Edson Natale & Suba - Most (2019) [Hi-Res]

I was one of the first musicians that Mitar Subotic, aka Suba, met when he arrived in São Paulo in 1990, luckily for me. I was recording my first solo album which I called Nina Maika because of him. We quickly became friends and I began to show him around São Paulo. From the moment he arrived he became friends with a large group of people who would bring him to parties, bars, to meet families.
Suba arrived with a deep interest in Brazilian music. When he was in Paris, some of his Unesco friends had introduced to him a person who worked at the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, on vacation in France at the time. In turn, this person indicated contacts at Funarte – the National Arts Foundation – in Rio de Janeiro. The problem is that as soon as he arrived in Brazil, Suba couldn’t find any of these people; the newly elected president, Fernando Collor de Melo, had decreed the extinction of Funarte as soon as he took office. But through his manager in Paris he was given the contacts of Lala Deheinzelin and Rodolfo Stroeter, both in São Paulo.
Lala invited Suba to meet some of the local musicians in the city. I was also invited. After we got to know each other I invited him to record a track on the album I was working on. He ended up becoming the producer, arranger and keyboardist, playing on seven of the nine tracks.
Suba was very important, not only for me, but also for Brazilian music, having worked with musicians such as Taciana Barros, João Parahyba, Paulo Lepetit, Kátia B., Fábio Golfeti, Marina Lima, Arnaldo Antunes, Natália Barros, Daniela Mercury, Alê Muniz, Bebel Gilberto, André Geraissati and Cibelle, among many others.
The title of this album – Most – was decided together with an incredible woman who became a great and dear friend: Ruza Subotic, Suba’s mother. We came to this word, which in Serbian means bridge, because he knew how to connect people, always making bridges between us and connecting us in an original, powerful and unique way. It was always like this until the tragic accident, a fire that happened in his apartment in São Paulo in 1999. To this day, when we toast his memory and legacy, we miss him so much; especially at this moment when hatred, prejudice and violence has spread in Brazil. Most is an album that gathers songs recorded between 1990 and 1992 and exists only to celebrate our friendship, to honour a friend who became One.
Most of the songs are my own; a few are composed in partnership, except Svetlana No. 4 and Svetlana No. 10, which Suba composed for his friend, Svetlana. Viajante (featuring Toninho Horta on guitar), Perseguindo o Por do Sol and Agora E Na Hora De Nossa Morte were originally released on the album Nina Maika. Perseguindo o Por do Sol was composed and dedicated to Suba during the recording process of Nina Maika. Agora E Na Hora De Nossa Morte is the only track with vocals.
Suba plays the piano on Sol de Inverno, Velhas Almas and Última Lágrima. He does not appear on Amor Porteño, but I included here because it was he who convinced me to record it and include it on the original album.
Many of the musicians who participated in this collection also built a strong relationship with Suba and recorded wonderful works with him; he met João Parahyba during the recordings of Nina Maika. And the violinist and composer Alex Braga who recorded the Sol de Inverno album with me.
Also featured here are the Argentinean musicians Carlos Pérren (guitar) and Alberto Ranellucci (percussion) and the Brazilians Eduardo Moreira, Edson Cordeiro, Alex Braga and Loren Alves.
The album design is by Rodrigo Kenan and the photo is of a road in Piauí, in the north-east of Brazil.
If Suba were here, he would certainly agree with me in dedicating this record to Ruza Subotic and to those who actively participated in the Instituto Suba, which existed between 2000 and 2002. My affection and thanks to Taciana Barros, Natália Barros, Oscar Quiroga, Marisa Orth, Lala Deheizlein, Renata Melo, Sato, Juan Trasmonte, Kátia B., Guto Lacaz and Zéli.
Edson Natale is a musician, journalist, writer, music manager of Itaú Cultural and coordinating manager of the Ibirapuera Auditorium. He recorded two LPs with Dharana in 1988 and 1989: Dharana and Guerreiros dos Arco-íris. He has also released various solo albums: Nina Maika, Sol de Inverno, Aboio, Quando Eu Soube Que Você Viria and Calvo, Com Sobrepeso.
He is the organizer of the Brazilian Guide to Cultural Production and various books: Direito, Arte e Liberdade, with Cristiane Olivieri and Pequeno Calendário Colorido Para Os Que Sabem Ler O Tempo, as well as the children’s books A História Do Incrível Peixe Orelha and Balila, A Minhoca Bípede.
After a gap of 12 years since his last album, he is currently working on new recordings, due for release in 2019.

Tracklist:
01. Edson Natale & Suba - Velhas Almas
02. Edson Natale & Suba - Viajante
03. Edson Natale & Suba - A Última Lágrima
04. Edson Natale & Suba - Perseguindo o por do Sol
05. Edson Natale & Suba - Sol de Inverno
06. Edson Natale & Suba - Amor Porteño
07. Edson Natale & Suba - Svetlana No. 12
08. Edson Natale & Suba - Agora e Na Hora de Nossa Morte
09. Edson Natale & Suba - Svetlana No. 10