Far Out Recordings puts out unreleased 1976 Brazilian jazz-funk debut by Marcos Resende & Index

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Far Out Recordings puts out unreleased 1976 Brazilian jazz-funk debut by Marcos Resende & Index

London’s Far Out Recordings has unearthed the previously unreleased 1976 self-titled debut jazz-funk album by Brazilian keyboardist, composer, and bandleader Marcos Resende and his group Index. This incredible album was recorded prior to the group’s only other release, the highly sought after 1978 album Festa Para Um Novo Rei.

This project came together following Resende’s return to Brazil after a period of living in Lisbon and being exposed to US jazz and British progressive rock. During that time in Europe, he performed in a prog-rock group named Status, who opened shows for legendary artists like Elton John, Phil Woods, Stan Getz, and Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers. Invigorated by this experience and inspired to incorporate these newly discovered sounds into his own music, he formed a new Brazilian-based quartet featuring bassist Rubão Sabino, drummer Claudio Caribé, and the late great multi-instrumentalist Oberdan Magalhães (of Banda Black Rio and Cry Babies). The group set out to create music that fused together jazz, prog-rock, and funk with Brazilian rhythms.

Recorded at Sonoviso Studios with the legendary sound engineer Toninho Barbosa, known as the ‘Brazilian Rudy Van Gelder’, the group’s debut six-track album brilliantly blends together cosmic analog synth and electric piano melodies with funky bass lines, wah-wah guitars, saxophone and flute solos, and a mixture of Brazilian percussion and prog-like drum grooves.

As Resende’s reputation as a keyboardist continued to grow throughout the region, he become one of the most revered session keyboardists in Brazil, playing on records by Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque, Edu Lobo, Carlos Dafé, and Gal Costa. This success led to his time as a bandleader taking a backseat, and therefore the music he recorded with Index mostly stayed below the surface

Thankfully Resende kept the original tapes of the group’s debut session, and was able to pass those along to Far Out Recording’s Joe Davis before he sadly passed away back in November. Out on January 29th, this remarkable recording, in what has become one of the most anticipated releases of the new year, now finally sees the light of day and is definitely an instant classic that should resonate with fans of Azymuth, Manfredo Fest, Marc Moulin, and Eumir Deodato. Highly recommended!