruments, who share with me affinities, anxieties and projects." The list included some of Brazil's most revered living musicians who Neves has worked with in recent years: Hamilton de Holanda, Leo Gandelman, and Dorival Caymmi. Neves also called on some of Brazil's most exciting emerging talents including Alice Cayymii and Ana Frango Eletrico. A Pegada Agora É Essa (The Sway Now) is Neves's second album: a vibrant portrait of the current Brazilian music scene. From the regional to universal, popular to erudite, samba to rap, Latin rhythms to jazz, MPB and pop to good old rock n' roll, Neves walks with fluency and mastery amongst all the musical genres that Brazil has to offer. "My offer to the musicians was complete freedom to express themselves through the songs I proposed -- classics like 'Summertime', 'Luz Negra', and 'Noite de Temporal', and compositions of my own -- creating a space of authorship for the band and the guests. A space for inventions, purges, delusions, laughter. The idea was to bring the freedom of jazz crossed by Brazilian rhythms, such as the traditionals "Partido Alto" ("A Pegada Agora É Essa") and "Jongo" ("Jongo no Feudo" and "Luz Negra"); rhythms of African-Brazilian religions like Candomblé ("Noite de Temporal") and Umbanda ("Forte Apache"); and a tribute to newest Rio de Janeiro's contribution to Brazilian music, the funk Carioca ("Simba"). Features Leda, Esguleba, Alice Caymmi, Ana Frango Elétrico, Hamilton de Holanda, Leo Gandelman, and Edu Neves.
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LP
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FARO 223LP
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LP version. Second on two LPs. Far Out Recordings present Mora! and Mora! II. Mexican-American percussionist and former member of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Francisco Mora Catlett originally recorded and released his debut solo LP as a private press in 1987, but the sequel he recorded over the course of the next few years was shelved for decades to follow. A pan-American melting pot of hypnotic Afro-Cuban rhythms, frenetic batucadas, and fiery sambas, Mora! I & II are holy grails of Latin jazz, masterminded by an unsung hero of the genre. Mora grew up in Mexico City where he began working as a session musician for Capitol Records in 1968, before moving to study at Berklee Music College in Boston, MA in 1970. He very briefly returned to Mexico City with the best intentions of cultivating an avant-garde movement in the city, but when the Sun Ra Arkestra came to perform, Mora ended up leaving with the band to tour. Settling in Detroit, Francisco set to work on his self-titled debut, gathering an ensemble of musicians including keyboardist Kenny Cox, founder of the legendary Strata Records, bassist Rodney Whitaker (Roy Hargrove Quintet) and percussionists Jerome Le Duff, Alberto Nacif, and Emile Borde. The album openly embraces and unites the broad spectrum of improvisation, rhythm, and jazz that has thrived throughout the American continents for centuries. In Mora's own words the album intended to "manifest the African heritage presence in the American continent." Epitomizing this outlook, album opener "Afra Jum" deploys a melody based on Haitian, African, and Native American motifs, which is expanded upon by the soulful excellence of the Detroit veterans Cox and Whitaker, amidst a backdrop of Afro-Cuban inspired percussion. The sequel Mora! II was recorded shortly after with an expanded line-up that included trumpet legend Marcus Belgrave, famed for his work with Ray Charles, Charles Mingus, and others. Continuing the concept of the first album, the follow up moves deeper into South America with the samba jazz dance belter "Amazona", led by the rich vocals of Francisco's wife Teresa Mora. The "Afra Jum" concept is further explored, with the original motifs beefed up by the additional horns, and interspersions of Sun Ra inspired rumbling free improvisations. This follow up album remained shelved until 2005, when Mora put it out as a now obscure CD titled River Drum.
