One of Milton Nascimento's old-time collaborators and a prolific accompanist, keyboard player Wagner Tiso embodies the fusion-y and smooth-jazz tendencies of the Brazilian pop and jazz players that came out of the 1970s MPB scene... I've found it difficult to get into his work, but if anyone has suggestions for specific albums I might like better, I am all ears.
Wagner Tiso "Wagner Tiso" (EMI-Odeon, 1978)
An early solo album, full of gushing orchestral swells and tinkling piano runs. Mostly, this disc is ridiculously florid and overblown -- like the most appalling John Williams score imaginable, although it does skirt on the edges of normalcy from time to time. His medley of the Nascimento-Tiso compositions, "Seis Horas Da Tarde/Minhero Pau," is basically a slight modernization of traditional themes (with electric keyboards in place of more standard instruments...) and has a mildly pleasant ear-bending quality to it. But this album is no great shakes, really. Milton Nascimento vocalizes on a few tunes, but not with much noticable impact.
Wagner Tiso "Assim Seja" (EMI-Odeon, 1979)
Wagner Tiso "Trem Mineiro" (EMI-Odeon, 1981)
Wagner Tiso "Toca Brasil -- Arraial Das Candongas" (BMG-Ariola, 1982)
Wagner Tiso & Cesar Camargo Mariano "Todas As Teclas" (Philips, 1983)
Two renowned Brazilian pianists team up for a mega-tacky electric keyboard cheesefest... Admittedly, there is some technically impressive playing going on here, but it's still pretty damn tacky and proggy. Not my cup of tea. (Also see: Cesar Camargo Mariano )
Wagner Tiso "Ao Vivo Na Europa" (BMG-Ariola, 1983)
Wagner Tiso "Coracao De Estudiante" (Barclay, 1985)
Wagner Tiso "Branco E Preto/Preto E Branco" (Barclay, 1986)
Wagner Tiso "Giselle" (Verve, 1987)
A collection of hideous jazz-fusion/pseudo-classical keyboard-dominated cheese, from one of Milton Nascimento's old-time collaborators. Trust me - this is sooooooo much worse than you could ever imagine. Apparently this is actually a best-of release.
Wagner Tiso "Cine Brasil" (Polygram, 1989)
Wagner Tiso "Baobab" (Polygram, 1990)
Wagner Tiso "Profissao: Musica" (Polygram, 1991)
Wagner Tiso "Instrumental No CCCB: Wagner Tiso & Orquestra De Cordas Brasileira" (Tom Brasil, 1993)
Wagner Tiso "O Livro De Jo" (Jazzmania, 1995)
Wagner Tiso & Paulo Moura "Musica Viva" (Tom Brasil, 1996)
Wagner Tiso "A Ostra E O Vento" (Soundtrack) (Rob Digital, 1997)
Wagner Tiso/Ney Matogrosso/Joao Carlos Assis Brasil "A Floresta Do Amazonas, A Villa-Lobos" (Kuarup, 1999)
Wagner Tiso & Ze Renato "Memorial" (Biscoito Fino, 2002)
Wagner Tiso & Salif Keita "Brazilian Scenes/Cenas Brasileiras" (Iris Music, 2003)
Wagner Tiso & Victor Biglione "Tocar A Poetica Do Som: Ao Vivo" (Albatroz, 2004)
