Album of the Week: Marcos Resende & Index - Marcos Resende & Index



Can you imagine being so convinced of the quality of your record that you prefer it not being released over it being released by the 'wrong' label? That's exactly what Brazilian keyboardwiz, producer and composer Marcos Resende did. These days, bandcamp and about a dozen other digital outlets give artists the possibility to spread their music all over the globe and directly distribute records to the fans, but that's not how it worked in 1976. When Resende came back to Brazil in 1974 after studying medicine in Portugal, he wanted to incorporate the American jazz and British prog he experienced in Europe into Brazilian rhythms and formed a quartet with bassist Rubão Sabino, drummer Claudio Caribé and saxophonist/flautist Oberdan Magalhães: Index was born. 
Together, they created this magnificent piece of progressive Brazilian jazz-funk fusion that easily holds up to the best work of their contemporaries Azymuth - and that's quite something, if you ask us. Since a deal with CTI fell through and Resende felt other record labels didn't fully appreciate the effort that went into their self-titled debut album, he shelved it and went on to establish himself as a sought-after session keyboardist, playing on records by Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque, Edu Lobo and many other greats. A couple of years later, Index re-emerged with the wonderful 'Festa Para Um Novo Rei' - a huge favourite among fans of Brazilian music. Now, forty-five years later, those same fans can rejoice: 'Marcos Resende & Index' finally sees the light of day. It's a shame this remarkable record remained 'lost' all this time, but let's just be really grateful Resende - who sadly passed away a couple of months ago - had a dry basement and the great folks at Far Out never cease the search for Brazilian beauties...   

For fans of: Azymuth, Marcos Valle, João Donato, The Headhunters, ...

'Marcos Resende & Index' is available at Far Out...

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