>> Marcos Valle
bio: Following the success of Joyce?s last album, Far Out Recordings are proud to announce the release of Marcos Valle?s much anticipated new album ?Contrasts? in October 2003.
With the current media interest in Brazilian music at an all time high there couldn't be a better time to release a new album from the original Brazilian beach-boy and one of Brazil's most well known singer/songwriters. Having recorded over 20 albums since the 1960s Marcos is most famously known for the Bossa Nova classic 'Summer Samba (So Nice)' he composed in 1966 and which has been covered by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Bebel Gilberto, hell even Homer Simpson had a pop in an episode of The Simpsons!
The follow-up to 2001?s worldwide smash ?Escape? and 2002?s ?Chill Brazil? (a compilation Marcos released through WEA), ?Contrasts? may be Marcos? 21st album to date yet he sounds as fresh and relaxed as ever. Produced by Marcos Valle, Far Out?s Roc Hunter and Joe Davis, the album is bursting with uplifting Bossas such as opener ?Besteiras De Amor? and ?Parabens?, as well as poignant love songs like ?Nega Do Balaio? and ?Passatempo?
?To many people, Marcos Valle IS Brazil?, comments Far Out?s Joe Davis. ?His up-tempo Bossas personify the youthful optimism of the Brazilian people whilst his poignant ballads reflect their often overlooked melancholy?. Adds Marcos: ?I love sunny days at the beach but also rainy, overcast afternoons and both the upbeat and saudade (melancholic) can be felt in my music.?
?Working with Far Out?, says Marcos, ?makes me feel young again. Roc Hunter (producer) and I worked hard to combine classic Brazilian harmonies and rhythms with cutting edge production. We took the initial live recordings then Roc worked hard on elements such as the horns and strings giving the album a very full sound.? With it?s uplifting horns, irresistible beats, warm guitars and Marcos? sensual voice ?Contrasts? is as Brazilian as a stroll down Copacabana.
Containing the summer dancefloor smash ?Parabens?, (already a hit on Jazz FMs evening shows and with DJs such as Gilles Peterson), ?Contrasts? will appeal to newcomers to Brazilian music who have reached him through Bebel Gilberto as well as long-time fans. Marcos will be touring Europe and Japan extensively to promote the album with UK dates expected in London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, plus more TBC.
Biography:
Born in Rio in 1943 Marcos grew up dividing his time between playing the piano, accordion, guitar and drums and relaxing on the beach. A keen surfer on Rio beach in his late teens he recorded his first album 'Samba Demais' in 1963 at the tender age of twenty and soon there was no more time for surfing. Overnight Marcos was a success and the Association of Brazilian Critics awarded him the title of 'Best Newcomer'. He was showered with a further three awards from them including 'Best Album' and 'Best Single'.
In 1965 Sergio Mendez invited Marcos to play with his band in the USA yet after a year Marcos chose to quit the band: ?I wanted to return to Brazil so I could really begin my career". A year later and true to his words he came up with the song that would make his famous all over the world: 'Summer Samba (So Nice)'. Marcos: "I remember playing it to Robert Menescal (legendary Brazilian composer) on Ipanema beach and he said to me 'this is going to be a hit!'.
Marcos returned to the USA, a star in his own right, with appearances on the Andy Williams show and other celebrated chat shows coast-to-coast. At one point there were 3 versions of 'Summer Samba' in the US top 40 from US artists the Walter Wanderley Trio, Johnny Mathis and Connie Francis, a feat that has earned him a place in the Guinness Book Of Records.
Marcos recorded a seminal series of albums on EMI between 1968 and 1974 such as 'Mustang Cor de Sangue', 'Garra', 'Vento Do Sul' and 'Previsao de Tempo'. In 1975 though it was time for a change again and he left Brazil for the US. After a year in New York Marcos missed the sunshine so headed for LA where he stayed for 4 years. Here he worked with many US legends of the 70s including Chicago, Leon Ware and Sarah Vaughan when not hanging out at Henry Mancini?s house for dinner or in the studio with the Beach Boys and Quincy Jones. Getting into the spirit of Hollywood at one such showbiz party Marcos almost laid-out Marlon Brando for making a pass at his then wife!
Fast forward to the mid 90s and Marcos? is slowly being introduced to a whole new audience on the cooler dancefloors of the world as DJs like Gilles Peterson, Joe Davis and Jazzanova started playing the seminal albums he recorded for EMI. Marcos: ?Before recording with Joe and Far Out I had received many invitations in Brazil, different projects, different ideas, but I wasn't very stimulated. That belief was strong enough to tempt Marcos back into recording a new album ?Nova Bossa Nova?. The album ?Escape? followed in 2001, developing Marcos? sound adding contemporary influences as diverse as hip-hop and drum ?n? bass.
As one of the most influential Brazilian musicians, Marcos is adored by musicians from all backgrounds in Brazil because he himself has always been open to so many styles. ?I?m currently working with musicians from 5 different generations: I have written songs for Lulu Santos, a 50 yr old Brazilian pop singer, as well as a rock band Paralamas Do Sucesso, in their forties that combine rock ?n? roll and Brazilian styles and Cidade Negra, a bunch of 30 yr olds fusing reggae with Brazilian.? Marcos is also currently working with much-hyped 20-something electro-bossa outfit Bossacucanova and touted nu-Brazil singer-songwriter Max De Castro.
CD Tracklisting:
1. Besteiras De Amor 2. Disfar?a E Vem 3. N?ga Do Balaio 4. ?gua De C?co 5. Passatempo 6. Contrasts 7. Tema Do Tiago 8. Valeu (feat Joyce on Guest Vocals) 9. Parab?ns (Dan?a Do Daniel) 10. My Nightingale 11. Que Que Tem
Bonus tracks: 12. Valeu - 4 Hero remix 13. Parab?ns (Dan?a Do Daniel) ? Daz-I-Kue?s Bugz In The Attic remix 14. N?ga Do Balaio - Buscemi?s Jungle Jazz mix
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