Performed by Marcella Camargo, John Finbury, Tim Ray, Mark Walker, Ricardo Monzon, Norman Zocher, Bob Patton, Eugene Friesen, Oscar Stagnaro, Eduardo Mercuri, & Roberto Cassan.
Following up on his 2016 Latin Grammy Nomination for “Song Of The Year,” Finbury brings forth nine new Brazilian originals featuring once again the exquisite vocals of Marcella Camargo.
Pitanga, from songwriter John Finbury and featuring vocalist Marcella Camargo, is the second album of its kind: original songs from maestro Finbury performed by songstress Camargo.
With songs composed by Finbury, Ned Claflin, and Patty Brayden, this album provides a panoramic of Brazilian music forms and traditions: samba-reggae, bossa nova, and Latin jazz. Sung in Portuguese and English, the tunes convey a visceral authenticity, borne of Brazilian music traditions and inspired by great artists like Antonio Carlos Jobim. At the same time, the music hews to the songwriter’s own voice, furnishing a fresh and intrepid expression. Not only is the songwriting first class, but the band is composed of veritable all-stars in their own right: Tim Ray, Oscar Stagnaro, Mark Walker, Ricardo Monzon, Eduardo Mercuri, Norman Zocher, Eugene Friesen, and the late Roberto Cassan.
The album opens with the title song, Pitanga; the king of the Brazilian fruits. The flavors of the fruit are captured in the samba-reggae Abaixo rhythms and melodies of this Carnival tune. Next up is A Feathered Thing, a beautiful Jobim inspired bossa nova. The lyrics for this composition are written by Patty Brayden, inspired by wordsmiths Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and The Bard. Coração Me Diga is a more pensive track with jazz-infused harmonies; Entre Pedacinhos opens with a gorgeous vocal and piano jazz waltz duet which transitions elegantly into a bossa.
Paraty is named for the beautifully preserved Portuguese colonial coastal town near Rio de Janiero; bandits and lovers often steal away in its quarters. This upbeat, danceable tune reflects the lush history and life in these celebrated vistas. Dia Ideal, with Portuguese lyrics by Claflin, reflects the more intimate and emotional expressive abilities of the artists. Meu Velho Friend appeared as an instrumental on the group’s last critically acclaimed album, Imaginário (2016 Latin Grammy nomination for Song of The Year-“A Chama Verde”); here, it’s given fresh life with charming lyrics and a skillfully patterned vocal line. There Among The Pieces artfully showcases the band’s versatility: written with Willie Nelson in mind, Camargo proves to be not only a tantalizing Brazilian singer but an adept country singer as well. The album closes with A Great Believer In Luck, a touching homage to Finbury’s father – a Naval officer who participated in (and lived through) eleven marine landings in the South Pacific during World War II.
Credits
John Finbury – Composer, Producer, Arranger, Lyricist, Rhodes Piano, Synthesizers
Marcella Camargo – Vocals
Tim Ray – Piano and Synthesizers
Mark Walker – Drums
Eugene Freisen – Cellist
Ricardo Monzon – Percussion and Drums
Norman Zocher – Pedal Steel, Nylon Guitar
Bob Patton – Engineer, Producer, Arranger
Patty Brayden – Lyricist
Oscar Stagnaro – Electric Bass
Eduardo Mercuri – Guitars
Ned Claflin – Lyricist and Composer
Roberto Cassan – Accordion
Lyrics
Pitanga
A primeira vez que provei
Pitanga
Pitanga
Foi na praia de Jacare
Que doce o Pitanga foi
Cupuacu NÃO É Nem Sequer MAMÃO
Nem Acai nem O Acerola
NÃO da me Besteira NÃO
Pitanga foi
Pitanga É
Pitanga sempre será
Admire a fruta
Que de toda outra fruta
Admire a fruta
Que É sempre campeÃo
O Rei Disse Que Êle Inventou
Pitanga
Pitanga
Depois À rainha mostrou
Que doce o Pitanga foi
Cupuacu NÃO É Nem Sequer MAMÃO
Nem Acai nem o Acerola
NÃO da me besteira NÃO
Pitanga foi
Pitanga É
Pitanga sempre será
Admire a fruta
Que de toda outra fruta
Admire a fruta
Que É sempre campeÃO
Pitanga foi
Pitanga É
Pitanga sempre será
Pitanga (Pitanga – English Translation)
The first time I ever tasted
Pitanga
Pitanga
Was on Jacare Beach
How sweet the Pitanga was
It’s not Cupuacu, It’s not Papaya
It’s not Acai or Acerola
Don’t give me that nonsense
It was Pitanga
It is Pitanga
