Review: Far Out presents Leo Gandelman's score to 'Garrincha: Estrela Solitaria'. Garrincha is a true Brazilian legend, one of the all-time great footballers, revered to this day. Focusing on his zenith, from 1953 to 1962 - during which time he twice inspired Brazil to World Cup glory - this soundtrack is suitably of the period. With beautiful Ipanemas-esque soulful samba sitting alongside carnival batucada, darker cinematic experimentalism, and playful jazz funk, this collection of Leo Gandelman scores mirrors and celebrates Garrincha's amazingly fast paced life; at times glorious, at others a car crash. Manuel Francisco dos Santos (Garrincha) remains so popular in Brazil that he is remembered as Joy of the People.
This original soundtrack to 'Estrela Solitaria' was directed, produced and in most cases composed by Leo Gandelman. An icon of the jazz genre as saxophonist and arranger Gandelman has released nine solo albums, seven compilations as well as last year's previously unreleased swinging funk soul Brazilian Groove Band project, recorded in New York in 1999 with American jazz funk legends Grant Green Jr and Reuben Wilson, on Far Out Recordings. Certainly, parts of this score are reminiscent of the heavy soul and jazz funk of BGB but this record goes far deeper and darker.
"Garrincha was a phenomenal player. Without him I would never have won three World Cups." Pele
… Read more