José Prates – Tam… Tam… Tam…! – LP

This little LP began in 1958. It was part of a global touring show called “Brasiliana” put together by Polish producer Miecio Askanasy. A couple of LPs were made by the cast members, and this is one of them. It is a rare beast. So rare that even Gilles Peterson, a super fan off rare Brazilian music has not got one. So he put out a plea in Record Collector magazine for someone to issue it. It was a fascinating page of information, stating that this LP was a cornerstone of contemporary Brazilian sound, the roots of it all, and was essential listening. The music was written by a man called José Prates, a man who few people knew about, but whose influences should be studied. I read this and immediately got in contact with Ed Motta, a musician and collector in Brazil; he has a copy and I had met him before and talked about records a lot. He sent me a recording of the album (taken using his EMT deck) and we set about getting it ready for issue.

THE MUSIC:
The reason Gilles Peterson wanted this album reissued is because it is so extraordinary. Musically it works on a number of levels – firstly as already mentioned, the solid blueprint of 1960s Brazilian music runs throughout it. For example, if you listen to Track Three Side One “Nana Imborô” you will hear “Mas-Que-Nada”. Secondly, the infectious rhythms, melodies and exotic sounds that emanate from this album are deep, raw and totally engaging. And the more you listen to Tam…Tam…Tam…! the more you hear its importance and future influence. This rare reissue comes at a crucial time, when in our connected and information saturated world few important things have escaped attention and reappraisal. Finding anything new and genuinely incredible is a rare feat. This is a prime example of amazing, influential music that until now has remained hidden. Not any more.