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LP
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FARO 222LP
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LP version. First of two LPs. Far Out Recordings present Mora! and Mora! II. Mexican-American percussionist and former member of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Francisco Mora Catlett originally recorded and released his debut solo LP as a private press in 1987, but the sequel he recorded over the course of the next few years was shelved for decades to follow. A pan-American melting pot of hypnotic Afro-Cuban rhythms, frenetic batucadas, and fiery sambas, Mora! I & II are holy grails of Latin jazz, masterminded by an unsung hero of the genre. Mora grew up in Mexico City where he began working as a session musician for Capitol Records in 1968, before moving to study at Berklee Music College in Boston, MA in 1970. He very briefly returned to Mexico City with the best intentions of cultivating an avant-garde movement in the city, but when the Sun Ra Arkestra came to perform, Mora ended up leaving with the band to tour. Settling in Detroit, Francisco set to work on his self-titled debut, gathering an ensemble of musicians including keyboardist Kenny Cox, founder of the legendary Strata Records, bassist Rodney Whitaker (Roy Hargrove Quintet) and percussionists Jerome Le Duff, Alberto Nacif, and Emile Borde. The album openly embraces and unites the broad spectrum of improvisation, rhythm, and jazz that has thrived throughout the American continents for centuries. In Mora's own words the album intended to "manifest the African heritage presence in the American continent." Epitomizing this outlook, album opener "Afra Jum" deploys a melody based on Haitian, African, and Native American motifs, which is expanded upon by the soulful excellence of the Detroit veterans Cox and Whitaker, amidst a backdrop of Afro-Cuban inspired percussion. The sequel Mora! II was recorded shortly after with an expanded line-up that included trumpet legend Marcus Belgrave, famed for his work with Ray Charles, Charles Mingus, and others. Continuing the concept of the first album, the follow up moves deeper into South America with the samba jazz dance belter "Amazona", led by the rich vocals of Francisco's wife Teresa Mora. The "Afra Jum" concept is further explored, with the original motifs beefed up by the additional horns, and interspersions of Sun Ra inspired rumbling free improvisations. This follow up album remained shelved until 2005, when Mora put it out as a now obscure CD titled River Drum.
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CD
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FARO 221CD
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From samba and bossa nova through to baile funk, with carioca expressions of jazz, rock, and hip-hop in between, the sound of Rio de Janeiro, while continually evolving, has always held an unnamable quality which reflects the magic and mystique of the city itself. Multi-instrumentalist and arranger Antonio Neves is the city's newest trailblazer: the enfant-terrible of Rio's music scene, leading a vital and diverse constellation of both emerging and well-known artists advancing the city's musical legacy. "It all started one sleepless night, after watching a Quincy Jones documentary." Inspired by the legendary music magnate, Neves began writing a list of artists residing in Rio de Janeiro "people that I admire, that I consider geniuses of their instruments, who share with me affinities, anxieties and projects." The list included some of Brazil's most revered living musicians who Neves has worked with in recent years: Hamilton de Holanda, Leo Gandelman, and Dorival Caymmi. Neves also called on some of Brazil's most exciting emerging talents including Alice Cayymii and Ana Frango Eletrico. A Pegada Agora É Essa (The Sway Now) is Neves's second album: a vibrant portrait of the current Brazilian music scene. From the regional to universal, popular to erudite, samba to rap, Latin rhythms to jazz, MPB and pop to good old rock n' roll, Neves walks with fluency and mastery amongst all the musical genres that Brazil has to offer. "My offer to the musicians was complete freedom to express themselves through the songs I proposed -- classics like 'Summertime', 'Luz Negra', and 'Noite de Temporal', and compositions of my own -- creating a space of authorship for the band and the guests. A space for inventions, purges, delusions, laughter. The idea was to bring the freedom of jazz crossed by Brazilian rhythms, such as the traditionals "Partido Alto" ("A Pegada Agora É Essa") and "Jongo" ("Jongo no Feudo" and "Luz Negra"); rhythms of African-Brazilian religions like Candomblé ("Noite de Temporal") and Umbanda ("Forte Apache"); and a tribute to newest Rio de Janeiro's contribution to Brazilian music, the funk Carioca ("Simba"). Features Leda, Esguleba, Alice Caymmi, Ana Frango Elétrico, Hamilton de Holanda, Leo Gandelman, and Edu Neves.
