Marcos Ariel - Cenas Brasileiras (Brazil, 1985)

LADO A 1. Maria Favela - 0:00 2. Ponteio Feira de São Cristóvão - 4:54 3. Tarde Em Bangu (Choro dedicado a Hermeto Pascoal) - 13:18 LADO B 1. Chopp Escuro - 16:07 2. Manaus - 20:27 3. Baía de Guanabara - 28:06 Marcos Ariel - Piano eléctrico, Sintetizadores João Batista - Baixo Elcio Cáfaro - Bateria _________ (fusion, latin jazz, brazilian jazz) _________ [previous albums by Marcos Ariel ] Bambu (1981)    • Marcos Ariel - Bambu (Brazil, 1981)   O Malabarista (1983)    • Marcos Ariel & Grupo Usina - O Malabarista...   _____________ Following the release of Marcos Ariel’s solo album from 1983, and then a great jazz fusion album with the great, previously mentioned “Grupo Usina,” called “O Malabarista,” also in 1983, Marcos Ariel would then release his fourth record titled “Cenas Brasileiras.” This album was released in 1985 and is an extremely obscure album of Ariel’s, having no physical reissues ever since it’s release, with the only “reissue” being a digital remaster from Far Out Recordings in 2011, but is a fantastic continuation of the great jazz fusion sound from his first great album. This album not only features Ariel indulging with his heavy samba influences from his first album on “Bambu,” but also features a mix of beautiful “country” styled compositions as well, with one of the songs even being dedicated to Hermeto Pascoal, as the album bounces between choro’s, samba’s, forró’s, and of course, heavy jazz and fusion influences. Marcios Ariel, accompanied by João Baptista on bass, and Elcio Cáfaro on drums, also decides to utilize a full set of electronics, with the sparkly fender-rhodes piano, and a very classic 80s synthesizer, which definitely dates the music, and some sections might also sound stereotypical of the 80s decade, but in my opinion, Cenas Brasilerias is one of Marcos Ariel’s best albums, with amazing and catchy rhythms, improvisations, and every song seamlessly blending together, never failing to fade away from this very fun and heavy fusion sound and vibe, and is easily an underrated gem.