Marcos Valle

Marcos Valle is a Brazilian singer, songwriter and record producer from Rio de Janeiro, born in 1943. His work spans mpb, bossa nova, samba, jazz-influenced music, incidental music for drama, and fusions of Brazilian styles with American and European rock and dance music.

Early career and breakthrough

Valle shows precocious talent during his school years in Rio de Janeiro, when bossa nova is at its peak. He studies alongside later figures such as Edu Lobo and Dori Caymmi. One of his early compositions, Sonho De Maria, appears on Tamba Trio’s 1963 album Avanço. He often writes with his brother, Paulo Sérgio Valle, who provides lyrics for many of his songs.

His growing reputation leads to a contract with Odeon, an EMI subsidiary. His debut album, Samba Demais, is released in 1964. A second album, O Compositor e o Cantor, follows in 1965 and includes Samba De Verão, later known in English as So Nice (Summer Samba), along with Deus Brasileiro, Gente and A Resposta. Songs by Valle are also recorded by artists including Wilson Simonal, Elis Regina and Nara Leão.

Work in the United States and later 1960s albums

In 1966 Valle makes his first trip to the United States, where he and his then-wife Anamaria briefly work with Sérgio Mendes in an early version of the group that becomes Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66. He returns to Brazil quickly because of the risk of military service and possible deployment to Vietnam. He goes back to the United States the following year, releases Braziliance! on Warner Bros. Records, and appears on the Andy Williams television show. He also does session work for Verve releases by Walter Wanderley and Astrud Gilberto. Verve then issues Samba ’68, which presents English-language versions of songs from his earlier Brazilian records.

Back in Brazil again, Valle enters a more varied phase. Viola Enluarada, released in 1968, is more reflective in tone and includes the title track, a duet with Milton Nascimento. The album also introduces a more explicit political element and broadens his style beyond bossa nova. Mustang Cor De Sangue, released in 1969, develops this further with rock, soul and pop influences, while retaining his melodic approach. Around this time he also begins writing theme music for television programmes and telenovelas, as well as advertising jingles.

1970s work

His 1970 self-titled album, often called The Bed Album because of its cover, is his most rock-oriented and psychedelic record up to that point. It is backed by Som Imaginário, the group associated with Milton Nascimento, and includes more experimental material and an extended instrumental suite. Garra, released in 1971, is a major pop recording in his catalogue, combining pop, jazz, soul, bossa nova and film-score elements. Its lyrics also reflect the tensions between his hippie outlook and his position as a wealthy young musician with successful television and advertising work.

During this period, he contributes music to telenovelas including O Cafona, Minha Doce Namorada, Pigmalião 70, Os Ossos Do Barão and Selva De Pedra. Vento Sul, released in 1972, is recorded with the progressive rock band O Terço and is his most experimental work to that point. Previsão do Tempo, released the following year, is made with Azimuth, later spelled Azymuth, a band that first forms to back him in live performance. The album draws strongly on jazz fusion, especially through José Roberto Bertrami’s use of Fender Rhodes, Mini-Moog and ARP Soloist keyboards, and later becomes influential on the European acid jazz scene.

In 1974 Valle writes music for Vila Sésamo, Brazil’s version of Sesame Street, and releases his final album for EMI, another self-titled record that moves towards piano-led pop with elaborate vocal arrangements.

Later collaborations

He then returns to the United States and spends the rest of the 1970s in Los Angeles. There he works with artists including Sarah Vaughan, Chicago and Leon Ware. Valle and Ware write many songs together, and Valle appears on several of Ware’s Elektra albums. He is also associated with a career abroad alongside musicians from the younger bossa nova generation, including Bebel Gilberto.