Friday 17 March 2017

CALIFORNIA, an independent label


Independent label California was started in February 1959, by Mario Vieira who was a lead singer with Vagalumes do Luar. Vieira had written 'Sabiá lá na gaiola' a big hit in the 1950s. 


TC-1012 - April 1959

A- Sayonara (Irving Berlin's fox-canção) translation: Kikuo Furuno - with Yoko Abe 
B- Futani yorisoni (Cabecinha no ombro) Paulo Borges; trans.: Kikuo Furuno; with Guido Miyoshi; recorded: 10 April 1959.


TC-1033 - August 1959

A- Baião da Serra Grande (Fred Williams-Palmeira) trans.: Kikuo Furuno; with Guido Miyoshi 
B- Cachito - bolero (Consuelo Velasquez) trans.: Kikuo Furuno; with Yoko Abe; recorded: 19 June 1959.

TC-1036 - September 1959 - José Otoni with The California's
 
A- Playboy (Neal Davis; v.: Carlos Américo) 
B- Luciana (Antonio Carlos Jobim-Vinícius de Moraes) 

TC-1065 - November 1959

A- India - guarânia (J.A.Flores-M.Ortiz Guerrero) trans.: Kikuo Furuno; Guido Miyoshi; recorded: 7 OCT 1959.
B- Be-bop-a-lula - rock (Gene Vincent-Davis) trans.: Seuti Yida; Yoko Abe; recorded: 14 August 1959. 


TC-1085 - December 1959 - Vagalumes do Luar 

A- Aki Kojima - marcha (Jaime Ribeiro-Carlos Ferlich)
B- Ignês  (J.Ribeiro-C.Ferlich) 

single released for Carnaval 1960 in which the author makes a pun at Akiko Kojima's name. Miss Japan, Akiko Kojima was elected Miss Universe 1959 to everyone's surprise.


TC-1086 - December 1959 - Guido Miyoshi

A- Oh! Carol - calypso-rock (Greenfield-Sedaka) trans.: Fred Jorge-Kikuo Furuno; reciting: Getúlio Alves
B- Noite azul - rock-ballad (Carlos Armando-Rogério Cardoso) recorded: 7 DEC 1959.

TC-1136 - 23 May 1960 - Guido Miyoshi 

A- Quero amar - calypso-rock (Deane-Weissman) trans.: Fred Jorge-Kikuo Furuno
B- Destino - tango (Mario Teresópolis) trans.: Kikuo Furuno 

TC-1137 - August 1960 - Yoko Abe 

A- My baby - calypso-rock (H.Balmes-C.Adams) trans.: M.A.Galvão-Ciro Cruz; recorded: 23 May 1960
B- Lampeão de gás - waltz (Zica Bergami) trans.: Kikuo Furuno; recorded: 7 AUG 1960.

TC-1184 - 10 October 1960 - Guido Miyoshi Yoko Abe

A- Noite de paz (Stille Nacht) Franz Gruber; trans.: Kikuo Furuno
B- Sinos de Belém (Jingle bells) translation: Kikuo Furuno; arrangement: Evaldo Ruy

TC-1289 - 17 January 1962 - Guido Miyoshi 

A- Lamento - samba (Djalma Ferreira-Luiz Antonio) trans.: Kikuo Furuno
B- Naguissa nite - toada (Shichiro Onodera)

José Otoni's first 78 rpm: 'Play-boy'.

