Guga Stroeter is one of Brazil's most adventurous bandleaders, mixing dance music, jazz, rock, salsa and MPB with a dynamic flair... He created the HB Orquestra and was also a member of the retro-oriented vocal group, Nouvelle Cuisine, which had huge commercial success in the 1980s. Here's a quick look at his work...
HB Orquestra "Ellingtonia" (Eldorado, 1988)
HB Orquestra "Amazonas" (1989)
HB Orquestra "Blen Blen Club" (Eldorado, 1991)
HB Orquestra "So Vale Se Dancar " (Eldorado, 1993)
HB Orquestra "Salsa Collection" (1994)
HB Orquestra "Salsa Brasileira" (Polygram, 1997)
HB Orchestra "A Hora Do Brasil" (1997)
Guga Stroeter & HB Big Band "Salsa Samba Groove" (Trama, 2001)
(Produced by Arto Lindsay & Kassin)
A sleek mix of Latin-American salsa, swing and smooth but challenging jazz (with a few groan-inducing dashes of hip-hop... but even these are inventively framed in a Prince Paul-ish melodic mode...) A lot of talented folks collaborating on this one, including a bunch of Braz-jazz old-timers, and some young'uns as well. Notable among these is keyboardist and co-producer Kassin, known for his work with the indie/neotropicalista +2 collective and, more on the sidelines, art-rocker Arto Lindsay. I'm not sure how often I'd return to this particular album, but it's got a different feel than a lot of Brazilian pop, particularly with the Afro-Cuban influences. Certainly worth checking out, particularly if you're coming at it from a smooth-jazz, neo-big band perspective.
HB Tronix "The Boys From Ipanema" (Trama, 2003)
Ago! "Ago: Cantos Sagrados De Brasil E Cuba" (Sambata, 2003)
HB Orchestra "Baile Estelar" (Sambata, 2005)
Guga Stroeter & HB Orchestra "Amor Bongo" (TBD)
Guga Stroeter & HB Orchestra "Salsa Ululante" (TBD)
Guga Stroeter "Neguinho" (Tratore/Sambata, 2008)
Guga Stroeter & HB Orquestra "...Convidam Sapopemba" (Tratore/Sambata, 2010)
Guga Stroeter & HB Orquestra "Duke: Sao Paulo, Brasil" (Tratore/Sambata, 2010)
Stroeter-ized versions of Duke Ellington standards...
Guga Stroeter & HB Orquestra "Emocoes Baratas" (Tratore/Sambata, 2010)
More Ellington...!
Guga Stroeter & HB Orquestra "Xire Reverb" (Tratore/Sambata, 2011)
