Really wonderful early work from Grupo Um – an important Brazilian combo with ties to the more experimental side of scene, including previous experience with the legendary Hermeto Pascoal! The group's debut album was issued in 1979, titled Marcha Sobre A Cidade – but this earlier recording was done a few years before, and now finally gets exposure as the real starting point for Grupo Um! The trio features brothers Lelo Nazario on a piano, prepared piano, and Fender Rhodes – and Ze Eduardo Nazario on drums, percussion, and berimbau – both joined by the legendary bassist Zeca Assumpcao, who played on countless great records in the 70s. The music is jazz at points, but more experimental at others – and is often even farther off than some of the more adventurous work by Pascoal during the decade – as the trio aren't afraid to break down their styles, even from the previous tracks on the record – effortlessly moving between melodic moments and more avant-styled sounds. Yet there's also a warmth here that's maybe missing from the later Grupo Um records – an innocence and freshness that really comes through on titles that include "Jardim Candida", "Organica", "Onze Por Oto", "Porao Da Teodoro", and "Cortejo Dos Reis Negros". CD

Really wonderful early work from Grupo Um – an important Brazilian combo with ties to the more experimental side of scene, including previous experience with the legendary Hermeto Pascoal! The group's debut album was issued in 1979, titled Marcha Sobre A Cidade – but this earlier recording was done a few years before, and now finally gets exposure as the real starting point for Grupo Um! The trio features brothers Lelo Nazario on a piano, prepared piano, and Fender Rhodes – and Ze Eduardo Nazario on drums, percussion, and berimbau – both joined by the legendary bassist Zeca Assumpcao, who played on countless great records in the 70s. The music is jazz at points, but more experimental at others – and is often even farther off than some of the more adventurous work by Pascoal during the decade – as the trio aren't afraid to break down their styles, even from the previous tracks on the record – effortlessly moving between melodic moments and more avant-styled sounds. Yet there's also a warmth here that's maybe missing from the later Grupo Um records – an innocence and freshness that really comes through on titles that include "Jardim Candida", "Organica", "Onze Por Oto", "Porao Da Teodoro", and "Cortejo Dos Reis Negros". LP, Vinyl record album