CELLY CAMPELLO discography


Claribalte Passsos' review of Celly Campello's 2nd album at his column at 'Correio da Manhã' - 2nd July 1960 is amazing because he actually praises Celly and the album. Most Brazilian journalists were from the 'old school' and very conservative in their opinions. They hated songs translated from American originals but in this particular review Claribalte seems to have forgotten this maxim and saw only the bright side of the album. Compare this review with the one he wrote a few weeks earlier about Wilson Miranda's 2nd album for Chantecler.
'Correio da Manhã', 8 April 1960; Claribalte's review of Wilson Miranda's 2nd album is completely contradictory if you compare it with that of Celly Campello's three months later. He claims Fred Jorge to be the 'worst song-translator Brazil has even known'. Well, Fred Jorge wrote most of Celly Campello's material in 'Broto certinho'. How could have Claribalte changed opinion so radically in so short a time? Actually, most journalists who reviewed records didn't care to make any sense at all. They knew they had to 'write something every night'... and they did not care whether it made sense or not.
Radiolandia #315, 1st May 1960; 'Banho de lua' (Tintarella di luna) shot to #1 the first week of its release. 
Radiolandia #339, 1st November 1960; Celly & Tony in action at Radiolandia #337, 1st Oct.1960.
'Correio da Manhã', 18 December 1960 with the latest releases from Odeon: 'Eu vi mamãe beijar Papai Noel' (I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus) b/w 'Jingle bell rock' in 78 rpm format and 45 rpm vynil form.

One woman man 

You're roaming and running around, you're winking at every girl in town
you'e wearing a heart made of stone, well, honey, you're gonna wind up alone.

I'm looking for a one-woman man, flirting and cheating I won't stand
I've always been a one-man woman and so I want a one-woman man

You're playing a game that's unking, well, honey, this girl isn't blind.
(spoken) Now you're fooling and you're telling lies, well, maybe you're jus better than wise.

You're going to find out that running about it's a game that never pays
I love you so but I'll let you go if you don't start mending your ways

Take warning and hear my advice, you're treading on very thin ice.
(spoken) Oh baby, you know, I've said it before and darling, I'm gonna say it just once more:

I'm looking for a one-woman man, flirting and cheating I won't stand
I've always been a one-man woman and so I want a one-woman man
I want a one-woman man, I want a one-woman man... 

written by Howard Greenfiel & Neil Sedaka
recorded by Bet E.Martin for Epic Records
'Flamengo rock' b/w 'Trem do amor' (Train of love) was Celly Campello's last single for Odeon before she retired in May 1962, to get married. 

Wednesday 15 March 2017

CARLOS GONZAGA discography



Carlos Gonzaga's discography by the time the album 'Es tudo para mim' was released.




27 December 1959 - Rio de Janeiro daily 'Correio da Manhã' columnist Nicodemus & Cia reviews Carlos Gonzaga's cover of Neil Sedaka's 'Oh! Carol'. The columnist is extremely biased trying to make fun of Gonzaga's rendition and declares he doesn't understand why RCA would release such a 'bomb'. Well, if he had waited a few weeks he would have known that Gonzaga's cover went to Number One in the whole country. Besides being rude, Mr Nicodemus showed his racist colours in the very last sentence where he uses the word 'escurinha' (coloured one) to poke more 'fun' at Carlos Gonzaga.

27 December 1959 - Nicodemus was such a pusillanimous person that he complains Mr Ramalho Neto, RCA's promotion man, hadn't sent him Neil Sedaka's album to be reviewed. Ramalho must have known Mr Nicodemus character and did the right thing. 

Thursday 9 March 2017

Early rock discs in Brazil

'Long tall Sally' b/w 'Tutti frutti' had printed on its label: Little Richard e sua Banda. 'Tutti frutti' was released in the U.S.A. in December 1955; 'Long tall Sally' came out in March 1956. 
London was released by EMI-Odeon in Brazil. 
Lana Bittencourt covered The Diamonds (March 1957) who covered The Gladiolas (January 1957)... Lana's cover went to #1 in Brazil in December 1957.




REGINA CELIA

After Celly Campello hit the top of the charts in Brazil with 'Estupido cupido' - released by EMI-Odeon in March 1959 - every single record label dreamed of having their own Celly. Polydor signed Regina Celia, Miguel Vaccaro's independent Young found another talented young lady called Regina Celia too so they had to change her name to Regiane instead.  

1962.

'Se não, eu morro também' written by Roberto Carlos b/w 'Mil razões p'ra te amar' written by Hamilton Di Giorgio & Afonso Soares.