August 10, 2009 – I was standing backstage at Cal State’s Luckman Theater when I saw him: tall and thin, dark and intense, his lanky frame barely filling what was supposed to be a fitted suit. Though he was missing the mane of black hair he wore on the cover of his self-titled 1972 album, he was unmistakably composer, arranger and producer Arthur Verocai. Largely unknown in his home country of Brazil, Verocai is worshiped by the likes of TV on the Radio, Cut Chemist, DOOM and Madlib — all of whom were in attendance at this historic event, in which Verocai led a 30-piece orchestra in the first and only performance of his legendary album.
The evening didn’t disappoint. Watching him on stage was transfixing. He didn’t have to do much; he’d done all the hard work at age 25, when he wrote the original charts that this orchestra, under his watchful eye, played to the note. You got the feeling that he recognized just how important this concert was — not just for himself, but also for the lucky audience of 1,200.
The next day, as I fielded emails, text messages and IMs from those who were there, Cut Chemist put it best: “That was one of the best shows L.A. has ever seen.” I felt the need to review my collection for some high points of Verocai’s varied career — which stretched from the heady psychedelia of O Terco (whose first album he arranged) to the gorgeous pop of the little-known duo Ana Maria e Mauricio.
For the playlist assembled by Egon for this article click: VEROCAI
The evening didn’t disappoint. Watching him on stage was transfixing. He didn’t have to do much; he’d done all the hard work at age 25, when he wrote the original charts that this orchestra, under his watchful eye, played to the note. You got the feeling that he recognized just how important this concert was — not just for himself, but also for the lucky audience of 1,200.
The next day, as I fielded emails, text messages and IMs from those who were there, Cut Chemist put it best: “That was one of the best shows L.A. has ever seen.” I felt the need to review my collection for some high points of Verocai’s varied career — which stretched from the heady psychedelia of O Terco (whose first album he arranged) to the gorgeous pop of the little-known duo Ana Maria e Mauricio.
For the playlist assembled by Egon for this article click: VEROCAI
From vtech's music site:
Arthur Verocai is a mysterious figure even in his native Brasil. He has composed and arranged for such giants as Jorge Ben, Gal Costa and Leny Andrade. But hiphop heads know him for his often sampled (see Ludacris, MF Doom and Lil Brother) self-titled solo album. The album came out at the height of the Brasilian dictatorship and was a commercial failure. His performance of this seminal 1972 record complete brought the sold out crowd at the Luckman Theater to a stand still. According to Verocai, he had never played the record, “alive or dead!” His delight at the opportunity to play this music in its complete form can be seen on the Timeless DVD box set.
This song, “Flying to L.A.” was written specifically for the concert at the Luckman. Tt starts with open drums by Mamao from the famed Brasilian trio Azymuth, and then goes on a beautiful harmonic journey. Enjoy, share and turn it up. Download from here. (Right Click & Choose "Save as")
Besides being an amazing mix in itself, this is a wonderful way to experience Verocai's talent as a musician, composer and arranger. You need this in your life... especially with the weather warming up! See more info on the mix below.
In a pinch, J.Rocc stepped up to the plate and performed a stellar set at the Luckman in his place, and Nuts went on to DJ a mind-blowing two hour set at the after-party.
So much of Mochilla’s dealings in Brasil would not have been possible without Rodrigo Teixera (known to the world as DJ Nuts). The Verocai concert surely would never have happened without him. His role in helping with the pre and post co-ordination was enormous.
DJ Nuts is an astute and rigorous historian of Brasil’s vast and varied musical culture. His record collection is legendary; his skills as a DJ are world class. We commissioned him to make this mix to help people understand the extraordinary legacy of Verocai. Many by now know Verocai’s self-titled album, some even know the more popular compositions and arrangements, but none have dug as hard as Nuts. Years of collecting and a strong friendship with Verocai himself have made this historic mix possible. 78 minutes of all Verocai compositions and arrangements is a dream come true.
For such a mix to be made, only a true Brasilian music aficionado could have created this, and we are honored to be able to share it with you.
Right Click to Download: DJ Nuts – Arthur Verocai Mix
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mixes,
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