Eumir Deodato
Encyclopedia
Eumir Deodato is a Brazil
ian pianist
, composer
, record producer
and arranger
, primarily based in the jazz
realm but who historically has been known for eclectic melding of big band and combo jazz with varied elements of rock/pop
, R&B/funk
, Brazilian/Latin, and symphonic or orchestral music.
Mainly, his records can be categorized as pop
/jazz
or crossover
jazz. His successes as an original artist (keyboards) occurred mainly in the 1970s. Since then, he has produced or arranged music in more than 500 albums for acts ranging from Kool and the Gang to Björk
, Christophe
and k.d. lang
. His daughter, Kennya Deodato, is married to American
actor
Stephen Baldwin
.
and Portuguese
parents. He is a musical autodidact, starting with the accordion
at age 12 but rapidly learning instrumental and orchestral skills that culminated in his first recording session at age 17. Originally working as pianist and arranger in the Rio bossa nova
scene, he rapidly outgrew this and, along with many other Brazilian musicians during the military dictatorship in their country, moved to New York
, working with composer Luiz Bonfá
and later with producer Creed Taylor
as an arranger. Additionally, he became keyboardist in Taylor's expanding group of backing artists.
, Prelude
, released in 1972, was of a big band
Latin jazz
style that immediately attracted a wide audience. The album was produced by Creed Taylor on his CTI (Creed Taylor Inc.) label. The nine-minute funky version of Richard Strauss
' Also Sprach Zarathustra, entitled "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)
", won the 1974 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance
. It went to No. 2 in the pop charts in the US, No. 3 in Canada, and No. 7 in the UK and was CTI's biggest single. The album climbed to #3 in the Billboard chart, the label's best-selling album and an amazing sales achievement for a jazz-based release. It was subsequently used to great effect in the 1979 film Being There
, starring Peter Sellers
and Shirley Maclaine
. It has also been covered extensively by the rock band Phish
in their live performances and included in several of their live releases.
His second album, Deodato 2
, despite being of the same style and quality, failed to sell as well, but climbed to number 19 in the Billboard album chart, whilst the single, "Rhapsody In Blue" reached #41 on the Hot 100 in 1973.
His early career records used guitarist John Tropea
and quintessential jazz fusion
flautist Hubert Laws
.
Deodato continued recording until the late 1980s on the Warner Bros label, but never reached the level of his early successes, although two singles, "S.O.S., Fire In The Sky
" and "Are You For Real
", were Top 20 Billboard Dance hits in 1985.
, compatriot chanteuse Astrud Gilberto
, and most notably Frank Sinatra
, the results of which were released as the bossa nova side of Sinatra's 1971 LP, Sinatra & Company
. Other collaborations have included production duties for Kool and the Gang in the early 1980s, the first solo album by Kevin Rowland
of Dexys Midnight Runners
in 1988 and orchestrations for Björk on her 1997 album Homogenic
. Deodato had previously worked on Björk's song "Isobel", making a mix which was later released on her album Telegram
, produced by Björk, Nellee Hooper
, Tricky
, Howie B. and Deodato himself.
In 2007 Deodato co-produced the single called "Paris, Tokyo
" which is on the album Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
.
He has also written scores for a number of films.
He also recorded a live album in Rio in 2007 called Eumir Deodato Trio – ao vivo no Rio (Eumir Deodato Trio, Live in Rio).
In 2010, Deodato relesed the CD, The crossing, produced by him in cooperation with Novecento Band, with guest Al Jarreau. In the same year Deodato was cooperating and playing with Riccardo Dalli Cardillo for a new CD released by Marita Pauli singer.
CTI Albums
MCA Albums
Warner Bros./Atlantic albums
Recent Albums
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, primarily based in the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
realm but who historically has been known for eclectic melding of big band and combo jazz with varied elements of rock/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, R&B/funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, Brazilian/Latin, and symphonic or orchestral music.
