Chico Chagas – Bossa Jazz Copy

At last, and well worth the wait we have recordings of Chico Chagas available in the UK. Chico Chagas only lived in London a short time but he made an incredible impact in that short time. It’s a great shame that due to the UK Government’s policy on immigration Chico had to return to Brazil when his Visa expired.  In that time, he took classical accordion lessons from Romano Viazzani but was already an incredible jazz accordionist.  He managed to support himself very well by forming a band, employing musicians and playing Brazilian Forró music at the Guanabara club off Drury Lane where he delighted the samba-dancing revellers two or three times a week with various categories of Brazilian dance music.  He then made a mark on the British Jazz scene playing regularly with Jazz saxophone legend Dave O’Higgins and occasionally with Classical and Jazz pianist Simon Mulligan. It was his intention to go on to study classical accordion and jazz at the Royal Academy of music but it was not to be. The London accordion scene as well as the jazz scene misses him very much.

In this album Chico Chagas delves into that characteristic Brazilian rhythm, the Bossanova. Full of his wonderful compositions and amazing improvisations and capturing that unique Copacabana beach laid back atmosphere. Recorded on his Beltrami P26 special built to his specification and in colour (Goodwood Green). Put on your shades, turn off the TV and picture Sugar Loaf Mountain in the background whilst you try to feel the hot sand under your feet (a hot water bottle can help to visualise this!).

Tracks:

Pardon

Rio, Bossa Nossa

Romano’s Bossa

Ontem

O que o Nelson Faria no choro

Samba de nós dois

Teu Acalanto

Samba en Turim

Boa Noite Ipanema

Ponte Pio-Niterói

Somente Nós