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CD
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FARO 220CD
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Beyond their highly sought-after 1978 album Festa Para Um Novo Rei -- home to the mystical jazz-funk classic "Vidigal" and released on Philips' iconic Musica Popular Brasileira Contemporanea series (MPBC) -- little is known about Marcos Resende & Index, even to aficionados of obscure Brazilian music. Far Out Recordings present their previously unreleased self-titled debut album from 1976, contributing a crucial missing work from the glory days of progressive Brazilian instrumental music. Born in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil in 1947, Marcos Resende was a prodigious musical child. In spite of his immense musical potential, he travelled to Lisbon in the '60s to study medicine. Yet continuing to explore his musical passion on the side, he formed a trio which went on to open for Dexter Gordon at the Cascais Jazz Festival in 1971. From here he formed the electronic oriented prog-jazz group Status, who opened shows for the likes of Elton John, Phil Woods, Stan Getz, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, but in spite of their relative live success they have no known recordings. Now established as a highly regarded keyboardist, composer, and innovative electronic musician, Resende returned home to Brazil following Portugal's Revolução dos Cravos in 1974. Inspired by US jazz and British progressive rock he'd experienced while residing in Europe, Resende went all out acquiring a keyboard arsenal to be reckoned with, which included the Prophet 5, Yamaha CP-708, and Mini Moog. Determined to integrate his newfound inspirations with Brazilian rhythms and jazz traditions, he formed a new quartet with Rubão Sabino (bass), Claudio Caribé (drums) and the late great Oberdan Magalhães, of Banda Black Rio and Cry Babies fame. Marcos Resende & Index recorded their self-titled debut at Sonoviso Studios with the legendary sound engineer Toninho Barbosa, known as the "Brazilian Rudy Van Gelder". Marcos Resende & Index has both the timeless ethereal qualities as well as the progressive and futuristic ideals of Light As A Feather. Marcos kept the tapes from the Sonoviso sessions safe and presented them to Far Out's Joe Davis at his home in Lisbon in 2018, but only after 25 years of Joe pleading to hear them. Marcos has worked closely with Far Out towards restoring these recordings over the last two years, but tragically passed away after a battle with stomach cancer on November 12th, 2020 at the age of 73.
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LP
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FARO 122X-LP
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2020 repress. Heavyweight vinyl. Far Out Recordings present the ten-year anniversary of Arthur Verocai's Encore, originally released in 2007. Encore features 11 original compositions from Arthur Verocai with guest musicians including Azymuth, Ivan Lins, and a nine-piece string section. The highly anticipated follow-up to Arthur's eponymous debut album from 1972, Encore saw Arthur joining the dots over 35 years to create a modern classic of Brazilian music that, like his debut, combines Brazilian influences with his take on American soul and cinematic experimentation, and shows that Arthur's sound is as poignant as it ever was. In the mid-2000s, following on from Marcos Valle, Joyce, and of course Azymuth, Arthur Verocai joined the long-line of Brazilian musicians whose music was to be introduced to a whole new legion of fans by Far Out Recordings. The story of Encore begins with Joe Davis, Far Out Recordings' head honcho who stumbled upon Arthur's debut in a dusty record store in downtown Rio in the late '80s. At the time of its release in 1972, critics panned Arthur's debut and both the album and artist subsequently vanished into obscurity. Fast forward to winter 2004 and Joe's at the studio of Far Out Recording artists Harmonic 313 -- aka production duo Mark "Troubleman" Pritchard and Dave Brinkworth -- playing them some of his favorite Brazilian albums. Dave recalls the moment Joe put on Arthur's debut, "As soon as the needle hit the record and we heard the fantastic arrangements, songs and sounds, Arthur completely blew our minds." Three months later and Dave was in Brazil with Arthur Verocai, and the plans for what was to become Encore were being laid down. Produced by Dave, Encore sees Arthur on incredible form, the 35 plus years between the recording of his debut and this the follow-up just melting away as Arthur picked up the (conductor's) baton once again to create 11 epic tracks of stirring samba-soul and experimental cinematic movements that sees him creating a record to rival his debut.