Mainly, his records can be categorized as pop
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
/jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
or crossover
Crossover (music)
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
jazz. His successes as an original artist (keyboards) occurred mainly in the 1970s. Since then, he has produced or arranged music in more than 500 albums for acts ranging from Kool and the Gang to Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, Christophe
Christophe
- As mononym/pseudonym :* Christophe , French comic strip artist and botanist* Christophe , French singer* Christophe , Belgian hairstylist- As first name :* Christophe Barratier, French filmmaker...
and k.d. lang
K.D. Lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
. His daughter, Kennya Deodato, is married to American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Stephen Baldwin
Stephen Baldwin
Stephen Andrew Baldwin is an American actor, director, producer and author. One of the Baldwin brothers, he is known for his roles as William F. Cody in the western show The Young Riders and as Stuart in the movie Threesome...
.
Brazil
Deodato was born of ItalianItalian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
and Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
parents. He is a musical autodidact, starting with the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
at age 12 but rapidly learning instrumental and orchestral skills that culminated in his first recording session at age 17. Originally working as pianist and arranger in the Rio bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
scene, he rapidly outgrew this and, along with many other Brazilian musicians during the military dictatorship in their country, moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, working with composer Luiz Bonfá
Luiz Bonfá
Luiz Floriano Bonfá was a Brazilian guitarist and composer best known for the compositions he penned for the film Black Orpheus.-Biography:...
and later with producer Creed Taylor
Creed Taylor
Creed Taylor is an American record producer, best known for his work with CTI Records, which he founded in 1968. Taylor’s career also included work at Bethlehem Records, ABC-Paramount, Verve, and A&M Records...
as an arranger. Additionally, he became keyboardist in Taylor's expanding group of backing artists.
Recording career
His first album in the U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Prelude
Prelude (Deodato album)
Prelude is a 1972 album of Brazilian keyboardist Eumir Deodato. It features guitarist John Tropea on three tracks, bassists Ron Carter and Stanley Clarke, and Billy Cobham on drums...
, released in 1972, was of a big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
Latin jazz
Latin jazz
Latin jazz is the general term given to jazz with Latin American rhythms.The three main categories of Latin Jazz are Brazilian, Cuban and Puerto Rican:# Brazilian Latin Jazz includes bossa nova...
style that immediately attracted a wide audience. The album was produced by Creed Taylor on his CTI (Creed Taylor Inc.) label. The nine-minute funky version of Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
' Also Sprach Zarathustra, entitled "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)
Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)
"Also Sprach Zarathustra " is a song by Brazilian musician Eumir Deodato, from his 1972 album Prelude. It is a jazz-influenced rendition of the introduction from the Richard Strauss composition Also sprach Zarathustra, most famous for its use in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey .Released as the...
", won the 1974 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance
Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance was awarded between 1969 and 2011.*In 1969 it was awarded as Best Contemporary-Pop Performance, Instrumental*From 1970 to 1971 it was awarded as Best Contemporary Instrumental Performance...
. It went to No. 2 in the pop charts in the US, No. 3 in Canada, and No. 7 in the UK and was CTI's biggest single. The album climbed to #3 in the Billboard chart, the label's best-selling album and an amazing sales achievement for a jazz-based release. It was subsequently used to great effect in the 1979 film Being There
Being There
Being There is a 1979 American comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby. Adapted from the 1971 novella written by Jerzy Kosinski, the screenplay was coauthored by Kosinski and Robert C. Jones. The film stars Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn Douglas, Jack Warden, Richard A...
, starring Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
and Shirley Maclaine
Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine is an American film and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation. She has written a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her spiritual beliefs as well as her Hollywood career...
. It has also been covered extensively by the rock band Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
in their live performances and included in several of their live releases.
His second album, Deodato 2
Deodato 2
Deodato 2 is a 1973 album of Brazilian keyboardist Eumir Deodato It features noted session guitarist John Tropea on 4 tracks and virtuoso bassist Stanley Clarke on one song, "Skyscrapers". His version of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" was used in Pontiac commercials during the early 70's...
