Samba So! - Walter Wanderly

Sad Samba

Samba So!
Walter Wanderly

A Richard Bock Presentation

Art Direction: Woody Woodward

Design: Bernard Yeskin
World Pacific WP-1856
Division of Liberty Records

Recorded live in Brazil by Fermata Productions.

From the back cover: The New Music of Brazil has notably been both vocal and instrumental, with perhaps a slight edge in importance going to the singers. One thinks of Astrud and Joao Gilberto, and even Jobim to verify that, and, except for American jazz instrumentalists, there haven't been any players who have made it in the United States primarily on their playing abilities. But organist Walter Wanderley, he of the peculiarly un-Brazilian name, changes all that, for he sings not at all, but plays with a verve and gusto... and a virtuosity that has taken him squarely to the top of the latest Bossa Nova crest of popularity. 

Wanderley is perhaps the last of the true progenitors of the music called Bossa Nova to win a large following among the lovers of good popular and jazz music in the U.S., and now that he has, it is difficult to understand why it took so long. Difficult, but may I advance my idea of why there has been a delay? First of all, Walter Wanderley is an organist. Second of all, the last few years have seen his instrument, the Hammond Organ, become the most ubiquitous of all instruments in small group jazz. Third of all, although the organ is capable of about as wide a range of sounds as any musical device known to man, jazzmen have shown an unparalleled rigidity of approach to it. Day in and day out, countless lips are employing one or two combinations of "stops" on that vast console of buttons, plungers, levers and pedals, in what has become known as the hip stops-that same rigidity that makes every darn saxophonist in the world get a narrow gauge metal mouthpiece and chant John Coltrane's sound and ideas, that same rigidity that makes every trumpet player stick his mute into the mike and try to be Miles, and finally that same fear and rigidity that makes every record company A & R man say play those hip stops or get that 'Trane sound or use that Miles mute or you don't make records or play clubs or...? 

And then, suddenly, as if it hadn't been so neverendingly frustrating, Walter Wanderley was discovered. His light- hearted, open, fresh sound was dancing out of every car radio on its way to August beaches. Disc Jockeys who don't even know where Brazil is were saying..."That one was by good old Walter Wanderley..." or "here's Walter Wanderley's latest..." or "Yeah, Walter Wanderley, isn't he something?" and forgetting their highly inaccurate and tossed-off descriptions of his sound as like that for an accordion or a calliope. 

Oh, well, what the heck. Isn't the important thing that Walter Wanderley is finally getting the recognition he deserves? And that his blatant, overt, extroverted form of the Bossa Nova is being so well aired? And that this means more Walter Wanderley records? And that this is a Walter Wanderley record, and that you are its owner? Isn't it, hmmmm?. 

Sure and it is! Find Walter here with his own good group including an honest saxophonist and a spritely guitarist. Find the whole group having more fun than 9 out of 10 small jazz groups (most of whom these days of strife are preaching harder than they're playing-which I'm not knocking, just feeling a bit sad about). Find even some funny fun, like Walter imitating an airplane landing at the end of "Samba Do Aviao" (just Where Tony Bennett would be saying something about Rio my love, we're finally here, etc.- I forget the lyrics). And, find a lasting long playing record that should be played at least once a day for best results. Try it for breakfast with orange juice, or after dinner with brandy and soda. Or frug to it when nobody's watching. But don't tell me it doesn't sound like Jimmy Smith. You watch. Walter Wanderley isn't going to change, but if more organists don't sound like Walter Wanderley in the next year, then I'll sell my autographed Cotrane metal mouthpiece and white plastic saxophone. – John William Hardy

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