Day 4 of our charity Advent Calendar in aid of The Steve Reid Foundation.
When we think of Brazilian records, one man we’re lead to is Mr Bongo. The authority on South American and Latin music, David Buttle has endowed us with a wealth of forgotten gems, from the sweet samba sounds of Claudia to the eclectic pop of Doris. Of late, he’s been reissuing LPs that have been on our wantlist for some time (thank you David), including Arthur Verocai, Ahmed Fakroun and the artist behind our next track up for grabs, Hareton Salvanini.
Born in Bauru and raised in Campinas, the Brazilian composer wrote and recorded this special EP, Hareton + Meta, for one of his brother Ayrton’s theatre productions; he composed the music while his brother wrote the lyrics. It almost passed Mr Bongo by but thankfully a tip off from Floating Points, followed by avid digging, culminated in the arrival of a package from South America. Originally released in 1971, with the reissue coming out back in 2014, the original fluorescent artwork is as colourful as the track itself. In ‘Hippie 12’ you can hear the theatrical intent in the harmonies, rhythm and tone of the vocals. Backed by psychedelic sunny strings, bold brass and drum patterns, inevitably it oozes buckets of character.
Download ‘Hippie 12’ from our Bandcamp. It’s pay-what-you-like, with all proceeds going to The Steve Reid Foundation, a charity founded by Gilles Peterson that aims to support musicians in dedication to the visionary jazz drummer. You can also by the Hareton + Meta 7″ from Mr Bongo.