, despite being of the same style and quality, failed to sell as well, but climbed to number 19 in the Billboard album chart, whilst the single, "Rhapsody In Blue" reached #41 on the Hot 100 in 1973.
His early career records used guitarist John Tropea
John Tropea
John Tropea is a guitarist with extensive experience in the rock, pop, and jazz genres. Tropea has written for and played with major recording artists from around the world...
and quintessential jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
flautist Hubert Laws
Hubert Laws
Hubert Laws is an American flutist and saxophonist with a 40+ year career in jazz, classical, and other music genres. Alongside Herbie Mann, Laws is probably the most recognized and respected jazz flutist...
.
Deodato continued recording until the late 1980s on the Warner Bros label, but never reached the level of his early successes, although two singles, "S.O.S., Fire In The Sky
S.O.S., Fire In The Sky
"S.O.S., Fire In The Sky" is a hit song recorded by the Grammy Award-winning artist and producer Deodato for his 1984 album Motion and released by Warner Bros Records. The song, which featured vocals by Camille and was written by Rick Suchow and Alan Palanker, reached the Billboard Top 20 Dance...
" and "Are You For Real
Are You For Real
"Are You For Real" is a hit song recorded by the Grammy Award-winning artist and producer Deodato for his 1984 album Motion and released by Warner Bros Records. The song, which featured vocals by Camille and was written by Rick Suchow, reached the Billboard Top 20 Dance Chart and stayed on for 12...
", were Top 20 Billboard Dance hits in 1985.
Producer and arranger
Deodato has been in demand as a producer and arranger since the 1960s. In all, he has worked on more than 500 albums, fifteen of which have reached platinum. His skills as an arranger provided entree to the American recording industry, writing charts for Wes MontgomeryWes Montgomery
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
, compatriot chanteuse Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto is a Brazilian samba and bossa nova singer. She is well known for the Grammy Award-winning song "The Girl from Ipanema".-Biography:...
, and most notably Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, the results of which were released as the bossa nova side of Sinatra's 1971 LP, Sinatra & Company
Sinatra & Company
Sinatra & Company is an album by American singer Frank Sinatra released in 1971.The first side of this album is in the bossa nova style, and the second side is influenced by soft rock, featuring a couple of standards from John Denver....
. Other collaborations have included production duties for Kool and the Gang in the early 1980s, the first solo album by Kevin Rowland
Kevin Rowland
Kevin Rowland is an English singer-songwriter and former frontman for the pop band Dexys Midnight Runners, which had several hits in the early 1980s, the most notable being "Geno" and "Come On Eileen".-Career:...
of Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which went No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart....
in 1988 and orchestrations for Björk on her 1997 album Homogenic
Homogenic
Homogenic is the fourth studio album by Icelandic musician Björk, released in September 1997. Produced by Björk, Mark Bell, Guy Sigsworth, Howie B and Markus Dravs, it was released on One Little Indian Records...
. Deodato had previously worked on Björk's song "Isobel", making a mix which was later released on her album Telegram
Telegram (album)
Telegram is the first full-length remix album by Icelandic singer-songwriter/musician Björk. The album is a collection of remixes of several tracks from her album Post, which had all previously appeared as B-sides of the UK versions of the singles off Post, including the non-album track, "My...
, produced by Björk, Nellee Hooper
Nellee Hooper
Nellee Hooper is a British producer/remixer/composer best known for his work with Björk, No Doubt/Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Sinéad O'Connor, Garbage, Andrea Corr, U2, Sneaker Pimps, Soul II Soul and Massive Attack...
, Tricky
Tricky
Tricky is an English musician and actor. As a producer and a musician, he is noted for a dark, rich and layered sound and a whispering sprechgesang lyrical style. Culturally, Tricky encourages an intertwining of societies, particularly in his musical fusion of rock and hip hop, high art and pop...