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LP
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FARO 218LP
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LP version. 180 gram vinyl. In 2018, Far Out Recordings signed a record deal with Brooklyn born, nomadic producer Jneiro Jarel. Having just put the finishing touches to the recordings, Jarel suffered an ischemic stroke while living and working in Costa Rica and his wife Indigo was forced to set up a crowd fund to cover special medical transport back to the states to receive treatment. The release was put on hold, but thanks to the generosity of friends and fans around the world, Jarel was able to get the care he needed and is now on the long road to recovery. Far Out Recordings are overjoyed to announce the release of Jneiro Jarel's After A Thousand Years. Throughout a career that has spanned over twenty years and seen collaborations with MF DOOM, Thom Yorke, Damon Albarn, BadBadNotGood, Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Kimbra, and Khujo Goodie (Dungeon Family), Jneiro Jarel's consistently distinctive, forward thinking productions, as well as his love for the music of Brazil, made his partnership with Far Out a perfect fit. Recorded between New York, New Orleans, Miami, and Costa Rica, After A Thousand Years features legendary multi-instrumentalist Bill Summers, famed for his work with Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, and Eddie Henderson. The album also features Malawian-American guitarist Masauko Chipembere who has worked with the likes of RZA from Wu-Tang Clan and Ladybug Mecca from Digable Planets. Permeating the Brazilian music and Latin jazz Jarel has loved and drawn inspiration from, as well as the stateside jazz, soul, and funk, Jarel grew up around, the influence of Africa and its musical history, on both North and South America, is key to the album's sound. On lead single "Banana Peel", Jarel's outernational perspective makes for a track that is almost impossible to place geographically: you can hear the swing of Jarel's native New Orleans jazz, the vibrance of Costa Rican rainforests as well as the influence of Jarel's vast collection of Brazilian records. "Viberian Waves 1 & 2" is equally nonconformist, morphing from funky Baroque-flavored instrumental hip hop into a bossa inspired, percussive jam. Taking its inspiration from the biblical prophecies foretelling the fully realized, physical and spiritual restoration of the earth and mankind after the thousand year reign of the Messianic Kingdom, After A Thousand Years contemplates and celebrates a world where everlasting love, peace, and harmony abound under a sovereign, divine rulership. Also features Scott Burton, Dr Who Dat?, Capitol Peoples, Café, and Micröclimate.
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12"
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JD 050EP
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Daniel Maunick returns with a new EP, Musica Encantada EP via Far Out Recordings. Continuing the theme of his debut album Macumba Quebrada (FARO 214CD/LP, 2019) -- which saw support from the likes of Moodymann, Ron Trent, Gilles Peterson, and Benji B -- Maunick draws on the deep-rooted Brazilian influences from the many years he has spent in the country, producing records with Azymuth, Marcos Valle, Sabrina Malheiros, and Ivan "Mamão" Conti. The bossa-jazz house smash "Black Magic" stays exclusive to the vinyl, while the percussive deep-house roller "A Chance To See Again", the tight and groovy "Hurt Feelings", and the slow-mo Brazilian Balearic "Africana" will all see a limited vinyl release.
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CD
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FARO 218CD
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In 2018, Far Out Recordings signed a record deal with Brooklyn born, nomadic producer Jneiro Jarel. Having just put the finishing touches to the recordings, Jarel suffered an ischemic stroke while living and working in Costa Rica and his wife Indigo was forced to set up a crowd fund to cover special medical transport back to the states to receive treatment. The release was put on hold, but thanks to the generosity of friends and fans around the world, Jarel was able to get the care he needed and is now on the long road to recovery. Far Out Recordings are overjoyed to announce the release of Jneiro Jarel's After A Thousand Years. Throughout a career that has spanned over twenty years and seen collaborations with MF DOOM, Thom Yorke, Damon Albarn, BadBadNotGood, Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Kimbra, and Khujo Goodie (Dungeon Family), Jneiro Jarel's consistently distinctive, forward thinking productions, as well as his love for the music of Brazil, made his partnership with Far Out a perfect fit. Recorded between New York, New Orleans, Miami, and Costa Rica, After A Thousand Years features legendary multi-instrumentalist Bill Summers, famed for his work with Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, and Eddie Henderson. The album also features Malawian-American guitarist Masauko Chipembere who has worked with the likes of RZA from Wu-Tang Clan and Ladybug Mecca from Digable Planets. Permeating the Brazilian music and Latin jazz Jarel has loved and drawn inspiration from, as well as the stateside jazz, soul, and funk, Jarel grew up around, the influence of Africa and its musical history, on both North and South America, is key to the album's sound. On lead single "Banana Peel", Jarel's outernational perspective makes for a track that is almost impossible to place geographically: you can hear the swing of Jarel's native New Orleans jazz, the vibrance of Costa Rican rainforests as well as the influence of Jarel's vast collection of Brazilian records. "Viberian Waves 1 & 2" is equally nonconformist, morphing from funky Baroque-flavored instrumental hip hop into a bossa inspired, percussive jam. Taking its inspiration from the biblical prophecies foretelling the fully realized, physical and spiritual restoration of the earth and mankind after the thousand year reign of the Messianic Kingdom, After A Thousand Years contemplates and celebrates a world where everlasting love, peace, and harmony abound under a sovereign, divine rulership. Also features Scott Burton, Dr Who Dat?, Capitol Peoples, Café, and Micröclimate.
