The Night: Jazz

This episode of The Night: Jazz is all about Bazilian pianist Eumir “Deodato” de Almeida. He has been active as a producer and arranger since the early 1960s.

His first album, Prelude, was released in the United States in 1973. We will play this album later. We will be starting with the album Percepção from 1972, just before this period. You will hear a mix of world music and jazz on this album, with Deodato himself at the keyboard, of course.

01:00 – Percepção (1972)

01. Dia De Verão
02. A Grande Caçada
03. O Sonho De Judy
04. Adeus Amigo
05. Bebê
06. Neve
07. Barcarole
08. Serendipity

01:25 – Prelude (1973)

One year after the release of this record, he released the album Prelude. This was in the year 1973. This would eventually become Deodato’s most successful album to date.

01. Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)
02. Spirit Of Summer
03. Carly & Carole
04. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
05. Prelude To Afternoon Of A Faun
06. September 13

02:00 – Deodato 2 (1973)

After the huge success of Prelude, Deodato released a successor called Deodato 2 in the same year. On this album, we find, among others, arrangements of Nights in White Satin by The Moody Blues and Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin.

01. Nights In White Satin
02. Pavane For A Dead Princess
03. Skyscrapers
04. Super Strut
05. Rhapsody In Blue

02:50 – Os Catedráticos 73 (1973)

1973 was a productive year for Deodato. Besides Prelude and Deodato 2, he released another album called Os Catedráticos 73. The album is a fusion of Brazilian and American musicians.

01. Arranha Céu (Skyscrapers)
02. Flap
03. Rodando Por Aí (Rudy’s)
04. O Jogo (Soccer Game)
05. Atire a 1a. Pedra
06. Puma Branco (The White Puma)
07. Passarinho Differente (The Bird)
08. Extremo Norte (The Gap)
09. Tô Fazendo Nada (Down the Hill)
10. Menina (Boy Meets Girl)
11. Carlota & Carolina (Carly & Carole)

03:25 – Love Island (1978)

Time to leave 1973, Deodato’s most productive year, and travel to 1978. This year, he released the album Love Island. Once again, it is a combination of fusion and funk.

01. Area Code 808
02. Whistle Bump
03. Tahiti Hut (Ta Pe E)
04. Sun Juan Sunset
05. Love Island
06. Chariot of the God
07. Pina Colada
08. Take the “A” Train

04:05 – Knights of Fantasy (1979)

By now, Deodato’s speciality was known worldwide: adapting classical compositions to a funky performance. On this album, it is the turn of none other than Johann Sebastian Bach.

01. Space Dust / Sherlock
02. Shazam
03. Bachmania
04. Knights of Fantasy
05. Lovely Lady

04:40 – Night Cruiser (1980)

Deodato did not sit still at the end of the 70s. While collaborating on the song Celebration, a worldwide hit by Kool & The Gang, he released the album Night Cruiser just one year after Knights of Fantasy.

01. Night Cruiser
02. Easy Side Strut
03. Skatin’
04. Uncle Funk
05. Love Magic
06. Groovitation

05:15 – Happy Hour (1982)

In this period, Deodato moved further away from fusion jazz and made a foray into disco and pop two years later in 1982 with the album Happy Hour. You would almost think that you are listening to a release from the Motown label when you hear this album.

01. Keep on Movin’
02. Happy Hour
03. Just This One Night
04. Tears of a Clown
05. Sweet Magic
06. Keep It in the Family
07. I Never Get Enough

05:50 – Motion (1984)

Deodato’s last studio album is from 1984. With this album, Deodato definitely went the way of 80s synthpop. The first song on this record, S.O.S. Fire in the Sky is Deodato’s last hit.

01. S.O.S. Fire in the Sky
02. Never Knew Love
03. Bus Stop
04. Motion
05. Are You for Real
06. Make You Feel Good

06:35 – In Concert (1974)

We end this night with a live release that was released in 1974. A kind of return to the heyday at the end of this night.

01. Do It Again
02. Spirit of Summer
03. Parana
04. Tropea
05. Branches