, Howie B. and Deodato himself.
In 2007 Deodato co-produced the single called "Paris, Tokyo
Paris, Tokyo
"Paris, Tokyo" is a Grammy-nominated second single from Lupe Fiasco's second studio album Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. It was first presented at the 2007 Lollapalooza in Chicago.The single was officially serviced to radio stations as of April 3rd, 2008 according to Lupe Fiasco's MySpace blog. The...
" which is on the album Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, commonly referred to as simply The Cool, is the second studio album by Chicago hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco, released on December 18, 2007 in the United States. The Cool is a loose concept album, based on a song and its titular character from his debut album Food & Liquor...
.
He has also written scores for a number of films.
He also recorded a live album in Rio in 2007 called Eumir Deodato Trio – ao vivo no Rio (Eumir Deodato Trio, Live in Rio).
In 2010, Deodato relesed the CD, The crossing, produced by him in cooperation with Novecento Band, with guest Al Jarreau. In the same year Deodato was cooperating and playing with Riccardo Dalli Cardillo for a new CD released by Marita Pauli singer.
Albums
- 1964: Inútil Paisagem
- 1972: Percepção
- 1973: Deodato/Donato With João DonatoJoão DonatoJoão Donato de Oliveira Neto is a Brazilian jazz and bossa nova pianist from Brazil, probably best known for his numerous albums as bandleader in the idiom...
CTI Albums
- 1972: PreludePrelude (Deodato album)Prelude is a 1972 album of Brazilian keyboardist Eumir Deodato. It features guitarist John Tropea on three tracks, bassists Ron Carter and Stanley Clarke, and Billy Cobham on drums...
- 1973: Deodato 2Deodato 2Deodato 2 is a 1973 album of Brazilian keyboardist Eumir Deodato It features noted session guitarist John Tropea on 4 tracks and virtuoso bassist Stanley Clarke on one song, "Skyscrapers". His version of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" was used in Pontiac commercials during the early 70's...
- 1973: Skyscrapers
- 1974: Deodato/Airto in Concert
- 1977: 20012001 (Deodato album)- Personnel :* keyboards – Eumir Deodato* guitar – John Tropea , Jay Berliner * bass – Ron Carter, Stanley Clarke * drums – Billy Cobham* percussion – Arito, Ray Barretto...
(Renamed reissue of Prelude)
MCA Albums
- 1974: Whirlwinds
- 1974: Artistry
- 1975: First Cuckoo
- 1976: Very Together
Warner Bros./Atlantic albums
- 1978: Love Island
- 1979: Knights of Fantasy
- 1980: Night Cruiser
- 1982: Happy Hour
- 1984: Motion
- 1989: Somewhere Out There
Recent Albums
- 1999: Rio Strut
- 2000: Bossa Nova Soundtrack
- 2001: Live at the Felt Forum
- 2002: Summer Samba
- 2007: Eumir Deodato Trio – ao vivo no Rio Eumir Deodato Trio, Live in Rio:
- 2010: The Crossing
Singles
- "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)"Also Sprach Zarathustra " is a song by Brazilian musician Eumir Deodato, from his 1972 album Prelude. It is a jazz-influenced rendition of the introduction from the Richard Strauss composition Also sprach Zarathustra, most famous for its use in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey .Released as the...
" / "Spirit of Summer" - US Number 2, UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
Number 7 - "Rhapsody In Blue" / "Super Strut"
- "Do It Again" (live) / "Branches" (live) (B-SideA-side and B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
is by Airto) - "Moonlight Serenade" / "Havana Strut"
- "Theme from Peter Gunn" / "Amani"
- "Watusi Strut" / "Watusi Strut" (disco version)
- "Uncle Funk" / "Whistle Stop"
- "S.O.S. Fire in the Sky" / "East Side Strut" (1984)
- "Double Face (feat. Al Jarreau)"