Orquestra Imperial
Encyclopedia
Orquestra Imperial is a Brazil
ian Big Band formed in 2002 with the objective of recreating the typical Gafieira Samba sound. The group brought together notable names from the new Carioca
pop scene such as Rodrigo Amarante
(from the group Los Hermanos
), Moreno Veloso
, Domenico
and Kassin
(from the +2 project), Nina Becker, Thalma de Freitas, Max Sette and Rubinho Jacobina with experienced musicians like Nelson Jacobina (the composer of the Imperio Serrana) and the samba percussionist and singer Wilson das Neves
. Other musicians who have contributed to the Orquestra include Berna Ceppas, Rodrigo Bartolo (who plays with Arnaldo Antunes
and Duplexx), Pedro Sa (Caetano Veloso
’s guitarist), Bidu Cordeiro (who accompanied the Paralamas do Sucesso
and Reggae B) and DJ Marlboro
who has gained the title of official Orquestra Imperial DJ.
and was started by Berna Ceppas, Kassin
and Seu Jorge
. With time, new members such as Nina Becker joined the Orquestra after first performing live with them. The bands repertoire consisted of classic samba tunes and unusual covers such as Vem Fazer Glu-glu originally sung by the presenter Sergio Mallandro
, and Owner of a Lonely Heart
by English progressive rock group Yes
. They also played unknown compositions like Artista é o Caralho by Rubinho Jacobina and Gomalina, by Max Sete. They occasionally invited guests on stage and these have included Ed Motta
, Marcelo Camelo
, Fernanda Abreu
, Andreas Kisser
, Elza Soares
amongst others. One of the causes of Orquestra Imperial’s success was the presence of Rodrigo Amarante
, guitarist and vocalist of the rock band Los Hermanos
, who introduced fans of his band to the Orquesta and helped to popularise the Orquestra on the alternative scene.
. In 2006, they became known in the international scene, appearing in Portugal at the Festival do Sudoeste
, and their first US tour playing venues such as Montclair State University
, in New Jersey and Chicago’s Millennium Park
. In February 2006 they also participated alongside Caetano Veloso
and other Brazilian acts at the Tropicalismo
festival to celebrate the Tropicalia movement in 1960s Brazil.
. Orquestra Imperial have since played many shows in Brazil and were featured on the BBC Four
documentary Brasil Brasil which aired in November 2007 and charted the history of Brazilian music.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Big Band formed in 2002 with the objective of recreating the typical Gafieira Samba sound. The group brought together notable names from the new Carioca
Carioca
Carioca is a Portuguese adjective or demonym that is used to refer to the native inhabitants of the city of Rio de Janeiro - capital of the homonym state , in Brazil...
pop scene such as Rodrigo Amarante
Rodrigo Amarante
Rodrigo Amarante de Castro Neves , in is a guitarist, occasional bassist, singer and songwriter for the bands Los Hermanos, Orquestra Imperial and Little Joy....
(from the group Los Hermanos
Los Hermanos
Los Hermanos is a rock band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The group was formed in 1997 by Marcelo Camelo , Rodrigo Amarante , Rodrigo Barba , and Bruno Medina...
), Moreno Veloso
Moreno Veloso
Moreno Veloso is a Brazilian musician and singer. He is one of the sons of the Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso and his first wife Andréa Gadelha Veloso. Brazilian singer Gal Costa is Moreno Veloso's godmother.Veloso studied physics at a university but turned instead to music and singing...
, Domenico
Domenico
Domenico is the name of a brand of hand-made cigars produced by the Domenico Cigar and Tobacco Growers’ Cooperative in Potamia, Greece.-Background:The company was founded in at the initiative of Yiannis Tsoutsos, the mayor of Potamia...
and Kassin
Kassin + 2
The +2’s is a Brazilian band from Rio that composes samba but, at the same time, incorporates the sounds of funk and Psychedelia into their music. The music group consists of Moreno Veloso, Domenico Lancelotti, and Alexandre Kassin...