And it’s always going to be Pitanga
Take a look at the fruit
That of all the other fruits
Take a look at the fruit
That’s always the champ
The King said he invented
Pitanga
Pitanga
The Queen showed after
How sweet Pitanga was
A Feathered Thing
Lying here in the dark
On a soft and velvet night
Your breath rises and falls
Keeping time with my own heart
Such a beautiful dream
I cry to sleep again
I awake
I awake
To this love I feel
Hear your voice in a room
See your smile on a stranger’s face
Feel you holding my hand
Soft guitar gently strumming
Wind that blows the grass
A whisper in my ear
Love is here, love is here
Deep inside of me
As dawn goes down to day
I long for you, I reach for you
And just like a bird, a feathered thing
You fly away
Coração Me Diga
Coração me diga
Coração me diga o que é esta dor
É só fragilidade do amor
Coisas ditas em segredo
A lembrança
De uma olhada na escuridão
Palavras ditas sem maldade
E a olhada abaixou então
Coração me diga
Coração me diga porquê é morta está flor
É só fragilidade do amor
Tell Me My Heart (Coração Me Diga – English Translation)
Tell Me, my Heart
Tell Me what is this pain
It’s just the fragility of Love
Things said in secret
The memory
Take a look in the dark
Words spoken without evil
Then the gaze is lowered
Tell Me, My Heart
Tell me, my Heart, why this flower is dead
It’s just fragility of love
Paraty
Chorus Marcella
Paraty IMAGINO
Paraty EU ADORO
Paraty EU VOLTO A
PARATY E’ MEU
MEU LUGAR ENFIM
UM ESCONDERIJO NA CACHOEIRA
Paraty IMAGINO
Paraty EU ADORO
Paraty EU SONHO COM
Paraty E’ MEU
MEU LUGAR ENFIM
UM ESCONDERIJO NA CACHOEIRA
O MEU LUGAR NO SOL
VOU A PARATY
PARATY IMAGINO
PARATY EU ADORO
PARATY EU SONHO COM
E’ O FIM DA TRILHA DOS BANDEIRANTES
E’ O FIM DO DIA P’RA OS AMANTES
TODA TRILHA E’ ESCONDIDA
TODA ILHA E’ ESCONDIDA
Paraty (Paraty – English Translation)
Paraty I IMAGINE
Paraty I LOVE
Paraty I WANT TO GO TO
Paraty, is
My place at last
A hiding place in the waterfall
Paraty I IMAGINE
Paraty I LOVE
Paraty I’M GOING BACK TO
Paraty, is
My place at last
A hiding place in the waterfall
My place in the sun
I’m going back to
Paraty I IMAGINE
Paraty I GOING BACK TO
Paraty
IT’S THE END OF THE TRIAL FOR THE “BANDEIRANTES”
AND THE END OF THE DAY FOR THE LOVERS
Every trail is hidden
Every island is hidden
Entre Pedacinhos
Entre Pedacinhos BEM PERTO
Entre Pedacinhos NO CHÃO
TODOS PEDACINHOS BEM PERTO
SÃO TESOURINHOS ENTÃO
UMA LEMBRACINHA ADORADA
É UM ANJO DE PAPEL
MAS QUANDO Ê CORTADO
TODO ANJO NÃO É FIEL
Entre Pedacinhos bem perto
Entre Pedacinhos no CHÃO
Todos PEDACINHOS bem perto
SÃO TESOURINHOS ENTÃO
There Among the Pieces (Entre Pedacinhos – English Translation)
There among the pieces right near me
There among the pieces on the ground
All the little pieces right near me
Are little treasures I found
A special little keepsake
Is a paper angel somehow
but when it’s cut in pieces
A paper angle breaks its vow
There among the pieces right near me
There among the pieces on the ground
All the little pieces right near me
Are little treasures I found
Dia Ideal
Pensar
Sonhar
E esperar assim
É o dia ideal pra mim
Você
E eu
E deitam assim
É o dia ideal enfim
A janela nunca vê o sol
Nunca vê a tristeza
Da vida desfeita
Desfeita meu bem
O sol não vê
Minha mão assim
Como eu tremo do medo
Dentro de mim
The Perfect Day (Dia Ideal – English Translation)
To Think, and dream
And wait like this
It’s the perfect day
For me
You and I
Lying like this
It’s the perfect day
For me
The window never sees the sun
Never sees the sadness
Of a life undone
Undone, My love
The sun never sees
My hand like this
How I tremble
From the fear inside of me
Meu Velho Friend
ÊLE Mora Num Hotel
ONDE NINGUÊMO ATRAPALHA
É O seu lar
Meu friend
Meu friend
Cafe de Graca e so o que ele precisa
Ele precisa
VAGABUNDO ETERNO
É O MELHOR TITULO pra the dar
COM O BOM AROMA
DE CHERUTOS
DE CHERUTOS
MAS PREFERE O CHAME ‘O DOUTOR’
TODOS TENTAM O AGUENTAR
COM UM SORRISNO ROSTO
MAS NÃO DEMAIS
O SABE-TUDO VAI CHEGAR
PRA DAR SEU DISCURSO
A QUALQUER MOMENTO
COM SEU CACHORRO LOUCO
Ele traz incenso
Quando finge ser xama
E E’ um gala
Meu friend
Meu friend
Com certeza vai ficar para o jantar
Louco
Meu friend
Louco
Meu friend
Ainda leva o meu chapeu
