Nando Lauria
Points Of View

Nando Lauria is a guitarist, as well as an excellent singer, born in Recife, Brazil in 1960. But Lauria is also one of the many "underrated" artists in the global music scene. Why? Because an album like "Points of View" deserves much wider recognition than it has actually received. But perhaps that’s why it is said that beauty is rare, but so rare as to sometimes be unknowable.

"Points of View" is an album from 1994, produced by the "Narada" label, but the most surprising element is that this is the artist's first work as a leader, yet it seems to be at least the fifth. It is indeed incredible how Lauria, in his first album, manages to depict himself meticulously, in a clear and distinct manner but above all in a decidedly professional way: the author’s direction is almost perfect yet does not lack original personality.

Nando Lauria's music is "Brazil jazz" (as the cover suggests), a type of music capable of narrating the reality and tradition of the "novo Brazil" experienced by the artist under a profile of immortal sentimentality, beauty, nostalgia, all elements that have always characterized Brazilian music. The album is therefore homogeneous, compact, sincere, determined and above all of quality; the entire record is dominated by Lauria’s evocative voice which travels creating a melodic path supported by well-crafted orchestrations and arrangements, a musical and compositional choice that the musician will adopt without ever appearing banal or monotonous.

Moving on to a brief track-by-track illustration: "Back Home", the first track, opens the CD precisely describing the author’s style and musical intention, it is a fairly energetic piece but with always very passionate melodic traits. Noteworthy is the supreme lyricism of Brad Hatfield in his synth solo which constitutes one of the highest moments of the entire work.

In the second track "After Dawn" keyboardist Lyle Mays (present on the album as a pianist) comes onto the scene alongside drummer Dan Gottlieb: the two had not collaborated since Gottlieb left the PMG (early 80s). The song opens with a remarkable vocal introduction by Lauria and the very romantic theme then leaves room for one of the finest studio solos of Mays’ career.

Next is "Take Two" with a sound more authentically Latin-American than the first two: hence a "local" drummer like Vanderelei Pereira and accordionist Cidinho Teixeira are indispensable, who characterizes the piece by providing us also with a high-class intervention.

The fourth track, "If I Fell", is the only cover on the record (the others are all compositions by Lauria), it is signed by Lennon/McCartney, both members of the Beatles and an inexhaustible source of contaminated musical ideas. Lauria’s voice is supported by Cafè da Silva’s percussion, reprising the theme in a sustained samba rhythm, however, there are also extraordinary moments of contemplation motivated by the evocative fusion of arpeggios between Lauria’s guitar and Mays’ piano.

Then "The Cry And The Smile" travels on a rhythm typical of northeastern Brazil (descendant of "maracatu"), with excellent interplay between Matt Garrison’s bass and Pereira’s precision drumming, irregular rhythmic parts follow one another highlighting even more the musicians' experience. Lauria’s voice is often "followed" and sometimes doubled in the melody, but the whole still evokes an absolute expressive freedom. A piece of great class.

"Saudade(Longing)" means nostalgia, an almost "sacred" feeling to Brazilians with the harmonic structure of the song fully evoking the sublime mood of the South American land. The song is smooth, with good brushwork by Gottlieb. This is also the only song composed by Lauria with lyrics, in the other compositions he indeed applies singing techniques that can broadly be defined as "choral" (the same singing style as the multi-instrumentalist Pedro Aznar within the PMG, so to speak).

"Que Xote(What a Rhythm)" once again retains the typical rhythms of Brazil. The intro of the Ovation acoustic guitar gives life to a tempo that, were it not for the flute solo 3/4 into the piece, would be far too self-serving. Perhaps it lacks imagination and pathos in the context of the entire work but certainly not technical quality.

"Northeast Tide" offers a special moment of dialogue between Nando Lauria’s guitars (Ovation and Hirade) and Vanderlei Pereira’s snare drum. Equally interesting is the background choir intervention made up of eight women including Lauria's wife (Carla).

"Episode: Prelude" constitutes an a cappella prelude, precisely, to the following track: its theme is stated through a vocal overdubbing technique allowing the musician to create a truly suggestive choral moment.

"Episode" realizes the instrumental reincarnation of the previous track. It is a very lyrical piece, carefully arranged and with great keyboard work. It is the last piece of the album but it connects to the atmospheres, the intentions, and the fullness of the first: it has little to do with Brazil, too much North American influence but at the same time with a universal soul and of pure beauty. It closes the album in the same way it opened. It is a return home after an intense musical and cultural adventure in search of never distant sounds.

In conclusion, "Points of View" is an album that with each listen gives a different emotion, it appears differently, always unpredictable, and this is the magic that only a jazz base of the work can bring out. Enjoy the listening.