Soul Strut 100: # 16 Arthur Verocai - Arthur Verocai (1972)

RAJ

I will slowly be unveiling the Top 100 Soul Strut Related Records as Voted by the Strutters Themselves.

# 16 Arthur Verocai - Arthur Verocai (1972)



The list so far:

# 100 - Jr. and His Soulettes - Psychodelic Sounds
# 99 - Sir Joe Quarterman & Free Soul
# 98 - Donny Hathaway - S/T (1971)
# 97 - Bernard Wright - ???Nard
# 96 - Tom Scott - Honeysuckle Breeze
# 95 - People Under the Stairs - Question in the Form of an Answer
# 94 - Harlem River Drive
# 93 - Black Moon - Enta Da Stage
# 92 - Marvin Gaye - Here, My Dear
# 91 - Muddy Waters - Electric Mud
# 90 - Les McCann - Layers
# 89 - Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland
# 88 - Leroy Hutson - Hutson (1975)
# 87 - ESG - S/T (1981)
# 86 - Can - Tago Mago
# 85 - Bohannon - Stop & Go
# 84 - WILLIAM DEVAUGHN - Be Thankful For What You Got
# 83 - Power of Zeus - The Gospel According to Zeus
# 82 - Gang Starr - Hard To Earn
# 81 - The J.B.???s - Doing It to Death
# 80 - Parliament - Osmium
# 79 - McNeal & Niles - Thrust
# 78 - The Lafayette Afro Rock Band - Malik
# 77 - Earth, Wind, and Fire (1971)
# 76 - Dr. Dre - The Chronic
# 75 - Black Sabbath (1970)
# 74 - Trap Door / An International Psychedelic Mystery Mix (2006)
# 73 - Bob James - One
# 72 - Matthew Larkin Cassell - Pieces
# 71 - The Beginning Of The End - Funky Nassau
# 70 - Big Bear - Doin??? Thangs
# 69 - Steely Dan - Aja
# 68 - Quasimoto - The Unseen
# 67 - Curtis Mayfield - Curtis/Live! (1971)
# 66 - Al Green - Im still in love with you
# 65 - The Beatnuts - Street Level
# 64 - Archie Whitewater - Archie Whitewater (1970)
# 63 - Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - Mecca & the Soul Brother
# 62 - Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
# 61 - The J.B.???s - Food For Thought
# 60 - Don Blackman (1982)
# 59 - Niagara - (Tiddies)
# 58 - Can - Ege Bamyasi
# 57 - Whatnauts - On the Rocks
# 56 - The Mohawks - Champ
# 55 - McDonald and Giles (1971)
# 54 - Darondo - Let My People Go
# 53 - Dorothy Ashby - Afro Harping
# 52 - Beastie Boys - Paul???s Boutique
# 51 - Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu of Ethiopia
# 50 - Lyman Woodard Organization - Saturday Night Special
# 49 - Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul
# 48 - Lyn Collins - Think (About It)
# 47 - James Brown - In The Jungle Groove
# 46 - Bill Withers - Still Bill
# 45 - Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
# 44 - Silver Apples - S/T
# 43 - Mobb Deep - The Infamous
# 42 - Lyn Christopher (1973)
# 41 - Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson
# 40 - Gang Starr - Step in the Arena
# 39 - Diamond D - Stunts, Blunts, & Hip Hop
# 38 - Terry Callier - What Color is Love
# 37 - David Axelrod - Song of Innocence
# 36 - The Invaders - Spacing Out
# 35 - Leo Sayer - Endless Flight
# 34 - Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
# 33 - DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist - Brainfreeze (Mix)
# 32 - Michael Jackson - Thriller
# 31 - DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
# 30 - De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising
# 29 - Ray Barretto - Acid
# 28 - The Sylvers - II
# 27 - Donald Byrd - Places and Spaces
# 26 - Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Information
# 25 - Nas - Illmatic
# 24 - The Baby Huey Story - The Living Legend
# 23 - Roy Ayers - He???s Coming
# 22 - Kool and the Gang (album) (1969)
# 21 - Demon Fuzz - Afreaka!
# 20 - Curtis Mayfield - Curtis!
#19 - Eugene McDaniels - Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse
# 18 - Incredible Bongo Band - Bongo Rock
# 17 Placebo - Ball of Eyes

Please discuss your reactions to this record. The thread will be archived later here.

