Jaime & Nair Jaime & Nair

Loaded with an exquisite quality, marked by all good aspects the Brazilian Popular Music of the '70s, and obscure as hell, the self-titled debut by the duo Jaime & Nair is a revelation of all sorts. Recorded in 1974, when the artists had just turned 22, the album was released on CID a company that - at that same moment - had signed other important musicians like Nana Caymmi and Emílio Santiago. Outsiders par excellence, and influenced by the "Clube Da Esquina" sound (a sui generis musical architecture blended by Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges in 1973), forró (a propulsive North-Eastern rhythm), samba, bossa, classical arrangements, and country-pop touches, we have an expressive album full of charm through a gesture of swing. The outstanding and largely hailed song 'Sob O Mar' brings us back to a pure Brazilian soft-bossanova-beat adorned by luscious orchestral arrangements. It became a popular DJ tune for those in the know after being comped in the fantastic "High Jazz" series in the early 2000s, gaining this album grail status among collectors worldwide. But there is much more to it, the catchy 'Névoa Seca' stars a psych-guitar, subtlety, soloing all the way through a seductive pop atmosphere while 'Reino Das Pedras' has a melodic-rootsy vibe, close to a toada (a rhythmic variation of a lament), that recalls some shadows of Tom Jobim and Edu Lobo. And the delightful soft trip goes on and on, combining a dreamy lullaby vibe with subtle touches of Brazilian folk. The mind-blowing list of studio musicians present at the recording sessions includes a mix of cariocas (people from Rio de Janeiro), well know names like Wilson Das Neves, José Roberto Bertrami (from Azymuth!) and Copinha, with paulistas (natives of Sao Paulo) from the suburbs like future luminaries as Elder Bedaque and Jorge Carvalho, making this album an even more essential addition to any serious Brazilian music collection.