Luiz Ayrao was a mainstream pop/samba artist who came to fame in the mid-1970s. His work isn't as dynamic or scintillating as the more pioneering pagode artists of the time, but what I've heard so far seems pleasant enough... Here's a quick look at his work.
Luiz Ayrao "Luiz Ayrao" (EMI-Odeon, 1974) (LP)
Luiz Ayrao "Missao" (EMI-Odeon, 1975) (LP)
Luiz Ayrao "Luiz Ayrao" (EMI-Odeon, 1976) (LP)
Luiz Ayrao "Luiz Ayrao" (EMI-Odeon, 1977) (LP)
Luiz Ayrao "A Povo Canta" (EMI-Odeon, 1978) (LP)
Luiz Ayrao "Amigos" (EMI-Odeon, 1979) (LP)
Luiz Ayrao "Luiz Ayrao" (EMI-Odeon, 1980) (LP)
Luiz Ayrao "Coracao Crianca" (EMI-Odeon, 1981) (LP)
Luiz Ayrao "Quem Nao Tem Esperanca Nao Tem Horizonte" (EMI-Odeon, 1983) (LP)
Luiz Ayrao "Novidades" (EMI-Odeon, 1983) (LP)
Luiz Ayrao "Alegria Geral" (Copacabana, 1984)
Luiz Ayrao "Samba Na Crista" (Copacabana, 1985)
Luiz Ayrao "Luiz Ayrao" (Flama, 1990)
Luiz Ayrao "Ao Vivo" (Atracao, 2004)
Luiz Ayrao "Interprete" (Ouver, 2003)
Luiz Ayrao "Os Grandes Sucessos" (EMI, 1979) (LP)
Toned-down pagode-style '70s samba... Ayrao uses the same stylistic trappings as the genre's great stars (Clara Nunes, et al.) -- there are the same anthemic choruses, the same perky instruments -- and yet, there's little of the same spark and fire. It's kind of analagous to when Linda Ronstadt "went punk" in the late '70s by singing Elvis Costello songs; the comparison is fairly apt: Ayrao started out in the music industry as a songwriter for the prefab, teenybopper jovem guarda rock scene, then he retired from music for several years, and came back in 1974 as part of the rootsier pagode movement. Still, he sounds like an outsider crashing the party; I'm sure he was reasonably successful, but these aren't very exciting recordings. You're much better off listening to Nunes, Alcione and the other real stars of the style, the folks who made it sound magical.
Luiz Ayrao "A Personalidade Do Samba " (Movieplay, 1998)
A pleasant set of later recordings. Gets a little too poppy in places, but it's okay. Fans won't be disappointed, although general listeners who are looking for grittier samba fare might be put off by the goopy synthesizers and keyboards.
Luiz Ayrao "Serie Raizes Do Samba" (EMI, 1999)
Luiz Ayrao "Meus Momentos" (EMI, 2002)
Luiz Ayrao "20 Super Sucessos" (Sony-BMG, 2005)
