Walter Wanderley (1932-1986) -- A Brazilian keyboard player/organist whose '60s albums served up a canny mix of cheesy listening along with authentic Brazilian percussion and melody. Fun stuff, fit for any roller rink in the land, though it can get a little too EZ at times. Here's a quick look at his long career...
Walter Wanderley "O Samba E Mais Samba" (Odeon, 1962)
Goofy, glitzy and utterly irresistible Brazilian muzak. Wanderley's perky, roller-rinky organ work slides comfortably inbetween the persistent, pattering rhythms. Some arrangements are more striking than others, but ont he whole this is a fun little album. Definitely sets the template for his later work -- kitschy, but compelling.
Walter Wanderley "Samba No Esquema" (Odeon, 1962)
This one's just a little too kitschy and jittery for me to get into... I tried listening several times, and it just didn't grab me. There didn't seem to be much the relaxed, open vibe that makes the best Brazilan music so great -- instead, it was all mile-a-minute, goofball dit-dit-dit organ-riff zippiness. Not my cup of tea.
Walter Wanderley "Walter Wanderley's Brazilian Organ" (Capitol, 1962)
Walter Wanderley "Samba So!" (World Pacific)
Walter Wanderley "Quarteto Bossamba" (Som Maior/World Pacific, 1965)
Walter Wanderley "Brazilian Blend" (Philips)
Walter Wanderley "Organ-ized" (Philips)
Walter Wanderley "Rain Forest" (Verve, 1966)
This is his best-known record, and is one of the definitive '60s easy listening albums. His instrumental version of "Summer Samba" is as easily recognizable and as archetypal as Astrud Gilberto's vocal version (which Wanderley also performed on). Roller rink music with a vengance, which has held up well over the decades...
Walter Wanderley & Astrud Gilberto "A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness" (Verve, 1967)
Wanderley teams up with bossa nova vocalist Astrud Gilberto for this mellow bossa-pop outing. The songs are mainly bossa standards, translated into English and sung with a charmingly awkward flatness by the ever-blase Gilberto. Wanderley's roller-rinky organ toot-tootles along, a little at odds with her delivery, but pleasant and compelling in its own way. Nice for the translated lyrics, and the cheerful summery vibe.
Walter Wanderley "Cheganca" (Verve, 1966)
Walter Wanderley "Batucada" (Verve, 1967)
Walter Wanderley & Luiz Henrique "Popcorn" (Verve)
Walter Wanderley "Kee-Ka-Roo" (Verve, 1967)
Walter Wanderley "Summer Samba"
Walter Wanderley "From Rio With Love" (Tower/Capitol)
This is a fairly lackluster outing... it's got all the constituent elements, but isn't as imaginative or arresting as some of his other work. Nothing objectionable, other than an overall flatness to the production. Feels like he was just going through the motions, though a few tracks can still grab you...
Walter Wanderley "Murmurio" (Tower/Capitol)
This disc, on the other hand, has some great moments! The title track, "Murmurio," is a lively, innovative stereo landscape, with rich percussion and Wanderley going wild on the keyboard... There are several other standout tracks on here, and overall the album just has a really fun, joyful feel to it. Worth checking out!
Walter Wanderley "When It Was Done" (CTI-A&M, 1968)
Goofy soft pop, recorded in L.A., with co-arrangements by Eumir Deodato. Features sleazied-out versions of songs by a variety of Brazilians, from old-timers such as Dorival Caymmi and Luis Gonzaga to bossa and post-bossa composers such as Jobim, Edu Lobo and Chico Buarque (a pleasant version of "Ole Ola"), as well as a couple of contemporary pop tracks by Burt Bacharach and Jimmy Webb. Mostly this is pretty so-so (though easy listening diehards would surely disagree!)... Anamaria Valle is a featured vocalist, having just recorded the excellent Samba '68 album with her husband Marcos Valle... Here she performs along with two L.A. singers in an iffy version of the already-iffy Brazilian vocal group, Quarteto Em Cy. A young Milton Nascimento is on hand to sing harmony on one track (presumably on his way to record his first album, which was also made for A&M...)
Walter Wanderley "Moondreams" (CTI-Polydor, 1969)
With Eumir Deodato...
Walter Wanderley "Return of the Original" (Canyon)
Walter Wanderley "Brazil's Greatest Hits" (GNP, 1979)
Walter Wanderley "Perpetual Motion Love" (GNP, 1981)
Walter Wanderley "Samba!" (2000)
This disc borrows heavily from the Samba So album, with a few extra tracks thown in for good measure...
Walter Wanderley "Samba Swing" (Scamp, 1996)
Walter Wanderley "Talkin' Verve: Roots Of Acid Jazz" (Verve, 1998)
Walter Wanderley "Boss Of The Bossa Nova" (Motor Music - Germany)
2 CD set.
