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Dom Um Romao
Dom Um Romao - percussion (1925 - 2005)
A legendary name in bossa nova, and one of the premier drummers who introduced Brazilian percussion and rhythms into jazz, Dom Um Romão began his career playing drums at balls and cabarets in Rio De Janeiro at the end of the 40s. He also worked at Rádio Tupi supporting singers and formed, in the '50s, the group Copa Trio, playing at Beco das Garrafas in Copacabana.
In 1958 Romão participated in the recording of the record "Canção do Amor Demais" by Elizeth Cardoso, with musics by Tom Jobim and guitar by João Gilberto - the album is considered a landmark in bossa nova. In the 1960s Dom Um Romao joined Sergio Mendes' jazz ensemble. His first album, Dom Um, came out in 1964. The next year he moved to the United States and continued to work with Sergio Mendes. He became more globally known in 1971, when he replaced Airto Moreira in the legendary fusion band Weather Report.
After signing with the Muse label, he released his first solo album in the United States in 1972, "Dom Um Romão.” This album was well received and placed him in the top percussionists of the era. He promptly followed up with “Spirit of the Times,” in ’73, and “Hotmosphere,” in ’76.
By the 1980s he had relocated to Switzerland, yet in the '90s, he spent more time back in Brazil with recordings and workshops. During this period he released “Samba Da Rua,” (’90) and “Saudades,” then in 1997 he offered the much heralded “Rhythm Traveler.” With the arrival of the new century, Romao went for a more eclectic and contemporary sound in “Lake of Perserverance.” (2001) This was a dramatic departure from his more Brazilian influenced outings. He was one of the pioneers, along with Airto, in introducing small percussion to a broader range of music.
Throughout his career, Dom Um Romão worked with such artists as Cannonball Adderley, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Helen Merrill, McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Astrud Gilberto, Walter Wanderley, Stanley Turrentine, Flora Purim, Luiz Henrique and Ithamara Koorax. Dom Um Romão, percussionist extraordinaire, died July 27, 2005 in Rio de Janeiro, at age 79.
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Ithamara Koorax: Brazilian Butterfly
by Chris M. Slawecki
Except for two ballads--the cosmopolitan Carinhoso with her Brazilian jazz fusion compatriots Azymuth, and Herbie Hancock's title track--Ithamara Koorax's ninth album is her most adventurous release. It seems constructed to honor legendary Brazilian vocalist Flora Purim and her husband/bandleader/percussionist Airto. This Brazilian Butterfly soars and flutters while multiple percussionists (often as many as four on the same song, most often led by the late and legendary Dom Um Romão, with Koorax frequently flailing away among them) knit together, pull apart, ...
read moreIthamara Koorax: Love Dance: The Ballad Album
by Chris M. Slawecki
Ithamara Koorax has released several albums in Brazil and Japan, but Love Dance is only the second US album for this star from Rio, the follow-up to her debut Serenade in Blue.
With her unmistakable voice, Koorax sings English, Portuguese, and Spanish love songs composed by such masters as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, Marcos Valle and Ivan Lins, plus songs by Claus Ogerman and Jurgen Friedrich (in German). Her voice manifests this diversity to its advantage: ...
read moreDom Um Romao: The Complete Muse Recordings
by Derrick A. Smith
32 Records maintain their unique level of quality, and responsiveness, with this single-disc reissue of percussionist/composer Dom Um Romao’s complete Muse recordings, two albums from 1973 that determined the locus of bossa -tinged jazz, the nuyorican Latin movement, the Brazilian “corner club” sound, and Brazilian roots music, namely batucada.
Gene Paul’s customary naturalistic remastering allows full expression of the electronic and acoustic layered textures. Both albums, particularly the eponymous debut, move like a dream. The scant vocals provoke humorously from ...
read moreDom Um Romao: The Complete Muse Recordings
by C. Andrew Hovan
According to producer Joel Dorn, customer requests have been staggering for the reissue of Brazilian percussionist Dom Um Romao’s two Muse titles which were both culled from sessions in June and November of 1973. Now available on one compact disc, The Complete Muse Recordings contains the sum total of the original albums Dom Um Romao and Spirit of the Times and as documents of a particularly fruitful period for Brazilian music they are invaluable. Way before the term world music" ...
read moreDom Um Romão: Rio, 1964
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Dom Um Romão is probably best known as the percussionist who replaced Airto Moreira in the fusion band Weather Report from 1972 to '74. If you read my post last week that featured video clips of singer Astrud Gilberto, you probably remember this one, featuring Dom Um Romão on drums. Dom Um Romão was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1925 and began playing in Rio ballrooms and cabarets in the 1940s. He was then hired by Rádio Tupi’s orchestra. ...
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