Customer Reviews

Prelude

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Brazilian jazz keyboardist Eumir Deodato scored one of the great success stories of 70's instrumental rock with this 1972 album that combines the classical orchestral flourishes with jazz and rock. His lush arrangement of Debussy's "Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Faun" is quite top-notch, as are his own trio of originals ("Spirit Of Summer"; "Carly And Carole", "September 13") and the Wright/Forrest "Baubles, Bangles, And Beads" (based on themes of Alexander Borodin.

Of course, the big track on the CD is his nine-minute adaptation of Richard Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra", the work that became internationally famous in its original classical form in 1968, when director Stanley Kubrick used it in his sci-fi masterpiece 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. Using the famous "Dawn" sequence, with its brass fanfare, and then using it to weave a set of jazz-rock permutations, Deodato comes up with one of the great rock instrumentals of all times. It also won him a much-deserved Grammy in 1973 for Best Pop Instrumental, and hit #2 on the American singles chart (#7 in England) in an abridged version.

A very worthy album PRELUDE is. Take a listen.

One of my early exposures to music from Brazil was a jazz musician named Eumir Deodato. Someone recommended that I pick up "Prelude". Trusting this friends advice, I quickly ran out to the store to buy this album. This is a rare album that I have owned on record, cassette and CD at different times.

The highlight of this disc is the opening rendition of Strausss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra". This is the funkiest rendition of classical music I have ever heard. They rock through the number.

This all-star line up features luminaries such as Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Ray Barretto and Airto Moreira among others. This is some classic material.

They also cover the "Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun" and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" from the Broadway show Kismet. There are also three original compositions. The first track is the deepest on this album. It remains one of my all-time favorite tracks. The rest of the album is good but not quite up to this level.

"Prelude" is an album at once excessive and tacky. It is overindulgent but artistically valid. The music was recorded in 1972 and yet nearly three decades later. It's a time piece that still rings true.

It appears that the reviewers of this album disagree primarily on the issue of which cut is best. I'll put my bet on Prelude To The Afternoon of a Faun although I understand why serveral chose Also Sprach Zarathrustra. The latter is in may ways more inventive but the former has the most emotional punch. What is most fascinating is the Deodato's arrangement in both cases sounds as if it could have been the original.

This is jazz with a Brazilan sense that makes "high art" music accessible to those who would never be caught in an orchestra's concert hall.

Most Americans had never heard of Eumir Deodato when he burst on the scene in 1972 with his smashing American debut, Prelude.
OK, his take on Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra got the airplay, and it is an excellent interpretation, but there is a wealth of other good tunes to be heard on Prelude, too.
I like the Spirit Of Summer as well as Carly and Carole which had both been previously released in Brazil with different arrangements. The keyboard work on the latter is stunning.
I also like Baubles, Bangles, and Beads in the full version that features the soaring guitar of John Tropea in the interlude. I actually heard a truncated Muzak version once in an elevator that cuts the heart from the song. If you've heard only that one, you are missing out.
I'm not quite so fond of Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun as are some other reviewers, but I do find that the driving keyboard and blaring horns on September 13 give Prelude a strong closing statement.
There seems to be a strong unanimity among the reviewers as to the quality of the CD, so anyone who is new to the music of Deodato can order this with the confidence that he/she is bound to enjoy it. Its a pity that there are no bonus tracks, but Prelude still gets my strongest recommendation.

Well by starts I'm a die-hard fan of the movie "2001 a Space Odyssey" and I had listened from time to time in the radio stations that play oldies a very good interpretation to "Also Sprach Zaratustra" but I didn't know who the artist was. Then just the last week while visiting a fans-site of the movie there it was the reference to this particular version of the "Zaratustra" by Deodato. I bought the CD and, I'm listening it right now! it's exciting, and moving this performance, and the other musical pieces are very good too. Great album, now I'm sure that I'll look for more albums of Deodato in the future.

An excellent album of the Brazilian Born Keyboardist Eumir Deodato.

Made with feel and a very good taste. The best tracks: Zarathustra and "Baubles, Bangles & Beads". Stanley Clarke on Bass. Ray Barreto on Congas. John Tropea on Guitar. Outrageous fussion Jazz from New York to the world. Captures the 70s feeling of the jazz&latin rythyms that were boiling in the city that never sleeps.