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7"
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JD 049EP
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Following 2019's release of Azymuth's Demos (1973-75) (FARO 210CD, FARO 210-1LP, FARO 210-2LP), two more home-recorded demo tracks by the Brazilian psychedelic jazz-funk masters have surfaced from a tape in drummer Ivan Conti's private archive. These five-decade old recordings by the young band show the maturity, musicianship and distinctive style that saw Azymuth become one of the most important groups in Brazilian history. Featuring an instrumental take on Roberto and Erasmo Carlos' 1969 Jovem Guarda hit "As Curvas da Estrada de Santos", and spacey psych-folk oddity "Zé e Paraná", the new 7" release via Far Out Recordings shines yet more light on this critical period for Azymuth.
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LP/7"
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FARO 208X-LP
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Last copies, RSD 2020 release. Far Out Recordings present a special "poisoned vinyl" edition of Ivan "Mamão" Conti's critically acclaimed Poison Fruit album. The 180 gram, splattered color LP is accompanied by an exclusive bonus 7" with a previously unreleased track from the original Poison Fruit sessions "Katmandu", and "Ninho", a track never before released on vinyl. From an artist in their seventies, you probably wouldn't expect to hear an album like this. But Brazilian drumming legend Ivan "Mamão" Conti has been experimenting and innovating for the last half a century. As one third of cult Rio jazz-funk trio Azymuth, Mamão was at the root of the group's "samba doido" (crazy samba) philosophy, which warped the traditional samba compass with jazz influences and space age electronics. Even with his lesser-known jovem guarda group The Youngsters, Mamão was experimenting with tapes and delays to create unique, ahead-of-its-time sounds, way back in the sixties. More recently Mamão recorded an album with hip-hop royalty Madlib under the shared moniker Jackson Conti. With his first album in over twenty years, and the first to be released on vinyl since his 1984 classic The Human Factor, Mamão shares his zany carioca character across eleven tracks of roots-y electronic samba and tripped-out jazz, beats, and dance music. Featuring Alex Malheiros and Kiko Continentino on a number of tracks, the Azymuth lifeblood runs deep, but venturing into the modern discotheque (as Mamão would call it), Poison Fruit also experiments with sounds more commonly associated with house and techno, with the help of London-based producer Daniel Maunick (aka Dokta Venom) and Mamão's son Thiago Maranhão. Take a bite of Mamão's psychoactive papaya and join the maestro on a weird and wonderful stroll through the Brazilian jungle.