About

think it???s safe to say that I???m not much of a Brazilian guy. So when a Brazilian record peaks my interest and makes its way onto my wants list, it???s kind of a big deal. Truth be known I???m not the only wack job out for an original pressing of this. Hence, it has changed hands for funny money. When the buzz hits the street like this record, you know it???s only a matter of time before it is reissued and amateurs like myself can freely enjoy good music. That being said, Verocai is a hailed producer and arranger in Brazil but is largely unknown in the rest of the hemisphere. It was only a matter of time before the sheer genius of this self-titled record from 1972 reached the record digger community (who have been rading Sao Paulo sheds for years now.)

The hottest cut is obviously the lead off track ???Caboclo???, a melancholy nylon-stringed ballad peppered with trippy synth effects. Other tracks include, ???Sylvia??? , a lush breezy instrumental. ???Presente Grego???, Verocai???s foray into cop show like arrangements, ???Dedicada a ela??? and ???Na boca do sol??? are tracks you can see making it into a hip hop sampler.

All and all this is one of those long plays you praise was re-ished. Apparently, the success of the re-issue has resurrected Verocai???s career (a la David Axelrod) to where he is doing live dates around the US.


http://www.soulstrut.com/index.php/reviews/indepth/arthur_verocai/

Related Threads

Arthur Verocai S/T Appreciation

Brasilian albums serious like the Arthur Verocai

Arthur Verocai to be repressed (again)

Media

Hollafame

Beauty. Nothing bad can be said about this record...other than maybe sometimes I wish it was longer!

One of the life-changing albums the Strut put me on to.

DOR

A big personal fav, which I listen to often.

Early on enjoying this album my thoughts on the only negative was not understanding the words. Which doesn't bother me anymore.

A truly remarkable record.

Oligee

pretty much the fuckin' schitt.

Casteneda

I'm eternally grateful to Soul Strut for hyping me to this album. Was not familiar with this album until I started lurking around here a few years ago. The instrumentation, the songwriting, everything about this album is top notch.

inVrs

truly rare and truly great. that cant be said about a lot of records.
was it ferrari who psted the mp3s a few years back? very grateful for those! luv n haight re was really poor.

toby.d

This is one I've never heard of. I haven't been here long and have already read about a lot of top top stuff which I'm eternally grateful for. Judging by the first few comments and its position in the hundred this'll be another one. Hyped!

Mjukis

HOLLAFAME said:

Beauty. Nothing bad can be said about this record...other than maybe sometimes I wish it was longer!

One of the life-changing albums the Strut put me on to.

Cosign!

pcmr

Mjukis said:

HOLLAFAME said:

Beauty. Nothing bad can be said about this record...other than maybe sometimes I wish it was longer!

One of the life-changing albums the Strut put me on to.

Cosign!

life changer for sure
understanding the lyrics makes it even better especially on caboclo

maru

Easily in my top 3 records. Probably listened to this album more than any of the top 100 so far. As close to perfection as you can get.

utters

Anyone on here with an OG? Whenever I dig in Brazil i'm always daydreaming that this is going to be the next record in the pile... It never is. And it never will...

Grandfather

45ivan has a great copy signed by Verocai himself!

He also hooked up the strut with a great rip of the the OG which blows the reissue I have out the water.

Great album, great Strut related pick

DJFerrari

This will always be one of my favorite records in history and the prize in my collection. It's long overdue (sorry)... here's a re-up of the OG

http://www.fortyfivan.com/ArthurVerocaiOG.zip

I know there were a few Strutters at the Timeless show... that will also go down in history. Here's my account...

http://www.fortyfivan.com/timeless-arthur-verocai-live/

maru

FortyFivan said:

I know there were a few Strutters at the Timeless show... that will also go down in history. Here's my account...

http://www.fortyfivan.com/timeless-arthur-verocai-live/

I am still kicking myself for not making the drive down for this. I dream that he'll put on another show like that someday.

I'm thankful I managed to track down an OG a few years ago. Definitely a splurge at the time but a bargain by today's rates. I think madlib said he could listen to this album everyday for the rest of his life - to be honest I think I could too.

finelikewine

FortyFivan said:

This will always be one of my favorite records in history and the prize in my collection. It's long overdue (sorry)... here's a re-up of the OG

http://www.fortyfivan.com/ArthurVerocaiOG.zip

I know there were a few Strutters at the Timeless show... that will also go down in history. Here's my account...

http://www.fortyfivan.com/timeless-arthur-verocai-live/

Thanks for the re-up!

cai

Thanks FortyFivan!

