Fagner

FagnerRaimundo Fagner is a highly successful artist, with several gold albums. He recorded in the U.S., England, Spain, and France, with Fito Paez, Astor Pazzolla, Mercedes Sosa, and others. His songs were recorded by Roberto Carlos, Elis Regina, Nara Leo, Chico Buarque, Cazuza, and others. Involved with music since early childhood, at age five he won a radio contest. In 1968, he won the IV Festival de Msica Popular do Cear with "Nada Sou" (with Marcus Francisco). Together with Belchior, Rodger Rogrio, Ednardo, and Ricardo Bezerra, he formed the gang known as Pessoal do Cear. In the next year, he presented "Luzia do Algodo" (again with Francisco) in the Festival de Msica Popular da Rdio Assuno Cearense. The song was his first to be recorded through label Orgacine. Until 1970, he stayed in Fortaleza, CE, where he shared a weekly radio show with Pessoal do Cear. In 1971, Fagner moved to Braslia and enrolled at the architecture college at the Braslia University, abandoning the course at the end of the first year. However, the university promoted the Festival do Centro de Estudos Universitrios de Braslia, for which Fagner inscribed three songs: "Manera, fru-fru, Manera" (with Ricardo Bezerra, which won sixth place), "Cavalo Ferro" (Best Interpreter and Best Arrangement and the song was re-recorded by Elis Regina), and "Mucuripe" (allegedly with Belchior, winning the competition, although the song is another plagiarism and was in fact written 70 years before by Henrique Voegeler). After moving to Rio, he formed a duo with Cirino and recorded a single for RGE. In the next year, Srgio Ricardo instituted the Disco de Bolso series in the critic humor tabloid O Pasquim, and Fagner recorded "Mucuripe" on the second album released in that series. Elis Regina recorded the song in the same year, with huge national success, which had a decisive impact over Fagner's career. He then recorded another single for Philips, which had "Quatro Graus" (with Ded), a song which was also presented at the VII FIC. The next year, "Cavalo Ferro" was recorded by the Pessoal do Cear (Ednardo, Rodger Rogrio, Teti, and Cirino) on the album Meu Corpo, Minha Embalagem, Tudo Gasto na Viagem. Fagner recorded the first LP, Manera, fru-fru, Manera (the title was an irony directed against Caetano Veloso, yielding a mutual enmity which endures until today), which had Nan Vasconcelos, Ivan Lins (at the piano), Bruce Henry, and Nara Leo as guest artists. The album brought one of Fagner's biggest hits, "Canteiros," which consisted of his music for a poem by Ceclia Meirelles, who was not credited on that album. It generated intense polemics and after a long court battle, the album was put out of circulation by judicial decision. Fagner wrote the soundtrack (together with Chico Buarque) for Cac Diegues' film Joana, a Francesa. In Paris, France, he performed in a collective Brazilian show at the Olympia (attended by 2,000 people), and worked with Pierre Barroux and Nan Vasconcelos, abandoning the contract with Philips. He recorded a second LP, Ave Noturna, in 1975 (Continental), which had "Fracassos," re-recorded later by Cauby Peixoto. In 1976, he recorded Raimundo Fagner (CBS), mixing rock and romanticism. In 1977, Ors had the arrangements by Hermeto Pascoal, representing an advanced album with poor commercial repercussion. Even then, "Cebola Cortada" had national expression. With Quem Viver Chorar, he had a real selling breakthrough (150,000 copies), having the hits "Revelao," "As Rosas no Falam" (Cartola), "Motivo" (once more, a non-credited poem by Ceclia Meirelles), and "Jura Secreta." The album also had Alceu Valena as guest singer on "Punhal de Prata." At the invitation of CBS, he created the label Epic to specialize in new talents, launching through it Amelinha, Z Ramalho, Elba Ramalho, Robertinho de Recife, Petrucio Maia, Manasss, poet Patativa do Assar, violonista Nonato Luiz, and others. In 1979, he released the LP Beleza (200,000 copies sold), which had "Noturno," the theme of the major soap opera Corao Alado, which yielded a great national success. The show Beleza, in Belo Horizonte, gathered 60,000 people in an open park and the stage was invaded by fans and the show canceled. In the same year, he won TV Tupi's Festival 79 with "Quem me Levar sou Eu" (Dominguinhos/Manduka). In 1980, he recorded Raimundo Fagner, with poems by Patativa do Assar; "Eternas Ondas" was the biggest hit. Traduzir-se, in 1981, had Mercedes Sosa, Manzanita, Joan Manuel Serrat, and Cameron de La Isla as guest stars. The album was released simultaneously in Brazil and Spain. Fagner also had a hit with "Qualquer Msica." "Pensamento" was included on the major soap opera Final Feliz. Palavra de Amor (1983) is dedicated to the romantic repertory, with "Guerreiro Menino" (Gonzaguinha) and guest stars Chico Buarque and Roupa Nova. A Mesma Pessoa (1984) had beautiful music, but didn't sell. In the same year, he recorded with Lus Gonzaga an album for RCA Victor, which had both singing northeastern classics such as "Boiadeiro," "Splica Cearense," "O Chero de Carolina," "Xote das Meninas," and others. In 1985, he released Fagner with guest stars Chico Buarque ("Paroara"), Cazuza ("Contra-mo"), and Beth Carvalho ("Te Esperei"). In 1986, he released Fagner on RCA, with the hit "Dona da Minha Cabea," (Geraldo Azevedo/Fausto Nilo). The album had guest stars Gonzaguinha, maestro Isaac Karabtchevisky, and an orchestra. Romance no Deserto is really commercial, with "Deslizes" (Michael Sullivan/Paulo Massadas) scoring a big national hit. In 1987, Fagner worked as an actor in the series A Rainha da Vida, which had his "Rainha da Vida," "Preguia," and " Sombra de um Vulco" on the soundtrack. In the next year, he recorded another album with Luiz Gonzaga. In 1989, he released O Quinze with "Amor Escondido," "Retrovisor," "Cidade Nua," and "Orao de So Francisco." It had special guests Chico Buarque and Michael Sullivan. Pedras Que Cantam (1991) had northeastern songs, boleros, and sertaneja music. "Pedras que Cantam" was the theme of the prime time soap opera Pedra Sobre Pedra, and "Borbulhas de Amor" made national success. Guest stars included Roberta Miranda and Roupa Nova. Demais (1993) is dedicated to samba-cano, accompanied by Roberto Menescal, with whom he released a live recorded album in Japan. Caboclo Sonhador (1994) is a return to northeastern roots, with less commercial success. Retrato (1995) is another genuinely northeastern and artistic album with minor commercial results. In 1996, he released Bateu Saudade, which is in fact a compilation where only the title track was then unpublished. In that year, he also released Raimundo Fagner, and recorded Terral (1997), Amigos e Canes (1998), and Fagner ao Vivo (2000). ~ Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide

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