DOCE RECORDAÇÃO

Following the historic album Portela Passado de Glória, produced by Paulinho da Viola in 1970, the group of samba musicians known as Velha Guarda da Portela (Old School Portela) spent more than 15 years away from recording studios. That was until 1986, when Japanese producer Tanaka decided to make a new album with music that would otherwise be forgotten or restricted to the community members. The story has been told for years, but only now the album is coming out on CD in Brazil (on Nikita Music).

This disc is very important because it adds good quality of sound to excellent sambas picked from within the endless source of gems that lie in the collective mind of Portela members. There are homages to old masters, such as Alcides Malandro Histórico (Você Não É a Tal Mulher), Alvaiade (Para o Bem do Nosso Bem) and Manacéa (Flor do Interior, written in memory of singer Clara Nunes (1943-1983)).

It is amazing how they could write so many good and original sambas on the same themes: bad breakups (Doce Amor, Nuvem que Passou, Esqueça, Doce Recordação), women with dubious behavior (Vai Mesmo and the medley Mau Procedimento-Mulher Ingrata-Nega Danada). The sound is perfectly circular, with a line-up comprised of experts like Paulão Sete Cordas, Pedro Amorim (mandolin), Henrique Cazes (acoustic guitar), Mauro Diniz (cavaquinho) and others. A real pearl for those who love the samba. (Nana Vaz de Castro)