LokoOne

FortyFivan said:

This will always be one of my favorite records in history and the prize in my collection. It's long overdue (sorry)... here's a re-up of the OG

http://www.fortyfivan.com/ArthurVerocaiOG.zip

I know there were a few Strutters at the Timeless show... that will also go down in history. Here's my account...

http://www.fortyfivan.com/timeless-arthur-verocai-live/

Much respect and super cheers for the zip link

LokoOne

FortyFivan said:

This will always be one of my favorite records in history and the prize in my collection. It's long overdue (sorry)... here's a re-up of the OG

http://www.fortyfivan.com/ArthurVerocaiOG.zip

I know there were a few Strutters at the Timeless show... that will also go down in history. Here's my account...

http://www.fortyfivan.com/timeless-arthur-verocai-live/

Much respect and super cheers for the zip link

LokoOne

FortyFivan said:

This will always be one of my favorite records in history and the prize in my collection. It's long overdue (sorry)... here's a re-up of the OG

http://www.fortyfivan.com/ArthurVerocaiOG.zip

I know there were a few Strutters at the Timeless show... that will also go down in history. Here's my account...

http://www.fortyfivan.com/timeless-arthur-verocai-live/

Much respect and super cheers for the zip link

utters

Thanks for the link, will check it out...

I have the luv n' haight reissue and it's pretty bad

Last time I was in brazil the bookstore chain Cultura had done a reissue supposedly from the master tapes, but couldn't find it on CD, only an expensive vinyl

phono13

I recently bought the Kindred Spirits (label) reissue. I don't have the Ubiquity release to compare it to, but I've been happy with the quality. It costs a bit more (think I paid $28 at a local shop), but it's 180 gm and gatefold, unlike the Ubiq.

http://www.kindred-spirits.nl/release_detail.php?idxItem=61328

Mondeyano

Amazing and a firm top 3 of all time album. Not a weak spot on the whole thing.

soundsreal

Hearing this for the first time in my early 30's changed the entire direction of the way I listened to music for the first time since my early 20's. It was like doing acid for the first time all over again. Cannot overstate my love for this one.

Horseleech

One of the small handful of albums on this list that lives up to the hype.

One of the best intros of any album ever.

Da Vinylmentalist

Grandfather said:

45ivan has a great copy signed by Verocai himself!

He also hooked up the strut with a great rip of the the OG which blows the reissue I have out the water.

Great album, great Strut related pick

Is the re-issue really shite compared to the OG?

ppadilha

Da Vinylmentalist said:

Grandfather said:

45ivan has a great copy signed by Verocai himself!

He also hooked up the strut with a great rip of the the OG which blows the reissue I have out the water.

Great album, great Strut related pick

Is the re-issue really shite compared to the OG?

there is a noticeable difference. The reissue can't be shite because the music is still great, but the OG is where the magic happens.

Horseleech

ppadilha said:

Da Vinylmentalist said:

Grandfather said:

45ivan has a great copy signed by Verocai himself!

He also hooked up the strut with a great rip of the the OG which blows the reissue I have out the water.

Great album, great Strut related pick

Is the re-issue really shite compared to the OG?

there is a noticeable difference. The reissue can't be shite because the music is still great, but the OG is where the magic happens.

It sounds to me like it's pretty heavily compressed. Compression can be a boon for breathing life into poorly recorded/mixed/mastered recordings when handled properly, but here it wipes out most of the dynamics and subtleties which are a big part of this record. The OG was very well done to begin with, so it doesn't really need any 'remastering'.

The Kindred Spirits re uses the Ubiquity master (at least they sound identical to my ears), which is a shame. For $500-$600 I could have had a truly kick ass master made of this.

sticky_dojah

I saw that someone posted this thread to AV's timeline....a would be soo good....

SPlDEY

The whole story, the multiple repeated listens, Going to Brazil, and then finally meeting the man himself.

Verocai played an important part of my life..

Thanks for who ever discovered this one.

Now somebody hook me up with his daughter!!

- spidey

DJFerrari

SPlDEY said:

Now somebody hook me up with his daughter!!

a would be soo good....

sabadabada

"Piques your interest" I told you this two years ago.