One of the star instrumentalists of the choro revival of the 1970s, mandolinist Joel Nascimento was a younger musician who took up the mantle of Jacob Do Bandolim, interpreting the music of the Do Bandolim and Radames Gnattali for a younger generation. He was also a founding member of the group Camerata Carioca, and was a sought-after accompanist by musicians in a variety of styles. Here's a quick look at his work.
Joel Nascimento "Chorando Pelos Dedos" (EMI, 1976)
Joel Nascimento "O Passaro" (EMI, 1978)
(Produced by Milton Miranda & Renato Correa)
A mixed bag. This opens with a sweet, elegant, fado-styled instrumental, "Nao Sei Porque," then slides into jazzier terrain, as well as some super-goopy orchestral numbers. These instrumental tracks are all led by choro mandolinist Joel Nascimento, the spiritual descendant of master picker Jacob Do Bandolim. It's mellow and pleasant, though saccharine in places, and the balance between the good, the bad and the gooey is a bit disconcerting. Nascimento's technical virtuosity is impressive throughout, though, and if you're a fan of mandolin music or choro as a genre, then this disc is one you'll want to track down.
Joel Nascimento "Meu Sonho" (EMI, 1978)
(Produced by Renato Correa)
This disc is very similar to the O Passaro album, a mix of wonderful modernized choro, funky jazz fusion tracks, and rather lamentable orchestral numbers, full of swelling, overripe string arrangements. If you pick and choose yout way through the two albums, you'd come up with about an album's worth of fine material, pleasing to the ears and dazzling to the mind... But the stuff in between can be kind of hard to take.
Camerata Carioca & Radames Gnattali "Tributo A Jacob Do Bandolim" (Atlantic, 1979)
Camerata Carioca & Radames Gnattali "Vivaldi & Pixinguinha" (Funarte, 1982)
Radames Gnattali & Elizete Cardoso "Uma Rosa Para Pixinguinha" (Funarte, 1983)
With the group Camerata Carioca.
Joel Nascimento "Chorando Do Verdade" (Kuarup, 1987)
Joel Nascimento "Ao Vivo Nos Eua" (Kuarup, 1997)
Joel Nascimento "Relendo Jacob Do Bandolim" (RGE, 1998)