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2LP
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FARO 217LP
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2021 restock, last copies, RSD 2020 release. Following the release of Milton Nascimento's Maria Maria (FARO 215LP), Far Out Recordings present Nascimento's 1980 follow-up. With the success of Maria Maria in 1976 behind them, Nascimento reunited with his writing partner Fernando Brant in 1980 to produce another ballet, Ultimo Trem (Last Train). This time, they chose to tackle a more contemporarily relevant subject, the impact of the closure of a train line that connected certain towns and cities in the North East of Minas Gerais to the coast. "The military government shut down the route and the whole region began to fade away," explains Milton. "I love train rides" adds the composer, "But today there are almost no trains to Brazil..." Featuring much of the same all-star line-up as Maria Maria -- including legendary Brazilian musicians Naná Vasconcelos, João Donato, Paulinho Jobim, and members of Som Imaginário, amongst many others, like Maria Maria, the album holds what Milton himself considers to be the definitive versions of some of his most beloved tracks, including "Saídas E Bandeiras" and "Ponte de Areia". The title track, "Ultimo Trem" -- performed exquisitely by Zezé Mota with a choir and piano -- is a mournful lament about the human consequences of the axed line. "A Viagem (The Trip)", launched with a train's steam whistle, sees Milton's guitar moving to a train's rhythm. "Bicho Homen (Beastly Man)" and "Decreto (Degree)" are atypically upbeat and funky, their vocals a mesh of wordless male voices resembling the then fashionable Swingles Singers' renderings of Bach. "E Daí? (And So What?)", and "Olho d'Agua (Water's Eye)" were both drawn from Clube Da Esquina (1972). The unusual "O Velho (The Old Man)" conjures up an image of an old shaman singing alone into the wind against the cries of nature. Perhaps the most affecting songs are Nascimento's "Itamarandiba" and "Oração (Prayer)". The latter is a cry for a change in the situation whilst "Itamarandiba" ends with an upbeat, whirling Hammond organ and guitar timepiece. The closing track "Ponta de Areia (Sand Edge)", was based on one of Fernando's newspaper stories and became one of Milton's most famous pieces, covered by musicians such as Wayne Shorter and Earth, Wind and Fire. After 27 years of being locked inside contracts and record company legalities, these sublime songs were finally released in 2003 as a double-CD package, along with Maria Maria. This is the first ever vinyl release, on limited edition red vinyl, for Ultimo Trem.
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CD
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FARO 219CD
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Far Out Recordings present a reissue of Manfredo Fest's Brazilian Dorian Dream, originally released in 1976. Legally blind from birth, Brazilian keyboard player, composer, and bandleader Manfredo Fest learnt to read music in braille and began studying classical music at a young age. By 17 he had fallen in love with jazz (particularly the music of fellow blind pianist George Shearing) before becoming swept up in Rio's emergent bossa nova movement in the sixties. Moving to the States in 1967 where he would go on to work with fellow countryman Sergio Mendes, Fest recorded and self-released Brazilian Dorian Dream in 1976, enlisting Thomas Kini (bass), Alejo Poveda (drums, percussion), and Roberta Davis (vocals). Like a turbo-powered, intergalactic elevator ride, Brazilian Dorian Dream builds on the principle of the modal diatonic scales of the Dorian mode, with influences of Brazilian rhythms, North American jazz and funk, and music of the European baroque and romantic era. The coming together of these intergenerational and intercontinental styles coupled with Fest's visionary use of the Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, Arp, and Moog synthesizers (plus a whole load of effects units), makes for an album light-years ahead of its time. The miraculous wordless vocals of American jazz singer Roberta Davis are nailed so tightly alongside Manfredo's keys and mind-bending synths that it sounds almost alien. On the album's liner notes, Fest preaches Davis's ability highlighting how hard it is to sing such precise intervals so accurately. One of the tracks on which the vocals shine brightest is space funk stepper "Jungle Cat", which features hard funky drums, freaky synth lines and expert Rhodes comping. The track builds up and up before releasing into the unmistakable scat melody in the chorus. A few years after releasing Brazilian Dorian Dream, Fest recorded and released his Manifestations album in 1979, featuring "Jungle Kitten": a new dancefloor focused variation on "Jungle Cat". At around 140 BPM "Jungle Kitten" was possibly deemed too fast for statside dance floors, which explains why it never got a US 12" release. But the track became something of an underground hit at jazz dance clubs and all-dayers across the UK in the '80s and as a result it has probably become Fest's most well-known track since. Brazilian Dorian Dream is almost impossible to find on vinyl. Remastered.