Attention, you Guys at Sony: Why don't you make a double CD album of Deodato, including this CD, "Deodato 2" and a bunch of Bonus tracks and call this Box Set:

Deodato: "The Complete CTI Studio Recordings of Eumir Deodato".

Not a bad Idea, considering how happy Creed Taylor and the legion of CTI-Jazzed fans would be.

What the hell happened with Deodato 2? Why Won't you put on stock!

Javier Moreno buildingfactors@hotmail.com

Probably one of my favorite albums on Creed Taylor's legendary CTI label (right up with the the live "California Concert" album, a standout showcase of the aritsts on CTI at the time), as well as Eumir Deodato being one of my favorite artists in jazz as well.

A bit of trivia: The track that's possibly the most famous on this album, "Also Sprach Zarahustra", was used in one of Peter Seller's last films, "Being There", during the scenes when Seller's character, Chance the Gardener (aka Chauncey Gardner), finally goes out into the world after being holed up at home all of his life, and explores the city. I thought it fit quite well with those scenes in the film.

Other tracks on this album that I enjoy would have to be Spirit of Summer, which, IMO, almost sounds like something Burt Bacharach would have wrote along with Deodato (Burt being a songwriter I admire highly), Afternoon of a Faun, Deodato's most involved work on this album, and September 13, which is just as funky as Zarahustra, as well has having a NFL Films music flavor to it (not that that's a bad thing) when the horns kick in. All in all, great songs, and a great album.

Eumir Deodato was a young and very talented brazilian pianist, frontlessly sail up onto classic sea. He had a breast and energy to arrange classic and romantic Strauss's, also one of the most known soundtrack theme, and this performing is certainly the best ever made. CD is short timing but with good running and ask more repeat. Jobbim's influence is marked, and applied very good, one-shot in fact. Musicians team is monstrous (Ron Carter, Stanley Clarck, Billy Cobham), brilliant each for himself and compatible together. The package is luxurious for a nice price, triple eco-cardboard, with text and pictures. This music brand every must love and simply enjoy within.

When I was in college, I was a huge fan of Eumir Deodato, a CTI Records star and an innovative pianist, guitarist and creative arranger/composer/conductor. I was simply impressed with his exceptional talent and versatility in creating marvelous music. I listened to a lot of his music, collected most of his LPs and especially loved his versions of "Rhapsody In Blue," "Moonlight Serenade," "Speak Low," "Adam's Hotel," "Love Island," "Tahiti Hut," "San Juan Sunset," "Take The A Train," "Do It Again" and some of the tracks in this CD particularly "Carly & Carole," "Baubles, Bangles And Beads" and one of Claude Debussy's masterpieces, "Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Faun."

Recently, I have upgraded those LPs into CDs and started listening to them again and found out to my amazement that I still enjoy his music as much as I've enjoyed listening to them for the first time many moons ago.

"Prelude" starts off with his first hit, "Also Sprach Zarathustra," a tune from the film "2001: Space Odyssey" and an adaptation from Richard Strauss' famous classical composition. It landed on Number Two spot in the Billboard Top 100 and won the 1973 Grammy award for the Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

My personal favorites include his own composition "Carly & Carole," a tribute to two famous singers, Carly Simon and Carole King, and "Baubles, Bangles And Beads," an upbeat tune from the Broadway show "Kismet."

With Mr. Deodato's stellar performances and the outstanding back-up of his talented musicians, Ron Carter, Hubert Laws, Stanley Clarke and Ray Barretto, among many others, this recording will never disappoint you. You'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Also, kindly check out some of his remarkable recordings: "Love Island," "Deodato 2" and "Preludes and Rhapsodies" for more great listens.

Very highly recommended for your listening pleasure.

I REMEMBER HEARING "ALSO " AS A TEENAGER AND THINKING HOW GREAT IT WAS, SO I WENT AND BOUGHT THE ALBUM. I PLAYED IT UNTIL THE VINYL TURNED WHITE, THEN WENT AND BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE. (DID YOU KNOW THE ORIGINAL TITLE OF THE ALBUM WAS "2001")