MPB-4, Toquinho & Ivan Lins: 50 Anos de Música

Reliving the Golden Age of MPB

— Luck would have it that I was in Fortaleza on October 7, 2017, when MPB-4, Toquinho and Ivan Lins performed their acclaimed road show celebrating 50 years of their individual careers.

The mid- to late-1960s era can be called a golden age of MPB (Música Popular Brasileira or Brazilian Popular Music). Those years that followed the military coup in Brazil in 1964 were crucial and productive years in our music. In addition to the names featured in this concert, other well known Brazilian performers (Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethânia, Chico Buarque, Francis Hime, Elis Regina, Simone, etc.) began their careers back then. 50 Anos de Música is a small sample of that period, and it was inevitably a hit parade. The audience loved every second of the two-hour show set outdoors and ocean front in the beautiful Iate Clube of Fortaleza

Opening this celebration, MPB-4 (Aquiles, Miltinho, Dalmo Medeiros and Paulo Malaguti) started with the beautiful wordless “Porto” from the Gabriela novela soundtrack. We were in for a special treat, it was obviously clear. The cool breeze of the Atlantic Ocean right behind the stage and those incomparable harmonies serenaded the captive audience. Rhythm and percussion during the MPB-4 set were provided by none other than João Parahyba, of the famous Trio Mocotó. 

This current formation of the MPB-4 is its third incarnation. The original members were Ruy Faria, Magro Waghabi, Aquiles and Miltinho. They were together from 1964 through 2004. After Ruy left the group, he was replaced by Dalmo Medeiros in 2004. In 2012, Magro passed away, and since 2013, Paulo Malaguti has been with MPB-4. It is as if this group formation had always been together. Furthermore, the addition of Paulo Malaguti also brought keyboards to the quartet sound. The hit list included dazzling renditions of “Ronco da Cuíca,” and the classics “Amigo É pra Essas Coisas” and “Cálice.”

The second act is this memorable show, Toquinho (Antônio Pecci Filho, 1946 São Paulo), was a solo star before his eleven-year partnership with Vinícius de Moraes began in 1970. Together, Toquinho & Vinícius wrote about 120 songs, recorded 25 albums and did over a thousand shows in Brazil and the world. So, it was no surprise that the set Toquinho presented had the audience singing almost to all songs! He did medleys of some of his most well-known songs from the Casa de Brinquedos album, as well as from his partnership with Vinícius. There were, however, two sublime moments here. The first was “Que Maravilha,” which Toquinho co-wrote with Jorge Ben (now Jorge Benjor), immediately followed by a superb guitar solo performance of the traditional “Mulher Rendeira.”

With no breaks between sets, Ivan Lins then took the stage. The audience had warmed up enough, so this closing set was the icing on the cake.  Again, just about every song Ivan sang was accompanied by the audience. Several times, Ivan himself would ask the audience to sing along.  The set included some early hits, such as “Somos Todos Iguais Nesta Noite,” the classics “Madalena” and “Começar de Novo” as well as new music, including a rare partnership with Chico Buarque.

In closing the show, all artists came back and performed together a song made famous by each of them. It was getting late, but that never stopped the audience from getting to its feet to sing and dance away.

SHOW INFORMATION

MPB-4, Toquinho & Ivan Lins
50 Anos de Música
Time: 120′

Songs:

MPB4

1. Porto (Dori Caymmi)
2. O Ronco da Cuíca (João Bosco – Aldir Blanc)
3. Yolanda (Pablo Milanés – vs. by Chico Buarque)
4. Amor sem Fronteiras (Tony Damito – vs. Pepe Ávila)
5. Amigo É pra Essas Coisas (Silvio Silva Jr. – Aldir Blanc)
6. O Sonho, a Vida, a Roda Viva
7. Cálice (Chico Buarque – Gilberto Gil)
8. Apesar de Você (Chico Buarque)
9. Roda Viva (Chico Buarque)
10. Tarde em Itapoã (Toquinho – Vinícius de Moraes) – w/ Toquinho

Toquinho

1. Casa de Brinquedos medley
2. Como Dizia o Poeta (Toquinho – Vinícius de Moraes)
3. Vinícius de Moraes medley
4. Que Maravilha (Toquinho – Jorge Ben Jor)
5. Mulher Rendeira (Traditional)
6. Aquarela (Toquinho – Vinícius de Moraes – Guido Morra – Maurizio Fabrizio)
7. O Amor em Paz (Tom Jobim – Vinícius de Moraes) – w/ Ivan Lins

Ivan Lins

1. Abre Alas (Ivan Lins – Vitor Martins)
2. Somos Todos Iguais Nesta Noite (Ivan Lins – Vitor Martins)
3. Começar de Novo (Ivan Lins – Vitor Martins)
4. Desesperar Jamais (Ivan Lins – Vitor Martins)
5. Bandeira do Divino (Ivan Lins – Vitor Martins)
6. Lembra de Mim (Ivan Lins – Vitor Martins)
7. Vitoriosa  (Ivan Lins – Vitor Martins)
8. Depende de Nós (Ivan Lins – Vitor Martins)
9. Madalena (Ivan Lins – Ronaldo Monteiro de Souza)
10. Sou Eu (Ivan Lins – Chico Buarque) – w/ MPB-4
11. Tenha Dó (Deixa, Deixa) – w/ MPB-4

MPB-4, Toquinho, Ivan Lins

1. Regra Três (Toquinho – Vinícius de Moraes)
2. Novo Tempo (Ivan Lins – Vitor Martins)
3. Quem Te Viu, Quem Te Vê (Chico Buarque)