(from the +2 project), Nina Becker, Thalma de Freitas, Max Sette and Rubinho Jacobina with experienced musicians like Nelson Jacobina (the composer of the Imperio Serrana) and the samba percussionist and singer Wilson das Neves
Wilson das Neves
Wilson das Neves is a Brazilian Percussionist. He is a key figure in the history of Brazilian music having played with many of Brazil's greatest musicians across many decades and featured on numerous important recordings....
. Other musicians who have contributed to the Orquestra include Berna Ceppas, Rodrigo Bartolo (who plays with Arnaldo Antunes
Arnaldo Antunes
Arnaldo Antunes , is a writer and composer from Brazil. He began as a member of the band Aguilar e Banda Performática in the late 1970s. For most of the 1980s he was a member of the rock band Titãs. After 1992 he had six solo albums. Since 1992 he has been an award winning poet, but he was first...
and Duplexx), Pedro Sa (Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso , better known as Caetano Veloso, is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicalismo which encompassed theatre, poetry and music in the 1960s,...
’s guitarist), Bidu Cordeiro (who accompanied the Paralamas do Sucesso
Paralamas do Sucesso
Os Paralamas do Sucesso is a Brazilian rock band, formed in Rio de Janeiro in the late 1970s. Its members since 1982 are Herbert Vianna , Bi Ribeiro , and João Barone . In its beginning, the band combined reggae and ska with rock, but later added horn arrangements and Latin rhythms...
and Reggae B) and DJ Marlboro
DJ Marlboro
Fernando Luiz Mattos da Matta, better known as DJ Marlboro, is a Brazilian DJ.DJ Marlboro is one of the originators of the Funk Scene in Brazil. His LP Funk Brasil is seen as marking the birth of so-called Baile funk, which included rapping in Portuguese. DJ Marlboro is the host and producer of...
who has gained the title of official Orquestra Imperial DJ.
History
The project began initially with the aim of performing a show in the defunct Ballroom venue in Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
and was started by Berna Ceppas, Kassin
Kassin + 2
The +2’s is a Brazilian band from Rio that composes samba but, at the same time, incorporates the sounds of funk and Psychedelia into their music. The music group consists of Moreno Veloso, Domenico Lancelotti, and Alexandre Kassin...
and Seu Jorge
Seu Jorge
Seu Jorge is a Brazilian musician, singer/songwriter and actor. Born Jorge Mário da Silva, he was raised in a favela in the city of Belford Roxo in the Baixada Fluminense region of Rio de Janeiro state. He is considered by his fans a renewer of Brazilian pop samba...
. With time, new members such as Nina Becker joined the Orquestra after first performing live with them. The bands repertoire consisted of classic samba tunes and unusual covers such as Vem Fazer Glu-glu originally sung by the presenter Sergio Mallandro
Sérgio Mallandro
Sérgio 'Mallandro' Neiva Cavalcanti a.k.a. "Sérgio Mallandro" is a Brazilian actor and TV shows host....
, and Owner of a Lonely Heart
Owner of a Lonely Heart
"Owner of a Lonely Heart" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes. It is the opening track of their 1983 album 90125. Written primarily by Trevor Rabin, the song reached number one on the United States Billboard Hot 100 — to date Yes's biggest chart success...
by English progressive rock group Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
. They also played unknown compositions like Artista é o Caralho by Rubinho Jacobina and Gomalina, by Max Sete. They occasionally invited guests on stage and these have included Ed Motta
Ed Motta
Ed Motta , is a Brazilian MPB, rock, soul music, funk and jazz musician. He is nephew of late Brazilian singer Tim Maia....
, Marcelo Camelo
Marcelo Camelo
Marcelo de Souza Camelo, is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, and poet. He is best known as composer and lead guitarist of the Brazilian band Los Hermanos. Since the end of the band, he continues composing for many interpreters, mainly Maria Rita and Ivete Sangalo...
