A PROCURA DA ESSÊNCIA (AO VIVO 1975-1976)

I don't get tired to listen the first 79 minutes CD as the blend of styles are greatly well- balanced, are original and the extended improvisations show real skill ness interchanged with catchy, beautiful and dreamy melodic arrangements. SOM NOSSO DE CADA DIA line up has highly professional and gifted musicians with an incredible background. The other CD is worth too, principally for the 4 first tracks. Massive and delicate prog beauty, and no fillers. As a non official recorded material the sonic quality is in neat bootleg level, anyway we must be glad for the simple existence of this rare "Amazonia" tracks recordings, that otherwise would be lost forever.

Som Nosso is probably the most charismatic and gifted band in 70's Brazilian prog scene. Although during the 70's in Brazil, any rock act was marginalized as 2nd class music; "the thing" at the time was Brazilian popular music (MPB). Really MPB is quite original and EGBERTO GISMONTI did in the vein of progressive philosophy a blend of MPB and orchestral music during his 70's discography that is wonderful.

So Som Nosso did not get the deserved recognition for taking foreign influences. In the 70's Brazilian TV program "Rock Concert" I saw Som Nosso performing (where are these master tapes?), it was an unforgettable experience. I was about 16 y. o., the year was around 1977 I can still remember a bit.

Only in 2004 thanks to Rock Symphony label we could discover the unrevealed Som Nosso work. As CD liner notes : "for the very first time live recordings from Som Nosso at their most prog era during their 70's heyday carefully selected by the musicians theirselves amongst the best sounding tapes available; the material also includes live readings of unreleased tracks from Amazonia suite of 1975" that was rejected by record companies.

Dieter Fisher is right when he wrote to P.A. biography that "at times Som Nosso style can be referred to Italian bands ala PFM and Banco" ( in my vision MPB richness and latin emotional expression are also reference). He continues: "their music showed as well a strong American jazz-rock revealing some hints to English space rock" ( Yes, Camel, ELP and Mahavishinu can be some reference and also some ala soul style powerful vocals). A pity that the wonderful track "Rara Confluência" has the weakest sound recording. Overall originality compensates sound fails. I don' give 5 stars only because of some recording fails.