The Brazil Connection

It's the brainchild of music producers Frank and Christian Berman. The brothers used original multi-track masters and an all-new, state-of-the-art separation technology to extract the classic vocal performances. Once in hand, they melded the newly isolated vocals with brand-new, authentically arranged backing tracks from an all-star cast of Brazilian musical pioneers from the bossa nova and samba genres, including Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Roberto Menescal and Brazilian musical legend, Marcos Valle.

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Marvin Gaye Remembered

by Gary G. Vercelli

 

Back in 1983 I was shooting a lot of pool, playing at least two hours a day. One Sunday in February, I drove over to a friend’s house to purchase a used cue. 

When I arrived, my friend, Cal, welcomed me into his living room. The television set was on in an adjacent room. The NBA all-star game was about to begin, but we were focused on discussing nine-ball. As we negotiated a price on the cue, I heard the national anthem sung in a way I never heard before. 

Both Cal and I were drawn into that adjacent room by Marvin Gaye’s gospel-tinged soulful rendition of a song he totally transformed. He illuminated the anthem, drawing all in attendance to clap along with the final bars. Both Cal and I felt we had just witnessed something magical. Gaye stylized the anthem in a sensual yet spiritual way. 

Years later, I read an article stating a drugged-fueled Gaye showed up only minutes before the live broadcast, handing a cassette tape with a drum machine rhythm track to the event’s producer. As they popped it in the deck it sounded a lot like “Sexual Healing,” until Gaye’s voice transformed it. While Gaye’s tardiness must have given all responsible for the broadcast ulcers, the final result was a moment we’ll all remember fondly. A year later, Marvin Gaye was shot dead by his own father, just shy of his 45th birthday, April 1st, 1984.