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| Clube da Esquina (album) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Clube da Esquina |
| Type | studio |
| Artist | Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges |
| Released | 1972 |
| Recorded | 1971–1972 |
| Studio | MGM Studios (Rio de Janeiro), Odeon Studios (São Paulo) |
| Genre | MPB, bossa nova, progressive rock, folk |
| Length | 42:00 |
| Label | EMI-Odeon |
| Producer | Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges |
Clube da Esquina (album) Clube da Esquina (album) is a 1972 studio album credited to Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges, drawn from the broader Clube da Esquina artistic collective associated with Minas Gerais. The record fused influences from Tom Jobim, Antônio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Baden Powell and international acts such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Miles Davis, generating an enduring landmark in Brazilian popular music and world music.
The album emerged from the Clube da Esquina movement centered in Belo Horizonte, where musicians, poets and visual artists gathered alongside figures like Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges, Márcio Borges, Beto Guedes, Toninho Horta, Flávio Venturini, Fernando Brant and Nelson Ângelo. Influences included regional traditions from Minas Gerais, historical currents tied to Bossa nova, and contemporaneous developments in Tropicália associated with Os Mutantes, Gal Costa and Jorge Ben Jor. Recording sessions took place in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo at studios used by Roberto Carlos and Elis Regina, with arrangements invoking chamber textures, horn charts and electric instrumentation influenced by Progressive rock and Jazz fusion. Collaborators included session musicians familiar with Cláudio Coutinho-era orchestration and arrangers connected to Eumir Deodato and Waldir Azevedo traditions.
Compositions on the album interweave melodic sensibilities from Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges with lyrics by Márcio Borges and Fernando Brant, producing songs that balance pastoral imagery of Minas Gerais with urban modernism akin to Caetano Veloso and Chico Buarque. Harmonic language references Antonio Carlos Jobim standards while integrating modal improvisation associated with Miles Davis and rhythmic grooves reminiscent of Jorge Ben Jor and Elis Regina's samba interpretations. The record features acoustic guitar passages in the lineage of João Gilberto and electric textures that recall Pink Floyd and Yes; horn voicings evoke Oliver Nelson-style arranging and string lines nod toward George Martin’s studio craft. Vocal interplay alternates solo leads and close harmonies, reflecting collective authorship similar to ensembles around Caetano Veloso’s Tropicália era and the collaborative songwriting of Gilberto Gil.
Released by EMI-Odeon in 1972, the album’s rollout occurred amid Brazil’s cultural scene shaped by censorship under the military regime, with promotional performances staged in venues in Belo Horizonte, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Radio support came from stations that had previously featured Roberto Carlos and Elis Regina, while press coverage appeared in publications influenced by critics aligned to the readership of O Globo and Jornal do Brasil. Tours and festival appearances linked the album to broader movements exemplified by the Festival Internacional da Canção circuit and contemporary concerts where artists like Milton Nascimento shared bills with Nara Leão and Maria Bethânia.
Critics drew parallels between the album and breakthrough works by Tom Jobim and Caetano Veloso, praising its synthesis of regional lyricism and global modernism. Over time it was cited by international commentators alongside albums by João Gilberto, Elis Regina, Chico Buarque and Gilberto Gil as a defining statement of MPB. Musicians from subsequent generations such as Marisa Monte, Marisa Monte-era collaborators, Seu Jorge, Adriana Calcanhotto and Lenine have acknowledged its influence; scholars have situated it within Brazilian cultural resistance during the military dictatorship in Brazil. Retrospective lists by Brazilian and international outlets often rank it with works like Getz/Gilberto and Clube da Esquina collective releases as essential listening, and features in reissues and remasterings have connected it to renewed interest from audiences familiar with World music anthologies and compilations curated by labels associated with Nonesuch Records and Smithsonian Folkways.
1. "Tudo o que você podia ser" (Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges) 2. "Paisagem da Janela (País do Futuro)" (Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges) 3. "Paisagem da Janela" (Milton Nascimento) 4. "Cravo e Canela" (Milton Nascimento, Márcio Borges) 5. "Cais" (Milton Nascimento, Ronaldo Bastos) 6. "Trem Azul" (Lô Borges, Márcio Borges) 7. "Clarão" (Lô Borges, Márcio Borges) 8. "Um Girassol da Cor do Seu Cabelo" (Lô Borges, Márcio Borges) 9. "Diálogo" (Milton Nascimento) 10. "Céu de Santo Amaro" (Milton Nascimento, Fernando Brant) (Track order and credits as represented on the original 1972 release; variations exist in reissues.)
- Milton Nascimento – vocals, guitar - Lô Borges – vocals, guitar - Toninho Horta – guitar - Beto Guedes – guitar, backing vocals - Fernando Brant – lyrical collaborator - Márcio Borges – lyrics, backing vocals - Nivaldo Ornelas – saxophone, flute - Wagner Tiso – piano, arrangements - Tavinho Moura – backing vocals - Hugo Fattoruso – keyboards (guest) - Henrique Cazes – bass - Paulo Braga – drums - Arrangements and production credited to Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges with contributions from Wagner Tiso and Toninho Horta; session musicians drawn from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro studios.
Commercially the album achieved significant regional success in Brazil, with strong sales in Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. While not charting on contemporary international listings like Billboard 200 at the time of release, it has since appeared on retrospective sales and streaming charts connected to reissues and compilations tracked by platforms influenced by Spotify, Apple Music and niche world-music distributors. Its long-term cultural value has translated into enduring catalog sales and placements on curated lists by institutions such as national music museums and archives.
Category:1972 albums Category:Milton Nascimento albums Category:Lô Borges albums Category:Música Popular Brasileira albums