, Fernanda Abreu
Fernanda Abreu
-Biography:Fernanda was born and raised in a middle-class family of the South Zone, a neighborhood of Rio. Her first notable public appearance was the backing vocal of the band Blitz until 1986...
, Andreas Kisser
Andreas Kisser
Andreas Rudolf Kisser is the lead guitarist for the metal band Sepultura as well as the rock supergroup HAIL!-Biography:...
, Elza Soares
Elza Soares
Elza Soares is a Brazilian samba singer. She was married to Brazilian football player Garrincha.Born and raised in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Soares took part in a singing contest presented by the renowned Brazilian musician Ary Barroso, and received the highest marks. In the late 1950s, Soares...
amongst others. One of the causes of Orquestra Imperial’s success was the presence of Rodrigo Amarante
Rodrigo Amarante
Rodrigo Amarante de Castro Neves , in is a guitarist, occasional bassist, singer and songwriter for the bands Los Hermanos, Orquestra Imperial and Little Joy....
, guitarist and vocalist of the rock band Los Hermanos
Los Hermanos
Los Hermanos is a rock band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The group was formed in 1997 by Marcelo Camelo , Rodrigo Amarante , Rodrigo Barba , and Bruno Medina...
, who introduced fans of his band to the Orquesta and helped to popularise the Orquestra on the alternative scene.
2006
In 2006 the band recorded an EP consisting of three recordings and an instrumental track: Me Deixa Em Paz, Obsessão, Popcorn and Sem Compromisso. In the same year their first album Carnaval Só Ano Que Vem, was recorded and distributed by the Brazilian label Som LivreSom Livre
Som Livre is a Brazilian record company that was founded by Rede Globo in 1969 to commercialize its soap opera soundtracks, later expanding to record studio albums....
. In 2006, they became known in the international scene, appearing in Portugal at the Festival do Sudoeste
Festival do Sudoeste
Festival Sudoeste is a large, four-day music festival that began in 1997 and takes place every August near Zambujeira do Mar, in southern Portugal...
, and their first US tour playing venues such as Montclair State University
Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a public research university located in the Upper Montclair section of Montclair, the Great Notch area of Little Falls, and Clifton, New Jersey. As of October 2009, there were 18,171 total enrolled students: 14,139 undergraduate students and 4,032 graduate students...
, in New Jersey and Chicago’s Millennium Park
Millennium Park
Millennium Park is a public park located in the Loop community area of Chicago in Illinois, USA and originally intended to celebrate the millennium. It is a prominent civic center near the city's Lake Michigan shoreline that covers a section of northwestern Grant Park. The area was previously...
. In February 2006 they also participated alongside Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso , better known as Caetano Veloso, is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicalismo which encompassed theatre, poetry and music in the 1960s,...
and other Brazilian acts at the Tropicalismo
Tropicalismo
Tropicália, also known as Tropicalismo, is a Brazilian art movement that arose in the late 1960s and encompassed theatre, poetry, and music, among other forms. Tropicália was influenced by poesia concreta , a genre of Brazilian avant-garde poetry embodied in the works of Augusto de Campos, Haroldo...
festival to celebrate the Tropicalia movement in 1960s Brazil.
2007
Carnaval Só No Ano Que Vem was released internationally on the 8th of October by Totolo. The band also appeared as a backing band on Bebel Gilberto's 2007 album Momento, playing on the song Tranquilo written by KassinKassin + 2
The +2’s is a Brazilian band from Rio that composes samba but, at the same time, incorporates the sounds of funk and Psychedelia into their music. The music group consists of Moreno Veloso, Domenico Lancelotti, and Alexandre Kassin...
. Orquestra Imperial have since played many shows in Brazil and were featured on the BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
documentary Brasil Brasil which aired in November 2007 and charted the history of Brazilian music.