Som Imaginario

Som Imaginário emerged from Brazil's Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais state during the 1970s. Alongside songwriters Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges, they helped create the Clube Da Esquina musical movement, Brazil's most influential musical export after bossa nova and Tropicalia. Som Imaginário, founded by Wagner Tiso, Robertinho Silva, and others, offered an almost boundaryless sound that effortlessly wed jazz, classical, rock (progressive and psychedelic), MPB, and bossa nova. Following their appearance on Nascimento's Milton in 1970, they issued an eponymous outing on Odeon. Som Imaginario II (aka A Nova Estrela) appeared in 1971 with percussionist Nana Vasconcelos in the lineup. The following year, the band's individual members worked with Nascimento and Lo Borges on the now-iconic double-length Clube Da Esquina. The group's third and last studio album was 1973's almost unclassifiable Matança do Porco. After a 40-year break, Tiso reunited the group for three shows in Belo Horizonte, then resumed intermittent concert activity. In 2023, London's Far Out Recordings issued the archival Banda Da Capital: Live in Brasilia 1976. Som Imaginário formed to back singer and songwriter Milton Nascimento in his touring show Milton Nascimento, Ah! E O Som Imaginário, in 1970, at the Opinião theater (Rio de Janeiro). They, like him, hailed from Minas Gerais state and understood implicitly the kind of diverse, inclusionary music the songwriter sought. Pianist Wagner Tiso, drummer/percussionist Robertinho Silva, guitarist Frederyko, organist/vocalist Zé Rodrix, percussionist Laudir de Oliveira, bassist Luis Alvez, and rhythm guitarist/vocalist Tavito all played in that ensemble. Wholly encouraged, Nascimento hired them to back him on 1970's Odeon classic Milton. Given the popular and critical attention they garnered, Som Imaginário signed their own deal with Odeon and issued an eponymous effort at the end of the year. They toured constantly and backed other musicians, too: Marcos Valle, Elis Regina, Gal Costa, Fafá de Belém, Sueli Costa, Carlinhos Vergueiro, and Jards Macalé are among the many. The band's membership began to evolve. Vasconcelos replaced Laudir de Oliveira (who moved to the U.S. to work with Chicago), but only stayed a year. Guitarist Toninho Horta and saxophonist Nivaldo Ornelas both joined the core lineup. In 1971, Som Imaginário composed and recorded the soundtrack to Tiso's short film, A Nova Estrela, as their second album. Rodrix, Alves, and Silva left the group, and bassist Novelli (Djair de Barros e Silva) and Paulo Braga (drums) were admitted. In 1972, Nascimento and Lô Borges released the double Clube Da Esquina, centering on the many musical styles in Minas Gerais. Tiso and Emumir Deodato wrote the set's arrangements, Paulo Moura conducted the band and orchestra, and all the members of Som Imaginário -- past and present -- appeared on the date in various combinations. Clube Da Esquina won acclaim from critics and Brazilian music fans across the globe. It is one of the most influential albums to emerge from Brazil during the latter half of the 20th century. Som Imaginário's third album, Matança do Porco (1973), had as its title track a Wagner Tiso composition that had been the theme of the Rui Guerra 1970 film Os Deuses e os Mortos. Further, it boasted two singles as highlights "Armina" and "Nova Estrela," both by Tiso -- who also wrote string, reed, woodwind, and brass charts for virtually every track. Arthur Verocai served as conductor on the date. They toured in support afterwards, but had so many other commitments, they only did so intermittently. They served as Gal Costa's backing band on the provocative India in 1973 as well as on Paulo Diniz's Lugar Comum. In 1974, a quintet version of Som Imaginário -- Tiso, Alves, Silva, Horta, and Ornelas -- backed Nascimento on the studio album Milagre Dos Peixes in 1973, then supported him on tour recording a live performance of the material played at Teatro Municipal De São Paulo. It was released in 1974 as Milagre Dos Peixes: Ao Vivo and charted. That same year they backed Ivan Lins on Modo Livre and Jards Macalé on Aprender A Nadar. The band spent the next few years touring and collaborating with Nascimento and others, though they never re-entered the studio as a group. Tiso reunited the band -- Ornelas, Silva, Tavito, and Alves -- to play three shows in 2013 as Wagner Tiso e o Som Imaginário. They went over so well -- all three shows were sold-out -- that they began working together again in concert performances. Guitarist Victor Biglione joined in 2016 as a sixth member. In 2023, England's Far Out, famous for its efforts unearthing and reissuing rare Brazilian recordings, released Banda Da Capital: Live in Brasilia 1976. This version of Som Imaginário -- Tiso, Frederyko, Ornelas, drummer Paulinho Braga and bassist Jamil Joanes (Banda Black Rio) -- played a concert in celebration of Brazil's Nature Day. It was professionally recorded from the soundboard and mixed, but ultimately shelved. It sat in Tiso's vault for nearly 50 years. It was restored and remastered by Frank Merritt and appeared on store shelves in June 2023.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo