One of the premiere guitarists of the "radio singers" era, Codo (1913-1984) backed headliners such as Dircinha Batista and Silvio Caldas and later, after the bossa nova revolution, worked with MPB stars such as Jorge Ben and Sergio Mendes. A dazzling technician and soulful melodicist, Codo recorded a handful of albums under his own name -- here's a quick look at his work.
Codo "Um Violao Muito Bom Modestia A Parte" (Continental, 1969)
(Produced by Ismael Correa)
A talented and distinctive guitarist known as Codo is here subsumed to the demands of a goofy, cheesy easy-listening set. The mostly-instrumental set mostly draws on Brazilian sources (including quite a few tunes composed by Codo) with a dash of Cole Porter and Nino Rota thrown in for good measure. Codo's guitar work is appealing, the oooh-ahhh Sixties pop vocal chorus and gooeystrings, less so. EZ enthusiasts may delight in this disc, other listeners in search of something with more bite will probably want to keep looking elsewhere.
Codo "...E O Violao" (CID, 1977)
(Produced by Ismael Correa)
Codo "Coisas Da Minha Terra" (CID, 1978)
(Produced by Aramis Barros)
A lovely album from the guitarist known as Codo... The album is split into two parts: on Side One is stripped-down and acoustic, with Codo playing a number of his own compositions, including a tribute to tunesmith Ernesto Nazareth, as well as a couple of classics by Noel Rosa and Pixinguinha. Accordionist Sivuca plays with him on several tunes, and continues on through Side Two, which gradually becomes more heavily orchestrated and even poppy by the end. The first side also includes several "bate papo" tracks (where the artist discusses the music), which may be of interest to archivally-oriented fans. A sweet set by a talented, influential old-timer.
Codo "Serie Musica Brasileira" (Glasurit, 1984)
