Born in 1949 in Recife (Brazil), Roberto De Melo Santos, despite a very light discography, is among the true icons of the Brazilian Soul music under his artist alias, Di Melo. He’s indeed only needed an eponymous album, released in 1975 on Odeon, to assert himself as a star in his native country, but also as a legend for all collectors and connoisseurs of the world. More than 40 years after its release, this famous album sells for several hundred euros in its original version, and even for the few reissues that were offered. Not very active since then, Di Melo, however, returned in 2016 with the album O Imorrível, released on the Brazilian label Casona Produções.
For over 15 years, the French combo Cotonete has built an unfailing reputation with incandescent lives between bars, venues and festivals around the world. Jazz-Funk with unstoppable groove, furious horn section, all carried by a Brazilian heat, the recipe has never left anyone unscathed. Quite reluctant until now to open the doors of recording studios, the 8 partners have finally triggered since 2016 under the impulse of French labels Heartbeat and Heavenly Sweetness, with a series of singles acclaimed all over, then this year a first album, Super Vilains, also congratulated by many.
When in 2017, life brings all this passionate musicians and artists together, it’s a new story that started, that Florian Pellissier, founding member and keyboard within Cotonete tells us quickly about: “On tour in Brazil with Cotonete, we had a few days off in Sao Paulo and I really hoped to make a collaboration with an important artist or band from the Brazilian funk scene. We had thought of Marcos Valle, Meta Meta or Ed Motta… but Rafaela Prestes our Brazilian “sound Engineer/genious” told me she’d worked with Di Melo for his recent comeback and gave me his number. No sooner said than done, as I’m a huge fan of Di Melo. The next day he arrived at our house with Jo, his wife, and Gabi, his daughter. He takes the guitar in front of us and gives us a private show of 3 hours… we cried the tears of joy. He had 400 original songs never recorded, a gold mine. On the same night, we started working the arrangements for 2 days, followed by a rehearsal and two small gigs in Sao Paulo. Immediately after, we recorded in the magical Epsilon B studio. This album is the summary of this moment, of these 5 days of madness spent together between “the best band in the world” and the legend Roberto Di Melo… Simple, beautiful, Brazilian-French, human music…”
Today, this beautiful story endind is titled Atemporal, finding its final version in collaboration with Favorite Recordings and proudly presented as what we believe will become the genuine long-awaited follow-up to the classic Di Melo’s LP.
COTONETE & DI MELO – ATEMPORAL
(Favorite Recordings / Tip-On Gatefold 2LP, CD & Digital / FVR148LP & CD / Available on May 27th 2019)
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