Deluxe Mad About Records 180-gram printing with hefty card sleeve and obi.
“Sounds delicious. Makes everyone happy.” – João Donato
Gary shared an apartment in Rio with Kassin in the mid-1990s, then in an unnamed local band, but subsequently became one of Brazil’s top producers, working with Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso, and Gilles Peterson. Gary used to create lyrics all the time but could never get anyone to listen to them. But the melodies stayed with Kassin and haunted him for years.
Over the years, Kassin would frequently enquire, “What about your album?” Gary would shrug and add, “Maybe one day.”
Later, in 2018, Kassin performed in London alongside the players of the multi-platinum Polish combo Mitch & Mitch, and when Kassin offered the proposal, Gary answered, “Yes!” Let’s do it, but we will need to perform in Poland with these artists. “
This resulted in Gods being recorded in Brazil in the Polish Radio Studios in Warsaw with the Mitch & Mitch guys and a lot of conventional session players, and concluding at Kassin’s studio in Rio with some of the best guests.
The album was so successful that Gods in Brazil Vol. 2 is currently in the works.
The CD pays homage to the iconic sounds of Brazilian albums from the 1960s and 1970s, with hints of Gary McFarland along the way. The song Juanito Caminante is already a favorite of Joao Donato, who had a significant effect on the album’s style.
Alberto Continentino and Ryszard Borowski of the Polish Radio Big Band collaborated on the preparations.
Gods of Brazil will be available on vinyl through Mad About Records via Bandcamp, as well as special versions on tape and MiniDisc.
About Gary
Gary worked to design the world’s original digital distribution system in the mid-1990s and oversaw the operation in Rio, where he became actively immersed in the local music scene. Later, he founded the legendary reprint company, Whatmusic, which released over 80 records on vinyl and CD, as well as a reissue series for EMI Odeon and, most lately, the CBC’s secret collection of iconic recordings from the 1960s and 1970s.