Nana Vasconcelos - Saudades (1980/2025) [Hi-Res]

Brazilian percussionist Naná Vasconcelos’s Saudades album, recorded in March 1979, was the culmination of a dream for a musician who had long yearned to hear the berimbau in an orchestral context. This ‘concerto’ for an innovative player of a traditional instrument was made possible with the creative input of Egberto Gismonti, here the arranger of the material for strings, as well as co-composer and supporting soloist. The Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart was conducted by Mladen Gutesha (who had worked with ECM previously on trans-idiomatic projects with Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek and Terje Rypdal). Produced by Manfred Eicher, Saudades remains an extraordinary journey, an ahead-of-its-time album, waiting for the world to catch up. This vinyl reissue, in gatefold sleeve, adds new liner notes providing historical context and background information.

Nana Vasconcelos - Berimbau, Percussion, Voice, Gongs
Egberto Gismonti - Super 8-String Guitar
Members of the RSO Stuttgart
Mladen Gutesha - Conductor