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LP
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FARO 219LP
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LP version. 180 gram vinyl. Far Out Recordings present a reissue of Manfredo Fest's Brazilian Dorian Dream, originally released in 1976. Legally blind from birth, Brazilian keyboard player, composer, and bandleader Manfredo Fest learnt to read music in braille and began studying classical music at a young age. By 17 he had fallen in love with jazz (particularly the music of fellow blind pianist George Shearing) before becoming swept up in Rio's emergent bossa nova movement in the sixties. Moving to the States in 1967 where he would go on to work with fellow countryman Sergio Mendes, Fest recorded and self-released Brazilian Dorian Dream in 1976, enlisting Thomas Kini (bass), Alejo Poveda (drums, percussion), and Roberta Davis (vocals). Like a turbo-powered, intergalactic elevator ride, Brazilian Dorian Dream builds on the principle of the modal diatonic scales of the Dorian mode, with influences of Brazilian rhythms, North American jazz and funk, and music of the European baroque and romantic era. The coming together of these intergenerational and intercontinental styles coupled with Fest's visionary use of the Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, Arp, and Moog synthesizers (plus a whole load of effects units), makes for an album light-years ahead of its time. The miraculous wordless vocals of American jazz singer Roberta Davis are nailed so tightly alongside Manfredo's keys and mind-bending synths that it sounds almost alien. On the album's liner notes, Fest preaches Davis's ability highlighting how hard it is to sing such precise intervals so accurately. One of the tracks on which the vocals shine brightest is space funk stepper "Jungle Cat", which features hard funky drums, freaky synth lines and expert Rhodes comping. The track builds up and up before releasing into the unmistakable scat melody in the chorus. A few years after releasing Brazilian Dorian Dream, Fest recorded and released his Manifestations album in 1979, featuring "Jungle Kitten": a new dancefloor focused variation on "Jungle Cat". At around 140 BPM "Jungle Kitten" was possibly deemed too fast for statside dance floors, which explains why it never got a US 12" release. But the track became something of an underground hit at jazz dance clubs and all-dayers across the UK in the '80s and as a result it has probably become Fest's most well-known track since. Brazilian Dorian Dream is almost impossible to find on vinyl. Remastered.
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CD
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FARO 216CD
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On his debut album Travesseiro Feliz (Happy Pillow), Rio de Janeiro based artist Ricardo Richaid melds his tropical heritage with his love for psychedelic music, jazz, and rock. He also takes inspiration from the many Brazilian greats -- Caetano Veloso, Arthur Verocai, Ivan Lins, Joyce, Hermeto Pascoal, Marcos Valle, and Azymuth (to name a few) -- who he has worked with as an engineer, assistant, and producer, in Rio's former RCA studio, Cia dos Tecnicos. Heavily influenced by Brazil's fabled Tropicalia movement, Richaid is also the grandson of Brazilian actor, singer, and Disney star Aurora Miranda (Carmen Miranda's younger sister). Describing his sound as "Industrial Tropicalism", Richaid's music is undoubtedly a product of his environment: warm, hazy and beautiful, but reflective of the current mood of his homeland, lamenting the political, economic, and ecological crisis. The unconventional time signatures and sunny jazz-folk meets post-punk aesthetic are adorned by Richaid's studio smarts. Travisseiro Feliz features notable names from across Rio's music spectrum, including percussion sensation Marcos Suzano (Gilberto Gil), experimental pop artist Ana Frango Eletrico, and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Jose Ibarra (Milton Nascimento's touring group). On interlude track "Formigas" you also hear a few verses of Ricardo singing with his seven-year-old daughter, Nina. Carrying forward the Tropicália torch, the opener "Maracas Enterprise/Frio da manhã" is a two-part journey through Richaid's sonic approach, weaving together interlocking horns, chorus drenched guitar, and fuzzed-up synth stabs. A perfect example of Richaid's industrial tropicalism, "Largado Nu" mixes soft, acoustic guitar, and flutes with harder-edged synths and electric guitars, while "O Velho Cai" is beautiful jazz-infused folk, with fretless bass and saxophone singing around the vocal harmonies of Richaid and Liza Machado. Living with his grandmother Aurora Miranda until the age of seventeen (featured in Walt Disney's Three Caballeros film, and happens to be the first human being to kiss Donald Duck), Ricardo would listen to his father playing chromatic scales and bossa nova melodies on the saxophone; his mother's Brazilian classical piano; or his punk rock brother slamming the drums. This eclectic musical upbringing led a teenage Ricardo to learning his trade as the bassist in a short-lived hard rock band, which disbanded when Ricardo began to dig deeper. Alongside engineering some of his musical heroes in Brazil, Richaid has played in bands like Mara Rúbia and nitú, from Rio's underground experimental psych and jazz scenes.
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